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Construction and Writing DO NOT MIX

2023 has not been the easiest year because, besides my emergency spine surgery in April, I’ve had other setbacks that have affected getting THE HOUSESITTER finally published.

A major setback has been a disruption to my work environment and work schedule.

As in: Construction happening. Right. Next. Door. As in, ten feet from my office window. Jackhammers. Diggers. Tradies. Starting at 7am sharp. Well, excavation, to be more exact.

Settle in with your favourite beverage as this is bound to be a long post about how construction and writing do NOT mix. As of writing this post (early December, 2023), I’ll let you know what has happened so far, and what continues to happen.

It began about two weeks into July, in 2023.

But first, let me tell you about where I live, so you get the full picture of this disruption.

My husband and I moved into this regional spot on the east coast of Tasmania in July 2019, after travelling full-time for three years. We stayed in this house when it was listed as an Airbnb earlier in the year. Deciding to stop in Tasmania after travelling, we reached out to the homeowner and asked if he’d be open to renting to us for a longer term. We loved the location, the quiet and, while it was a distance from Hobart, we kind of liked that remoteness.

So, we moved in. It is so quiet here that you can’t hear any traffic noise, and we have the Tasman highway only a few kilometres away. In fact, the only ‘traffic noise’ we hear are the fishing trawlers heading out in the morning and returning in the evening, along with the ferry to Maria Island. We figured it would be the perfect place to land, get our bearings, write a book (or four!) and work out what was next.

As you can guess, we found this spot just in time, as COVID hit in March/April. Lockdowns and our state closure came swiftly thereafter. Our spot on the east coast (Orford) proved to be the perfect place to be in a pandemic. There were only residents here – less than five hundred and that’s counting the number liberally–as none of the holiday homeowners were allowed to their ‘shack’s here. We were living our best life, in the safest bubble we could be in.

Even when the lockdowns lifted, and the state reopened, it remained quiet. Sure, there was a lot more movement. The tourists returned, but it was still quiet.

But then our bubble burst.

There was a block of land for sale, you see, right next door. It had been on the market when we moved in and had been for a couple of years already. Apparently, the owner bought it with his partner and, when they split, it left him with a block of land to dispose of. It was nice to have a vacant block next door. From my office window, I watched kookaburras land on the fence line, eyeing off their prey. I viewed spectacular sunsets full of rich reds and oranges, the wild grasses blowing gently in the breeze. Wild rabbits loved the lot, as they darted in and out of their warrens. It was especially lovely when their babies came out for the first time.

I will miss these views from my office window.

I never thought someone would build on the lot because it’s an odd block. Great for a small vineyard maybe.

Not only is it lopsided, but it’s unstable in any torrential rain, not to mention the hill is full of rabbit warrens! Given the choice, and I guess we had one, I would never buy it, let alone build on this block. But when COVID hit, the offers began coming in. Three in a matter of weeks.

A couple bought the lot during COVID lockdowns, sight unseen.

They are from Melbourne (apparently) but live in Singapore. They are building their ‘forever home’ so they can return to Australia. When they finally made it to Tasmania, to see if for themselves, the woman had stars in her eyes when she viewed it for the first time. (Sure! It’s right on the water!) But the husband had a look that screamed ‘what the fuck have we done?!’ He should have listened to that instinct and sold it, right then and there.

Undeterred, they employed surveyors and engineers and builders. They all got bogged when driving on to the lot. Did I mention the water issue that the neighbours have all been experiencing for the last number of years? It flooded the lower level of this vacant block for most of the time we’ve lived here. Well, that had to be sorted first before any building could begin. Turns out, the water problem was not ‘run off’ that TasWater told all of us for years, (after our neighbour invested hundreds of dollars in piping to reroute the water off his property.) It turned out a broken water pipe was to blame. Surprise, surprise!

That fixed, they began construction on the driveway first.

Now the next-door neighbour’s lot is next to the lower part of the property we are on. Above them is our pipe-laying neighbour. To get to the construction zone, they have a strip of land that goes from the street, down between the pipe-laying neighbour and the top of ‘our’ property, to their bottom block. (I say ‘our’ property because we rent this property.)

To give you some perspective, the street is at the top of the hill. To get to the street from our house, our driveway is seven stories from the street at the top of the hill to where the house is, at the bottom of the hill. So, the new neighbour has a strip of land, about a single-car driveway wide, between our top property and the pipe-laying neighbour.

Around mid-July, construction began. A twenty-tonne digger was brought in to begin the work. First on the driveway, beginning each day at 7am. The digger has a huge scoop and a jack hammer attachment. They brought in dump trucks to get rid of the dirt. Then, they moved the digger – now with accompanying small diggers with annoying beeping mechanisms, to the bottom section, to cut out what we believe to be the bottom section of the house foundation.

It was about then we moved our offices, which were ten feet from the fence line to the other end of the house. I took the middle room, which gave some buffer.

We kept telling ourselves: It would be over soon. The house would go up fast. Life would return to normal.

Except that someone had decided, somewhere in the construction, that they needed a passing cut-out on the new driveway. The driveway was now 3m deep – deeper than the 2.5m the plans outlined–between our property and the pipe-laying neighbour. It was a massive hole in the ground.

But one afternoon we arrived home to find they had dug into ‘our’ property for this new ‘cut-out’.

Halfway down our step driveway, only mere feet away from the driveway, our fence line dangled above a new cut-out.

Surprise! We can’t use the driveway. The concrete is the right side of our driveway.
As you can see, our driveway consists of two strips of concrete. Our car mirrors hit the star pickets.

I asked the onsite apprentice about it. At first, I heard the reason for the cutout was that the new neighbour wanted a passing lane, in case one person was going out while one person came in. Later I heard it was for bushfire regulations. Not sure how that worked, since anyone fleeing from a bushfire is going only one way. He then said something flippantly about a boundary dispute.

Hmm… first we’d heard of it. So, we took photos, and sent them to our landlord. It was the first he’d heard of a boundary dispute, too. Work halted. Immediately. We were then told we couldn’t use our driveway. At all. The council was called.

They brought an engineer in – an independent engineer–who claimed our driveway to be unstable and told we could not use it.

Nice. We wondered where the concern was for our safety, should there be a bushfire? Without driveway access, we had no access at ALL for escape. There is one way in and one way out for us. But that had crossed no one’s mind until we raised it.

What added to the stress of somehow dealing with getting supplies up and down a seven-story driveway – hell on wheels in the rain and icy weather – and I had a book festival coming up a week after this all occurred. The idea of carting 60 books (plus festival paraphernalia) up seven stories was not giving me positive vibes!

I’m not sure what happened after that, but the builder, with the small digger and shovels with rock and, God knows what else, patched it back in. The fence line remains hanging on precariously. An engineer was called back in to ensure it was structurally sound.

Their new driveway – not finished yet, but cut down 3m between properties.

He claimed it was now safe to drive on, but solely for our personal vehicle.

No deliveries. No small trucks. JUST our vehicle. I’m not sure how that is ‘fixed’ – at the time I was just happy not to have to schlep books up the driveway – but that, my dear reader, is NOT a solution in my mind.

Then we were told by the apprentice, who got his builder’s certification during all this, that the homeowner wanted sandstone blocks brought in for the landscaping. As in large sandstone blocks that measure about 2m long, by 1 metre wide, by 1 metre deep, each – or thereabouts.

Keep in mind, they have laid no foundation. But they must bring the sandstone blocks in before they build the house, because once the house is up, there’s no getting the sandstone blocks down to the lower level. The apprentice told us there would be one hundred and forty (140) sandstone blocks total. I gasped.

What the hell were they going to do with 140 sandstone blocks? Those things are huge! And expensive.

Okay, so I got curious. Because, so far, the driveway was now looking to cost around three hundred thousand (AUD). Originally, they estimated around one hundred thousand dollars (AUD) – yes, for a driveway! – according to the apprentice. The driveway was more than they bargained for between the water issues, the cut-out, the patch-up, the deeper dig, the more robust retaining wall that the engineer has now recommended…. When I priced the sandstone blocks, it’s around eighty five thousand dollars. Eight five THOUSAND dollars (AUD)!!

They haven’t even started on the HOUSE yet!

So, about sixty blocks were delivered – and guess what they built with about fifteen of them (so far)? A wall. Between our house and theirs, right outside one of the bedroom windows. The reflection is horrendous. When you open the curtains now, instead of seeing a lovely field and a beautiful big gum tree at the top of the hill, you see a sandstone wall. Our homeowner is PISSED. And rightly so.

The new wall – when they were began work on it. Attractive – not – and awfully reflective. That’s our shed next to it. The house at the top is our pipe-laying neighbour.

Oh, and they are building a fence on TOP of the wall when it’s finished (wtf?!)

The wall, the landscaping, or the cut-out were not in the council plans for approval.

Apart from the driveway and the lower foundation excavation, the sandstone blocks brought it, very little work has been done in six months. They have laid some plumbing for drainage, but after one downpour, everything was back to being flooded, so I’m not sure about that plumbing work!

Their internet line was connected to the property, after some random guy walked on to our property first, to see how ours was done (without permission). When they installed the pole for their line, someone braced it from our property – again without permission – and they butted it up to our driveway!

They have set up their porta potty – at the top of our driveway.

It sits to the side of the driveway, on our side of the property line, on the street. If it gets tipped over, it’s our property that will have the sewage leak.

With all this going on, our landlord has been lovely. He’s tried his very best to keep us happy. He knows this disrupts us. He knows I’m a writer, and that we chose this place for the quiet. As my husband says, we are the stewards for our landlord’s property, so we’ve been trying to keep him informed with what’s going on.

But let’s be clear: There’s NO WAY I can write when I’ve got this happening right next door.

From 7am-4pm Monday-Friday, there’s something happening, even if it’s the apprentice riding his little digger back and forth, pushing dirt around. I have designated my writing time to Saturday and Sunday, which means there is no downtime, no quiet time to sit and reflect for me. I naturally wake around 7.30 am normally and it’s usually between when I wake and 9am, that I’m the most creative. Not for the last six months. I have TRIED to work around it. I’ve tried getting up earlier. I’ve tried writing when they leave, but by then, the stress of the noise next door has me exhausted. We have little option of other places for me to work. The local cafés are just as crazy with tourists coming and going. The library, as much as I love it, is not primed to sit and work for hours on end.

