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A new writing group in the City of Brimbank for aspiring writers to learn craft, network and get their work critiqued led by award-winning author Amra Pajalic. Capped at 10 participants. Community Writers Group - NEW- 2026 Date and Time Saturday 2 May 2026 10:00 AM - Saturday 20 June 2026 11:30 AM (UTC+11) Location Hunt Club Community and Arts Centre 775 Ballarat Rd, Deer Park VIC 3023 https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1562967 
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The conversation with Tor Roxburgh covers her journey as a writer, the transition from traditional publishing to independent publishing, and the use of AI in writing. It delves into ethical considerations, productivity, and the future vision for writing. Additionally, it explores the marketing and business side of independent publishing, as well as the tech side of podcasting. The conversation delves into the themes of radical acceptance, longevity over money, redefining success, navigating creative challenges, embracing authenticity and fun, and the future of creative exploration. Amra shares her journey of shedding shame, embracing freedom, and finding joy in writing and art. She redefines success, emphasizes the joy of creation, and discusses the importance of consistency and routine. The conversation concludes with a focus on authenticity, representation, and the future of creative exploration. Takeaways
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Connect with Tor Roxburgh Tor Roxburgh is a fiercely creative Australian multidisciplinary artist who refuses easy categorisation. She’s the author of 17 published works—spanning speculative fiction, young adult novels, non-fiction and short stories—and her narrative imagination leaps across genres from science fiction to mystery. Her writing is grounded in deep curiosity about worlds both possible and impossible. She is the author of epic fantasy saga Promise of Stone Series with book 1 The Light Heart of Stone and has just published Book 2 The Rush of Stone. Beyond the page, Tor paints expressive, narrative-rich visual art and co-designs public sculpture in a creative partnership that has spanned decades. Her work has been exhibited both in Australia and internationally, from gallery walls to urban spaces. She also co-hosts the technology and innovation podcast Ok Smart-ass with Patrick Bonello, where she talks all things tech with humour, insight, and fearless questioning. Tor isn’t just a creator—she’s an independent maker who builds her art on her own terms, whether that’s through self-publishing, studio practice, or curious conversations about the future of tech and ideas. Instagram: www.instagram.com/torroxburghwrites/ Website: https://torroxburgh.com/ It's been fifteen months since I began my podcast, and I'm loving everything about it. Every time I have a conversation with a guest, I feel like I learn so much. The universe has put so many interesting people in my path, and I have so many more guests I want to have on the show. So far there has been a lot of learning. A change in graphics for the show, a change in podcast platform, re-titling all the episodes to add intrigue and interest, updating all the episode graphics, learning how to use the platform to conduct interviews and hosting, figuring out where the analytics are and connecting them to the platforms to track stats more. For now, here's a little overview of what I've been doing. https://www.amrapajalic.com/podcast.html New episodes drop every second Monday.
⏳ 4 DAYS TO GO… Four days until Mad Dawn Winter hits Kickstarter—and this review? It gets right to the heart of what this series does. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The book well worthwhile to read… The Viet Nam war still haunts the nations involved… For those too young to remember, this is a book to inform about the fog of war. For readers familiar, it will bring back memories of that era.” Here’s the thing people don’t always say out loud: War doesn’t end when the headlines stop. It lingers—in families, in towns, in the stories no one wants to dig up. And that’s exactly where Seka Torlak goes. In Mad Dawn Winter, she’s not chasing a neat, tidy mystery. She’s walking into the aftermath—where history is buried, trauma is inherited, and the truth is inconvenient. If you like crime that doesn’t look away from history, If you want a story that hits harder than entertainment, If you believe justice is messy and worth fighting for-- This one’s for you. 📅 Kickstarter finishes in 4 days 🎁 Exclusive editions + bonus stories 🔥 Help bring this story into the world Because forgetting is easy. Digging it up? That’s where the real story begins. https://www.amrapajalic.com/dawn.html  You know the ones you can’t resist-- ✔️ Cold case murder ✔️ Small town secrets ✔️ Grieving mother seeking justice ✔️ Outsider who sees what no one else will ✔️ Corruption buried deep ✔️ Ghosts… maybe real, maybe not Yeah. That’s Mad Dawn Winter. And I didn’t just sprinkle tropes in—I built the whole story around the ones that hurt. The ones that linger. The ones that make you question who’s telling the truth. This book exists because I couldn’t shake one idea: What happens when grief refuses to stay quiet? Now I need your help to bring it to life. 👉 I’m running a Kickstarter to fund the release of Mad Dawn Winter, the third book in the Seka Torlak series—and honestly, it’s sitting right on that edge where it either makes it… or stalls out. So here’s the ask (no fluff): If these tropes are your thing, if you love crime that digs deeper, if you want stories that don’t tie everything up neatly-- 💥 Back the campaign 💥 Share it with one person who loves thrillers 💥 Help me get this over the line Because indie books don’t survive on algorithms. They survive on readers who decide they matter. 