Oh dear, I fear it has been way too long in-between blog posts. Can we just put it down to the chaos caused by the global pandemic?
I hope that you are all staying safe and well and weathering the ups and downs of the various lockdowns across the country at the moment.
Here’s a little snapshot of what I’ve been up to in this current lockdown when not juggling the demands of the kids at home (best feedback so far is that I would make a great maths teacher… who knew!) and new household routines.
I’m reading… Flock
This new release anthology of short stories by First Nations authors curated by Ellen van Neerven masterfully covers broad ground in both genre and theme, showcasing the diversity of talent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers.
There’s political exile in a near-future dystopian fiction, a spellbinding rodeo championship showcasing the strength of women, ponderings on the origins of Waltzing Maltilda between two men from different backgrounds and generations, a heartbreaking tale of child removal set in a beautiful landscape of red dust and native flowers, and a bittersweet story of survival with undercurrents of grief and loss and a focus on the resourcefulness and resilience of a mother in 1967.
Each story transports you to a particular place, time, and situation and allows us insight into experience, culture, and knowledge. The writing is exquisite, powerful, and compelling… I totally recommend it!
I’m listening to… the Pieces of Britney podcast
I wasn’t really in the demographic to be a Britney fan growing up so I didn’t know a lot about her other than what made headlines. I have however been intrigued about the conservatorship that she has been subject to for the past 13 years and so when this BBC4 podcast popped up as trending on iTunes, I thought I’d give it a listen.
I wasn’t prepared for was how compelling her story is, of how she went from humble beginnings to child star and then megastar, and then having the right to make basic life decisions taken away from her, and how gender and power have played a role in how she has been treated since she first appeared on TV as a 10 year old. (If you look up the Starsearch clip, be prepared to be both absolutely in awe at her powerhouse voice at this young age, but also absolutely disgusted at the post-performance questioning by the 70 year old male host.)
Thanks to noise-cancelling headphones and some repetitive computer work that needed doing late at night, I binged the whole series in two days!
I’m reviewing… new release picture books
Oh my gosh, I have received the most fabulous books to review in the past month or so! There have been books to make you laugh, ponder, smile, think, and gasp at the beauty of it all. And I’m so excited that three of the books featured are by two of my critique group buddies, Amelia McInernery with Who Fed Zed? and Victoria Mackinlay with The Lion Who Came to Stay and The Bark Book. It is a special experience seeing the drafts of these manuscripts and how they are honed to the point where they are contracted to be published and then by some magical spell, appear on the bookshelves!
Click here to see my reviews on Instagram @mypicturebookheart
I’m working on… exciting creative projects
My freelance work has been keeping me busy and I have a print article coming out in a magazine I totally adore later in the year along with several online articles. I have really enjoyed the process of researching and interviewing experts for these pieces and can’t wait to see them published.
I’m also buzzing with excitement about the launch of a sparkling new website that I have had the absolute joy of putting together from start to finish - from copywriting, content creation, email marketing campaigns, custom illustrations, and interviews with team members, to the website design and layout and even an online store! I can’t wait to share more details of all of this with you!
I also need to post about the anthology of writing for children that I worked on with the lovely people at CBCA NSW - Eastern Suburbs Sub-branch and the fabulous launch that was held at the NSW State Library. Keep your eye out for this post coming soon!
Hope the sun is shining where you are or you have a cosy place inside to weather this worldwide storm. Stay safe everyone!
GP x
