Elsa Petersen-Schepelern papers

MLMSS 12168

fonds

approximately 1960-2005

Textual Records, Clippings, Ephemera, Graphic Materials, Photographs

9680488

0.32 metres of textual material (2 boxes) - typescript and manuscript

Elsa Petersen-Schepelern (1947-2005) grew up in Queensland and graduated from the University of Queensland. Her publishing career began at Jacaranda Press in Brisbane before moving to Melbourne in 1974 to take up the role of Publicity Manager at Macmillan. In 1979 Elsa moved to Sydney, becoming Publicity Manager at Hodder & Stoughton (Australia) Pty Ltd. In 1990 she moved to London. After working for The Body Shop, LBC Radio and Reed, she took a position at publishers Ryland, Peter and Small, initially as food and wine editor and later the author of eleven cookbooks. Elsa passed away in London in July 2005.

Reference:
Library acquisition file

By descent to Ronald Peter Bray (1959-2023), nephew of Elsa Petersen-Schepelern and husband of the donor, Patricia Karen Bray.

This collection consists of papers created by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, predominantly from the period she worked as Publicity Manager for the Sydney office of Hodder & Stoughton (Australia) Pty Ltd and also some personal papers. The bulk of the collection consists of Author Tour files which contain itineraries, detailed interview lists, accommodation and travel details, recommended restaurants, formal press photographs, press releases, publication announcements for media, invitations and menus. Additional material records the decisions and processes of organising author tours and promotions work. This includes notes, correspondence, event photographs, seminar papers, media articles and clippings as well as resumes and job applications sent to publishing houses. There is also personal material including family and holiday photographs of Elsa, greeting cards, and correspondence.

BOX 1
Australian Author Tour files, some include author publicity portraits, originally housed in plastic-sleeved binders:
1. Jeffrey Archer, First Among Equals, August, probably 1986
2. Jeffrey Archer, A Twist in the Tale, October 1988
3. Jean M. Auel, The Mammoth Hunters, March 1986
4. Melvyn Bragg, The Maid of the Buttermere, February-March, probably 1987
5. Melvyn Bragg, Rich: The Life of Richard Burton, November 1988
6. Sally Burton, A Christmas Story by Richard Burton, November 1990
7. Peter Garrett, Political Blues, November 1987
8. Rolf Harris, A Catalogue of Comic Verse, August 1987
9. James Herbert, Sepulchre, October 1987
10. Thomas Keneally, Towards Asmara, October 1989
11. Andrew McMillan and Peter Hillary, November-December 1988
12. Geoffrey Moorhouse, Imperial City, June 1988
13. Una-Mary Parker, Scandals/Riches, September 1988
14. Fay Weldon, Shrapnel Academy, June 1987

BOX 2
Correspondence files:
1. Bob and Hazel Hawke combined 60th birthday event song book and informal photographs featuring the Hawkes, and party guests including Thomas Keneally. Also contains Christmas cards from Hazel Hawke, 1988-1989
2. Mixed personal and employment related papers including resumes, job applications, tour arrangements, publicity reports, letters, recipes and greeting cards, 1974-1999

Seminars and publications folders:
3. Sydney Book Publicity Group Seminar, 'Flogging the Book: Promoting Big-Name Overseas Authors,' address presented by Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, State Library of New South Wales, 20 June 1988
4. Journals and clippings of articles featuring Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, and her obituary by Hachette UK CEO, Tim Hely Hutchinson, 1988-1989, 2005

Folder, photographic prints, colour, black and white:
5. Studio portraits and informal shots of personalities and events. Includes images of Christopher Andrew, Jilly Cooper (being interviewed by John Singleton, John Laws, Paul Makin), Peter Garrett book launch, 'Jimmy' Stewart Granger (with daughter Samantha, accompanied by a postcard), Sherryll Kerns Kraizer, Dennis Lillee, Gordon Stevens, Barbara Toner, Who’s Who of Australian Women book launch, and Elsa Petersen-Schepelern, probably 1960-2005

India Nepal travel
6. Correspondence with Peter Hilary, Hodder & Stoughton and supporters regarding a planned trip to accompany Hilary on an expedition to Mount Everest (Elsa was both Edmund and Peter Hilary’s literary publicist)
Correspondence seeking sponsorship for the trip, letters of support, correspondence with India Tourist Office Sydney, proposed publicity returns.
Travel arrangements, including seeking guides and liaison officers, itineraries, medical, trekiing map, packing lists
Correspondence related to writing about Indian cuisine; recipes collected in India; drafts of articles (Elsa became a cookbook author, publishing 11 books, of which the Library holds nine.
Letters of thanks to supporters once Elsa had returned to Australia.

In copyright:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder