WHITE GARDENIA

In my last substack Love, Poetry and Time Management I wrote about how I had recently subscribed to the BBC Maestro platform and was enjoying the courses. One of those courses was Writing Love Stories by Jojo Moyes.

Although the course is directed at unpublished writers, there is plenty to offer established authors as well. Jojo is not only a warm and humble personality, but she is also an excellent teacher. But before I say more about the course, let’s talk a little bit about love stories.

Many of you know the wonderful Anna Loder, Sydney bookselling and event personality and champion of Australian writers.

For readers who want to read the books in order, I’ve listed my novels and non-fiction book in order by publication date for you.

We have all been deeply upset by the outbreak of war between Putin’s Russian army and Ukraine. It’s shocked us, because Ukraine is an independent country, and it should be free to choose its own destiny just as any other sovereign state. It is not a territory of Russia and yet Putin – against the counsel of his closest advisors – saw fit to invade it.

When writers meet each other for the first time, one of the questions we love to ask each other is: ‘Are you a pantser or a plotter?’. Readers are often curious about this too.

Mother’s Day, which is celebrated around the world in May, conjures up images of happy motherhood and femininity – lots of pink; carnations and roses; bathrobes and bath bombs; scented candles and slippers.
It’s a time to remember and honour the woman who brought us into the world.

This is a question I’m often asked when I give book talks. And I ask it of other writers too! Who can blame us - when we love a book, we are intrigued to know what was it that inspired the writer to create that particular story?