Author Archives: susan

“DNA Nation”, a 3-part series on SBS TV, followed Ernie Dingo, Ian Thorpe and Julia Zmiro as, using DNA mapping of human populations, they discovered the paths taken by their ancestors out of Africa. Last weekend, I watched the last … Continue reading →

The illustration by Rose Ellenby (note the skull and crossbones!) and cover art are from a King Penguin, Poisonous Fungi by John Ramsbottom, Penguin, Harmondsworth 1945. And another fungi poem… This is an excerpt from  Mushrooms by Sylvia Plath, first … Continue reading →

Our prolonged Indian Summer is over at last. It’s six o’clock; I’ve just come in from taking the dog for a walk around the block and my nose feels like it has frozen and may well snap off as it … Continue reading →

I am a member of a Council of Adult Education book group, which means that we get  boxed sets of books – with reading notes and list of suggested questions – delivered, therefore none of us have to scamper around … Continue reading →

                                    Late in life  – we, her children, don’t quite know when – my mother wrote several mysterious, beautiful poems. This one was … Continue reading →

I’ve been reading nothing but crime novels all April. It’s no coincidence that this crime wave is happening alongside an intense period of work on my new children’s novel. It’s not a Verity Sparks mystery and I’m loving making the … Continue reading →

  I Seeing these toadstools bursting out of the ground along the side of our neighbour’s fence, I remembered this poem by Margaret Atwood. Very sinister!  (This is only part of it.) MUSHROOMS i In this moist season mist on … Continue reading →

We’ve just had three nights away  – at a little cottage in Dean’s Marsh, in the Otways. There was really nothing to do, which was wonderful. I read detective novels, drank tea in the daytime and wine at night, watched … Continue reading →

A few weeks ago, I helped a friend called Michael Uniacke to launch his book, Deafness Down. Here’s the short speech I gave. Many years ago, I had a phone call from a total stranger called Michael Uniacke. He’d heard … Continue reading →

I’ve been having a few sleepless nights lately. Change of season? Change of life? Who knows. It’s all right as long as I am lying comfortably, resting, but as soon as I start becoming cross (with myself, the world, or … Continue reading →