Geboor (Book 2 of Dadirri Series): Poustinia

Part 2—Sacred Spaces (Autumn)
Poustinik Dancer

Something about the dance studio this morning reminded Maliyan of a poustinia. Its lack of people, furniture, and electricity. Its striking emptiness. Poustinia is a Russian word for a sparsely furnished cabin where one goes to pray and fast. Its most fundamental element is its aloneness. Alone, except for God. In Russia, poustiniks often live on the edges of towns. They are available to their community for spiritual help and sometimes practical help. Although Maliyan had plenty of self-starting drive to dance in her poustinia, there was no doubt that another body, another being, another type of energy gave dance a different and wonderful dimension.

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Dadirri Series Background

Here are some real-life places on which the fictional places of the Dadirri Series are based.

  • The fictional town of Nanima is rural Wellington, N.S.W., Australia.
  • The main female character has adopted the Aboriginal name of Maliyan, the Wiradjuri name for wedge-tailed eagle (totem for the Binjang mob of Wellington).
  • Fictional Luna Tiks cafe (Four Cats) is across the road from the empty, pink dance school.
  • Cathedral Cave (Wellington Caves) is where Maliyan meets the spirit of Wandaang, who wants his ancestor’s bones back.
  • The tiny fictional town of Yan Yan Gurt (where Maliyan’s ancestors come from) is Stuart Town.
  • Historic Stuart Town cemetery is the Yan Yan Gurt cemetery where Maliyan senses her ancestor’s spirits.
  • The mystic artist character, Euroka, gets his name from a family property in the area.
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Geboor (Book 2 of Dadirri Series): Shophouse

Spectrum

“I think you are on the spectrum, boo,” said Luna.

Maliyan laughed and thought, Always the joker.

Luna wasn’t smiling and continued sympathetically, “Lots of people are. I mean, I like people on the spectrum. I find them interesting.”

Maliyan wasn’t sure what was worse—Luna’s diagnosis of her mental state or his trying to make it better by kindly reassuring her that, regardless, it was fine with him. It made it all the funnier or all the more disturbing.

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Nanima is Published

Nanima (Book 1 of Nanima Series) is now available on Amazon in paperback and ebook. The audiobook will be available in 2 weeks. This new fiction series is located in an Australian rural town, Wellington, N.S.W. (Nanima in the story). It is the area my family come from. My grandfather was a pioneer farmer and made his house from the stones of the river. Farming has been in the family for generations. The series follows the lives of characters I hope you will come to love and welcome into your heart and mind. My writing style is short and succinct—easy to read. However, the messages about life and relationships are both easy and difficult. As is always the case, things seem simple when we understand them, but when we don’t…big mess!

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First Audiobook is Out!—Waldmeer

Happy Day

It was a happy day to get this email recently, Hi Donna, Oh happy day! Waldmeer passed Quality Control and was approved for distribution. Waldmeer (Book 1 of Waldmeer) is now available as an audiobook. Three months ago, I told you that I had started recording. The process has been a huge learning curve at many different levels.

First day of recording Waldmeer—5th May 2022—in my wardrobe studio.
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Waldmeer Audiobook

I am halfway through recording Waldmeer (Book 1 of Waldmeer Series) as an audiobook. Here is the first chapter. More than an engaging story, the 7-book Waldmeer Series is a doorway to personal and spiritual growth. It takes courage to tread one’s course, but only at the beginning of each new stage. We hope that we are safe, but we are not yet sure.

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Waldmeer Series—balancing ourselves inside

When are things perfectly balanced on the outside? Rarely. And in those glorious moments when they are, it doesn’t last long. The only viable option is to try and balance ourselves on the inside so that we are not pushed around by what happens outside. Purnima (Book 7 of Waldmeer)

I have been updating the 7-book Waldmeer Series with new covers and other editing. I would so love to share the series with you. It was the love of my creative life for the 5 years it took to write! The cheapest and easiest way to read the whole series (if you are an ebook reader) is Waldmeer Collection (7-books-in-1). Available on AMAZON.

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Purnima (Book 7 of Waldmeer): Purnima Passage

Chapter 1: Seeing the Totality

A full moon evening, late in May, in Waldmeer:

Purnima means full moon. Full moons are auspicious occasions for new beginnings, and so we begin; again. Merlyn and Gabriel stood awkwardly at the entrance of Twenty Mile Track. Awkward because they barely knew each other, and this seemed too big an adventure for virtual strangers. Nevertheless, there they were, brought together by some unknown force. 

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