I still work. I do a lot of administrative stuff. Marketing. Blog posts (!). Substack posts. I created a non-fiction book about HOUSESITTING, but that was mostly drafted already. We have worked on nothing substantial with my latest novel. And I HATE that.

But I have left the best part until last (she says, sarcastically): The new homeowner has been stalking me on Facebook.

With everything going on, for the months we’ve been dealing with this fiasco, we’ve not heard a peep from the new next-door neighbours. When they first arrived to see the property, they gave a scant few minutes once they learned we were renting.

Now, she wants to be my new best friend. She found me in the community Facebook group. To be honest, I’m not sure how. Maybe my name is unique enough. I have privacy settings turned on with that account, so she can’t determine a lot. She sent me a DM. Saying she was looking forward to meeting me (hello lady, you already have!), and that she was excited to be my new neighbour. Hmm… can’t say I feel the same way at this point.

Her message came right around the time of the driveway cut-out bullshit. No apology. No ‘sorry for the inconvenience’. No explanation.

When I ignored her message, she then found a post from I put up in MARCH, supporting the local librarian, encouraging people to get behind the library. There, she posted a comment on my post, not about the library, but essentially saying the same thing: looking forward to meeting me, excited to be my new neighbour. I ignored that message, too.

I mean, okay, it’s good that she’s reached out. But how about apologising first? Because this has not been a typical build. This has disrupted people’s lives–and livelihood!

I’m not sure what this means for us at this point.

We were told it would take a year for the house to be finished. It’s taken six months so far, and they’ve barely started. I have little faith it’ll be complete within the year’s timeframe. At this point, I’m just adding it to the list of setbacks that makes up 2023.

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Goodbye NaNoWriMo

After five years of participating in NaNoWriMo, one year as a Municipal Liaison (ML), where I helped my region navigate through the challenge, I have decided my time with the organisation is done. It hasn’t been an easy decision, as I appreciate all this month-long challenge has provided me – time to focus on getting the words down, in order to finish my first (second, third…) novel.

But it’s time for me to leave.

This year, it’s become clear to me that the organisation needs help. And a great deal of it. They are too large now to manage the challenge, and all its followers, effectively. I’m sure they are trying, but even with the large gobs of money they receive in donations, and likely grants, it feels that they don’t focus their funds on the right thing – staffing and training.

Now I know I’m an armchair critic here, but as someone who has invested a lot of time and energy into this organisation, I simply don’t feel supported.

In fact, this year, I feel less supported by the organisation than ever before. They are a U.S. based organisation, and that’s never been as obvious as now, despite being a worldwide group. This year, when other regions have expressed grave concerns, they have been ignored. My area – Australia – has been no different.

For example: This year, when scheduling events on their website, there is an option that asks if the location is – and I am not changing the wording here – ‘fat friendly’. Many outside geographical regions are up in arms. People were massively offended. In fact, when the French-speaking community raised their hand about it, saying it is a rude and an extremely offensive thing to call someone within their culture, they were dismissed. When I posted on the ML forum, asking about the background on the decision, I was abused by many fellow MLs in the U.S. region. I was essentially told to sit down and shut up. “That’s what HQ decided, so deal with it.”

As someone who is very aware of what it’s like to be overweight and dealing with the challenges of larger hips in smaller spaces, I see what NaNoWriMo HQ is TRYING to do. But to call it FAT FRIENDLY is offensive. I was told “Fat Advocates” advised HQ to use this language. But these advocates are U.S. based and do not represent me. (And clearly they don’t represent a number of others either.)

Surely, as an international organisation, common sense prevails?

They could have easily asked their international base or the MLs – but did they do that? Nope. They went with whatever the ‘fat advocates’ said instead.

But that’s not all. There have been issues in vetting their MLs as well. I was greatly challenged being an ML. I was one of two MLs in my STATE. Tasmania does not have a lot of writers taking part in NaNo each year, but there are at least fifty and there’s a vast distance between them. There’s a need for effective MLs in the north, in the state’s south, and if there are more to include other areas, even better.

You may have noticed I used the word effective when it comes to MLs. While working with the incumbent ML, I found I was quite often holding the bag, as it were. When I asked how them how they liked to do things, they told me they don’t do in write-ins, either in person or online. It wasn’t ’their thing’. What I discovered was nothing seemed to be ‘their thing’ other than posting daily stats – and even then they were only willing to do that for two weeks. Turns out, they were simply a numbers person, which is fine, but that’s NOT what NaNo is all about.

Being an ML is about rallying your region. Getting them excited. Bringing the writers together. Making it a community. Helping new MLs with their questions. Getting more people to sign up, gaining more ML applications. It’s not to sit in a room and post stats once a day.

When I approached NaNo with feedback, being quite frank about what my experience was like, and the lack of support I received, including being ghosted for a week, I received no acknowledgment at all. I was shocked to find out that the ML was re-signed on the following year. And has anything changed? Nope.

But it gets worse.

This year, before NaNo had even started, there was an issue with a region nearby. Rather than the issue being addressed, NaNo HQ removed all the MLs in the region. Why? Because there was one ML causing a raucous and, rather than dealing with it, NaNo just pulled the plug. Now this is in a MAJOR Australian city, and they did this one week before the challenge began.

Now they’ve done the same thing, but the issue is much larger.

Earlier this year a complaint was made to NaNo staff regarding problems with the Young Writers Program forums. It has been alleged that there has been bullying, bigotry, and – the most shocking of all – one particular moderator was using their position to groom young teenagers.

While it was agreed that the moderator needed to be removed from the position, they did not follow up on it. Meanwhile, one staff member said they could find no evidence of wrongdoing. When nothing happened after six months, people began emailing the NaNo board, making their complaints public. Several days went by, with lots of comments on the forums, before the Board shut down the forums entirely, while they ‘investigated’.

But their email to the larger community was appalling.

Here’s what they wrote:

To The NaNoWriMo Community,

We’re dropping in to communicate to a broader audience about concerns that were brought to the attention of the Board. The concerns we received related exclusively to activity on our online forums. Though individual issues were varied in nature, they led us to a singular conclusion: that closing down the forums until issues could be properly resolved was the right first step. 

We are aware that a great deal of misinformation and innuendo on the matter is circulating. Though we cannot control speculation and sensationalism, we can be transparent about the questions we’ve received and the action that has been taken. 

The issues brought to our attention include:

1.         Inconsistent moderation and lack of attention to resolving complaints

2.         Concerns about the safety of minors (one volunteer moderator accused of grooming was complained about for not being removed from the forums in a timely fashion)

3.         Dynamics between moderators and community members; concerns about inclusiveness and staff conflicts of interest

The decision to temporarily shut down the forums was made out of a desire to stop and investigate, and to exercise an abundance of caution. Online forums cannot serve as safe and welcoming community spaces without a large-enough team of well-trained moderators.

We are also a 25-year-old community whose growth has outpaced that of the resources in place to support it. It is the Board’s opinion that now is the right moment to pause, meaningfully resolve problems, and address complaints and match resources to needs. It’s time to press the reset button on the forums. 

Okay – so far, so good… right? But then they go on…

This will take time and we appreciate your patience. In the meantime, we need to make a few things absolutely clear:

•           The vast majority of complaints sent to the Board have not been verified, including claims about child grooming. It is important to draw a distinction between the voluntary, precautionary measure of proactively shutting down the forums and measures that might be taken if our thorough investigation confirms the truth of any of these complaints. 

•           The Board received its first complaint on November 7th. This was the Board’s first knowledge of these issues and the first community member outreach that any current Board member had been sent. 

•           Since that date, the Board has been transparent and responsive. You are welcome to view our official statements and findings on the NaNoWriMo main forums. 

•           We have primarily communicated on the forums about this, but we realized that some commentary was warranted more broadly, which is why we’re sending this email.  

Maintaining the Magic of NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo is a rich, dynamic, global community that reaches far beyond our online forums. Around the world, countless authors are writing amazing things. NaNoWriMo has tremendous reach beyond the forums that continues to lend support and resources to writers. 

Though some of what is being said about the organization is unflattering, we hope you will review our responses and conclude that we are operating to the highest standards of integrity in this matter. We have volunteered to serve on this Board from an abundance of love for the organization, its people and what it aims to do. We will work hard to regain your trust.

We’ll end with a Fred Rogers quote we like about what truly happens in challenging situations. “Look for the helpers. There is always someone helping.” We want to acknowledge the hundreds (if not thousands) of community members who step forward every day and who have stepped forward in this moment. For every concern we’ve received in our inbox, we have also received words of encouragement and offers of help.

In Partnership,

The NaNoWriMo Board

So, while this is fine, they’ve left the MLs hanging with little warning.

If the board only heard about this, a week into NaNo, seems to me that the staff weren’t completely transparent with the board about the feedback they were receiving, as this discussion was happening before NaNo even began. With no technical support, no way to have an ongoing discussion with their regions (which for some is an entire country) NaNo has, for many, been cancelled.

And the board’s comments further on the website tell the other regions how it is pretty clearly: They don’t have the time, or the resources, to manage this program anymore.

“We want to allow responses and questions, to creating accountability and make space for community voices. But we also have to be realistic about the fact that the Board cannot moderate high-velocity message boards (we all have day jobs), let alone do so indefinitely. We are surfacing now to transparently share our responses and plans at this critical time, but we must make sure we remain in a position to spend time performing our intended role.

A “Questions for the Board” thread will also be opened and maintained. Unlike the other threads, this one will be maintained indefinitely. Given the aforementioned issue (our day jobs), we ask for the community’s understanding in giving us time to answer questions.

For the time being, please bear with us. We will open this thread to questions but please be aware that we are trying hard to focus our efforts on giving answers about the issues folks have already alerted us to before we take on more. Two of us are traveling right now and we’re very aware that more of us will have odd schedules week-after-next due to the holiday.

We will open the “Questions for the Board” forum on November 27th, after the American Thanksgiving holiday–after we have had a chance to issue initial responses to community member complaints.”

Which goes back to the question I’ve had for a long time – whose idea was it to do NaNoWriMo during the month of November? It’s a busy time for everyone, but the U.S. essentially shut down for week and claim it as ‘family time’.

