Media Kit Carpathia by Jay Ludowyke The extraordinary story of the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic
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Contents
Author Bio 3
Carpathia 4
Reviews 5
Media Release 6
Media Q&A 8
Interview Q’s 10
Publicity Images 11
Excerpt 12
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Author Bio Dr Jay Ludowyke is an author and academic with a research focus on narrative nonfiction, objects and artefacts. She holds qualifications in writing, history and library services. Jay teaches at the University of the Sunshine Coast and has been employed in local government and public libraries. She was the recipient of an Australian Postgraduate Award (a $75,000 scholarship) and her writing has appeared in esteemed publications such as Meniscus, Visible Ink and TEXT. She lives on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
Jay spent her childhood in country Tasmania before moving to the sunshine state, and she still misses emerald grass, wood fires and the sound of rain hitting a tin roof. She loves English manors, Japanese food and true stories. Her spaniel is named after Emma Woodhouse. She has seen the moon ringed in blue during a solar eclipse. Thinks the best way to understand a new place is to walk it. And keeps failing to learn the violin.
Jay has spent years researching and writing about RMS Carpathia. She is an experienced public speaker and often lectures and presents public talks. She welcomes inquiries for interviews and speaking engagements.
Contact Education Dr Jay Kylie Ludowyke Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing) [email protected] Bachelor of Arts (Honours) www.jayludowyke.com Doctor of Creative Arts Twitter: @JayLudowyke University of the Sunshine Coast Facebook: JayLudowykeAuthor Quick Facts Born: Smithton, Tasmania Hobbies: Travelling, Astronomy, Antiquing Heritage: Sri Lankan and Australian Surname pronunciation; lew-doe-wike... (like motorbike)
Publicist
Lydia Tasker, Hachette Australia
+61 02 8248 0870
See Publicity Images for photos 3
Carpathia The extraordinary story of the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic
By Dr Jay Ludowyke
The dramatic and fascinating story of RMS CARPATHIA: rescue ship to RMS TITANIC; sunk by a German U-boat in WWI; and lost in ocean depths until located by shipwreck hunters and explored by an intrepid dive team nearly 100 years later.
In the early hours of 15 April 1912, the Cunard steamship Carpathia receives a distress call from the new White Star liner Titanic. Captain Arthur Rostron immediately turns Carpathia northwest and sails full speed through the dark night, into waters laden with icebergs, on a rescue mission that will become legendary.
Almost a century later, Carpathia’s wreck has finally been located. She’s over 500 feet down and only a few divers in the world can attain these depths. Among them is Englishman Ric Waring’s team.
In this captivating and intensively researched story, we follow the dual narratives of Rostron and the daring rescue of the Titanic survivors by Carpathia, and of Waring’s team and their dangerous determination to reach the wreck. Rich in history and drama, the true story of Carpathia from her launching to the sensational events of 1912, World War I and beyond is a compelling narrative that moves at the page-turning pace of the very best fiction.
Publisher Hachette Australia Genre Nonfiction Pages 322 Trade Paperback JUL 10, 2018 | 9780733640674 | RRP $32.99 eBook JUL 10, 2018 | 9780733640681 | RRP $14.99 Major Retailers QBD, Dymocks, Big W, David Jones, Booktopia, Amazon, iBooks More Information [email protected]
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Reviews
‘Carpathia provides new insights into the untold story of the Carpathia, the saving grace of the doomed Titanic. This original book provides exciting, untold and innovative insights into that fabled “Night to Remember”. An absorbing and scintillating read…’
Gary Crew, author of Strange Objects and The Watertower
‘In Carpathia: The extraordinary story of the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic, Jay Ludowyke demonstrates a remarkable talent for creative nonfiction. Her rigorous and meticulous research into the events and people linked to Carpathia’s story is seamlessly evident beneath an accessible and highly engaging style and strong plot arc. Ludowyke’s romance and historical accuracy will appeal to a broad readership.’
Ross Watkins, author of The Apology and One Photo
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Media Release
FOR RELEASE: 1 July 2018
COAST AUTHOR LAUNCHES TITANIC RESCUE STORY ON 100 YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Buderim, Qld (20/6/18)—
The story of RMS Titanic is famous, but few people know about the daring rescue mission waged by one small ship that raced full speed through the dark night, into waters laden with icebergs, desperately trying to reach the stricken liner. Or that this year marks the centenary of that ship’s sinking.
Coast author and academic Dr Jay Ludowyke’s debut book tells the fascinating and dramatic story of RMS Carpathia — rescue ship to Titanic, sunk by a German U-boat, lost in ocean depths until located by shipwreck hunters, and explored by an intrepid dive team almost a century later.
