Personal posts step away from abstraction and into lived experience—moments, reflections, and decisions shaped by the author behind the work. These pieces explore perspective at its most direct, where observation becomes personal and the line between writer and subject begins to blur.
I committed a beach offence: I turned my back on the ocean to write while looking at hills. My daughter-in-law judged the act a betrayal, then returned to it months later. What followed revealed less about the sea than about anger, insecurity, family tension and the limits of my patience.
Have You Ever Been Caught Doing Something You Wish You Hadn’t? Read More »
After a hefty summer water bill, we found a practical way to top up our pool with rainwater. Two slimline tanks collect runoff from the garage roof, feeding excess water to the pool and the garden. They cannot carry us through summer, but they help reduce our utility bill significantly.
We Top Up Our Pool With Rainwater From a Tank Read More »
Solo sailing offers serenity, freedom and the unsettling knowledge that anything can happen beyond sight of land. Recalling a dangerous coastal voyage through Queensland’s Wide Bay Bar, Michael considers the isolation, fear and psychological endurance of life at sea—and how those experiences shaped the dark oceanic mystery of SEETHINGS II.
Unexplained Disappearances On Oceans When Sailing Read More »
Australia’s vast interior once felt like a place reserved for farmers and filmmakers. Then two journeys into the Outback revealed its immense skies, seasonal grey nomads and profound isolation. Beyond coastal routines and city noise, the desert offers something rare: space to breathe, listen and hear the land’s ancient heartbeat.
Discovering the Outback: A Journey into Australia’s Desolate Beauty Read More »
After a season of Turducken, roast dinners, desserts and expanding waistlines, I eventually crave the simplest possible meal: beans on toast. It requires no culinary theatre, rescues my taste buds and restores my sanity. Great food is wonderful, but sometimes humble beans are precisely what my jeans need most desperately.
Sometimes, All I Want Is Beans On Toast Read More »
At our coastal home, writing dark fiction shares space with beehives, visiting birds and backyard chickens. Using leftover renovation materials, Margo and I built a secure chook pen and welcomed our new laying hens. Now we’re waiting for their first small, richly flavoured homegrown eggs to arrive for breakfast soon.
Backyard Chickens and Fresh Eggs: A Simple Step Towards Sustainable Living Read More »
A new book trailer? Not quite. This time, the trailer is for my boat. After years of registration limbo, missing paperwork and delicate family politics, I finally replaced the old beast with something new. Now the nonsense can stay ashore while Margo and I get back to fishing together again.
My New Trailer Is Finished Read More »
Facebook promised a country break, but karaoke, pizza and curiosity did the real work. Margo and I escaped to Dwellingup, explored its railway history, admired flowers, photographed the scenery and discovered clever cycling facilities. I’m still a city bloke, but next time we’ll return with our tent and insect repellent.
‘Visit The Country. Enjoy A Rural Break’, said a Facebook Karaoke Ad Read More »
Long before SEETHINGS, I stepped onto the stage as Fagin in PRIMA’s production of Oliver! Two contemporary reviews remembered the singing, dancing, costumes and chaos—and kindly named me among the show’s highlights. Here’s a nostalgic glimpse at one unforgettable community-theatre production and the colourful cast who brought it alive.
PRIMA’s Oliver! Musical Production: Review and Highlights Read More »
