February had two of my favourite books of the year, Shankari Chandran’s incredible Chai Time At Cinnamon Gardens - which won the Miles Franklin Award in 2024 - and Juliet Marillier’s magical A Song of Flight: Warrior Bards Book 3... 07 of 90 - On Hope by Daisy Jeffrey On Hope by Daisy Jeffrey is more
It’s been a crazy month with work, and not much time to read, but audiobooks have been a joy, helping me add two more to my monthly tally, since I can listen as a I walk or work out... So I should hit my #bookaweek goal for the year, and maybe I’ll go over? (In 2019
In 2019 I challenged myself to read a book a week – and hit 52. In 2020, I managed more than 70. I’m looking forward to trying to match that in 2021! No wonder I haven’t sent a newsletter in months – I’m not even keeping up with my book posts, oops! I read a
In 2019 I challenged myself to read a book a week – and hit 52. In 2020, I managed more than 70. I’m looking forward to trying to match that in 2021! My first June read was Blood Bound, book two of the Beshadowed series by Selina A Fenech (29 of 52), and it’s as
Congratulations to the amazing artist and creative Lorena Carrington, such a wonderfully worthy winner of the Award for Inspiration and Contribution to Australian Fairy Tale Culture, announced today at the Australian Fairy Tale Society Conference. I adore Lorena’s own book, Wiser Than Evening, and her collaborative projects with Kate Forsyth, the beautifully illustrated books Vasilisa the
I’m honoured (and, to be honest, a little shocked) to have been nominated for the AFTS Award for Inspiration and Contribution to Australian Fairy Tale Culture for my new book The Swan Maiden, alongside amazing artist Lorena Carrington and my all-time favourite author Juliet Marillier. Lorena exhibits her gorgeous artwork, created the lovely book Wiser Than Evening, and
I can’t believe I reached my goal and read 52 books this year. I was always feast or famine in my reading – banning myself on deadline, then bingeing and getting no work done – so I hoped the #bookaweek challenge would help, and it kinda did! My first December book was House of Wishes by Jenn
November is NaNoWriMo month, where I write feverishly to try to hit 50,000 words in 30 days. I made it, but it did unfortunately limit my reading. I did skim-read Public Speaking for Authors, Creatives and Other Introverts by Joanna Penn(45/52), in preparation for my first public speaking event (I was terrified!), and it was
In October I attended three mini workshops (and some great panels) as part of the HNSA (Historical Novel Society Australasia) Conference – by Kate Forsyth, Meg Keneally and Alison Goodman, so I read the latter’s Lady Helen novella in preparation (41/52). And I really enjoyed it, so I bought the first book in the series, The Dark
My favourite book this year is Harp of Kings (39/52) by my favourite author Juliet Marillier (with her Beautiful novel and Madeline Miller’s Circe very close second). It’s the first in her new Warrior Bards Trilogy, so now I’m impatiently waiting for book two! It’s such a beautiful, magical, mysterious, action-packed, adventurous, enchanting and hope-filled
I was nominated by a friend to post seven books (one a day), that I really loved reading, so I thought I would share them here too as I go. 1. Juliet Marillier is my absolute favourite author. And I *LOVE* all her books. The Bridei Chronicles are sooo beautiful, The Blackthorn & Grim Series
