Surviving Hal

Mothers-in-law are famous for being difficult but when Nell marries Andy it’s her father-in-law, Hal, who is the problem. A corrosive force in his own family, Hal is a truly ugly Australian who spreads his corruption whenever he gets the chance.

Surviving Hal takes place in Sydney and Thailand and is the story of Nell and Andy trying to keep their family together against the influence of a charismatic but ugly soul.

About the Author

Penny Flanagan was born in Sydney in 1970 and grew up on the northern beaches. She spent her early twenties as a musician. Her debut solo single, Lap It Up, reached number 58 in the 1994 triple j’s Hottest 100. Her debut novel, Changing The Sky (written for children), was released in 1994 by Hodder & Stoughton and her first adult fiction, Sing To Me, was published by Penguin Books in 1998. Her short stories have been published in Meanjin, Imago and Picador New Writing.

Penny lives in Sydney with her three children and is a regular contributor to parenting and lifestyle websites kidspot.com.au, babyology.com and news.com.au.