Newsletter - September 2024
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It has been a big month. After getting a call from my publisher, I went into Hawkeye Publishing to see my debut novel for the first time. It was a very emotional day to see piles of my novel waiting to be signed and boxes all set for distribution. I had the help of Lucky, who I believe was as excited as me and was all paws in for the signing gig that did take a couple of hours. Every publishing house needs a pooch!
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And that evening, I met with my wonderful writing group, Brisbane Scribes, who gifted me a framed copy of my cover with beautiful messages on the back. These women are the best and most talented writing buddies a debut author could wish for. My cup is overflowing. With love, good will and yes, a drop or two of bubbles.
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I am now at the nail-biting countdown to my book launch to be held at Avid Reader on 14 September. If you missed out on a ticket, you can add your name to a wait list or join me for my book chat at Books at Stones on Thursday 3 October at 6.15, where I will be interviewed by Jane Connolly, Brisbane Scribe, former Children’s Book Council judge and all around fabulous human being who has weathered a great deal of writing angst with me over anthologies, rejections, and all sorts of writerly things. There will be wine and cheese. Do grab a ticket before they are all gone.
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Newsletter - August 2024
Introduction
Welcome to my August newsletter. If you have recently subscribed, welcome aboard and if you are a regular, thank you for taking the time to read my words. And do give me feedback. I always love to know if you enjoyed a piece that I wrote or if there are things that I could improve. My book launch for The Truth about My Daughter is getting very close. I am excited to see that my Avid Reader event on 14 September has sold out, but I also have an event at Books at Stones on Thursday 3 October at 6.30, so if you missed out on my launch, I would be delighted to see you there. And if you did score a ticket to my launch at Avid Reader, I am delighted to confirm that Brisbane crime author, Poppy Gee will be discussing my debut novel with me.
Welcome to my August newsletter. If you have recently subscribed, welcome aboard and if you are a regular, thank you for taking the time to read my words. And do give me feedback. I always love to know if you enjoyed a piece that I wrote or if there are things that I could improve. My book launch for The Truth about My Daughter is getting very close. I am excited to see that my Avid Reader event on 14 September has sold out, but I also have an event at Books at Stones on Thursday 3 October at 6.30, so if you missed out on my launch, I would be delighted to see you there. And if you did score a ticket to my launch at Avid Reader, I am delighted to confirm that Brisbane crime author, Poppy Gee will be discussing my debut novel with me.
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My fabulous writing group, Brisbane Scribes did another photo shoot recently as we are working on updating our website. Here is my favourite shot. Every month we get together, enjoy a sip or two of wine, share the stories we wrote to a prompt set the previous month, celebrate any wins, and share our favourite reads. It can get quite rowdy, but that is what you expect when you get a feisty group of writers with strong opinions in a room with books and wine.
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Newsletter - July 2024
Introduction
Welcome to the July edition of my newsletter. If you are a new subscriber, do check the archive for earlier editions and have a scroll through. There may just be something there that inspires you to run or write or see the world in a different way. And do give me feedback and let me know what you think.
Welcome to the July edition of my newsletter. If you are a new subscriber, do check the archive for earlier editions and have a scroll through. There may just be something there that inspires you to run or write or see the world in a different way. And do give me feedback and let me know what you think.
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In the first week of June, I was lucky enough to be selected for a lighthouse residency in Newcastle. I spent five days alongside other writers, some poets, an illustrator, and several artists enjoying the incredible views and a quiet space to work on my current novel, The Last Supper. If you are a creative, do apply for one of these residencies. And Newcastle is so impressive. The beaches are spectacular, there are art installations everywhere and historical buildings and sites have been sensitively preserved. I stayed in an apartment overlooking Newcastle beach and enjoyed whales gambolling and pods of dolphins swimming by.
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My debut novel launches at Avid Reader on 14 September and is completely sold out. I feel overwhelmed by so much support and am excited to include a trailer for The Truth about My Daughter.
