News - September 2019

Writing News - September

September is all about celebrating, and being persistent. As expected, I continued with submitting my MG historical/fantasy fiction ms to publishers like a real trooper. However, Wolf And The Chainmail Ghost, received only rejections so far. 

"The first time he thought he was hallucinating. The second time he thought ‘what the…’ And the third time, green eyes pierced his skull like someone poking a thin needle into his brain until it hurt.

Wolf stepped closer. The shiny armour in front of him was lifeless again, as it should be. But he knew that what he saw had been very much alive only a moment ago. For a split second, a pair of emerald green eyes had stared at him through the slit of the medieval helmet of a knight." (Wolf and The Chainmail Ghost, p. 1)

And so I keep trying.

Here comes the fun news: 

This September, I have had two stories published, and photographic images from the Woon Spirals series got accepted for publication in the Moonchild Magazine in a couple of months time! I'm really wrapped about all of these opportunities.

1) Metamorphosis 

(A coming-of-age story of a different kind), on Dark Moments,

Black Hare Press, Sep 2019). This online publication has a huge collection of flash fiction stories that will go under your skin!

You can read the story here

2) Katharina, The Sorcerer and Her Scientist Son 

(A feminist-historical fiction, short story about Katharina Kepler -- healer, inn-keeper, mother of scientist Johannes Kepler, who was accused of witchcraft in 16th century Germany. Published by Neo Perennial Press in the Heroines anthology, vol 2, 2019, edited by Sarah Nicholson and Caitlin White).

I'm really proud to have made it into this anthology, given the company of fellow writers in it and its uniqueness as a feminist narrative in the Australian literary landscape. This is what this fabulous publication, which was launched by Kate Forsyth, storyteller extraordinaire, at the Heroines Festival 2019 (Thirroul, New South Wales, Australia) is about:

"With a focus on reclaiming the stories of women in history and reimagining the heroines of legend, fairytale and mythology, in ways that are both resonant and startlingly new The Heroines Anthology presents a challenging and soulful collection that interrogates the traditional power dynamics of classic literature, while touching on the deeper questions of women's true nature."

Heroines: An Anthology of Short Fiction and Poetry - Volume 2 includes the work of award-winning and emerging writers including: Julie Watts, Anna Jacobson, Therese Doherty, Jan Napier, Alicia Gilmore, Anne Walsh, Barbara Taylor, Jena Woodhouse, Louise Pieper, Hannah Wheeler, Clio Davidson-Lynch , Rita Tognini, Pamela Hart, Kim Waters, Julie Bozza, Toni Brisland, Deanne Leber, Louise Hopewell, Jayne Fenton Keane, Linda Godfrey, Toni Brisland, Wes Lee, Margaret Bradstock, Kate O’Neill, Freddy Iryss & Jane Frank.

           You can purchase the anthology and other publications by the Neo Perennial Press here

It goes without saying, I went to the Heroines Festival, which was organised by Sarah Nicholson, Neo Perennial Press, where I had the chance to catch up with writer friends and hear some of them read from their debut novels (Chloe Higgins The Girls; Julie Keys The Artist's Portrait and Helena Fox How It Feels To Float ) and authors I have long admired from a distance, like Kate Forsyth, Cat Sparks. 

One of the highlights was definitely Kate Forsyth signing her copy of the Blue Rose for me, and me signing a copy of the Heroines anthology for HER!

This festival of women writers, who write women’s stories, presented an excellent 

day of panels, readings, authors. Can't wait for next year!

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Please feel free to leave a comment. Maybe you've been to the Heroines festival yourself, or read the anthology?  If you want to tell me what you think of my newest works that would be lovely, too!