The book launch is set for the 100th anniversary of the day Carpathia sank in WWI, 17 July 2018, at the USC Art Gallery from 5.30pm. Enjoy a free evening of live music, wine, canapés, art and literature, with an introduction by Bruce Atkinson from ABC Sunshine Coast.
“Carpathia’s captain did not hesitate when he received Titanic’s destress call,” said Ludowyke. “He ordered that steam powering the heating and lighting be diverted back to the engines and pushed the ship faster than she had ever gone before.”
Although many Titanic accounts briefly mention Carpathia, Ludowyke’s is the first to tell this dramatic story in detail. A work of narrative nonfiction — nonfiction that reads like fiction — she spent four years researching and writing the book, including travelling to the UK and uncovering archival records that shed new light on Carpathia’s past and the events of that famous night. She also interviewed the leader of the expedition that dived the wreck in 2007, which lies at the limits of human reach — and who features as one of the book’s characters.
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“I have never liked tragedy,” she said, “but I have always been drawn to heroism and nobility and romanticism, and Carpathia brings these elements to the Titanic story. Her rescue mission captured my heart.”
Dr Ludowyke wrote Carpathia while completing her doctoral degree and teaching at the University of the Sunshine Coast. She has previous worked for Sunshine Coast Council and Sunshine Coast Libraries. Born in Tasmania, she moved to the Coast at age 12.
Attendance at the centenary book launch is free, but places are limited. RSVP is essential. www.carpathia.eventbrite.com.au
Carpathia: The extraordinary story of the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic will be in bookshops from 10 July, 2018. Copies can be pre-ordered at Hachette Australia’s website. www.hachette.com.au/book/carpathia-wto
ENDS
FOR MORE INFORMATION Dr Jay Ludowyke Lydia Tasker, Senior Publicist, Hachette 0405 792 677 02 8248 0870 [email protected] [email protected]
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Media Q&A Carpathia: The extraordinary story of the ship that rescued the survivors of the Titanic
Why did you write Carpathia? Carpathia’s rescue of the Titanic survivors was brave and heroic, but few people know this story, despite its connection to the most famous maritime disaster of the twentieth century. I have never liked tragedy, but I have always been drawn to heroism and nobility and romanticism, and Carpathia brings these elements to the Titanic story — at least for me. Her rescue mission captured my heart.
Where did the idea for the book come from? This book began one evening as I watched an episode of Antiques Roadshow, a British television program where ordinary people bring in artefacts to be appraised by an expert. The program featured a commemorative medal presented to a crew member who served aboard RMS Carpathia. The expert told the story of how her captain diverted steam from nonessential services, sending it back to the engines and pushing the ship faster than she had ever gone before. I was fascinated by this ship’s daring rescue mission and, upon further research, her entire history.
What else is interesting about RMS Carpathia besides rescuing the Titanic survivors? • This year, 2018, is the centenary of Carpathia’s being sunk by a U-boat (U-55) while leading a convoy during WWI. • Carpathia carried members of the Black Hand (the Italian Mafia) across the Atlantic. • There were several failed attempts by the National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) to locate her wreck before they succeeded. One of their contractors erroneously announced they had found her, but that ship turned out to be MV Isis. • Carpathia is over 500 feet down and only a few divers in the world can attain these depths, making diving her exceptionally dangerous! • The baby born on her maiden voyage was given the nickname ‘Carpathius’ (I uncovered his real name in my research). • The end of UNESCO world heritage-listed Hadrian’s Wall (aka The Roman Wall) was uncovered at the shipyard while Carpathia was being built. • And other thing I can’t reveal because they’re spoilers!
How long did the book take to write? I wrote the book as part of my doctoral degree, which took four years to complete.
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What research was involved? So much research! Too much to list it all here, but among other things it involved reading reference works (at first, with a dictionary in one hand to look up all the nautical terminology), locating primary sources, reading historical news accounts, contacting Titanic experts and maritime archaeologists, and interviewing divers. I even visited Las Vegas specifically to attend a Titanic exhibition, and in New Zealand I went for a cruise on TSS Earnslaw, the only remaining coal-fired passenger ship in the southern hemisphere (where they allowed me into the normally- restricted engine room and let me throw some coal in the boiler’s furnace, and to visit the bridge and steer the ship!)
I also went on a research trip to the United Kingdom, which was funded by the University of the Sunshine Coast. This involved visits to multiple information repositories. The major ones included, in London: The National Archives, and the National Maritime Museum; in Liverpool: the University of Liverpool, and the Merseyside Maritime Museum; in Newcastle: the Tyne and Wear Archives, and the Segedunum Roman Fort and Museum; and in Belfast: the Titanic Belfast Museum and Slipways. Because it was winter in England, the nights were long and it was always dark when I entered and exited the archives. For weeks, it was like living in perpetual night. While researching Carpathia, I remember missing the sun for the first time in my life.
