My Blog

EMERGING!

Yes, this time I really think I am emerging from a winter that has passed in a blur of sickness and exhaustion that has knocked me flat for months.  I’ve been struggling to keep up with everything and obviously the blog was ignored for far too long.  But I’m back at work now and just finished the next book –  waiting in nervous anticipation for the comments of my publisher and editor.  There were times when I thought I wouldn’t make it with this one.  It was a struggle to find out what I was doing, strange how physically illness also affects the ability to see and think clearly.  So –  fingers crossed!

Meanwhile it’s such great news that Canadian writer Alice Munro has won the Nobel Prize for Literature.  If you haven’t read her work now’s the time to start.

BACK TO LIFE AND BACK TO BOOKS

I’m actually embarrassed by my failure to post anything in recent weeks.  I’ve been sick –  some time in hospital and much more time recovering at home.  I’m still convalescing and improving but rather more slowly than I’d hoped, but fortunately my brain now seems to be working again which is great relief.  I’m spending a lot of time reading and in the last six weeks have found some I loved, and others that I abandoned for a whole variety of reasons.  I write soon about the ones I loved,  but I thought this survey by Good Reads produced some interesting results.  It’s about the reasons why readers give up on a book and the point at which they do it.  I often give up quite early in a book and it may not be because I think it’s a bad book, just that it doesn’t appeal to me –  it could be great topic but I don’t like the way it’s written, or perhaps beautifully written but not really ‘speaking’ to me.  I’m a firm believer in giving up if you’re not enjoying it or finding it interesting, and I do know that people give up on my books and I’m okay with that.

When do you give up and for what reason?  Have a look at this link below and see what other people think.

http://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/424-what-makes-you-put-down-a-book

HARMLESS

HARMLESS

Harmless the new novella from my friend and colleague Julienne Van Loon, is a haunting and beautiful book – that challenges us to think about what we really value. An engrossing read that kept me up all night.

OLDER WOMEN UNDER VALUED IN THE WORKPLACE

OLDER WOMEN UNDER VALUED IN THE WORKPLACE

We  know it’s true but this article pins down some interesting facts and figures about the under valuing and under utilisation  of women of 45+ in the workplace.  And what’s so often forgotten and hidden is the amount of unpaid voluntary work undertaken in the community by women in this age group.  Without that the country would grind to a halt.

TAMPONS AREN’T A LUXURY

A friend alerted me to this petition this week and I signed it straight away.  I had no idea that tampons attract GST because they are classed as a ‘luxury’ item.  Every one of us knows that sanitary products are a necessity so we should not be paying tax on them, especially as it is a tax only paid by women.  Condoms, lubricants, incontinence pads, and sunscreens are exempt from GST.  There’s something very wrong here, so do take a look and consider sigining this petition which is directed to the the Prime Minister and senior women in Cabinet.

http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/axe-the-tampontax-bloodyoutrage?alert_id=rvWDUMNfWV_PoLIXnFxRj&utm_campaign=18237&utm_medium=email&utm_source=action_alert