The past seven months has gone by in a whirlwind! Lots has happened in my world, including speaking on The Secret Art of Poisoning at Studio 99, seeing the beautiful Clarice Beckett 'The Present Moment' exhibition at AGSA, enjoying the French Film Festival, and visiting #Rhynie (to take photos for my next book, more on that later) in April; celebrating turning 50 in May with friends and family and the band Lucifer's Lounge at the Queen's Room at the Rob Roy Hotel; Black Lives Matter, May Day and Catherine House defunding protests in April/May; presenting on my books at the Adelaide Planetarium Supernovas group, Woodville Library & the lovely folk at the Southern Fleurieu Family History Group, and doing a Researching & Writing History workshop at Woodville Library during History Month in May/June; finishing the review and revision of the Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse & Neglect Training at the Education Department at the end of June and commencing at DASSA on the development of the next state-wide Alcohol and Other Drugs strategy in July; having two papers published, one on crime prevention, and partnerships with Indigenous communities for crime prevention in July and speaking with Peter Goers on the ABC about the problem of privatisation in prisons; presenting on a Japan-Australia cooperation in a Covid World forum at Adelaide University, having the COVID19 vaccine, surviving a brief lockdown, and enjoying some of the Cabaret Festival in July (Alan Cumming's disco!); a visit to Encounter Bay in August for my sister's birthday, a fun Prohibition Night at Studio 99, and talk at the Northern Districts Family History Group in August; visiting Van Goh Alive, enjoying a FOMO Friday part of Go To Town music events in Adelaide, going to a friend's awesome 50th Weimar Cabaret event at Anna's Cocktail Bar and doing a photo shoot around #PortAdelaide with Tania Gaylor in September (I won a silent auction at a Foodbank fundraiser back in May); and a #SistersinCrime SA event, a friend's fun 40th Latin Dance party at Dance Generation and seeing Shakespeare (Twelfth Night) in the Botanic Gardens in October. A very social time, thanks to the good management of COVID19 in SA! COVID19 times along with turning 50 has made me want to make the most of life and enjoy my social life!
Now to some books and writing news.
#NewBook I have just released as an e-book my 3rd book, The Rhynie Poisoning Case (published 30th October 2021).
It is a sort of sequel to The Secret Art of Poisoning, because it is about the nephew of Martha Needle, the Richmond Poisoner, and set in #SouthAustralia post #WorldWar1. I will be publishing the paperback shortly.
This Wednesday morning, 3rd November, I will be presenting at the Campbelltown Writers Festival on historical (non) fiction, 10am to 12noon, at the Campbelltown Public Library Meeting Rooms, Newton
This month I have also recommended ‘the 5 best books on Australian women in history’ at Shepherd.
Sisters in Crime SA, which I am convenor of locally, has held an event in October on ‘The Crime Short Story’ with Scarlett Stiletto winner Kristin Murdoch reading her story shortlisted for this year’s Scarlett Stiletto awards. The winners will be announced 27th November 2021.
The 27th November also happens to be the date of our next Sisters in Crime SA dinner event, where best-selling SA writer Fiona McIntosh will be talking about her new books, The Mirror Man and The Spy’s Wife, published tomorrow!
