When I was a kid I made magazines for my family. This website is my grown up version of the same thing!
I’ve always been a reader. Books are non-negotiable for me, even when life gets full.
But a couple of years ago, when my husband had a health scare and I didn’t have the extra bandwidth for writing outside of my work, I stopped making space to think about what I was reading. Instead, I closed the cover and moved straight to the next book. My sense of connection with the book faded fast, even with novels I’d loved.
I missed that connection. I wanted to deepen my reflections on the books I was reading, but I didn’t have the energy to write reviews or even make notes for myself.
The catalyst was getting a book out of the library for the holidays only to get home and realise I’d read it before and forgotten it. This led me to develop Conversations about Books. It gives you a way into thinking about the book by responding to questions. You can type or talk – whichever comes more naturally to you. It then generates an organised record of your answers for future reference.
These notes on books provide a starting point for my book reviews on this website. I mostly write about books, but I’ve also published some family stories on this site, primarily to make sure I don’t lose them! If you’re interested in personal history writing, you can find mine by clicking on this blue link for ‘personal stories‘.
I also have a business called Writing for Councils where I provide writing and strategic planning services and AI training.
