Bestselling author Victoria Purman will visit Murray Bridge

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Victoria Purman will give a talk at Murray Bridge Library on Wednesday to discuss her latest novel, A Woman’s Work, along with food, glorious food.

Victoria Purman’s romance fiction novels have reached the Australian top 10 and USA Today bestseller lists, and she will visit Murray Bridge to discuss her latest novel, A Woman’s Work.

A Woman’s Work is set in Australia in 1956 and depicts two women competing in a Women’s Weekly cooking competition that has the power to change their lives.

Ms Purman told Murray Bridge News about her inspiration to write the book.

“I discovered that the Women’s Weekly cooking competition in 1956 had a prize pool of 6000 pounds – and to build a new home back then cost 7500 pounds,” she said.

“I thought, ‘How would winning even some of that prize change the lives of the women who enter?’

“It was a real way to explore the roles of women in 1956.”

A Woman’s Work explores just how limiting the roles of women in Australia were in the 1950s, but it also shows how these old-fashioned views limited men.

“Those social roles hurt men too: When the son [of one of the main characters] tells his friend he loves cooking, he was teased mercifully because that’s not what men do,” Ms Purman said.

Although A Woman’s Work is set in a different era, it still offers messages for today’s readers.

“People who are forced to do what they have to do to survive become unhappy people,” Ms Purman said.

The novel also shows the importance of work for all people.

“Work is about independence, confidence and contributing to society in a deep way, and everyone can have an impact on another person’s life through the work they do.”

Apart from talking about her newest novel and sharing her own experiences as a mother of three boys, Ms Purman will talk about her love of food, which she tapped into when researching her novel.

“The most research I did for the book was on cooking,” she said.

“I cooked all the recipes they cooked in the book, and my family were my taste testers.

“Cheese dreams was the most popular, and the recipe’s in the book.

“The curried steak and spaghetti wasn’t so popular.”

Who would have guessed?

The Victoria Purman author talk will be at the Murray Bridge Library at 1pm on Wednesday, 3 May. To book a place, contact the library on 8539 1175 or speak to library staff.

Win a copy of A Woman’s Work

Two lucky Murray Bridge News readers can win a copy of A Woman’s Work. To enter the competition, describe your favourite dish that your mum cooked for you. Please send your answer to michael@murraybridge.news.

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