If you missed out on my Avid Reader launch, don’t worry, I have another event coming up at Books at Stones, the gorgeous bookstore owned by Michael and Karen Weibler. As part of my novel is set at the bookstore (but owned by a fictional character) it is a very fitting venue for this event. I do hope to see you there. There will be wine! And you can pre order your copy at Hawkeye Books. Read newsletter here |
Newsletter - June 2024
Introduction
I would like to extend a warm welcome to both my new subscribers and my regulars. It is hard to believe that that we are halfway through the year and heading into the chilly months. I am thrilled to announce that my first week of winter will be spent at a lighthouse writing residency. One whole week to completely immerse myself in words and work through another draft of my work in progress The Last Supper. I have always loved lighthouses and imagined what it might be like to be a lighthouse keeper and to live isolated from the world using light to guide ships away from a treacherous coast. Now I realise what I was really longing for was to write inside a lighthouse, to hear the waves below reshaping the rocks and to feel the wind outside while allowing my creativity free reign, undisturbed by the clamour of daily life.
I was fortunate to get tickets to see author Claire Keegan at The Powerhouse in Brisbane with three of the Brisbane Scribes. It was a delightful afternoon spent listening to wisdom shared by one of the world’s most accomplished and awarded writers followed by lunch and plenty of chat. Claire began by explaining the difference between drama, where there is lots of action, versus tension where the reader is drawn into the narrative wanting to know what happens next. It was a reminder to writers of what makes us turn the page and how to create that desire to read on.
Something she said that really resonated with me, was that grief and loss, prejudice and injustice have a lack of generosity at their core. Racism is a reluctance to share with a person of a different colour or race, sexism denies women equal access to opportunities and so on. In a world where generosity prevailed, we would not be experiencing the horrors we witness daily through our news feeds and bulletins. We would not have a woman dying at the hands of her intimate partner every four days and we would be generous in offering a Voice to Australia’s First Nation’s people.
The final gem that really stayed with me was finding beauty in simplicity. Claire Keegan remembered watching a young Olympic gymnast performing on a simple beam. Using only a simple plank as a prop, the gymnast had perfected a breathtaking routine for the enjoyment of her audience. Claire invited us to find the same beauty in stories. A simplicity inside the complexity of words placed perfectly to stir our imaginations, prodding us to see our world in a fresh way.
I recommend connecting with the people in your life who share your passions, spending time with them regularly so that you can nurture each other and share ideas. Preferably over a delicious meal. The afternoon provoked hearty discussion about writing stories, telling versus showing, and how to apply Claire Keegan’s wisdom to our own work. We all headed home ready to nudge our imaginations to create beauty on the page.
June brings us ever closer to the launch date of my novel, The Truth about My Daughter. Do get yourself a copy. Pre orders are available using the link and are immensely important, especially for a debut author like me. Warmest thanks if you have already ordered a copy. And if you happen to be in Brisbane, on 14 September, book yourself a ticket for my book launch at Avid Reader at 2.30 for 3pm. If you are busy on 14 September, I am having another event at Books at Stones on 3 October at 6.30 and hope to arrange other events in the months ahead. I really hope to see lots of you at one of my bookish events. And my book has been uploaded onto goodreads, so if you enjoy my book, do leave a review. And I will add bits and pieces of my newsletters to my blog on goodreads, so do ask questions or leave comments.
And if you are part of a book club and purchase five copies or more, you get a 20% discount. To learn more contact [email protected].
I would like to extend a warm welcome to both my new subscribers and my regulars. It is hard to believe that that we are halfway through the year and heading into the chilly months. I am thrilled to announce that my first week of winter will be spent at a lighthouse writing residency. One whole week to completely immerse myself in words and work through another draft of my work in progress The Last Supper. I have always loved lighthouses and imagined what it might be like to be a lighthouse keeper and to live isolated from the world using light to guide ships away from a treacherous coast. Now I realise what I was really longing for was to write inside a lighthouse, to hear the waves below reshaping the rocks and to feel the wind outside while allowing my creativity free reign, undisturbed by the clamour of daily life.
I was fortunate to get tickets to see author Claire Keegan at The Powerhouse in Brisbane with three of the Brisbane Scribes. It was a delightful afternoon spent listening to wisdom shared by one of the world’s most accomplished and awarded writers followed by lunch and plenty of chat. Claire began by explaining the difference between drama, where there is lots of action, versus tension where the reader is drawn into the narrative wanting to know what happens next. It was a reminder to writers of what makes us turn the page and how to create that desire to read on.
