By Amy Midanik-Blum
A typical peek into Hembury’s office on a weekday will show you the usual sights and sounds of a buzzing, busy office of hardworking publishing professionals: the click of keyboards, desks covered in notebooks and proof copies, and constant banter as we celebrate each other’s wins and chat about the clients we love to work with.
But on Friday 9 October a considerably different scene played out in our Bankstown office. With our afternoon schedules already cleared, we awaited a knock at the door from a security guard. After he determined the area was safe, a small group was ushered into the room, and we were formally introduced to the Honourable Tony Burke, Minister for Home Affairs, Immigration and Citizenship, Cyber Security and the Arts. He was joined by Georgia Mokak, First Nations Outreach Coordinator and First Nations Policy and Advocacy Manager for the National Association for the Visual Arts, as well as Deputy Mayor Rachelle Harikas. Our own Hembury author Beryl Crosher-Segers also came along, as she has been instrumental in connecting our offices (and for which we are very grateful!).
The Hembury staff all introduced themselves and their titles, with Hembury Group cofounders Jessica Mudditt and Colin Taylor taking the lead on giving the Minister and his team a comprehensive overview of Hembury Books.
Jess described Hembury’s humble beginnings and the company’s recognition of her late father’s legacy, and how important it is to her to say yes to authors whose books have been rejected by traditional publishers and literary agents – as that is exactly what happened to her.
The Minister was curious about our business and asked us about the different genres we publish, how quickly we can get a book to market (16 weeks) and we showed him some of our fantastic titles. He took a particular interest in Dear Somebody by Nimity Boronia, which is a beautiful children’s book about how writing letters to people in aged care homes can help ease loneliness.
We were so thrilled to receive a visit from Australia’s Federal Arts Minister – and the fact that the visit took place on our third anniversary was a happy coincidence.
We’re deeply grateful to Minister Tony Burke and his team for taking the time to visit us. And who knows, maybe the next time we hear from him it will be to discuss an idea for his own book!