So, what does this mean? Is this the end of NaNoWriMo?

Maybe.

From what I can gather, there seems to be a good many of us ready to walk away. Maybe even establishing our own regional writing challenges.

As for NaNo, while I’m grateful for the push, I don’t need the drama that goes along with it. And certainly not under an organisation that deals with it in such a way.

And thus I’ve decided, once and for all, that my time with NaNo is done. So, goodbye NaNo. It was nice while it lasted.

What are your thoughts? What would you do? Are you a writer who’s been appalled by the drama?

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Interview with a Pilgrim: Margaret Caffyn

I have yet to meet Maggie in person, but I feel as if we’re friends. We met online, as members of the Australian Camino community and not surprisingly, have a number of pilgrim friends in common (including Sue Swain, Lindsay Teychenne and Dan Mullins, amongst many others). But I’ll finally meet Maggie at the 2023 Blue Mountains Camino Celebracion and Fair. (More information on that on my Facebook events page.)

I have admired Maggie from afar. She’s done a lot to forge the path for Camigas, especially those who write books. Maggie’s book, Walking Back Home was an inspirational read, prior to walking my own Camino wander.

I asked Maggie to describe herself with three words. This is what she said: “Funnily enough, I often ask people this question and there are two words they use for me ALL THE TIME…inspirational and brave. I don’t feel either of these. I think both these words mean that they can’t imaging doing the things I am doing because it is their fear. One word I would use to describe myself would be adventurous.  My mother taught me never to say no to an opportunity.”                              

That describes the Maggie I know – so far. I hope you enjoy!
  1. When did you first walk the Camino and which route did you walk?

I walked the Camino Frances in 2015.

  1. Did you walk solo or with someone else? Were they a friend or a relation?

I walked solo but, of course, I wasn’t alone for long.

  1. When you initially started, what did you imagine the walk to be like?

I had no expectations, so it was all very exciting.

  1. Halfway through, what was your primary feeling about your walk?

I was constantly wondering why I was doing it. I had been called but didn’t know why.

  1. If you came across another Pilgrim what were the first two questions, you would ask them?

 Why are you walking the Camino? And, where are you from?

  1. Did you do any training beforehand? If so, what did you do?

Virtually none, due to long working hours, long commute and general exhaustion.

  1. What was the one thing you packed that you were glad to have with you?

My Aarn backpack (light and waterproof) and my Pacer Poles.

  1. What was the one thing you packed that you could have left behind?

Nothing really. Perhaps my self-doubt.

  1. Would you walk a Camino again? If yes which route, would you walk and why? If no, why not?

I’ve walked many Caminos since, but never the same one twice. I couldn’t see the point. I wanted to experience something new each time.

With Sue Swain at Casa Susi, Trabadelo, Spain

  1. Which was your favourite albergue and why?

I don’t have a favourite. They were all great.

If I was to walk the Frances again, it would be Casa Susi in Trabadelo (communal meal, river to soak feet, beds not bunks, and of course, the wonderful Susi and Fermin, who own it).

On the Portuguese Coastal, it would be La Cala, a Pilgrims Inn (such luxury and Tanya, the owner, is so loving and wonderful.)

11.  If you’re open to sharing, what did you learn about yourself?

I learned to listen more. I learned that I can do anything I want. I learned that I had become my job and that had to change. I quit when I got home.

  1. When you began you walk, what was your motivation to walk the Camino? Physical, spiritual, religious, or other? (This is a question that is asked when getting your Compostela in Santiago.) What about at the end of your walk?

I was definitely “called”, but I also had lost myself being someone’s mother friend, sister, daughter….everyones someone, and I had lost myself. It was a spiritual awakening for me.

13. Did you continue walking to Finisterre or Muxia?

Not in 2015, but I have done since. 

  1. If you gave one piece of advice to someone thinking of walking the Camino, what would that be?

Do some homework and get good gear, but also go with no expectations. Everyone’s Camino is different.

  1. Do you feel the Camino changed you?

Definitely. I am much more at peace now.

  1. How do you feel you brought the Camino home with you?

I don’t like this question. I didn’t. I just changed. For the better, I hope.

  1. Do you feel your Camino was a pilgrimage, or was it was more of a long-distance walk?

It was definitely a pilgrimage.

  1. Do you feel the Camino is for everyone? Why or why not?

No. I hate the way people put it on a “bucket list” as if it is something they feel they  should do. I feel you should be “called”.  It is tough, and not something to just tick off so you can say you did it. For me anyway, it is a very spiritual, emotional and personal thing.

  1. What would you like to see more, or less (other than less toilet paper) of, on the Camino?

I’ve been told by Spanish people that it is not necessarily the visitors doing it.  There are no public toilet blocks there and this is the way Spanish people deal with the situation. I think most of us (pilgrims) respect the beautiful environment that is the Camino.

  1. What was your favourite city on your Camino route, and why?

Too hard to answer that. My favourite cities have been the major ones on the Via de la Plata…..Caceres, Italica, Merida, Zamora.  But of course, Santiago de Compostela has to be at the top of that list.

  1. If someone didn’t know what the Camino was or about, what would you tell them (in three sentences or less)?

It is an ancient pilgrimage route, that for most people, changes their lives. It has a very spiritual feeling and it feels like it is in a different dimension.            

Go with an open mind, leaving all judgement, fear and ego behind.

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Interview with an Author: Robyn Mundy

Robyn Mundy is a Tasmanian author and until July 2023, we had never met. When an opportunity arose to meet Robyn, at a book launch in Hobart, I jumped at the chance. To be honest, I went a bit fan-girl on her, and I can’t tell you how excited I was when she agreed to do this interview with me.

Robyn Mundy is everything I imagined her to be –  poised, articulate, generous, and gracious. Just like her novels. I love her books. They’re pure works of art.

I hope you enjoy this interview.

About Robyn:

Robyn Mundy is author of the novels Cold Coast, Wildlight and The Nature of Ice, and co-author of the young readers’ Epic Adventure: Epic Voyages. She works seasonally as an Assistant Expedition Leader for Aurora Expeditions. Robyn currently lives in Hobart where she teaches writing and is at work on a new novel.

For more on Robyn, I encourage you to check out this interview with THE HOBART.

Here’s my interview with Robyn:

1. Why do you write – and why did you decide to write a book? 

I have always been a keen reader but I fell in to writing as an adult after a year of doing a speech pathology degree as a mature age student, realising it wasn’t for me, then switching to an Arts degree with no clear vision of where that would lead. In that first year of study I had a terrific creative writing tutor who read my stories and encouraged me to keep writing. (Doesn’t it often come down to an encouraging teacher, no matter the subject.)

2. What genres do you enjoy reading?

Novels, short stories, YA. There are many wonderful books that straddle the genres of literary fiction and commercial fiction. There are many YA books that speak to readers of all ages. So long as I connect with the characters and their voice, with a story that takes me on a compelling, unexpected journey, I’m in. 

3. How long did it take you to write your first book from first word to publish? Given you’ve written multiple books, how long does it take you now to write and publish a book? 

My first novel was The Nature of Ice which I completed as the creative component of a PhD thesis. The research was a big component, and I am a glacially slow writer. From first word to final: close to two years.

My subsequent novels have also involved extensive research. Alas, I’m no quicker at writing than I was, so about two years of writing, then submission, acceptance, and a year after that to publication. I have recently begun on a new novel project and given myself a good talking to: I WILL WRITE THIS STORY in 12 months. Watch this space.

4. What’s the most challenging part of being an author for you?

You will have heard it before. Self-doubt. That doesn’t seem to diminish. Another is how easy it is to regard other life needs as more important, to deny that writing is as valid an undertaking as any career.

5. What do you love the most about being an author?

Readers. One of the most heart-warming and affirming moments of being an author is to have a reader say to me (or review on Goodreads) that what I have written has meant something to them.

6. If you could give an aspiring author one piece of advice, what would it be?

An invaluable way to grow as a writer is to workshop regularly with a small group of trusted writers who believe in one another, who are willing to identify shortcomings in each other’s work, and who never forget to praise its strengths.

7. What’s the shortest time you’ve ever written a story?

I wrote an 8,000-word draft for a short story in a single sitting; I’ve never done so since. I then spent weeks, no, months, revising that story.

8. What was the hardest lesson you learned in the writing process, and what did you take from that?

With my first novel, the developmental editing process was at times a brutal learning experience. One remark from the editor: ‘Robyn wears her knowledge on her sleeve.’ That criticism ultimately did me a great service in shaping the way I approached and managed research. Author Delia Falconer sums it up perfectly in her article The Writer’s Reader: A Guide to Writing Fiction & Poetry: “The great amount of detail that one labours to acquire has, in a sense, also to be ‘forgotten’ until it ‘slinks back into some nether region from where it will feel almost as shadowy and elusive as aspects of one’s own childhood experience’. The more you research, the easier it is to overwhelmed by a sense of ‘debt’ to the past, the fear of getting history ‘wrong’”.

9. What is the best book you’ve found on the writing process?

Hmm. Despite having been both a student and teacher of creative writing, I confess to still being in the dark as to how we actually learn to write. If it is a combination of practice, reading, and some mystical process of osmosis, then every book on writing craft holds gems of value. However, in my own flawed experience, it isn’t until I’ve successfully overcome a particular writing hurdle, that the advice offered in writing guides fully resonates.

10. Are you self-published, traditionally, or hybrid-published, and why did you take that publishing route? Would you choose that route for your next book?

I have been incredibly fortunate to have my novels published traditionally. I am also keenly aware that the process of an author submitting a novel to a publisher can be utterly dispiriting, in how long it takes for the work to be seen, if at all. A sobering realisation for any writer is that whichever publishing route we take, the likelihood of earning a viable income from writing royalties is slim. Like many writers, I do other work (which I love) to earn a living.

11. What drew you to the subject of your latest book, Cold Coast?

My novel Cold Coast is set in 1932 and tells the story of Wanny Woldstad (pronounced Vonny Voldstad), the first female hunter and trapper to work up in Svalbard in the high Arctic when Arctic fox and polar bear were exploited for their pelts. My ‘other work’ is as a ship-based guide, mostly in the polar regions. I first came across Wanny’s story after visiting her trapper’s hut during a working voyage. I felt driven to know how she got the gig in the first place—a woman breaking into a fiercely guarded male domain—and what the experience would have been for her.

