Letters to the End of Love, by Yvette Walker
I was prompted to read this exquisite debut novel after it won the WA Premier's Emerging Writers Award. I was further inspired after meeting its author, the warm and wise Yvette Walker, at a small gathering she held to celebrate...
The Final Countdown
Hopefully, I'm on the downhill run with this novel. I've finished the latest draft, draft #12 at least (but who's counting?), and I feel as if it's ready to send out to agents and publishers. Please note, I also felt it was ready...
When the Night Comes, by Favel Parrett
'When the Night Comes' is Favel Parrett's second novel, following the success of 'Past the Shallows', which was short-listed for the Miles Franklin in 2012, and which I glowingly reviewed here. The story is told by two first person narrators —the young girl,...
Rejection
It's a long time since I've been rejected for anything—a boyfriend, a job—mainly because I haven't put myself in line for it, being happily married and not looking for work. But last week my manuscript was rejected for the QWC-Hachette Manuscript Development...
Blog Post #100 and What I’m Doing This Week …
I've just realised this is my 100th post: One hundred posts in just under eighteen months—that's an average of 1.28 posts per week (rounded to two decimal places—see, the maths nerd is never far away), which is pleasing as I set out...
The Ark, by Annabel Smith
I've just finished Annabel Smith's third novel, 'The Ark'. I loved her second novel, 'Whisky Charlie Foxtrot, which I reviewed here, and which is about to be released in the US as 'Whisky and Charlie'. 'The Ark' is no ordinary novel, and to say I read...
Why I Chose to Be Motherless—Part 6
This is the final instalment in this series. The first post, which is about my childhood, can be found here. You can click the links at the end of each post to follow the series to here. It seems that September is my month for writing...
Why I Chose to be Motherless – Part 5
If you've landed here, you might want to read Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4 first. In Western Australia My mother packed up their house in Tasmania, and in February 2011, my husband flew over and brought both of my parents back...
Why I Chose to be Motherless – Part 4
Here's the rest of the story. Because it's long, I've split it into two parts, both of which I'll post today. I apologise, once again, for the length of these posts, but I'm nearly there, nearly through telling this story. If you've missed the earlier...
Why I Chose to be Motherless – Part 3
This is the third post in this series. (Click here for Part 1 or Part 2.) Thank You Thank you, once again, to everyone who has written to me—your words made me cry, but in a good way. Writing down my story has felt like...
Why I Chose to be Motherless – Part 2
Thank you to everyone who commented on this site or on Facebook, or who wrote to me personally after last week's post. Your words and support mean so much. To those who contacted me because you've experienced similar, thank you. We can draw strength and...
Snapshot Poetry #6—This Vast Country
This week's snapshot poem: Not only this country, but the whole globe is smaller these days, and certainly looks it from way up there ...
Why I Chose to be Motherless – Part 1
I recently read an essay, Motherless By Choice by Katie Naum, and felt awed by its honesty, its sincerity and its wisdom. It struck a chord with me and spurred me to tell my own story. As always happens when I write stories from my...
Snapshot Poetry #5—If I Could Turn Back Time
Snapshot Poem #4 is not really a poem, but some thoughts. Take a moment to ponder my beautiful words and imagery ... Finished? Good. Now, for something completely different, here's Cher's '80's hit of the same name: ...
Fairway to Heaven, by Lily Malone
I hosted my first ever guest author on the blog last Friday, Lily Malone, and what a lovely guest she was! (You can read her interview here.) We talked about her novel, 'Fairway to Heaven'. It would be years, decades even, since I read...