Something she said that really resonated with me, was that grief and loss, prejudice and injustice have a lack of generosity at their core. Racism is a reluctance to share with a person of a different colour or race, sexism denies women equal access to opportunities and so on. In a world where generosity prevailed, we would not be experiencing the horrors we witness daily through our news feeds and bulletins. We would not have a woman dying at the hands of her intimate partner every four days and we would be generous in offering a Voice to Australia’s First Nation’s people.
The final gem that really stayed with me was finding beauty in simplicity. Claire Keegan remembered watching a young Olympic gymnast performing on a simple beam. Using only a simple plank as a prop, the gymnast had perfected a breathtaking routine for the enjoyment of her audience. Claire invited us to find the same beauty in stories. A simplicity inside the complexity of words placed perfectly to stir our imaginations, prodding us to see our world in a fresh way.
I recommend connecting with the people in your life who share your passions, spending time with them regularly so that you can nurture each other and share ideas. Preferably over a delicious meal. The afternoon provoked hearty discussion about writing stories, telling versus showing, and how to apply Claire Keegan’s wisdom to our own work. We all headed home ready to nudge our imaginations to create beauty on the page.
June brings us ever closer to the launch date of my novel, The Truth about My Daughter. Do get yourself a copy. Pre orders are available using the link and are immensely important, especially for a debut author like me. Warmest thanks if you have already ordered a copy. And if you happen to be in Brisbane, on 14 September, book yourself a ticket for my book launch at Avid Reader at 2.30 for 3pm. If you are busy on 14 September, I am having another event at Books at Stones on 3 October at 6.30 and hope to arrange other events in the months ahead. I really hope to see lots of you at one of my bookish events. And my book has been uploaded onto goodreads, so if you enjoy my book, do leave a review. And I will add bits and pieces of my newsletters to my blog on goodreads, so do ask questions or leave comments.
And if you are part of a book club and purchase five copies or more, you get a 20% discount. To learn more contact [email protected].
I will leave you with the generous endorsement by award-winning author, Edita Mujkic.
‘A rich and complex tale of life’s ups and downs with the full scale of emotions and gripping characters. It will stay with you long after you’ve read it.’
Newsletter - May 2024
Introduction
Welcome to my May newsletter. Whether you are a regular subscriber, or this is your first newsletter, I do hope that you find a moment over the next month to make yourself a cuppa, sit in your favourite spot and enjoy this month’s edition with a focus on connections, community, and friendship.
The Gold Coast Writers Association invited Brisbane Scribes to run a writing workshop in April. We were delighted to be given the opportunity to share some of our writing wisdom. And what a friendly, enthusiastic group of writers they are.
We were asked to present our workshop, Winning Short Story Competitions. In 2023, Brisbane Scribes were invited to judge The Sydney Hammond Short Story Competition and it was such an invaluable experience to see things from the other side. Jane Connolly, former children’s book council judge, drew up a template that we all used to narrow the stories down to a long list and then we set about choosing the short list and winners.
We were all in agreement about eliminating stories that had technical errors or did not meet the story prompt, but choosing the short list proved challenging with heated discussion and disagreements. It is inevitable that subjectivity plays a role in choosing a winner, but you can give your submission the best chance by following the guidelines, ensuring you use correct spelling and punctuation and most importantly, by using the prompt provided. You don’t want your submission to stand out for the wrong reasons! And for more about this, head to my newsletter archive and read about aiming high in my March 2024 edition.
Welcome to my May newsletter. Whether you are a regular subscriber, or this is your first newsletter, I do hope that you find a moment over the next month to make yourself a cuppa, sit in your favourite spot and enjoy this month’s edition with a focus on connections, community, and friendship.
The Gold Coast Writers Association invited Brisbane Scribes to run a writing workshop in April. We were delighted to be given the opportunity to share some of our writing wisdom. And what a friendly, enthusiastic group of writers they are.
