I was born in Dunedin, New Zealand, and have also lived in the US, the UK and Thailand. My professional interests are in writing, reading and media, while my main hobby is painting. I’ve had two books published: The Occidentals (as Caron Eastgate James), a novel set in 19th-century Thailand, and Imagining Siam: A Travellers’ Literary Guide to Thailand, a non-fiction history. I worked as a journalist for more than 20 years, in New Zealand, Australia and Thailand, writing mostly on entertainment, books and travel for newspapers and magazines. Since graduating with a PhD in literary studies in 2007, I’ve been working as a university lecturer, mostly in media studies. I’m currently working on my next novel.
The Crayon Files 
Hi Caron,
Happy autumn to you at the Monash University! It has been very wet here in Brisbane. SoundEagle used to associate with a couple of lecturers from the School of English, Media Studies and Art History (EMSAH) at UQ many years ago.
May you enjoy your academic career and SoundEagle would like to wish you all the success and fulfillment in your endeavours, including your next novel!
Thanks, SoundEagle. This semester will be extremely busy for me, so I hope I am still able to find time to paint and to write posts for my blog.
By the way, SoundEagle loves the landscape painting in the header of your blog and wonders whether it is painted with watercolour or crayon.
Hah! It should be crayon, shouldn’t it? Which landscape are you meaning, as my header pictures change randomly. If it’s the gum trees, it’s acrylics. It’s a tiny canvas, just 127 by 178mm. If it’s the orange-red abstract called Australia, it’s also acrylics. Or it might be the Phuket cloud scape, which is in pastels, or the Chiang Saen sunrise, which is in water colours!
Thanks for your kind words. All praise gladly accepted by this novice artist.
Hello Caron,
i have read that you like Thailand books. The Thai graphic design is also one of my favourite books and still looking to get my own copy. Just met the author last week at the Siam Society. They just received the largest collection of Thai rare books doing exhibitions in the future. Otherwise i am a good address for Thai booklovers in Bangkok. My shop opened in 2008 and we have rare and out of print books and few newer books of local authors i know. The Bradley family is famous in Thailand for bringing the first printing press to Bangkok. Best wishes and maybe see you on your next trip to Thailand. Manuel
Thank you for your interesting comments on my blog. I would love to come to your shop next time I am in Thailand. Do you have my books in your shop? They are The Occidentals (out of print) and Imagining Siam.
Morning Caron. Just wanted to let you know I’ve nominated you for an award. The details are on my blog post today.
Oh wow! I’m so excited. I will have a look now. Thank you!
You’re welcome.
Hi – I just nominated you for two awards – The Sisterhood of the World – and the WordPress Family Blog awards.
http://abstractlucidity.com/2013/12/13/sisterhood-of-the-world-wordpress-family-blog-awards/
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Good luck with all of your works. They look amazing!
Thanks, Anna Rose, it’s great to hear from you.
I am reading The Occidentals for the third time….I love it. Thank you for a great read. Abbie
Hi Abbie
Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed The Occidentals. I know it’s been a long time coming, but I am working on a sequel. Maybe one of these years I will even finish it!
Will look forward to that Caron……don’t be too long! Abbie.
Great blog. It will be a pleasure following you.
Thank you for following! I look forward to reading your blog, too.
Thanks.
Hi Caron, while travelling in Thailand in 2001 I bought your book the Occidentals. It is one of my favourite books. I see below the sequel is on its way. I can’t wait for its release.
Hi Kate, and thank you so much for your kind comments about my novel. That has made my day! It’s also reminded me that the sequel is long overdue. Life and making a living have got in the way, so I need to schedule more time to work on that next book.
Hello Caron. Thank you for your kind comment on my blog. Actually, over the years I have used both of your books extensively with my international students in Bangkok – with much success I may say. We used Imagining Siam as the theoretical foundation to discuss almost any Thailand-related novel the students wanted to read. I wish Imagining Siam could be made available at Asia Books and Kinokuniya. I have published several articles on the representation of Thailand in western films (and novels) and am currently writing a book about this topic. Regards, Alexander
Are your parents SHeila and Harold Eastgate? Is your MoTHEr stIll alive? SHe was my bridesmaid and as it is my. 60Th wedding anniversary this year I would like to make contact again.
Yes, they are my parents! It’s lovely to hear from you, and I have sent you an email.
Hi Caron,
I hope you are well and don’t mind me reaching out.
My partner also had one of these mugs (https://carondann.com/tag/royal-bone-china-thailand/) from his childhood that has been broken. I would love to replace it as a gift and were wondering if you had any luck finding any replacement for yours?
I look forward to hearing from you
Hollie
Hi Hollie—thanks for your comment. Unfortunately, I had no luck in replacing the mug. I even contacted the company—but they no longer had them. I’ve never seen better Zodiac-sign mugs, so will have to be content with the memory! In the end, I couldn’t even turn the old cup into a plant holder, as it was cracked through.
Just read the Occidentals while in transit through out South East Asia. A real page turner, that balanced the pace, history and drama very nicely. Plus, as Australian currently living in Chiang Mai it struck some familiar notes.
I’ll keep and eye for your future work.
Hi Jimmy, thanks so much for your kind comments. Apologies for taking a week to respond: I haven’t been blogging recently. Interesting that you read The Occidentals—where did you get your copy? It’s been out of print for many years, and I recently refreshed it, did a bit of re-editing and made it available on Amazon Kindle as an ebook, under the new name The Sisters of Siam (and my updated name, as well). I did write a another book, but it’s a nonfiction one: Imagining Siam: A travellers’ literary guide to Thailand. I would love to complete another novel some time, and have been part-way through two for years–but my job is so busy, I don’t have the time!