The other day, when I was busy with something else, WordPress sent me one of those “Classic Material” notifications of a post I had written about the development of what has become my debut historical novel Louisa. I’d forgotten I wrote it, and it had some really interesting stuff in it. I didn’t have time right then to reblog it. And now? Well, I can’t find it. So! I must have dreamed it in my sleep.

Hey dee ho, moving right along. October has sped by and I haven’t written a blog post for a while – apart from the inundation of the Bogong Moth Migration, which lasted about two weeks. October has seen us switch to Daylight Saving, so now there is more light to my day, but that hasn’t increased my productivity. The first Monday was a Public Holiday, with our usual social gathering around the barbecue. Just a small group of 90 or so 🙂 The stayers were inclined to break into song (guess why LOL), and a popular choice was I Am Australian. A very nice choice, with the chorus that begins, “We are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come. We’ll share a dream, and sing with one voice…” A timely reminder for us, as we watch social cohesion disintegrate around the world. However, as I reminded them, this was the Labour Day holiday, celebrating the fight for fair working conditions and the historic victory of the eight‑hour workday (first achieved in Australia in any wide-spread form with the passing of the 1916 Eight Hours Act in Victoria and New South Wales). Given that, a more fitting song would have been The Internationale, but since that has been misappropriated over the years, and I didn’t know the words anyway, the best I could do was La Marseillaise which I learnt in French class in High School. In one of those quirks of memory, I can still remember most of the lyrics to that, as well as Frere Jacques (we’re probably all stuck with that one!)

The next day, in my own struggle with an 8-hour working day, hubbie and I set off up the coast of New South Wales, as I had seven library author talks lined up. The round trip was nearly 2,000klm (1250mi) in a car that runs on diesel, which was peaking at A$3.00/litre (about US$8.00/gallon). On the upside, we were hosted by friends on four nights, two nights were courtesy of Qantas frequent flyer points, and – in a truth is stranger than fiction moment – one night courtesy of American Airlines Advantage Miles, which were given as compensation for AA having completely screwed up our travel plans from Boston to Honolulu last year.

Of course, cost is not the point! (Although it was pleasing that sales did manage to just cover them). This is all about a celebration of Louisa, and bringing her story to a wider audience. We met wonderful people, and the librarians who looked after us were delightful and helpful. All in all, a big adventure – one that requires stamina that was beginning to fail me by the end.

Just before leaving I managed to finish another draft of the sequel, Florence & Lucy, also an historical novel. Next step with that is to begin pitching for publication. Meanwhile, in my head, I am tossing around the next work, Finding Florence & Lucy, which will be the truth behind those two novels. But! It’s been hectic since our mid-October return. Apart from a day at the theatre, my days have been a series of submission deadlines applying for various retreats and residencies. I’m working on the “you have to be in, to win it,” principle.

And speaking of winning! Louisa has been shortlisted for the Society Women Writers NSW book awards, to be announced on Wednesday 11th November. I’m up against some stiff competition though. There are six of us in total. I know all of the authors, have read one of the books, and have another on my bedside table. It’s a conundrum. I have my fingers crossed for Louisa, at the same time as wishing these writing colleagues all the very best for their books.

Back to the library talks … The photos, mostly taken in a rush at the end with some of the audience already gone, are pretty much out of focus and skew-whiff, but below is a sample for posterity. Taree (where I met book reviewer shelleyrae of Book’d Out, and a friend from High School days), Kempsey, Port Macquarie, Wauchope (caught up with another High School friend), Yamba, Forster (no photo!), and, finally, Umina Beach – which was an absolute blast! The perfect audience to end the trip on a high note.

And if you’d like a visual of what that trip looked like, the below image is a guide. Some of the stops and legend are mismatch, but what can I tell you? I created it using CoPilot AI. As a tool, it is useful. As for something more sinister – it’s good, but not quite ready to take over the world. Yet. And yes, there was a moment when we double-backed to Kempsey – it was on account of taking two nights at that accommodation. Easier than unpacking every day. That’s where the map and legend part ways: Kempsey should be #3 AND #5, with Wauchope #6, etc.

The last event for October is to give a talk and workshop for the Fellowship of Australian Writers, Sutherland Branch this Saturday. It’s Wednesday and I haven’t prepared it yet. Who doesn’t love a deadline?

And that, my friends, is a wrap for October 2026. Garrulous Gwendoline signing off.