We were asked to present our workshop, Winning Short Story Competitions. In 2023, Brisbane Scribes were invited to judge The Sydney Hammond Short Story Competition and it was such an invaluable experience to see things from the other side. Jane Connolly, former children’s book council judge, drew up a template that we all used to narrow the stories down to a long list and then we set about choosing the short list and winners.
We were all in agreement about eliminating stories that had technical errors or did not meet the story prompt, but choosing the short list proved challenging with heated discussion and disagreements. It is inevitable that subjectivity plays a role in choosing a winner, but you can give your submission the best chance by following the guidelines, ensuring you use correct spelling and punctuation and most importantly, by using the prompt provided. You don’t want your submission to stand out for the wrong reasons! And for more about this, head to my newsletter archive and read about aiming high in my March 2024 edition.
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And if you really want to polish your writing, get yourself a copy of the gem Winning Short Story Competitions which has been instrumental in my own stories regularly listing in competitions.
I will leave you with a photograph of our day on the Gold Coast, featuring Christine Betts (far left) who organised the event, Kellie Cox (far right) who has already written two of the fifty-two stories she plans to write after I suggested writing a story a week, and the Brisbane Scribes - Jenny Adams, Jane Connolly and me
And if you really want to polish your writing, get yourself a copy of the gem Winning Short Story Competitions which has been instrumental in my own stories regularly listing in competitions.
I will leave you with a photograph of our day on the Gold Coast, featuring Christine Betts (far left) who organised the event, Kellie Cox (far right) who has already written two of the fifty-two stories she plans to write after I suggested writing a story a week, and the Brisbane Scribes - Jenny Adams, Jane Connolly and me
Newsletter - April 2024
Introduction
It has been a big month. My debut novel, The Truth about My Daughter is now available for pre order. Just follow the link to get yourself a copy. And isn’t the cover gorgeous? It is everything I imagined and captures the essence of my story perfectly. And Hawkeye Publishing has a brand new website where I have my own author page. I feel so excited to be part of the growing Hawkeye publishing family.
And speaking of new releases, I finally met Anne Freeman face to face. After a long Instagram friendship, sharing of books and a few writerly zoom chats, it felt long overdue. We not only had dinner together as a foursome, but I attended the launch of her second book. I might have mentioned her book Me That You See in my last newsletter, but I will include a link again for all those who missed it. I was one of the lucky readers who had a sneak read pre-publication and it is one hell of a read with insights into the sex industry, toxic masculinity and one woman’s desire for financial freedom and empowerment. Hawkeye’s Queen of Spice delivers again. It was the book launch to rival book launches, with live entertainment, champagne, cake and standing room only. I got to meet many authors I have previously only met on my socials, (Kylie Orr, Mary Howley and Casey Nott), chatted to several aspiring authors and stayed on for a couple of hours after the event ended. And here is a glimpse of us on the big day.
Newsletter - March 2024
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It has been a busy month for me. I was absolutely delighted to be accepted for a lighthouse residency and am heading there to write for a whole week in June. My Furious Fiction story, The Truth about the Tooth Fairy made their showcase and then another one of my novels, The Family, long listed in The Hawkeye Unpublished Manuscript Award. Writing is like that. Long months of drought followed by unexpected and delightful wins that make the heart sing with joy. The secret is to keep writing and rewriting allowing the process of creativity to find the magic waiting to take shape in your imagination.
With the publication of my book getting closer, I have reached the exciting stage of getting a cover designed, sending in my bio, dedication, and acknowledgments. The hardest part was contacting other authors and asking for endorsements. Reaching out to authors whose books I love and asking them to read my debut and give feedback was very challenging and I found myself well outside my comfort zone. Every single person I asked was generous and kind. I guess they have all been there too. None of us starts out with a string of publications let alone a bestseller under our belt. What really made me smile though, is author Cass Moriarty reminding me I am now part of the BrisLitMafia. I have never been more delighted to be part of a group. I might even have badges made up. Thank you to everyone who has supported my writing, editing and journey to publication to date. I used to think writing the books was the hard part! Read Newsletter here |
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Newsletter - February 2024
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I’m not sure about you, but over the past twelve months, I’ve had times where I really felt helpless and disempowered by world events. The ongoing conflict in Ukraine, the horror unfolding in Gaza, and learning that COP28 was headed by Sultan al-Jaber, the head of the United Arab Emirates State-owned oil firm, all made me feel that it is impossible for me to make a difference.