What was the hardest thing about writing the book? The hardest thing about writing this book was, at first, making the story come alive. Every interesting fact I discovered, I wanted to share with the world. But the story became bloated with unnecessary information, and I had to pare that back and find the right balance so that the book would become, as my publisher says, ‘page-turning’.
Is this book nonfiction or did you make things up? The genre is narrative nonfiction (also known as creative nonfiction), which is nonfiction that reads like fiction. It is entirely factual, but written using techniques that emphasise characters, plot, scenes, setting and themes.
Why did you become a writer? Because I’m a reader, and writing is the next best thing. Also, because working in a library, it turns out, does not include allocated reading time! Although, libraries do have librarians superheroes, and sometimes they’ll read to you.
Where have you worked? The University of the Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast Council Sunshine Coast Libraries And once upon a time I used to be a waitress 9
Interview Q’s
Where did you first hear about Carpathia?
Why is Carpathia relatively unknown when Titanic is so famous?
How dangerous was the rescue mission?
How far away was Carpathia from Titanic?
How many people were saved, and how many died?
What happened during the voyage that returned the survivors to New York?
What happened to Carpathia after the events of 1912?
How did you get in touch with dive expedition leader, Ric Waring?
How dangerous was the dive expedition to Carpathia?
Where does the image on the front cover come from?
What was the most interesting thing you uncovered during your research?
What new information about Carpathia has been brought to light in your book?
Why did you write this book?
Who is your intended audience?
How does this book benefit the reader?
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Publicity Images
Click on the image to open a high resolution copy.
More images are available at jayludowyke.com/media-kit.
No image attribution is required.
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Excerpt
The following brief excerpt is made available courtesy of Hachette Australia.
It may be reproduced with appropriate attribution.
‘Thia’ is the nickname given to RMS Carpathia in the book.
The Rescue
1912
In the dark hours before dawn Thia passes iceberg after iceberg, picking her way through like a snake. Too often her life, and the lives of her passengers and crew, depend on a sudden turn of her wheel. But she never falters. Arthur occasionally sees the green light as he keeps his eyes skinned for bergs. At half past three, Purser Brown and Chief Steward Hughes report to the bridge: everything that can be done has been done. None too soon. Thia is almost upon Titanic’s coordinates. Arthur pulls the lever on the bridge telegraph, signalling the engine room to standby. Meanwhile, Thia continues to send up rockets and Roman candles, as though reminding whosoever is on the other side of those lights in the sky that help is coming. At 4 a.m. Arthur pulls the telegraph lever to stop. Below decks, the bell on its engine-room counterpart rings shrilly. The chief engineer glances at the brass dial and orders a reduction in
12 revolutions. With the engines no longer labouring beyond capacity the world is suddenly, startlingly loud. Thia glides until she’s stationary in the dark water. They are there … but there is no Titanic. If he’s honest, Arthur didn’t really expect to find her. There were moments, genuine moments, when he hoped, but he knows too well the signs of another ship at night. Knows that he should long ago have seen her brightly lit decks, guiding them to her like the north star. He sees naught but clear skies, the stars gleaming with the brilliance that only a keen frosty air brings. The seeing is as good as it can be for want of a moon, and every officer on the bridge scans the water, searching for any sign of life. Those passengers scattered around Thia’s upper decks do the same. As does the lookout in the crow’s nest. The two at Thia’s eyes. All searching for some indication that her race across the Atlantic tundra has not been futile. Foolish, it may have been – dangerous, reckless, it has been – but don’t let it have been futile. And then they see it. A green flare. Low to the water, directly off her port bow. It must be a small boat but it’s impossible to discern a shape. Arthur reaches for the telegraph. Thia’s been idle only a few minutes and gets up to speed quickly. He issues an order and her whistle blasts through the dark. For the time being, he refuses to think what it means that there is a boat in the water. Just applies himself to the task at hand. He’ll enfold them along Thia’s port side, using her bulk as a shield against the stirring wind and waves, harbingers of the dawn. As Thia draws near, trying to pick out the lifeboat in the dark, Arthur’s eyes chart a little further. Strain to discern … Dear God. Simultaneously, an urgent shout comes from the starboard bridge wing. ‘Iceberg dead ahea—’ ‘Hard-a-starboard,’ Arthur orders, before the warning dies. The berg is too close. A few hundred metres. Rapidly closing. He can’t account for how they missed it. From the nest, Thia’s bell rings out three strikes. For the second time that night, at almost the same spot on the ocean, a ship is on a collision course with a mountain of ice.
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