July 23, 2024

Closer still

Writing a book is definitely not an easy process. Not that I ever thought it would be. I’m a slow writer too. At least I’m not a writer than can just blurt 1000 words out on the page and then return to tidy it all up. I need to edit as I go and feel it’s the best it can be before advancing. On a good day that can mean tapping out a good 1000 words in a day’s session, but more likely it will be 500 words. The approach to writing is different for every writer, but at least I’ve learned over the years that I don’t need special rituals before starting, or need to be touched by my ‘muse’ as some do. When I sit down to write, I’m working. I believe it’s called discipline!


The end is definitely in sight now and the time has come to approach a publisher or two. To that end I’m taking advantage of an opportunity to pitch to one publisher I identified some time ago as one to contact. An Affirm Press author was a guest at the last Tamar Valley Writers Festival I was involved in organising, and one of their staff is now on the TVWF board. I spoke to her at the recent screening of some Sydney Writers Festival sessions, as part of the TVWF’s program of events and she was encouraging.


More recently I learned Affirm Press are accepting submissions, but only on the first Monday of the month. So after reading the guidelines several times to be absolutely certain I have everything covered, the plan is to aim for an August submission.


Between prepping for that, writing up some articles for The Veterinarian, and working on a comp entry for another online journal, the next two weeks will be busy.


The photo of tee shirt and badges? The tee shirt was central to an Action during the campaign and I recently completed the chapter where it featured. The badges came a little later in the piece and were made in their hundreds, but these and many other items of memorabilia collected over the 12 years, either by myself, or that have been given to me,  will be offered to the Community History Museum for their collection. But only when I've typed  The End.


After all this campaign was a significant part of Tasmania’s history. It needs to be recorded for posterity.

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Magni

Fiona's gift

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 14, 2026
It’s taken far too many months for this marvellous model to grace the dedicated desk space in my office. When Fiona comes to visit next she will be very surprised, and hopefully gratified, that her amazing creative talent is finally on display. We’ve known each other for a very long time, and during the insanely busy time when I was helping to run the flower farm, working part-time in a school library, doing a spot of journalism on the side, and fighting the proposed pulp mill that is the subject of the manuscript I’m hoping to get published, Fiona cleaned my house each week. There’s only so much a person can do after all, and it has to be said cleaning our house during those manic years was fairly low down on the list of my priorities. But Fiona is a woman of many talents and she certainly possesses one that I so don’t have: sewing and dressmaking. So over the years she’s also made a few garments based on the pattern of a favourite garment that I was particularly fond of, and she’s also done some clothing alterations for both of us. My skills with needles and thread are limited to sewing on buttons, and taking up hems on John’s too-long pairs of jeans. Anything else is beyond me. But this fabulous model is the pièce de résistance – along with the beautiful crocheted knee warmer she gave me last year. This was when winter was approaching and so determined was I to finish writing the book, I decided to get out of bed at the insane hour of 5am and get in a solid hour’s writing in before dog walking and the demands of the day took over. Fiona was also one of many Tasmanians who needed to be circumspect about her opinion of the pulp mill. It was a project that polarised people, including families and friendships. She was one of several who passed on snippets of useful information, but on the basis of anonymity so it couldn’t be sheeted home to her.  Needless to say Fiona will be one of those whose contribution will be acknowledged – when this book is finally accepted by a publisher.

Signs of spring - when winter's only just arrived

By Anne Layton-Bennett • June 8, 2026
Early lambing season a sign of changing seasons? Or economic reality?

An amazing autumn

By Anne Layton-Bennett • May 18, 2026
Changing climate is affecting plants, and they are increasingly confused by a warming world. Yet despite the warnings by scientists about the risks of more frequent weather extremes, governments are still failing to act quickly enough.

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