A Night of Stories - Laos with author Colin Cotterill

Thursday, 18 May 2006

Colin Cotterill is the author of The Coroner's Lunch and was featured at one of Asialink's popular Night of Stories events in Melbourne last May.

Colin's book is a whodunit set in lush but tumultuous 1970s Laos and features a curious septuagenarian - who's the local equivalent of the modern CSI - attempting to solve a spate of mysterious deaths. The Coroner's Lunch is the first in a series of novels featuring Dr. Siri Paiboun and was conceived by Bangkok-based Australian Colin Cotterill. Colin is a cartoonist, illustrator and novelist whose work in nongovernmental agencies in South East Asia, including work in Laos, provided the inspiration for this series. Colin is also instrumental in setting up the charity 'Books for Laos' program which waises money to buy books for kids in Laos.

Colin was interviewed by The Age newspaper's Literary Editor Jason Steger and spoke about his work on his 'Books for Laos' project, the terrible pall of child prostitution in the region and about his experiences living and working in one of the world's last remaining Communist countries.

This was the fourth in Asialink's popular Night of Stories series, following Sri Lanka, China and India and was supported by Readings Books and Music.

Colin's website

Colin Cotterill's writing in The Age [pdf, 304kb, 3pgs]

Asialink, The University of Melbourne

A Night of Stories - Laos with author Colin Cotterill