A Mortality Tale

A wild summer storm has blacked out the streets. By the time she sees the young man in her headlights it's too late. Stunned. Carmen drives home in the downpour. No one has seen her, but does this mean she'll get away with it?

Teasing out the ambiguities of responsibility and retribution, Jay Verney explores Carmen's dilemma with a crisp, dry wit that will send you in search of her next novel.

Jay Verney is a Brisbane writer who was born in Rockhampton. She grew up, worked, holidayed and enjoyed an altered state of mind in pubs from Rocky to Beijing. She has been a hospital pay clerk, shop assistant, tradesman’s offsider, public servant, writer-in-residence, cat wranger and political tragic. Jay has written for newspapers, anthologies, magazines and money. She has taught creative writing and judged a number of literary awards. "A Mortality Tale", her first novel, was published in 1994. It was shortlisted for both the Australian/Vogel and the Miles Franklin awards. It is being republished in 2004 to accompany the publication of her new novel "Percussion".