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Fresh From the Mind
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THE LOVED ONE: EVELYN WAUGH
GENRE: SATIRICAL COMEDY It was through reading this book published in 1948 that I learned of the existence of and sheer power of satire to engage the brain in a tug-o-war between laughing and observing conventions. Double entendre entered my naive farmgirl world, as did euphemisms, the concept of a love triangle and juxtaposition. Thanks…
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RETURN OF THE NATIVE: THOMAS HARDY
GENRE: CLASSIC TRAGIC BRITISH LITERATURE This book was a so-called classic— one of the books they ‘make you read’ at school that everybody loves to hate. I, however, loved it. I recently reread it because I couldn’t remember why and became lost in the description of the bleakness of Egdon Heath, which was in itself…
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ON WRITING: A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT: STEPHEN KING
Welcome to my first book review. I have two confessions to make up front. The first is that my greatest introversion-driven two-pronged aspiration has been, for over sixty years, to be a writer and to live in a ‘chambre de bonne’—a garret room with a view over Paris. There’s a picture of me somewhere on…
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BLOOMIN’ MARVELLOUS: Joining the Wildflower Watchers in Western New South Wales 2026
There has been a lot of rain (for the western plains). Outback New South…
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Bribie Island: A Day Trip to a forgotten gem or a prequel to retirement?
If you’re planning a trip around South East Queensland, or wondering about spots to…
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The Joy of Writing For Yourself (and no-one else)
In a world filled with publishing schedules, social media posts, newsletters, blogs, and endless…
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Human Writers in a Synthetic World: The persistence of the heart to write in the age of AI
What it’s like being an ageing emerging writer and writing in spite of AI…
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Navigating Trauma in Literary Narratives
[Image: vecteezy.com] I have struggled for many years to fit my ‘novel’ to the…
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Escape to Nature: Six Highlight Parts of The Scenic Rim
Living in Ipswich, on the threshold between Brisbane and the Magnificent Scenic Rim, we…
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Living the Delusion as a Writer
I have just submitted three short stories to yet another competition. This one required…
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Crafting a Story Round the Lived Experience of Trauma
*BEFORE my INFORMATIONAL POST, an UPDATE on PROGRESS I ask potential readers to excuse…
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Weekend Away: Maryborough, Queensland
Photo queens Park, Maryborough. (L Kelly) There’s so much to explore, enjoy and absorb…
