I’ve decided I am a depressive optimist. I was discussing it with a friend and wondering if it was a thing. Even a possibility. We discussed how the concept of ‘Life is Suffering’ is entirely sucky but once accepted somewhat buoying in an inexplicable way (in fact, I’m sure it has been explained but we went on to other topics. We like talking about roll arm sofas and Stephen Fry. Not together. In case you were wondering.)

So, assuming it is a thing, the depressive side of me was satisfied by the post I wrote about life being lonely and hard but the optimist was not. I felt badly that I had moaned about writing when it is such a blessing in my life. I felt badly that I’d not been more reassuring. Or balanced? And as if sensing my concern the world seemed to dish out good and bad news in spookily equal measures. It reminded me of this book we had as kids.

Now, you can go and get bad news any way you turn, but good news can be a little harder to source. Good news is a sneaky, delicious, little truffle. So I thought I’d go ahead and gift you some.

My good news is not mine really. It is the respective good news of three wonderful women I am lucky enough to know. Wonderful, strong, creative women whose jobs are not simple or easy. Women who have taken risks, who laugh easily, who worry and thrive and grin and bear it. Women who juggle their roles as wife, mother, daughter, rockstar, creative genius, sister, good friend. They seem to keep all the plates in the air. {Or perhaps they don’t; but when one drops I’m convinced they would say “Oh *bleep* it, let’s smash the rest and make it a party”}. I have an urge to tell you inappropriate and silly things about them, which I think is because I want you to know that they are not super-human and therefore to avoid envy but be proud, as I am. With women like these there’s hope for all of us.

First up is our nearest and dearest. I told Ria that if she wouldn’t blow her trumpet then I would. Which just sounded a bit wrong. But, toot! toot! here we go: our own Ria Voros’ sensational debut novel, Nobody’s Dog, is a finalist for not one but two awards: a Rocky Mountain Book Award and Silver Birch Award for Fiction. Not only that but her second novel The Opposite of Geek is going to be published in Germany next year. Here she is reading aloud from her fabulous first book a.k.a award nomination magnet and that, above, is the pup the book is dedicated to. We are busy figuring out how we can give you fun updates during Ria’s trip to Toronto mid-year for the awards ceremony and various speaking events. Very exciting.

photo courtesy of abc.net.au

Then, in other book news….in the other hemisphere….you remember Zoe Daniel, right? Our Zoe Daniel? (“Zoe daniel husband” remains one of the top searches that brings people to our site; I was almost tempted to title this post with it. Imagine the traffic.) Well, when Zoe is not flitting about inadvertently encouraging people to want to marry her she churns out top notch international journalism, fronts a fabulous new show on ABC, makes her kids school lunches at midnight and writes a best-selling memoir. As you do. Zoe’s book “Storyteller” was released just this month and is already on best-seller shelves in Australia. Please check it out.

Finally, the post-script on that rather more glum blog post, you may have noticed, was a heads up about a Sydney-based musician raising funds for a brand new album. Sarah Belkner has been singing tunes since she was tiny and is no stranger to recording music (side note: SH peeps: she performed with Crowded House!) But she finally realised it was time to change brand and tack and reach out to ask for help to assist her next album to greatness. She created a fundraiser on Pozible.com in which people pledged money (which was only accepted if ambitious targets were reached) in return for great rewards. She raised, get this, over $10,000 in 30 days. She made more money than her target. Want a cheeky listen to her new work? Here you go. I have a feeling that her decision to be brave and humble and ambitious in the way that she has approached the production of this album will bring it all the success it rightly deserves.

So, there you go. Three pretty snazzy women, huh?

How about you? Have you got any good news you want to share? A silvery kind of lining? Ectomycorrhizal fungi found amongst the dark soil?

HUGS, Hannah x