12. What did your discovery path look like, in choosing the genre to write in? 

My writing career began with writing short fiction, stories often set in contemporary, urban settings. With the dream to attempt a novel, I found that story ideas set in extremes of nature and based on actual history, offered characters and themes that sustained the longer form.

13. What does your typical day look like, when you are working on a book? 

I average 30 hours of writing, sometimes more, Monday through Friday. I keep at it on the many, many bad days as well as the good. Every day involves an hour or more of walking our high energy, ball-obsessed blue heeler, during which time I like to believe that subconscious creativity and problem solving happens.

14. How much of your own life, and your own experiences, have affected your storylines?

My novels are set in remote places of nature. I could not have written these novels without having personally spent time in those places, and without those places offering me story ideas. I admire writers who create fantastical worlds, a genre that would be completely beyond me.

15. What’s the most interesting book you’ve read in the last year?  Or at least, one that kept you thinking about long after?

Mrs Jewell and the Wreck of the General Grant by New Zealand author Cristina Sanders (The Cuba Press). I read this book as research and absolutely loved it. It is the true story of a young woman who, in 1866, was the only female to survive a ship wreck and be cast away for eighteen months with 14 other survivors on a wild sub-Antarctic coastline. The research is rigorous, the characterisation sensitive and insightful, the narrative driven by a mounting tension amongst a desperate group of survivors with little chance of rescue.

16. What’s the best book you feel you’ve written?

My ardent hope as an author is to become a stronger, braver writer with each new work. I do feel proud of Cold Coast, at the distance I’ve come so far. I am still very much on a writer’s journey of growing and developing.

You can find Robyn here: 

Email: wildlight1@iinet.net.au

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/robyncmundy/

Podcast Interview: ‘Imagining the Past’ podcast from HNSA (Historical Novel Association of Australasia) – Robyn Mundy in Conversation with Greg Johnston


Click here for a link to Robyn’s latest book.

PLEASE NOTE: Affiliate links were used in this post. I do not promote anything I have not used or experienced myself or had recommended highly to me. All opinions are my own. Please follow our advice at your own risk. By clicking these links allows this website to continue running. For that, I thank you.

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Interview with a Pilgrim: Laura Bauermeister

I met Laura and Carsten through the “Tasmanians on the Camino” group a few years ago. I’ve really enjoyed getting to know this incredible couple. Laura has even become one of my cherished “Lovelies” – one of my trusted beta readers – and her feedback to be incredibly insightful.

Every time I get together with Laura and Carsten, we talk about anything and everything but, of course, our common love is the Camino.

They’ve walked the Camino twice now and with their latest adventure, from Le Puy en Valey to Santiago de Compostela, I followed their journey closely on social media – and what an adventure they had!

I was excited when Laura agreed to an interview. I hope you enjoy!
  1. When did you walk the Camino and which route did you walk?

We have walked two Caminos.  The Frances in 2017 and GR65 (Le Puy en Velay) and part of the Frances in 2023 – from Le Puy en Velay to SJPDP then from Leon to Finisterre and Muxia. 

  1. Did you walk solo or with someone else? Were they a friend or a relation?

I walked with my husband, Carsten on both occasions. 

  1. When you initially started, what did you imagine the walk to be like?

Good question! We had of course seen the movie ‘The Way’ and this created an interesting impression of the actual walk – not too difficult and a bit romantisiced. This quickly changed after the first, very tough, day to Orisson. The weather was hot and the climb, although not long, absolutely threw me into a tizz – and personally I wondered if the rest of the walk was going to be this hard, if I could actually make it!  So my perception and the reality were worlds apart.

  1. Halfway through, what was your primary feeling about your walk?

Once the initial physical and mental shock was over – probably after the first 10 days, I actually was able to settle into a nice rhythm and enjoy the walking – lots of time to contemplate.  We met our Camino Family in 2017 and made some solid friendships that continue to endure. 

  1. If you came across another Pilgrim what were the first two questions, you would ask them?

Where are you from?  Is this your first Camino? Quite often you would have long conversations with other walkers and then go your own way without even knowing their name!  

  1. Did you do any training beforehand? If so, what did you do?

Yes we did a little because we had read quite a bit about the Camino at that stage – all about gear, footwear, socks, training etc. and thought we probably should do a bit.  So we mostly walked as much as we could and trained a little with our packs on – a lot of time and effort went into really trying to pare down my weight. We found out after we started that it is really quite difficult to ‘train’ as walking day after day and doing distances of, in our case, about 25km a day, is very, very different to training walks.  We sort of ‘walked’ into the Camino.  

  1. What was the one thing you packed that you were glad to have with you?

A good first aid kit – in terms of good tapes to wrap our feet in for blister prevention. Having said that, we packed waaayyy to much first aid gear and when we did our second Camino, packed a lot less and stocked up as we went.

  1. What was the one thing you packed that you could have left behind?

In all honesty, nothing. Although on our second Camino I did buy a poncho about a quarter of the way through (as well as the raincoat I already had) and ended up sending it back home as I hated wearing it – felt like I was wearing a giant condom – and in the heat it made me sweaty and hot.  

  1. Would you walk a Camino again? If yes which route, would you walk and why? If no, why not?

This is something we discuss ad nauseaum.  I don’t consider us ‘Camino Tragics’ and don’t feel the need to re-walk again – but feeling this is usually when we have just finished a walk. After we have been home for a while, we yearn for the simplicity of a Camino again. So in short, yes. We would like to walk the Coastal route from Porto to Santiago but make it part of a bigger overseas trip. Our recent Camino we walked for nearly three months and were well and truly over it by then. We swore we would never do it again – but time softens our attitude and the lure of the adventure and challenge of it all beckons again.  

  1. Which was your favourite albergue and why?

On our Camino Francés in 2017, we stayed at an albergue at the beginning of the Meseta – San Bol – just loved it.  Very small in a peacefull green oasis with ‘healing springs’.  It resonated with us and we met the most beautiful pilgrim, Sharlet, from Dallas there.  Felt so right to make that connection. 

11.  If you’re open to sharing, what did you learn about yourself?

Tough question Tara!  I’ve learnt that I like solitude and simplicity but also crave company and connection – if that even makes sense. I’ve learnt that you won’t like everyone that you meet and that is OK. I’ve learnt that you need very little to survive on a long walk – as people say – the fear of being without is strong but you soon learn that perhaps, this fear is akin to mental fear of not having. I’ve learnt that everyone has their own reasons for doing a Camino and you should never compare or feel less because you don’t have a higher reason for doing it – just enjoy the challenge and the walk. I also realised early on that some people will spill their guts with the most intimate thoughts, and it is a privilege to be in the position of just listening, without judgement – although the amount that people were willing to share – and I shared in return – was a bit of a surprise. Mostly I learnt that our life is pretty darned good here in Tassie and although travelling is wonderful, I have a strong sense of how lucky we are and a high appreciation of our wonderful family, friends and life here. 

  1. When you began you walk, what was your motivation to walk the Camino? Physical, spiritual, religious, or other? (This is a question that is asked when getting your Compostela in Santiago.) What about at the end of your walk?

The physical challenge was my motivation both times. Having said that, I was processing grief from losing my dad the year before on our 2017 walk, and although raised Catholic, have never practised. I found myself going to several masses in Spain and seeking solitude and solace within churches on the Way – to contemplate in peace and silence. I did this also on our 2023 walk recently – in a strange way it brought me some peace. Two close family members were also very sick – one has very recently passed away – and I found myself praying for them. Totally contradictory  – so go figure. So I guess at the end of both walks, I would say that I could honestly say that it was in some way a spiritual journey.

13. Did you continue walking to Finisterre or Muxia?

Not in 2017 but in 2023 we walked to both Finisterre and Muxia – my favourite part of the walk on the Camino Francés – so worth it and gave us a sense of completion.  

  1. If you gave one piece of advice to someone thinking of walking the Camino, what would that be?

Try to go with an open mind and heart and your experience is your own – don’t compare to others.  Walk your own walk. 

  1. Do you feel the Camino changed you?

Maybe a little. But this is hard to verbalise. It has made me more appreciative of what we have – it has left me craving a more simple life in terms of ‘things’.  

  1. How do you feel you brought the Camino home with you?

Only in attitude and memories, and living it vicariously through the tales of others now. 

  1. Do you feel your Camino was a pilgrimage, or was it was more of a long-distance walk?

More of a long distance walk.

  1. Do you feel the Camino is for everyone? Why or why not?

I personally feel that physically, most people could actually manage a Camino. Mentally is a different thing – it is a challenge on many levels. You have to open yourself up to feeling out of your comfort zone and new experiences. I feel that anyone who reads or researches walking a Camino, and feels interested or a yearning to do it, is already most of the way there. Not for everyone – if you are not in any way curious about new experiences then probably not for you.   

  1. What would you like to see more, or less (other than less toilet paper) of, on the Camino?

I would like to see more infrastructure in terms of public toilets on the Camino and water points. Both quite challenging. There is nothing I would like to see less of – other than walkers that are oblivious to others i.e. play loud music while walking/disrespectful in shared accommodation – something that probably can’t be fixed as they are completely unaware of their own behaviours.  

  1. What was your favourite city on your Camino route, and why?

Loved Burgos and the history. Just a beautiful place.  

  1. If someone didn’t know what the Camino was or about, what would you tell them (in three sentences or less)?

A Camino is a journey of simplicity. Walk, eat, sleep, rinse and repeat.  There is a very special cadence and comfort in this simplicity.  Being open to being outside of your normal comfort zone and maybe, just maybe, discovering something about yourself that you like and bringing something of that simplicity home with  you.  

Carsten and I often used to talk about this point – how do you describe a Camino to someone who has never been on one?  How do you describe the compunction to do it all again, knowing that you’ll probably have some degree of physical and mental discomfort on the Way?  We still have not worked out how to communicate this in a meaningful way.  Probably just as well, otherwise everyone would want to do one!  

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Failing at Life

I’m going to tell something I really suck at and that is navigating a work/life balance. I’ve always had the issue, but now I’m in my fifties, it’s beginning to have repercussions.

