Upside Down Under

When A Shift in Perspective is Necessary

G’day mate! As strange as that sounds coming from me, it’s fun to play with the local lingo. I’m writing to you from Altona North, a suburb of Melbourne where I’m living and working for a while. I’ll be travelling and touring through Australia for several months. While it’s far from home, I don’t feel like a stranger here. The people are friendly, the earth is sun-baked and warm, and bird calls ring through the air from the earliest hours of the day.

Before dawn, I like to sit and reflect on where I’ve been, what’s happening, and whether or not I need to make adjustments. Today, as I was listening to the alluring sounds of this land, a shard of fear struck me. For over a year, I had been planning a renovation to my heritage home. Built in 1907, it badly needed some TLC, especially since I discovered the back third was sinking into the hill behind me. To make a long story short, I decided to list it just before my trip. My entire plan turned on its head.

Being down under is the perfect place to shift perspectives. What does it mean to be at home? How do I manage uncertainty? While I’m here, I’ll simply stay present, take in the sights and sounds, smells and tastes. Wherever I am, will be my home. In foreign territories, I can discover new pathways and learn about other lives, if I put one foot in front of the other (and not step on a snake! 🐍) . It might be scary sometimes, but I’ll be okay. The cacophony of cries from above will remind me the world awaits, that there’s something greater, more powerful than my fears, calling me.

Special Invitation: Zoom Meeting Feb 27th @7:00pm MST 📣

By now, you should have received the first story, “White Noise”, from my debut novel. I released it exclusively to you and am inviting you to join me for an online chat. While I’d love to meet in person, gathering via Zoom is the best available option. Please log in on Feb 27th @ 7pm (MST which is UTC-7 in the CDA/US) to talk about what you’ve read so far, ask any questions, and offer feedback on my book. I’m debating whether to enhance the manuscript as I have several other projects on the go. Unfortunately, I can’t seem to insert the link here, so I’ll send it via email. 🤷‍♀️

Leadership Literary Lab (L3) ✍️

I’ve been mentioning my L3 Project for awhile now, so I’m pleased to show you the course outline. While it’s still in development, I have honed the structure. The program will initially be directed towards non-fiction authors, but I’m going to create a version for fiction buffs and budding authors in middle school too. If you are interested in finding out more, I’ll be starting a new mailing list and creating a free giveaway “Find Your Story In Five-Steps”. Stay tuned!

Clunes Booktown Festival 📚

I’m thrilled to be attending a festival for book lovers in an historic town in regional Victoria (AUS) next month. This is a two-day event with many different author and artist talks, workshops, and live entertainment. There will also be an outdoor book bazaar with over a hundred stalls. While I will only be attending as a visitor, I’m going to bring some rack cards and will let you know about the people I meet and connections I make. I’m excited to wander through the booths looking for gems.

Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne, Australia.

Warmly, Mary Lynn, The Wild Rose Writer