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What do overseas readers expect to see in an Australian book? Particularly in the language domain? Do they expect slang?

What a good question. You hear a lot about our slang. Was it Paul Hogan's "throw a shrimp on the barbie"? that did it? I suspect people overseas do expect us to say G'day. Me, I never do. But sometimes words like "chooks" slip out instead of "hens" and I realise we DO speak a different language :)

Nicely observed, Jenny!

It seems very likely that the Australian persona is perceived as being represented by Paul Hogan, partly or wholly. What then do those outside Australia make of those books that make scant or no use of this language? Are they dismissed as being unrealistic? Or do readers accept that it's quite possible, even likely, that many Australians speak without use of what has been promoted as our signature sayings?
Like you, I never say "G'day", but having said that it seems to me to be more likely used by males. However, I've never heard my husband Ronald utter it, and few in my acquaintance say it, either. On the other hand, "chooks" is a word I've used, and often heard said by both sexes.
Are "No worries, mate" and "She'll be right" viewed as normal Australian speech , and are they as often spoken as those overseas seem to be led to believe?

Hi, Margaret,

In truth, as an American currently residing in a superposed quantum state (I think it's called "Texas"), I definitively qualify as "overseas," relative to you, so let me hasten to say that I harbor (note the missing "u," certifying that I am an actual American) no preconceived linguistic expectations whatsoever of a book from Australia, other than that it probably won't have been written in Urdu (it would be okay if it were, though; I just couldn't read it). It certainly doesn't bother me if the book contains, or doesn't contain, instances of Strine. (Is it okay to say, "Strine?" I've never said it before, but that's what I've always thought Australian lingo was called. Most Americans, on the other hand, have always thought Australian was called "Spanish" or "Martian." We are a deeply confused nation.) Anyway, I think you need not be concerned about the people who expect your books to sound like Paul Hogan movies. They do not read. Books. (They are quite adept at deciphering aspirin labels, though.) My general thought is... no worries. (I understand that that's an Australian locution. We don't say it here, possibly because we're unremittingly worried.) All the best!

Hi, Mark,

I take your point about my unmistakeably English, that is, non American,spelling that was drummed into me 'down under'; no, I don't mean I was belted by my teachers. Although on second thoughts, I was in fact slapped for the most trivial of offences at the ripe old age of nine.

It's okay by me for you to say 'Strine': though I've never uttered the precise word in my life. What does annoy me, though, is the red line my computer insists on making, every time I dare to use an un-American spelling. What cheek!

I must admit, you've shattered me by your observation about those who expect my language to emulate that of Paul Hogan and the like. I was really counting on their support....Oh dear, life's like that, isn't it?

Oh Margaret, honestly, you don't want their support. You want the support and readership of people who like Australia, but aren't deluded enough to think that Aussies all sound like Paul Hogan. There's no shortage of those, at least among Americans who read.

Seriously, Mark, that's a happy thought.

The Australians I know do not use the language typical of that of Paul Hogan; though, as Jenny says, we do have some signature words and sayings.

So, if the potential readers for my style of books are there, the question becomes: how to reach them?

Off at a tangent, perhaps, but I'm happy to note that my fifth book, '60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences', has made the Amazon Kindle Best Seller List! It's presently around number 126,000.

Margaret wrote: "Off at a tangent, perhaps, but I'm happy to note that my fifth book, '60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences', has made the Amazon Kindle Best Seller List! It's presently around number 126,000."

That's remarkably good, since there are >1.5 million books available on kindle. Puts you in the top 8%. Do you know how many copies have sold?

Haven't checked, Mark! It's a nice statistic on the face of it!

Today, Chris the Story-Reading Ape (from Manchester, U.K.) published his review of my sixth collection of Short Stories, 'Encore', and pointed to its diversity of characters and story-lines. Interesting!