Now this is definitely going to sound like a first world issue, definitely a privileged complaint, and I apologise for that. Truly I do. But I also know what it’s like to work 70 hours a week while juggling parenthood and trying to have some kind of healthy marriage and being healthy myself. It’s no picnic.

But I have failed at all of those things.

Well, not all things. I was very good at my job, but I sucked at everything else. I put all of my energies into my job, especially when my boss was on the other side of the world, and was relying heavily on me to keep the other side of the world running.

But the rest? Total fail. 

I was too busy to see that my daughter was trying to handle her tween years and her father’s withdrawal. Too busy to help my husband, whom I’d only married a few years before, navigate his own dramas at work. I didn’t take care of physical self at all. I had migraines once a month and took medication to deal with those stress-induced events. My mental health was dealt with through conversations with people at work, that went a little like this: “My ex is such a dumbass that…”. Or, “you wouldn’t believe what happened…”. If talking about it didn’t work, I’d bottle it all up and think, “I’ll deal with that later.” (Hence the migraines.)

Life was busy, and I chose to put my head in the sand and ignore most of it, because I didn’t have time. Work was the priority. I had to make a living to afford the life, so I needed to just get on with it…

But when my world started crumbling around me, I looked at the reason. It wasn’t hard to see it was the job sucking my time and energy – and everything else along with it. Everything was suffering. 

So, I quit the job.

Fast forward to today. 

I am my own boss. I work from home as a full-time writer. I have a great relationship with my daughter – now in her early twenties – and with my husband. We moved across the world and began a new life after my ex-husband ditched his daughter altogether. I now pick up on cues from friends when they need help or just need to be heard. And while I don’t make a lot of money, I am still good at my job. I still put in a great deal of effort into it, just as I always have.

But I am still failing. With all I’m doing right, there’s one part I’m missing: Me.

I forget to think about myself. At least my mental and physical self. I get so caught up in writing and marketing that I forget about what I need. I’m quick to sign up to help other people, often volunteering my work time, but my own needs are usually put last. I’m not a people pleaser, per se. I just want to help others be the best they can be.

But what about my best self? That sounds incredibly selfish to me, but I’m told it’s not.

I don’t prioritise myself. I forget to go walking or do my physical therapy exercises, which is really stupid because I know when I don’t, it can lead to emergency health issues. I forget to eat healthily because I focus on the work and other people, leaving meals as an afterthought.

And that’s just the physical stuff. I push down my own mental health stuff until I hit the proverbial brick wall. Then I’m a blobby mess. I have begun to joke with my husband that I’m look liking a blobby granny lately (even though I will probably never be a grandmother).

So when will I learn? When I need to have emergency surgery? (Check) Make plans to do a long distance walk? (Check) That I may die if I don’t? (Too close to a check mark for me to consider, given my mother died at 56 – and I’m now 54!)

Every night, around 3am, my mind wakes and tells me then what I need to do. (It’s a very nagging self-conscious.) The problem is, by the time I truly wake for the day, thoughts of work invade. And thus begins the hamster wheel.

So how do I learn the lesson? How do I change these bad habits?

By listening to my instincts and reminding myself that I will end up dead if I don’t prioritise myself. I know that sounds dramatic, but with the age of 56 looming (the age my mum died), I think that’s enough incentive.

Plus there are the sticky notes and supportive friends / family reminding me to get off my ass.

If you enjoyed this post, would you…

I was inspired by my own relationship with my daughter when writing THE DECISIONS WE MAKE. Being an empty-nester, it can hit you the day your child moves out, or five years later… or anytime in between. My daughter, Natalie, has my heart, as does Bee with Sam in THE DECISIONS WE MAKE.

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Interview with an Author: Simone Yemm

I met Simone Yemm a couple of years ago through the Tasmanian Indie Author Group. Simone is an incredible woman whom I’m proud to call friend. She constantly inspires me. She’s an amazing advocate for mental health, and I am in awe of her strength and determination. I daresay, after reading her memoir, you will be too.

About Simone:

Simone spent more than three decades teaching and performing the flute before transitioning into writing and editing by completing a master’s in journalism and working with a mentor. A cacophony of life circumstance, combined with chronic sleep deprivation, impacted Simone’s mental health through depression, anxiety, and disordered eating. Her mental health crumbled, culminating in three psychiatric inpatient admissions, and she is now wading through the recovery.

Simone is married to a very devoted (and very lovely!) man. Together they’ve brought into this world three incredible young men. She lives in beautiful Tasmania, and is an avid fan of hiking. She has climbed some lovely mountain peaks in and around Hobart. She’s yet to do multi-day hikes but they’re on her to-do list!

Stalked by Demons, Guarded by Angels: The Girl with the Eating Disorder is her first book. 

Here’s my interview with Simone:

1. Why do you write – and why did you decide to write a book? 

My writing evolved from journaling which was part of a therapeutic and cathartic healing process when my mental health spectacularly imploded. As my writing gradually morphed from journal to blog to writing courses I was encouraged to bring it all together into a memoir. So, I did 😊.

2. What genres do you enjoy reading?

Memoir. Fantasy. Women’s fiction. Any good book really. I have become fussier as my years proceed. I used to labour through any book I picked up – determined to get to the end. Now I will give it 50 pages and if I’m not engaged, I’m moving on. I don’t feel limited by genre but I am easily swayed by recommendations.

3. How long did it take you to write your first book from first word to publish? If you’ve written or published more than one book, how long does it take you now to write and publish a book? 

Oh – I am slow! I thought I could be quick and efficient like I am with so much of the rest of my life but as it turns out… no. I am a slow writer. It probably took me two years to write my memoir? And another year to publish it. A mental health memoir is a very emotive place to be, so it is hard to stay in that place for weeks and months on end. I often needed a break. And as a first time author I found the publishing process quite overwhelming. But I got there in the end.

I am halfway through my second memoir, and it is still a very slow process. I have been working on this project for perhaps eighteen months now. I have let go of timelines and I’m just letting it unfold as it’s meant to be. It will be ready when it’s ready.

4. What’s the most challenging part of being an author for you?

Staying focused and motivated. It takes a huge emotional toll on me and I don’t always want to go into that dark place. When I do start writing it often just flows out of me like honey on a butter knife. But sitting down to write feels like a difficult journey. I find myself much more motivated when I join writing groups or have someone to answer to. 

5. What do you love the most about being an author?

I sincerely hope my words touch people and maybe even change someone for the better. I love that I am trying to shine a light on subjects that are often hidden and shamed. If one person feels more understood by the words I have crafted then my job is done.

6. If you could give an aspiring author one piece of advice, what would it be?

Do it. Write from your heart and for yourself. Don’t focus on publishing your work when you’re first putting words on paper. Craft a story because that story is in you and you need to share it. The early stages of writing are very intimate – just you and the words. As time passes, it becomes more universal and the baby you are birthing is ready to be shared with the world. Every story that has ever been written started with a single sentence. Start at the beginning and see where it takes you.

7. What is the best line you feel you’ve written in your published work(s)?

When I was born I had a body.

8. What’s the shortest time you’ve ever written a story?

I have written extensively in my blog, for mental health websites, and for insomnia websites. I have drafted articles in as little as half an hour. The short, sharp writing process I can do very quickly when I’m in the right frame of mind. It’s the long projects that slow me down.

9. What was the hardest lesson you learned in the writing process, and what did you take from that?

That I am not like other authors. My writing is unique to me. My writing process is unique. My publishing journey and my marketing experience are all deeply personal. I can listen and learn from others, but at the end of the day every single one of us has unique experiences, and we can only learn to do what works for us. 

10. What is the best book you’ve found on the writing process?

“Your Story: How To Write It So Others Will Want To Read It” by Joanne Fedler.

11. Are you self-published, traditionally, or hybrid-published, and why did you take that publishing route? Would you choose that route for your next book?

Hybrid-published. I was oh-so-close to receiving traditional publishing deals, but Covid hit and the publishing houses were nervous. I did not have the confidence, support or knowledge to solely publish on my own. So, I chose the hybrid route. I would never do it again. It is expensive (I had to crowd fund to do it) and I feel I do not have sufficient control or information over the distribution over my book. Once the book is produced there is next to no support from the publishing house.

12. What drew you to the subject of your latest book?

I was drawn to the subject matter of mental health and eating disorders because, at that time in my life, it consumed almost every waking moment. I felt I had a story to tell. And shame dies when it is spoken out loud (usually) so the sharing of my story lessened the shame. It had to be told.

13. What does writing process look like?

Very haphazard. I find it difficult to write at home so I tend to go to writing groups or hole up in a café or go for weekends to a shack and dedicate whole days to writing. Then I go weeks and months and don’t touch it at all. But the stories nibble away at the back of my mind, I keep notes on my phone, and when the time is right I open the computer and get back into it. It becomes like an old friend I’d lost contact with, but the moment we reconnect, it’s like we only spoke yesterday.

14. What does your typical day look like, when you are working on a book? 

I think I’m atypical. I don’t have a typical day. When I do write it becomes incredibly focused and I don’t do anything but write. The rest of the world becomes a blur. I have the music going really loudly as that stills the thought distractions. But then I’m erratic and don’t write at all. Or spend an hour in a writing group editing some existing words but writing nothing new. Then I disappear for a weekend and craft half a book. Then I edit the bejeezers out of it for months on end. I know – a bit unusual.

15. What’s the most interesting book you’ve read in the last year?  Or at least, one that kept you thinking about long after?

“The Good Wife of Bath – A Mostly True Story” by Karen Brooks. Man oh man I am glad I wasn’t a woman in the 14th century…

16. Have you ever read a book outside of your usual genre – and found it surprising? Why?

When I was young (and by that I mean well into my thirties) I exclusively read fantasy and science fiction. I couldn’t really get into other genres. Oh – and memoir. I’ve always been drawn to memoir. Then I went years without reading anything hardly at all. When I returned to reading I was drawn to recommendations rather than genres. I have found some wonderful stories that have really inspired me with their delicious words and beautifully crafted worlds. 

17. Would you still be an author if you knew no one would read your books?

Yes. I wrote my book entirely for myself. Once that was done I worked with a mentor to craft it into a publishable work. But the essence of my book was about healing and I would do that even if nobody ever read it.

