Tanwa is a picture book about a five-year-old girl living with sickle cell. Raolee is uniquely placed to write this book as she is a sickle cell gladiator and an educator – she has a doctorate degree in educational leadership and management as well as 20 years in the classroom. With a passion for helping others affected by this disease, Rao is open about her own struggles with it. Continue reading Raolee on Writing About Sickle Cell
Women’s fiction author, Lisa Darcy, has just released her ninth novel, Should You Keep a Secret? The book poses a moral dilemma about whether or not to tell a friend something shocking about her husband. It also dives into the lives of three friends, three women facing different issues. Its emotional range will take you from laughter to tears. Continue reading Lisa Darcy Asks Should You Keep a Secret?
Christina’s new release, A Practice of Loss: Memoir of an Abandoning Mother, describes the death of her marriage and the abduction of her children by their father, who took them to live in the US. She describes the lengthy process of writing this story as a healing journey. Continue reading Christina Houen on the Healing Power of Writing
Author and graphic designer Enni has just released her fourth novel, a contemporary Cinderella romcom, Hidden Gem, in which charity worker Marnie falls for hotshot New Zealand politician Jason. It examines the pitfalls of working in politics alongside the fear of aging while beset with a chronic illness. Continue reading Enni Amanda on Sex, Religion and Politics in Hidden Gem
More than a decade ago, Alexandra was whisked away from her management role in Romania to go to Austria for her husband’s job as a diplomat. Abroad as a diplomatic spouse, she has volunteered for various not for profit organisations, and this year, she published a book to share her experiences. Read on to hear more about her unique lifestyle – the diplomatic life is not always as glamorous as it sounds. Continue reading Alexandra Paucescu, a Diplomatic Spouse
A graphic designer from Finland, Enni now lives in New Zealand and has self-published two novels. Read on to find out more about her books, writing in English as a second language, her tips on self-publishing and more. Continue reading Enni Amanda Tuomisalo on Self-Publishing
Karien, author of A Yellow House, has spent the majority of her life as an expat. Nominally from The Netherlands, she has also lived in Oman, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, France and the United Kingdom. But where is home? And how has her experience bled into her writing? Join me to explore this and more. Continue reading Karien Van Ditzhuijzen on Expat Life, Writing and Migrant Domestic Workers
Lisa’s debut novel, Keep Me Posted, was conceived and written after she moved to Singapore as an expat. But landing a publishing deal was only half the battle and she later realized how much was required to market her book. Join me to find out what she learnt about expat life, writing and book promotions. Continue reading Lisa Beazley, From New York to Singapore, PR to Author
Journalist Nicole Webb worked her way up to become a newsreader at Sky News Australia, but then gave it all up on a whim to move overseas. After six years in Hong Kong and then Xi’an, China, she returned to Sydney a different person and completed her memoir, China Blonde. Read on for more about the transformative nature of her expat life and writing journey. Continue reading Nicole Webb From Newsreader to Author
I walked to my local shops today and witnessed people elbow-bumping. It looked natural, as if they’d been doing it their whole lives. I guess that’s part of our new lifestyle. Meanwhile, as I revise my latest novel, I’m struck by how many times my characters hug or shake hands. Will people read this and say, … Continue reading Social Distancing the Melbourne Way
Brightside Story Studio 