Debut Novel by Australian Author Cath Cunningham Takes Readers on an Unlikely Journey Through the Eyes of a Cigarette Lighter

A witty, warm, and surprisingly moving story about purpose,
people, and finding your place in the world

Cath Cunningham has published her debut novel, My Life As A
Cigarette Lighter, a charming and inventive work of fiction that tells
the story of one small blue Bic lighter as it passes through the hands of
very different people across the city. From a dingy flat shared by
teenagers, to a family Christmas, a police evidence drawer, and a
rubbish tip, the lighter observes it all, with heart, humour, and a great
deal of patience.
The novel is narrated entirely from the lighter’s perspective. Freshly
born in a factory and burning with purpose, our narrator sets out with
one simple goal: to light as many cigarettes as possible and fulfil its
reason for being. What follows is anything but simple. Stolen, lost,
washed, discarded, and rescued more than once, the lighter moves
through a wide cast of human lives, each one revealing something
honest and recognisable about the way people live, struggle, and carry
on.
What makes the book so enjoyable is Cunningham’s ability to find
genuine warmth and comedy in the most ordinary situations. A bong
goes wrong. A ticket inspector causes chaos on a train. A police
sergeant hides his cigars from his wife. A twelve-year-old boy makes a
very bad decision on Christmas Day. None of these moments are
played for drama alone. Each one is observed by our narrator with
curiosity and a kind of quiet affection for the humans it encounters,
even the difficult ones.
The novel moves at a lively pace across fifteen chapters, covering the
full arc of the lighter’s life from conception to epilogue. Along the way,
Cunningham touches on themes of purpose, belonging, loneliness, and
what it means to be useful, themes that will resonate with readers long
after the final page.

Target Audience

My Life As A Cigarette Lighter will appeal to readers who enjoy
character-driven fiction with a light touch and an original concept. Fans
of authors such as Jonas Jonasson (The 100-Year-Old Man Who
Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared) or Rachel Joyce will find
in Cath Cunningham a similarly warm and inventive storytelling voice.
The novel is suitable for a wide general readership and works
beautifully as a gift book for anyone who appreciates something a little
different.

About the Author

Cath Cunningham is an Australian author whose debut novel draws on
a sharp eye for human behaviour and a genuine gift for comic
storytelling. Writing with both wit and compassion, she brings to life a
cast of characters from all walks of life through the most unlikely of
narrators.

Availability

My Life As A Cigarette Lighter by Cath Cunningham is available now.
Readers are invited to pick it up, flick the first page, and see where the
journey takes them.