18. What three words would describe you? 

Mum. Muso. Manic. And all those things have passed me by in life. They were the first three words that came to mind. But my children have grown and flown the nest. My musician days are long behind me. And my mania (hypomania) is cleverly controlled with medication. I have found it difficult to find a new identity as I sweep through middle age.

Perhaps my new three words could be, loved, lost and lazy.

You can find Simone here: 

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/simoneyemm

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/simoneyemm/

Website: https://simoneyemm.com/


Click here for a link to Simone’s book.

PLEASE NOTE: Affiliate links were used in this post. I do not promote anything I have not used or experienced myself or had recommended highly to me. All opinions are my own. Please follow our advice at your own risk. By clicking these links allows this website to continue running. For that, I thank you.

10 Mistakes I’ve Made as a Self-Published Author

1. Listening to advice from authors in other genres.

When I first started out as a self-published author, I was a sponge. I listened to advice from anyone willing to give it. I read everything I could.

But what I came to realise is that what you do to promote your book depends on two things: your genre and your ideal reader.

Ignore all advice about being on every social media platform. The only place you need to be is where your ideal reader is. Mine is on Facebook and Instagram.

I spent countless hours on other platforms, killing myself trying to make content, but I was like a hamster on a never-ending cycle. Once I stopped listening and understood my ideal reader, I became intentional about what I posted. That’s when I saw progress.

2. Not knowing who my ideal reader is.

Which brings me to this point. Without really knowing who you are marketing to, you will continue to be on the hamster wheel. I realized my writing was not just for myself, but for someone else too. When I wrote who this person was, like a character outline, I truly grasped my ideal reader. And I’ve given her a name: Tessa.

Now I’ve gone through that exercise, I know where Tessa hangs out online. I know what her interests are, what her pet peeves are, etc… With this knowledge, I can market clearly to Tessa, so she knows where I am and when I’m posting (hello ‘Tessa’!). And, understanding her, I also know she enjoys the content I’m putting out into the world. And not just my books and short stories, but my blog posts, my Substack posts, my book reviews, etc. With Tessa always at the forefront of my mind, I’m putting out content SHE wants to read.

3. Not investing in education from marketing experts.

I have been listening to a podcast called “Book Marketing Simplified” for a few years now. When Jenn Hanson-dePaula began talking repeatedly about ideal readers, it was like a virtual smack to the head. I listened. And I kept listening.

What Jenn says makes sense. It‘s logical and exactly what I need to hear, and what she shares is for all levels of authorship. It doesn’t matter if you’re new or experienced. After four years of being an author, I’m STILL learning from Jenn. I have joined her “Author Circle” which is a membership for marketing information for authors. It’s not cheap, I admit, especially for those starting out, and it’s not open year round, but the information is gold. It’s worth the investment. And while I’ve probably learned all I can from Jenn, I’ll stick around to be reminded of the basics of marketing. With all the noise, those elements are easy to forget.

But there are other experts out there as well. Joanna Penn’s podcast, The Creative Penn, is great for marketing tips. It took me a bit to really get into Joanna’s style, but I look forward to her publications now. I’ve even become one of her patrons! David Gaughran is another. His posts can ramble, but he is of the believer that authors need to ‘give, give, give, ask’. As in, give away three things before you ask for one. It’s sound advice.

4. Throwing money randomly at advertising.

When you’re starting out, trying to make a name for yourself, it’s easy to throw money at advertising. But this can be a serious money pit. I spent thousands of dollars on Amazon advertising in the first two years as an author. Did I sell books? Sure, but not enough to justify the expense. That’s when I put the brakes on. By reevaluating my marketing tactics and targeting Tessa as my audience, I could determine where to invest in advertising..

Doing this, I learned something interesting. Most of my readers are NOT in the United States, but in the United Kingdom and Australia. Knowing just that little nugget saved me hundreds of dollars.

I also take part in promos to build newsletter subscribers, because those are the readers I want. I’m not looking for people just out for the freebies. I don’t want people who click on my links but don’t buy. I want people who are here for ALL the content. Not just for the free stuff I share, but who also wants to buy my books, short stories etc, when I release them. But just as important, people who can relate to my journey.

5. Not believing in myself, or putting myself out there.

For someone wanting to call themselves a published author, there’s an enormous chasm between writing a story and publishing a book. BENEATH THE SURFACE was the first book I wrote, and while I knew it was a good story, I wasn’t ready to release it into the world in 2018. It took nine rewrites to get it right. In between that time, I wrote CAMINO WANDERING, which was a book I was itching to release.

But I faced a hurdle: CAMINO WANDERING wasn’t like any other Camino book. There was an eager audience waiting, sure, but my novel wasn’t a memoir and it wasn’t a guidebook. I had serious doubts. But I knew, if was going to achieve my goal of being published, I had to get over myself and just put myself out there. In the end, I released that book for myself. I was proud of the story and it represented my initial Camino with the relationships between characters. It’s just lovely to know other people have enjoyed the book too.

But as I continue writing novels, that self-doubt returns. Again and again and again. I sometimes sit and wonder: Was CAMINO WANDERING a fluke? Will people keep buying my books, the ones I’ve already written, and the ones I still plan to release? Will people who bought a Camino book be interested in other stuff I write, especially if it’s not women’s fiction?

Being a self-published author, I found I had to put myself out there. Marketing and promotion doesn’t just happen when you publish. You have to put yourself in front of people, whether that’s via book launches or book fairs, festivals or other events. This was such a hard lesson for me because I hate public speaking. It doesn’t matter how well I know the topic or how comfortable I am talking about it; I have this anxiety rash that grows from my neck to my face as soon as I become the centre of attention. It’s embarrassing.

But I also know the importance of promotion. When I was getting ready to launch THE DECISIONS WE MAKE, I wanted to do a book launch at a popular bookshop in Hobart, known for its book launches. The problem was, I didn’t know anyone who could sit in the moderator chair. My name was not known in Tasmania at that point. So, I made it a mission to get my name out there, to meet other authors and meet other people in the writing community. It took a while to do this, but being known in the community helps with promotion considerably.

It’s important to network with other authors too. Without a supportive author network, it’s a lonely world to be in, and where else can you get ‘inside’ information on the best places to promote your books?

Tara Marlow with Robyn Mundy
Tara with Robyn Mundy

6. Not focusing on my writing.

I can easily fixate on things other than my novels. Especially on effortless tasks. For me, marketing is easy. Graphics are easy. Communications are easy. Blog posts are easy. But, when focused only on these tasks, the day is gone before I know it. And I’ve done little to no work on my money-maker efforts: my books.

My priorities are not where they need to be. I’ve read many writers spend 3-4 hours in the morning working on their novels, then take a break to exercise before moving on to other tasks in the afternoon. Not me. Somehow I feel compelled to get ‘the simple tasks’ out of the way – tick off those boxes – before I can do some serious work. Except I run out of time, and the serious work gets put aside.

But where I really get into trouble is when I focus on other people’s needs, rather than focusing on my stuff first. I say yes, when I should say no. I’m overextending myself. If someone asks for help, I think, ‘That’s easy.’ However, I end up getting roped in and volunteering for more tasks, without fully understanding what is required initially. And that’s when a day turns into weeks – or months – and suddenly I wonder how I ended up with no time for my stuff, and whether anyone even values my worth. Me included.

When this happens, I don’t meet my self-imposed deadlines, and I lose all the momentum I had for my novel. I’ll learn eventually to say no.

7. Hiring someone else to write my blurb/copy.

No one knows your book like you do. This can be a benefit – and a curse – when writing the blurb or writing marketing copy. But writing blurbs and copy is a completely different mindset than writing fiction. You are summarising your book into 200 words – or fewer. Then, it needs to be compelling enough for people to decide, right there and then, to buy the book.

Of course, you can hire someone to do this for you. I’ve done this. It was the biggest waste of $300 I’ve ever spent.

Why? Because they didn’t even read the book AND I had to fill out a multiple-page questionnaire that equated to Cliff Notes. I could have spent that time doing more research looking at comparative books. And I ended up doing that, after the fact, and rewrote the copy. Mainly because it was so out of line and so cheesy, it was laughable.

I know this next comment is going to be controversial, but I have found ChatGPT to be great for writing copy and blurbs. Sudowrite is better. Like everything, you need to use AI as a tool. It’s not a ‘write this for me’ and it spits out the perfect solution. Start with a line or two. Play with it. Try different ways to phrase what you want to say. Kick things back. Ask another way. Once you have something you’re happy with, try a few more lines. In the end, you will have something you’re happy with.

Your time is your investment. And best of all, as a self-published author, you can always change the blurb if it doesn’t work! It’s called taking control. LOL.

8. Not tracking my progress.

When people ask for my advice as an author, the first thing I want to know is whether they are publishing as a career, or as a hobby. Their answer dictates mine. One of the biggest mistakes I made when I started my career as an author was not tracking my progress from the day I started my business.

Here’s how it went: I wrote a book. I published that book. I sold some books. Then didn’t. But I didn’t know why, so I threw a bunch of money at it. I made more sales. I wrote another book and repeated the same stupid process. It wasn’t until my third book that I thought, ‘Hang on. This didn’t work last time. Let’s put my past career’s process analytics hat on and look at what worked and what didn’t.’

Funnily enough, my mentor, Sharon Boggon (PINTANGLE.com), reminded me of the importance of tracking during one conversation. It was a major DOH moment. I knew how important tracking is! I was tracking data on book sales, where I was spending, etc. But I had nothing showing whether I was growing my readership, or what book promotions were working, etc.

Once I started tracking these things weekly, through a very simple spreadsheet, I saw progress. I finally understood which social media platforms worked. What advertising was seeing a return on investment. And what was resonating with my readers in my newsletters.

I haven’t reached my goals yet, but I’m getting there.

9. Not investing in the right tools.

When starting out, it can be a total trial and error discovering what works for you. And it can be expensive. Especially with all the bright shiny apps and resources being tossed around the Indie community. I am embarrassed to say how much I’ve spent on courses and books and quick fixes.

But let to emphasise something here: You have to find what works for you.

I’ve written a post sharing some great tools and resources I’ve discovered, and I update the post about once a year. But these are things I’ve found work for my business. They may work for you – and I hope they do – but these work with my style, my readers, and my strategy.