Every year, we attend the Woodford Folk Festival where for seven days we immerse ourselves in music, workshops, and presentations about a whole range of topical issues. This year, we attended a talk by Brisbane’s first Green party councillor Jonathan Sriranganath entitled, The Radical Potential of Local Councils. I learnt so much and realised that we do have agency and can have a big local impact if we are engaged and become involved in what is happening in our community. You don’t have to be a supporter of any political party to get a lot out of his talk. You will learn about the enormous leverage we have as individuals to make significant changes. Make yourself a cuppa, sit back and listen to how you can change your world for the better. Read newsletter here |
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Newsletter - January 2024
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My exciting news is that I just received my line edit back for 'The Truth about My Daughter,' so I will spend time over the festive season doing the finish touches to my novel getting it ready for release in 2024. Who knew that hard work could be so much fun!
The Brisbane Scribes, my gang of wordsmiths, celebrated the end of the year with a Christmas party at the gorgeous restaurant, Babylon. If you are a writer, thinking about writing, dabbling with words, or sweating over a manuscript, do make sure you find a tribe of like-minded dreamers and scribblers and commit to seeing them regularly. It is not only enjoyable but necessary when dipping your toe into the world of words. The writing space can be a tough and lonely place littered with rejections, dead end roads and tough feedback and you need others who understand and provide a scaffolding when it all seems too hard. Read Newsletter Here |
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Newsletter - December 2023
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On November 12, I was privileged to attend the launch of award-winning author, Peter Long’s latest book, Identity – Larry Cummins Bushranger.
It was such a great event. Peter wrote this novel following a family funeral where it emerged that his family were not all descended from the eminent Bonython clan of South Australia as he had always believed. It turns out that his family tree included an Irish rogue, the bushranger Larry Cummins. I thoroughly enjoyed Peter’s first book, Steve Hart, The Last Kelly Standing and his new novel, Identity is a real page turner. Peter immerses the reader in mid 1800’s colonial Australia with evocative details about the thrill and fear that was the bushranger life. The tale is told from different points of view including the women in Larry's life. This range of perspectives results in a vivid portrayal of this brutal chapter in our history. From the hold up of a mail coach in the opening pages, the reader is swept along in the lives of Peter’s characters as the day-to-day reality of their survival is revealed in cinematic style. Do yourself a favour and get a copy. And add one or two to gift as Christmas presents. Read Newsletter Here |
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Newsletter - November 2023
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The November newsletter is coming to you from Japan where hubby and I are enjoying our first overseas holiday without our children. We have just walked a section of the Kumano Kodō pilgrimage trail together. It gives me goosebumps to follow in the footsteps of thousands of others who have sought enlightenment, fresh wisdom, or spiritual refreshment. The trail requires a good level of fitness with long hilly, rocky sections but the scenery is breathtaking.
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Newsletter - October 2023
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The first big project I took on as a writer was during the pandemic. I had done a couple of writing courses, written a first draft of a manuscript, and listed in a couple of competitions when the world as we knew it changed in ways that we could not have imagined. Working as a GP, I was in the front line when things started to unravel and have a vivid memory of consulting with a patient who overnight lost eighteen months of business. He ran a bus company with a full schedule of tours booked over a year ahead.
I knew this was a historical moment and contacted my friend, Jane Connolly, an experienced editor, and former children’s book council judge. I suggested we start collecting stories about people’s experiences. Read Newsletter Here |
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Newsletter - September 2023
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Welcome to my very first newsletter where I hope you will find something to inspire you. I will include snippets of running lore and how it helps me with my writing as well as some GP wisdom to keep you healthy and well.
I love reading about writer’s quirks, their processes, and their interests outside of writing and will let you into my world each month to give you an idea what happens behind the scenes in the life of a GP who writes and runs... Read more here -> |
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