🔗 Back here: http://www.amrapajalic.com/dawn  I Sat in My Friend’s Kitchen and Realised I’ve Been Thinking About Sustainability All Wrong23/3/2026 I walked into my friend’s house to record a podcast… and walked out questioning how I live my life. This week on Substack, I wrote something different. Not advice. Not a how-to. Just a moment. A conversation that stayed with me long after the microphones were off. ⚡ A kitchen rebuilt from scratch ⚡ An electric car that runs out of charge (yes, really) ⚡ Solar panels that don’t work the way we think they do ⚡ And the quiet, uncomfortable truth about why most of us do nothing “It’s a minefield… it freezes you into inaction.” That line hit me. Because it’s not that we don’t care. It’s that we don’t know where to begin. So maybe the answer isn’t doing everything. Maybe it’s just… starting. 👉 Read the full piece on Substack (link in bio) https://open.substack.com/pub/amrasarmchairanecdotes/p/i-sat-in-my-friends-kitchen-and-realised?r=i0jxk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true  So happy that my novel Ghosts Among the Gumtrees was longlisted for the 2026 Adaptable awards. Shortlisted applicants have the opportunity to pitch work to producers, showrunners, screenwriters, and industry professionals. I'm also running a Kickstarter for the third book in the series ,Mad Dawn Winter, and backers can get copies of all books in my series either as paperbacks or ebooks. http://www.amrapajalic.com/dawn   Show notes The conversation delves into the practical aspects of living sustainably, transitioning to an all-electric home, the challenges of electric vehicle ownership, cost and efficiency of electric vehicles, government policies and environmental impact, solar energy and grid feeding tariffs, solar batteries and community initiatives, electric car prices and environmental responsibility, and the environmental impact of government decisions. The discussion also highlights the importance of promoting sustainability and community efforts. The conversation covers the rise of solar energy, sustainable home practices, community solutions for electrification, challenges in Australian housing, advocacy for sustainability, debunking sustainability myths, taking action for sustainability, and an electric vehicle tour. The discussion emphasizes the importance of government incentives, personal investment, long-term benefits, rainwater tanks, waste reduction, community-owned solar farms, housing quality, energy efficiency, activism, education, electric vs. gas cooking, affordability, government support, incremental changes, and environmental impact. Takeaways
Connect with Renee Robinson Renee Robinson is someone who doesn’t just talk about sustainability, she actually lives it. Renee drives an electric car, powers her home with her own electricity generation, and has taken the kind of practical steps most of us only daydream about. She’s proof that an electrified, low-emissions lifestyle isn’t some futuristic fantasy; it’s happening right now in an ordinary Victorian home. Her efforts caught the attention of the Victorian Government, and in November 2024 her house became the launch site for the State Electricity Commission’s new electric-home planner pilot, with Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and the Member for Eureka turning up to showcase what’s possible. In February 2025 Renee was selected as one of 20 women from around Australia to be part of the 1 Million Women enjoy to Canberra to convince political to support the electrification of one million homes across Australia. Today, Renee joins me to cut through the hype and talk honestly about what works, what doesn’t, and what it really takes to live sustainably in a world that’s still playing catch-up. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/peppercorn_mill/ 📖 Ever thought about writing your life story? Join me for a free Memoir Writing Workshop at the Melton Library & Learning Hub and learn how to turn your memories into powerful stories. In this one-hour workshop, I’ll share practical techniques to help you shape personal experiences into a compelling memoir—whether you’re writing for family, publication, or simply to understand your own story better. ✨ In this session you’ll learn: • How to structure your life stories so they hook readers • Techniques for writing vivid, emotional scenes • How memory, voice, and reflection create powerful memoir writing • Ways to turn personal experiences into meaningful narratives 📅 Tuesday 28 April 2026 ⏰ 1:00–2:00 PM 📍 Melton Library & Learning Hub 💲 Free event (15+) Bring your laptop or a notebook—we’ll be doing some writing during the workshop. As an award-winning author whose memoir Things Nobody Knows But Me was shortlisted for the National Biography Award, I’m excited to share the tools that helped me turn personal memories into publishable stories. Spots are limited, so book through the library to secure your place. ✍️ Come along, start writing, and discover the stories only you can tell. https://libraryevents.melton.vic.gov.au/event?id=208702  🎙️ Episode 23: Writing Urban Fantasy Full-Time — A Conversation with P.L. Matthews (Paola) Paola writes cosy urban-fantasy murder mysteries set in Sydney (witches, vampires, gargoyles… plus an actual mystery solved with smarts, not spellwork). But the part that hooked me wasn’t the genre magic — it was the honesty: She made “every mistake” at the start and kept going anyway She didn’t tell anyone she was writing… until she hit 60,000 words She ran ads, started selling, panicked, stopped… then rebuilt confidence and kept marketing She translates her books (with human proofing) and built an international readership She treats this like a small business because that’s what it is If you’re writing, publishing, or trying to make this work without waiting for permission, this article will hit. Read it on Substack: Episode 23 show notes + highlights + pull-out quotes (perfect for any writer who needs a kick forward). https://open.substack.com/pub/amrasarmchairanecdotes/p/turning-witches-and-mysteries-into?r=i0jxk&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true  |
AuthorAmra Pajalić is an award-winning author, an editor and teacher who draws on her Bosnian cultural heritage to write own voices stories for young people, who like her, are searching to mediate their identity and take pride in their diverse culture. She writes memoir, young adult and romance under the pen name Mae Archer. newsletterSign up and receive free books.
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