Besides the basic writing and tracking tools, you don’t need a lot. But you need a newsletter (and, speaking of great tools, I find Mailerlite better than the rest). Those are the bare minimum things you need to start out.

When you have the basics sorted, and you’re comfortable with where you are, you may look for more help. To begin with, there is an abundance of free resources that can be helpful for beginners, such as Mixtus Media for marketing or Bryan Cohen’s 5 Day Amazon Ad challenge.

But say you’re not sure what tools are best to invest money in. For example, does it make sense to buy Vellum (Mac users) if you’re only publishing one book? No. But if you’re intending to do this as a career? Absolutely! Or, say you’re looking at a marketing course that costs $3000, but you’re not sure if it’s right for you. I suggest you check out some of the Facebook groups I listed on the tools/resources post. Ask around. Some are great. Some are just snake oil salespeople.

With advertising, it can really get expensive. My best advice is to ignore those who say ‘test, test, test’ when starting out. Instead, learn who your ideal reader is first. Know where they hang on on social media. How they buy books. What kinds of things pique their interest? Then start some ads. Try two different images and the same ad copy, then watch it closely. If nothing is happening after two weeks, tweak the copy. You can always increase the budget, but if you throw money at it to start and there’s no return on investment, that money is gone.

10. Giving everything to the story.

This has been the biggest lesson for me to learn. I began writing my first manuscript in 2016, but began my author career in 2020. I consider this my vocation, rather than my career, as I LOVE what I do. But I also know I’m a workaholic. My brain does not shut off. (I initially wrote my brain does not shut up – also true).

When I first began writing CAMINO WANDERING, I was obsessed. The story devoured me. I loved the process. I loved I couldn’t sleep because the characters talked to me there. The story and the characters consumed every moment of the day. Then I repeated the process with the next book. And the next. And again, with the next.

But by 2023, my body was screaming at me to find some balance. I knew in my head – and through words I was writing – that I needed to find better balance. And I noted what was happening with my body. I even brought it up with my doctor. (You can read about that, here.)

But for me and writing, it’s as if something takes hold and doesn’t let go. Initially, I was determined to get every story within me published before I reached 56. Why then? Because it was the age my mother died, and it’s always been in the back of my head that I, too, could be dead at an early age. Ridiculous, right? Especially given that what I was doing, WOULD put me in an early grave.

Obsessively writing, not letting it go, can work for some. But it doesn’t work for me. And it took emergency spine surgery for me to learn that lesson.

If you want to be an author, find balance in your life first. Make a schedule. Stick to that schedule. Include having a life. Include exercising and stretching. Don’t sit in a chair all day and manically write. It’s not good for you.

How To Write A Novel

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo), or NaNo for short, occurs during the month of November. It’s a writing challenge for would-be and current authors to commit  to the writing process. Writing a novel isn’t easy. It’s like anything. It takes hard work to get a published product. BUT, Nano helps a lot! The goal is to find the time, energy, and resilience to write 50,000 words in 30 days.  It began in 1999, with 21 willing participants, mainly from California.  Today, thousands of writers from around the world heed the call of NaNoWriMo.

When I announced I was participating in NaNo in 2019, someone asked me about my writing process. After I explained it, they suggested I write a post on my process of writing a novel.  Hmmm.  I thought about it, long and hard, and decided: Why not?  I struggled when I first started to find information.  Most writer’s processes were buried in paid courses.  

So, in the spirit that we can all learn something from each other, this is the process I go through when writing a novel. You never know, maybe you’ll find a bit of magic somewhere in here that will help you with your process.  (Or, maybe you’ll just think I’m a crackpot.)

Begin Writing

NaNo is an excellent opportunity for anyone wanting to dip their toes into the ‘writer pond’.  

It’s also a great incentive for established writers to stop faffing around and get fingers on keys and just write!  The NaNo organization provides tons of tools and resources to help keep the words flowing, which is helpful because facing a 50,000-word challenge can be a rather daunting process. Especially when everyone’s writing process is different. Ask a dozen different writers what their process is, and you’ll likely get a dozen different answers.  

It’s generally agreed though in the writing community that there are two types of novelists:  ‘pantsters’ and ‘plantsters’.

A ‘pantster’ is a writer who cranks out a story by the seat of their pants.  The story to reveals itself to them as they go.  I wrote my first novel this way. My story began as a dream.  I woke thinking “that would make a great scene in a story.”  Eighteen hours later I was still writing.  (That original scene was cut after the first edit by the way.)

A ‘plantster’ is a writer who plans out their novel.  They create an outline, sketch out their characters, and plot out where each stage of their novel will occur. After five rewrites of my first novel, I am definitely thinking that the plantster strategy would have been the better way to go.

The creative process is a curious thing.  There are times when you should definitely wing it, letting your creativity lead you in unexpected directions.  I love writing prompts for that. I have written some short stories that way. It allows for the release my creative flow.

Writing a novel is a different beast. Even a little bit of planning goes a long way. There is no major wand, but there are processes to make it less intimidating.

When it comes down to writing in general, it doesn’t matter how we get it done, as long as we get words on the page. The editing process sorts out the bumps. 

Here’s my writing process for writing a novel.

1. Ideas folder

I have a thick file of story ideas.  Well, it would be if I printed them out.  Instead, I keep a folder on my computer called “Writing”.  I also have a folder in my Notes App on my iPhone that is called “Writing”.

I type out ideas, character names, and sometimes real-life scenes I find interesting. 

I sketch out rough outlines in Word.  

And then there are my dreams. Two of the four books I have outlined began with a dream.  I’ve always had vivid dreams.  My Dad used to ask me every morning when I was a teenager to tell him about the dream, I’d had that previous night.  Now, I take what I think may make a good story and type those out as well.   

From these, I pull what I want to work from.  Some of the notes work, some are written into other stories.  But it’s a file I would be lost without. 

2. Inspiration

Once I have an idea for a story, I log on to Pinterest.  

Now this can be a wormhole for me. I’m easily sucked into its vortex, so I focus on just one search at a time.  If I’m looking for character inspiration, I only search for the idea of what the character looks like in my head.   For example, one of my characters is a fifty-year-old woman with shoulder-length silver hair, so I only search for a person of that description. I get my results and get out! I find what I need, save it to my Inspiration board and move on.

I focus my reading on the genre in which I’m writing.  

I search my library and bookstores for anything in that genre. My second book is a fictionalized story of a long-distance walk based on an actual walk I did. So, I read memoirs from people whom have participated in these kinds of walks (Camino de Santiago, Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail).  As I read through these, I pay close attention to the lines that make me stop in my tracks.  Why was it written this way?  Did it have a particular meaning?  Was it profound?  I store them in a file called “great lines” to use as inspiration.  

3. Rough outline

Once I have an idea of my story,  I grab a sketch pad and rough out a general outline.  

I think of the following:

Who are the characters?  I start with an idea –  the details come later. 
Where do they start in the story and where do they end?
What brings out the characters?
What does the world look like?  
What’s the inciting incident, the climax and the falling action of the story? 
What scenes need to happen?  Where are they in the story?

4. Character summary

This is the part where I REALLY get to know the characters.

This is the fun part.  I think I know more about my characters than I do friends or family sometimes.  When I start out, I know in my head what they look like,  their age, where they are from, so I write that out. This part probably takes me the longest, as I really want to know how my characters are, before I write their story. 

Here is the template I use to create my characters: 

Basic Information
Name:
Age:
Where they live:
Occupation:
Status (married, single, divorced, widowed):

Physical Attributes:  
Hair colour and style, eye colour and shape, build, skin colour, scars, facial features
Physical quirks:
What style of clothing does the character wear?

Personality
Introvert vs extravert, insecurities, strengths:
Habits / Mannerisms:  
 What is their background (childhood, teen years etc.)?

What is their role in the story? 
What is their motive?
Internal Conflicts:
External Conflicts:

You can read more creating complex and believable characters here: 

 

5. Outline

This part of the process used to take as long as writing the first draft.  But I’ve learned some lessons along the way.

Once I have an idea, I let the story percolate a while. As I think of scenes, I write them down. When I think of conflicts, I write those down. I create the characters using another template and all of those pieces go into either “Notes” on my iPad or Scrivener on my laptop – whatever is closer.

Once I am ready to actually write the outline – when all the characters have been created, when all the jiggly ideas have been wrangled – I can usually crank an outline out in a day or two. 

I get out my excel spreadsheet template and start mapping out the chapters.

I outline every chapter, so I know what happens with the characters and how the story progresses. 

This is a great visual way to see if the story flows, where my gaps are and whether the story is working.  I can move chapters around, remove parts of the story from one chapter if it doesn’t work – the spreadsheet allows me to drill down into details and the flow of the story.  Is the setup clear, before moving to the inciting incident, then to the climax, then to the falling action and finally to the resolution? Hopefully by the end my characters have evolved by the end. 

6. I let the story mull

I don’t begin writing right away.  I let the ideas stew for a while. Usually a week or two. (This is when I take LOTS of naps.) I make sure the story is solid in my mind, that I know the characters inside and out.  My characters often talk to me in my dreams, or when I’m showering, so I give them the space to do that. Any changes that I decide to make are tweaked in the outline spreadsheet as needed. 

How to Write a Novel

7. The power of a street team

A writer’s group keeps me on task, and I have a great writer’s group in Tasmania. But with this group, few of the members write – or read –  in my genre. That’s where my street team is gold.

I have a great team called “The Lovelies“. (If you’ve read CAMINO WANDERING, you’ll understand that reference.)

The Lovelies are made up of superfans, readers, beta readers, advanced readers and other people I trust with everything. 

Having this team is imperative to my success. I bounce ideas. I ask questions. I get their input. What may sound amazing in my head may not make sense to a reader. This group gets that. They tell me honestly whether something works or not. When I’m thinking through ideas for a book, I check in with them.

I truly could not do what I do without them. 

8. Write, don’t edit 

This part of the writing process challenges everyone.  It’s hard not to edit as you go, but I find by just writing, I can purge that story from my soul.  I set a deadline for myself to finish the first draft of the manuscript, usually 4-6 weeks, depending on the length of the story. 

