We’ve Got to Talk … about having Real Conversations

This Writer’s Life: The word of the day is SYNERGY.

Our book, The Sunday Story Club, which advocates deeper connections through face-to-face conversations, was found at the Melbourne Airport bookshop next to Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. (Below)

I’d call the synergy. The later book is a memoir of a therapist.

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You are defined by your stories. But how you tell those stories makes all the difference.

Sick of chitchat, we started our Sunday Story Club to encourage a deeper conversation. The results were so uplifting and moving we wanted to share both some of the stories and also how to run your own story salon so others can experience this magic too.

Now a 5 STAR review on Amazon shows authentic stories – not the curated FACEBOOK versions – are both moving and inspiring. These stories connect us beyond stereotypes.

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This Writer’s Life: Why does your own voice sound so weird?

This Writer’s Life: Very exciting to receive The Sunday Story Club audiobook CD in the post. To hear the fabulous actresses read the stories is both joyful and heart-wrenching. Here is a short sample.

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I also recorded a chapter. But why do we find our own voices so strange? My voice always sounds different from what I imagine.

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THIS WRITER’S LIFE: The Strange Company You Keep

THIS WRITER’S LIFE: Finding out the company your book keeps on book shop shelves is often hilarious.

WORSE CASE SCENARIO: Once I found a copy of the comic memoirs of my childhood on the bookshop shelf between WHAT TO DO WITH A WILLIE (A penis-based cartoon collection) and the KARMA SUTRA FOR CATS (pop-up version). I just rolled my eyes. These are 1-joke books. The cover says it all. At least I’d written -OMG! – complete paragraphs! 

My recent book, THE SUNDAY STORY CLUB, written with co-author Doris Brett was spotted by a friend’s daughter at the Canberra Airport bookshop. And there we are in the illustrious company between Russell Brand and Stephen Hawking! Ha!

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Why is BE and LET BE parenting so hard today!

Parents get a lot of information from other parents. Those parents, however, who believe their STYLE of parenting is the ONLY style, tend to lecture others. In other words, parenting is competitive these days. My co-author Doris Brett and I had a wonderful conversation about non-competitive conversations with Shevonne Hunt on her FEED PLAY LOVE podcast when we were in Sydney recently.

The podcast topics show a huge range of things parents worry about today. Whereas for me, I was lucky. My mum just made parenting look like a lot of fun. So my style of parenting was mostly, I guess, Bumbling Through.
LISTEN to PODCAST HERE:
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In this EMOJI MAD ERA have we forgotten the power of the human voice?

THIS WRITER’S LIFE: We always like good reviews. But this review honours the women who were so generous in telling their life stories. It also demonstrates the power of the human voice. We hope you will run your own Salon and experience new insights into your life too.

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What happened to meaningful conversations? Can we even remember how to do it?

My co-author, Doris Brett & I, were overwhelmed by the enthusiasm for The Sunday Story Club at The Happiness & It’s Causes Conference in Sydney a few weeks ago.

 THE SUNDAY STORY CLUB (PanMac) shows how to ask questions that open up a conversation. The conference delegates that bought a book said they would use these questions to facilitate better conversations in aged-care, youth groups, and the workplace.

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Over chit chat? Try the book club without books!

THIS WRITER’S LIFE: I was in Dymocks, Melb CBD, on Friday signing books when up popped an image of The Sunday Story Club on several large screens around the store. But look! The books now have an autographed edition sticker on the cover. That’s never happened to me before.

Big thanks to Dymocks and Zoe for all their enthusiasm. And if you can’t make it to Dymocks:

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The BOOK CLUB without BOOKS. Stories of love, loss, trauma & resilience

Our audiobook has just been released. It is a bit spooky hearing your own voice. You can listen to my co-author Doris Brett reading from the introduction (click below the pic).

LISTEN HERE