Simone’s Little Bookshop of Hope
I’ve always loved a cosy bookstore, and in another life I’d own one.
But that ain’t happening, so here’s the next best thing!
My own cosy, somewhat cluttered, Little Bookshop of Hope.
For lovers of Chai Time At Cinnamon Gardens and Tuesday Evenings with the Copeton Craft Resistance comes a new uplit title, Eudaimania: Happiness Disease by debut Australian author Simone Abbot.
In June 2001 with her first election approaching, why is idealistic speechwriter Kat Warlow resigning from a job she loves, writing for Australia's ‘Sexiest Minister Alive’ Lachlan Stuart MP? Perhaps Aristotle whispered in her ear: ‘Happiness depends on ourselves.’
Australian politician Andrew Leigh MP said: ‘An absorbing novel about whether politics can make room for compassion, community and human flourishing. Eudaimania: Happiness Disease asks how we might build a more loving politics in an angry age.’
The paperback is 444 pages long and includes a personal note from Simone on the process of writing this roman à clef to 2001.
Welcome, welcome, welcome! So glad my trail of breadcrumbs lead you here.
They say ‘Hope isn’t a strategy’, so I decided:
‘Stuff that, I’m making hope my strategy.’
“Hope is a waking dream.”
Enjoy a small taste of my debut novel!
Eudaimania: Happiness Disease
Chapter One: Analogy
Wednesday 20 June 2001, 7:13am, Parliament House, Canberra
KAT’S HAND TREMBLED with the weight of the envelope, appalled by her next move. She’d thrashed out every option, all the possible permutations fate offered, over the weeks since Lach’s unwarranted ejection from the House. But this ruse – ironically her first overt act of power, even if it was the pound of flesh the Party demanded – was the only way. Even more ironic, after all her experience as a speechwriter known for meticulously selecting her words, here she was placing all her chips on the tricksy twenty-four-hour news cycle. If one of her colleagues spotted her handing in her letter of resignation, it’d be mere seconds before the least loyal rushed off to crank up the Parliamentary rumour mill: Wardlow – her alter ego – had exited the building. At least Warlow – her true self – could breathe again. And the Party could rest easy believing Lach had done what was required.
Kat strode into Lach’s office, dumped her bag on the chair, the envelope in her hand. She edged around Lach’s desk to stand in the position reserved for those most trusted, colloquially designated as ‘Rodham’s’. Tucked in beside the Commonwealth blue ensign, the position was sufficiently deferential yet close enough to exert covert power with a delicate clearing of the throat. The position of true power, of course, was on the floor beneath his desk, unkindly tagged ‘Lewinsky’s’. Regrettably, the rumour mills were already gossiping that Wardlow could’ve assumed either position. To end those rumours, she needed to start another, get everyone talking that Wardlow was gone. And she must time her mission precisely because, a true wordsmith, she knew words and symbols mattered, but together they made magic.
‘Kat? We’re not on until 7:30, you know that.’
She pushed the envelope into his chest. No point beating around the bush. ‘My resignation letter, Lach. Tomorrow I’m gone.’
His expression, usually conveying the self-belief of a Kennedy, took on a glimmer of incredulity. How could Kat exit stage left before the campaign fight of his life had even begun? Even she didn’t have that answer.
Part-proceeds of sales will be donated to Cafe Stepping Stone in the ACT, Australia, to support their work to help refugee and migrant women develop hospitality skills.
Hoping for ways to avoid postage fees?
I got you!
Eudaimania: Happiness Disease (paperback) is available for purchase from the following:
National Library of Australia Bookstore: Parkes Place, Canberra ACT
9am-5pm Monday-Sunday
Closed Good Friday + Christmas Day
The Shop at Old Parliament House: 18 King George Terrace, Parkes ACT
9am-5pm every day except Chrismas Day
Drop by Simone Abbot’s stand at the For Purpose Market: DKB Hall, Common Ground, Hawdon Place, Dickson ACT
First Saturday of the month, 10am-2pm on:
Saturday 3 October 2026
Saturday 7 November 2026
Saturday 5 December 2026
Email me to arrange drop-off in Canberra:
But be ready: you might have to include a coffee and a chat! Because one-by-one, we build community.
Email me to join your book group:
I’d love to join, and to talk about community.
Eudaimania: Happiness Disease (e-book)
Click the button below to take you to Amazon to purchase Eudaimania: Happiness Disease (e-book):