9. Let the editing begin

Once the draft is finished, I can’t leave it. I begin editing and thus begins the hard work.  I hate editing my own stuff, so I break it up into phases to make the task less daunting.  

First pass:   I start with typos and grammar.  

Second pass:   I look at the story flow.  Does it make sense? 

Third pass:   I look at the characters and make sure they are robust, believable, evolving. That you can not only hear their story but see the story.  

Fourth and final pass:  I look at the world.  Is it clear?  Are there enough details? Can I see myself immersed in every scene?  

10. Find a beta reader – or ten

Once I’m happy with the final initial edit, I find as many Beta Readers as I can.  

I look for people who will give me their honest feedback. (This is where The Lovelies come in.) These are people who are readers, writers, and amateur editors (everyone has a grammar friend in their lives). Beta testers review manuscripts for the love of it, not for money.  

Along with the beta draft of the novel, I give my beta readers a list of questions. Questions about plot, setting, characters etc.  I ask them what they liked most? What they hated?  When did they first put the story down, and why?  

The most important question I ask however, is if the deadline will realistically work for them?  We all have lives, so I need to make that deadline a realistic one.  Past experience tells me that if I don’t set deadlines, I’ll never get the feedback.  And even then, I’ll hear from about ten percent.  But that’s better than nothing!

11. Then I edit again

Once I have all of the feedback returned, I set time aside to read through each piece of feedback. If I have questions, I gain clarification immediately. If I get feedback that says simply, ‘looks great’, I remove that person from my future Beta Reader list. I want honest feedback. I want the beta reader to give me what they really think, both good and bad. I need a beta reader, not a free customer.

Then I look to see where the common threads are.  One beta reader may feel something doesn’t work but the majority of beta readers do. If there is no reason given, I will put that feedback aside to ask later.  If it goes against the grain but makes sense, I’ll factor it in. 

Then I go through the story and make the appropriate edits, ensuring I get the typos and grammar issues as well. 

 

12.   Read the manuscript through one final time

Am I happy with it?  But more importantly, am I proud of it?  

13.  Then I send the novel to my editor. (And cross everything I have.) 

I have an ‘in house’ editor. A lot of people will tell you not to use your spouse to edit your work. I didn’t listen to that advice. Truth is, I’m fortunate to have someone who is constructively brutal with a red pen. Granted, I have fired him a few times. After some frank discussions, we set home and work boundaries, because without them, this arrangement would damage any partnership. You have to go in with strong union, because think about it: your editor is picking apart everything you have put your heart and soul into. You are putting yourself out there for all the world to judge.

Having said that, I have decided to use my in house editor for proofreading and grammar/typo checks only moving forward. I’ve found a new editor, to help with structure and copy-editing through the Institute of Professional Editors Limited.  

Reedsy is a great resource to find editors. But first check with your writer’s group. They tend to share resources, including who they use for editing. (Although if they’re gold, your writing friends may not be willing to share.)  There are also a huge amount of Facebook groups that can help you find an editor that works for you. 

14.  I review the editor’s changes. 

The thing to remember is that this is your novel. You may not agree with everything the editor says. But, I do suggest you take your ‘writer hat’ off and look at their suggestions from an editor’s – or even reader’s – point of view. If something looks left field, ask why they’re suggesting it. Working with an editor should be a two-way conversation. If it’s not, find a new editor.

With the changes understood, I makes the final changes to create a final manuscript. 

15. I read through the book one last time

I read the book aloud. Slowly and intentionally. You’ll be surprised at the little things you – and possibly your editor –  have missed.

16.  Then it’s on to publishing…

But that’s another post altogether. 

 

PLEASE NOTE: Affiliate links were used in this post. I do not promote any brand I have not used or experienced myself or had recommended highly to me. All opinions are my own. Please follow our advice at your own risk. By clicking these links allows this website to continue running. For that, I thank you.

 

 
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Were We Mad to Donate our Entire House?

Have you ever read a piece of news that pulled you so strongly, you were compelled to act immediately?

In 2017, my husband and I were preparing to travel the world indefinitely, starting with a road trip through Australia. We were currently going through everything we owned, trying to decide what to sell – and how we wanted to sell it. (This was before Facebook marketplace really took off.) We’d already donated a lot to local charities. We’d set our daughter up for what she needed, as she headed into the world on her own. But we still had a lot left to decide on.

How had we accumulated so much? We had clothes, multiple couches, chairs, a dining room setting, a fridge, microwave, an almost-new washer and dryer, beds, linens, kitchenware… there was a lot to deal with, and we had only a few weeks to work it out. We looked at storing everything, but not knowing how long we’d be gone for, that was going to be pricey.

It was one step at a time. And we were getting there. I had every intention of being sorted by the time our lease was up.

But one morning, just as the sun was creeping up over the valley outside, my steaming coffee beside me, I sat and read the news like I do every other morning. I was drawn to an article titled:

“Farming family lose everything in the NSW fires”

I had been following the recent bushfires affecting my home state, but I was compelled to click on this one. Growing up in the country, I know how devastating bush fires could be. And this fire was close to where I grew up.

As I read the story, my heart clenched. The family in this article lost their house because they were out helping their neighbours. Realising the fire was coming for their property, they only had the opportunity to pack one suitcase before getting out.

I read line after line, as tears poured down my face. I could smell the smoke, feel the grit of it all on my fingers. I sat back in my chair, stunned and heartbroken. And then I looked around. I was sitting in a house full of furniture. Full of things we no longer needed, and this family had just lost everything.

I stood up and went into the bathroom. I took a shower, then got ready for my day, but my mind was processing the story. All of a sudden, instinct took over. I walked into my husband’s home office and, after taking a deep breath, I said, “I hope you’ll be okay with this but I want to change the plan.”

Telling Rich about the family who had just lost everything, I broke down crying. I couldn’t even get out their story or tell him what I wanted to do. I was so torn up about what this family – all the families in this area really – had just been through, that I could not finish a sentence. I waved Rich away, muttered ‘I’ll be right back’ and left to collect myself, so I could explain my thoughts coherently.

After a few minutes, I returned and said: “I want to donate all of our furniture to a family near Dunedoo who just lost everything in the Central N.S.W. fires. We have all of this (waving my hand) and it just makes sense to donate it all to them, rather than selling it off.”

Rich looked at me, at my face, and immediately nodded. “Yes. No argument. Of course.”

He knew I’d been following the fires in the area closely. I had grown up near the area – about an hour away in fact – and it was hitting me hard. Growing up in the Upper Hunter (N.S.W.), we were aware of the danger of bushfires, especially when winds could shift directions at any moment. I had experienced bushfires in my life, but had been fortunate never to lose anything  – or anyone.

In times like these, people pull together. It’s what you do.

With Rich’s agreement, I reached out to the family via their GoFundMe website. If I had to, I was willing to contact a moving company to see if they would volunteer their services to get our goods to the family. And, if the family didn’t want it, we’d sell everything locally and donate the proceeds back to the Bushfire Relief Fund. Either way, the people of Central N.S.W. would have our help.

Thankfully, the sister of the family replied almost immediately: Yes. They would take whatever we had to offer.

The more we heard of this family’s story, the happier we were to be doing this. This family had dealt with some hard knocks over the years, more than most, and I hoped that after this, they would have faith in humanity again.

Margot (the sister) and I spoke a few times. She told me a little more of what had happened. The reason the family left with only one suitcase was because they were out helping their neighbours. While Chris was tending to the fire on another property, his wife Sam was packing up a neighbour’s house, as they were currently overseas. Sam had just gotten home and started packing their house when Chris called and said “Get out. Get out now. The fire is coming toward you.” Sam had enough time (suffering a hernia in the process) to get the kids, the dogs, and the suitcase into the car, before the fire took their house and their livelihood … thankfully, not their lives.”

Margo and also spoke about how we’d get our house contents in Sydney, to the family in Dunedoo. Thankfully, Margo knew of a moving company, who had volunteered their time, truck, and petrol, to pick up our things a few days later. As we prepared for the moving truck’s arrival, we assessed every item in our house, asking ourselves was ‘keep or donate?’ I’ve never packed up a house so fast in my life. With everything we donated to Chris, Sam and their family, it filled the moving truck completely. The plan was to store it all in a shipping container, until the family could rebuild again.

As the truck drove away, we felt free. But we also felt happy we could do something like this.

It’s now seven years later.

We were left with camping gear for our Australian road trip, our sentimental stuff, and a few pieces we didn’t want to part with. We put those things into a small storage unit in Sydney, while we travelled full time for three years. But here we are, once again contemplating buying a house of our own.

When we suffered travel burnout mid-2019, we decided to rent a house in Tasmania. The plan was to stop for a year or so, assess where we were, what was next, maybe write a book, then we’d continue travelling, finding somewhere to base ourselves along the way.

Ah, but then COVID took over the plan. Then we had some other health issues. Oh! And a writing career that was launched along the way. 😉

For the last four years, we’ve been renting a fully-furnished house, which has been a godsend. But buying for us is not just about buying the property – it’s about buying the contents too.

One thing travelling has taught us – even the experience of walking the Camino – is we don’t need a lot. Thinking through the idea of what buying would entail, we listed out all the things we would need to buy, if/when we find a place. Currently, we have office equipment, basic kitchen supplies, a camping fridge and a set of linens.

For the rest, our needs are basic. We’d need a bed, a fridge (although the camping fridge would get us by for the short term), a microwave, and a washing machine. Oh, and we’d need a kettle and a toaster.  (We have to have some way to make the coffee in the morning!)

We have two outdoor chairs our daughter kept for a while, so we could use those until we bought a couch. We don’t watch television (we stream content instead), so we’d save money there. (We have an extra monitor that we could use to watch Netflix etc…) We’d need something to put our clothes into, like a chest of drawers, but there’s always IKEA for that, or we could check out the reuse centre.  🙂

Given what we’re facing – and the expense – do we regret giving everything away?

Not for a day. I mean, some days we miss our bed, but there’s always another one to buy. And, if we don’t have the money to buy it, we’ll wait. Our needs are simple. The idea that we’ve helped another family get back on their feet overrides any feeling of needing more stuff.

What do you think? Were we mad? Would you do this? Leave a comment and let me know.

Photo Credit: Jack Bass | Unsplash

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