Welcome!
February, the 2nd month of the year and the news around the world is not good. We can only hope that things start improving and soon.
Here in Perth, Western Australia, we have just been ordered into hard lock-down for at least a week after a hotel quarantine security guard tested positive for coronavirus. (Déjà vu)
We have been lucky to have had a state government that responds so quickly and decisively. Along with our relative remoteness, we have led everyday lives for the past year, which has been fortunate in this covid world.
And so, confined to my house in Fremantle, I have ample opportunity for reading and writing. No excuses!
I have just started reading ‘The Girl With the Louding Voice’ by Abi Daré. The story is about a young woman, Adunni, who sets out to overcome her hardships in Nigeria. The narrative is in first person, and her dialect portrays Adunni’s world through her thoughts and actions. She appears to be a strong character struggling in the face of adversity. At this stage, I am only at the start of her harrowing experiences and find the book very engaging to read.
My second novel is near completion. It is called ‘The Cowrie Shell’, a poignant tale about a woman who is struggled to save her marriage. Set in Western Australia from the mid-1970s to the 1980s, this is a story of how alcohol dependency can undermine a relationship. More information to follow.
Save a thought for the people living in the Perth hills and our brave firefighters; dreadful bushfires in heatwave conditions with no end in sight. It feels like one bad thing keeps following another. Fingers crossed everyone is safe and that they get the fires under control soon.
Here's hoping for a better 2021 as the year progresses.
Take care and keep well.