Today I found two reviews of Asylum on NetGalley which I just had to share! The first is by Tanya Brough – “Have you ever felt like just dropping everything and running far, far away? To perhaps an island? That is what Yvette Grimm did. She ran from her life in Malta and herContinue reading “Asylum Reviews”
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Asylum seekers: confronting the double face
There are two faces to Australia’s asylum seeker policy. There is the outward face, all smiles and hooded eyes, that espouses ‘stop the boats’ mantras to indoctrinate the masses. We are to be persuaded of the necessity for harsh, inhumane treatment of asylum seekers journeying by boat. We are to disregard these peoples’ basic humanContinue reading “Asylum seekers: confronting the double face”
Asylum seekers are not a problem: they’re people
With thousands of asylum seekers and refugees in the Straits of Malacca, crammed into boats without food and water, rejected by country after country and towed back out to sea, the desperation of vast numbers of people scrambling to reach safer shores could not be starker. They may be fleeing terror. They may be fleeingContinue reading “Asylum seekers are not a problem: they’re people”
Vale Alex Legg
Alex Legg (1952-2014) was an inspiration to so many musicians. A master songwriter and troubadour whose memory will live on through his songs. Photo by Kylie Horner I was privileged to have spent two fine years by his side. So when NSW Folk Federation invited me to write a tribute for their magazine, Cornstalk, of course I agreed.Continue reading “Vale Alex Legg”
The Prague Cemetery – a belated review
The number of authors fascinated by metaphysics and the supernatural never ceases to make me wonder about the relationship between the creative psyche and that vast realm of the imagination. There are those who immerse themselves in mythical and symbolic riches and create complex fantasy landscapes. I’m not a huge reader of fantasy and can only mentionContinue reading “The Prague Cemetery – a belated review”
Welcome to Australia
I woke this morning at about five o’clock to the sound of cock crows and magpie chortles, knowing that my third piece, Welcome to Australia, would appear in On Line Opinion today. It’s a controversial piece and in the pre-dawn darkness I feared some would misread it and accuse me of being anti-Australian. Then I thoughtContinue reading “Welcome to Australia”
A Tribute to Alex Legg
It is with huge sadness that I write this. Not twenty-four hours have gone by since the passing of consummate songwriter and performer Alex Legg. This morning I was so moved by all the messages of love and goodwill on facebook I wrote a short story to contribute to his memory. It’s noContinue reading “A Tribute to Alex Legg”
I should have done something sooner
I should have done something sooner. That’s what my neighbour said. Best nipped in the bud. A good hard slap across the face will shut her up. Said she never had any trouble in the playground after that. But my best friend’s husband was right about me. I’m a coward. And cowards cower. They don’tContinue reading “I should have done something sooner”
Building bridges: asylum seekers in rural Australia
Just a little bit pleased to have published in e-journal On Line Opinion Building bridges: asylum seekers in rural Australia, reflecting on a recent home hospitality respite holiday for asylum seekers on bridging visas that I organised under the auspices of the Home Among the Gum Trees program run by Elaine Smith in Dandenong (Melbourne). Here are hostsContinue reading “Building bridges: asylum seekers in rural Australia”
Isobel Blackthorn 