We’ve all been complaining, I know. There’s TOO much. Too much social media to keep up with. Too many emails. Too many texts (seriously, the text messages on Black Friday last year were quite ridiculous, don’t you think?) – just too much input for our eyes and brains. The result of this too-much-ness has meant that every time I’ve thought about writing a newsletter, or even posting anything online, it has resulted in me second guessing all my choices. Do I really need to add to the noise?
In saying that, there are some newsletters out there, and some people I follow online, that I just adore. I SO enjoy their content and I really look forward to it. It’s not tiring at all. In fact, it’s quite wonderful. I therefore commit to not committing. If I’ve got something to share, I will pop in and do so but otherwise I will just be over there somewhere *waves vaguely in any direction*, ticking away on something new. Of course, if you want to know more, about anything really, please come and tell me. I’d love to hear from you.
For now, there’s a lot of new on the way. I’m very excited for a THIRD book in the Eleanor Jones series: Eleanor Jones Is Playing With Fire. More on that to come. As an accidental, added bonus, I’ve got another YA mystery coming out in 2025. What Have They Done To Liza McLean? will be out in November of this year. It’s a stand alone (not part of a series, at least…not yet, not that I know of) and while it’s very different to Eleanor and her world, there’s at least two dead bodies and a great group of teens to fall in love with, and a dark and twisty crime to solve.
Because I spent so much of 2024 writing and editing, I didn’t consume as much as I would have liked. I didn’t quite hit the mark with my plan of a book-per-week. I did, however, read some wonderful books and I’ve got a great TBR pile lined up for this year already.
If you want some recommendations, here are some crackers from my 2024 list:
Lenny Marks Gets Away With Murder by Kerryn Mayne (clever, hilarious, heartbreaking…loved it)
Every Version of You by Grace Chan (speculative fiction set in a not-to-distant Melbourne that broke my brain in best way)
The Unbelieved by Vikki Petraitis (I’m so happy to hear Vikki has another crime fiction novel on the way The Unbelieved was one of my favourites from the Aussie Noir genre this year)
Detective Beans and The Case of the Missing Hat by Li Chen (a wonderful graphic novel for all ages that is honestly the most wholesome story I’ve enjoyed in a long time)
All The Beautiful Things by Katrina Nannestad (another stunning middle grade historical read that will make you cry and fill your heart with hope)
So Late In The Day by Claire Keegan (if you’re seeking a short form read, or a novella, that allows you to sit on every word, and every sentence, then this is it)
From Here To The Great Unknown by Lisa Marie Presley & Riley Keogh (I do love a celebrity biography/autobiography and I listened to this one – it’s heartbreaking and fascinating)
A Touch of the Madness by Lawrence Kasanoff (if you work in a creative field in any way then this book is a reminder who how much joy you can get out of that life…and isn’t that why we do it?)
Unruly by David Mitchell (an incredible recap of the first 1500 years of the British Monarchy that is both informative and absolutely hilarious)
There’s also been some brilliant Young Adult / Older Middle Grade mystery and crime arrive on the scene over the last year. If you’ve got an Eleanor-shaped hole in your reading, check out: My Family & Other Suspects (Kate Emery); Gus and the Missing Boy (Troy Hunter); What’s Murder Between Friends (Meg Gatland-Veness); Tracks of the Missing (Hakea Hustler and Carl Merrison); Scar Town (Tristan Bancks) and If You Tell Anyone You’re Next (Jack Heath).
I’m still loving writerly podcasts, and there’s a few faves that always make it in my ears: 5 Writers 5 Minutes, Always Take Notes, Quitcast For Writers, The Creative Penn, Girl & Duck, The First Time, Writes 4 Women, and The Word Count.
In the non-writerly space, my two favourite podcasts over the last 12 months were Ghost Story and The Telepathy Tapes. I do love a deep dive with fascinating science/history combined with just a little bit of woowoo…especially when it’s a polished, well-produced production that is told in the format of a great story.
I have re-watched (comfort watched?) A LOT over the last six months or so. Getting to know new characters hasn’t been something I’ve wanted to do. I’ve been in a definite stage of avoiding series – I very much have wanted a beginning, middle and an end. Limited series have been satisfying, but what I’ve really wanted is a less-than-two-hours movie. Things that are fast-paced and fun on top of that. Recommendations welcome.
Wicked (absolutely lived up to the stage production, can’t wait for Part 2 in November)
My Old Ass (a beautiful coming-of-age that really took me by surprise – it made me laugh and cry in the nicest way)
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (this reminded me of those epic action adventure movies of the 80s and 90s and I loved it for that…a fair bit of violence and a high body count, but great fun and really enjoyable)
And the series that did make me not feel like I was tethered to a series? There were a few I loved. Slow Horses. My Lady Jane. Black Doves. Severance. Dark Matter.
Talented Aussie author Kelly Gardiner recently shared a post on her instagram that I loved. A quote from a letter written by Jane Austen to her sister Cassandra on October 26, 1813.
“I am not at all in humour for writing; I must write on till I am.”
Brilliant. If that isn’t a problem (solution?) for the ages, then I don’t know what is. Most times, I don’t feel like doing anything. Getting up each morning, making the bed, answering emails, walking the dog, and yes…sometimes even writing. It’s so much easier just to lay about doomscroll. The best thing to do, almost always, is just to get started on the thing that you keep thinking you probably need to do. You generally find that it’s easier and quicker to do than you’ve been imagining, OR (in the case of the writing) it’s actually really enjoyable once you get started. Either way, totally worth.
On that note, I’m off now to work on another, secret project that I’m a bit scared of and therefore keep putting off. I think the only way to deal with that is to take our friend Jane’s suggestion and just write on.
