Australia

Join us for an insightful conversation with author Diane Clarke as we discuss her book, The Bracelet. Get to know the inspiration behind the story and the creative process of this talented author.
In this episode of 'Stories and Stanza,' host Abhra from Melbourne interviews author Diane about her second book, 'The Bracelet.' They discuss the book's plot, centered around Monica's quest to build a relationship with her estranged father. Diane shares insights into the themes of family sagas, the impact of dementia, and the challenges of writing and editing her novels. The episode highlights the significance of emotional connections, mystery elements, and the personal inspiration behind Diane's writing. Tune in for an engaging discussion on family, identity, and the art of storytelling.

In this powerful video, we're exploring the game-changing concept of vulnerability in mental health. By embracing vulnerability, we can break free from the shackles of stigma and shame and embark on a journey of resilience, personal growth, and healing. We'll dive into how vulnerability in relationships can be a catalyst for emotional well-being, and how it can help us develop coping strategies to overcome anxiety and other mental health challenges. Join us as we discuss the importance of mental health awareness and how embracing our vulnerability can be a crucial step towards a more mindful, compassionate, and supportive community. Whether you're on a journey of self-discovery or seeking to support a loved one, this video is for anyone who wants to prioritize their mental wellness and take the first step towards a more authentic, wholehearted life.
In this episode of Stories and Stanza, we welcome Trys, who shares his personal journey with mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, agoraphobia, and OCD. Trys recounts his transformational experience from being reclusive to inspiring many through his mental health radio station in Australia. We discuss the importance of openly talking about mental health, especially men's mental health, the impact of COVID-19 on mental well-being, and the often overlooked issue of domestic violence against men. Trys emphasizes the power of failing, learning from mistakes, and finding personal healing through various methods such as volunteering, music, and nature. Join us for an enlightening conversation aimed at breaking stigmas and empowering individuals to seek help and grow.

Join host Abhra on 'Stories and Stanza' as he delves into the captivating journey of Diane Clarke and her debut novel, 'The Photograph.' Listen as Diane shares the inspiration and extensive research behind her compelling historical fiction, which spans from World War II to the COVID-19 pandemic. Uncover the intricacies of her characters, family secrets, and the emotional search for a lost brother. This episode is rich with insights for aspiring writers and literary enthusiasts alike.

Please join me in welcoming Patti Miller for today's episode. She is joining us today to discuss her book "Writing True Stories".
She is the author of ten books, including the award-winning The Mind of a Thief, the critically acclaimed Ransacking Paris, The Joy of High Places, and True Friends. The Mind of a Thief was longlisted for the Stella Prize and the Nita Kibble Prize, shortlisted for the WA Premier's Prize for Non-Fiction, winner of the NSW Premier's Prize for History and on the syllabus for English for the VCE in Victoria. She is widely published in literary magazines and national newspapers. She is also a teacher of memoir and nonfiction and has offered workshops for over 30 years in Australia, Paris, Bali, Fiji, and London. Over 65 of Patti Miller's writing students have been commercially published. She currently teaches at the Faber Academy, Sydney and London.
Writing True Stories is essential for anyone wanting to write a memoir or explore the wider territory of creative nonfiction. It provides practical guidance and inspiration on a vast array of writing topics, including how to access memories, find a narrative voice, build a vivid world on the page, create structure, use research and face the difficulties and pitfalls of truth-telling. This book introduces and develops key writing skills and strategies and then challenges more experienced writers to extend their knowledge and practice of the genre into literary nonfiction, true crime, biography, personal essay, and travel and sojourn writing. Whether you want to write your own autobiography, investigate a wide-ranging political issue or bring to life an intriguing history, this book will be your guide.This second edition encompasses over five years of updated study in the field of life writing with entirely new material on journal and diary writing, the ethics of writing true stories and extended material on creative nonfiction, includingbiography and new journalism, plus brand new extracts from key writers such as Joan Didion, Janet Malcolm, Zadie Smith and many others.
 

Welcome to a new episode of Stories and Stanza. Please join me in welcoming Lisa Darcy, 'In Author's Chair', for today's episode. 
Born in Melbourne, Lisa spent her youth moving around due to her father’s role in the Royal Australian Air Force, including four years living in Malaysia. The family moved back to Brisbane, Australia, where Lisa finished high school andstudied journalism at university. After completing her degree, she relocated to Sydney, where she worked as an Acquisitions Editor at publishing house Harcourt Brace Jovanovich (HBJ) and then as a journalist with Australian Consolidated Press, writing for Practical Parenting and Bride to Be. Lisa published several novels with Allen & Unwin, Australia, and her seventh novel, Lily’s Little Flower Shop, was published by Bloodhound Books UK in 2021,followed by My Big Greek Holiday and Should You Keep A Secret? in 2022. A creative writing teacher, Lisa also presents workshops and has been on panels and facilitated workshops at RWA conferences, GenreCon, Sydney Writers’ Festival and many regional and international writers’ festivals, including Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad, India. The Pact is Lisa’s eighth book.
I hope you like the episode. If you are interested in 'The Pact' please find the link below. 
https://www.amazon.com.au/Pact-Lisa-Darcy/dp/B0CZM6FT7D/ 
 
 

Today is another episode of the 'Fail With Me' segment, in which we discuss failure and self-awareness in relationships. 
Please join me in welcoming Karshima Gautam as a guest speaker. Karishma is a fierce feminine leader, deeply committed to women's empowerment. Through her unique and impactful courses based on modalities like Neuro Linguistic Programming and Hypnotherapy, Karishma is on a mission to help one million women worldwide by 2025 fall in love with themselves. With the help of her courses, free training and hypnosis audios, she encourages women to improve their self-worth, grow their self-esteem and unapologetically put themselves first.
She hopes to create a world in which not even one woman is in a violent marriage with no voice and no one to turn to for help, believing she is worthless. Her passion and purpose in life are to support and uplift women, helping them realise their strength, courage, and resilience.
Karishma can be contacted on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/karishma.gautam80/ or her email Karishma@elevateselflove.com 
Grab a free e-book on 10 Secrets To Give Yourself The Love You Deserve from Karishma's website - www.ElevateSelfLove.com 
Contact Karishma on Facebook if you would like to take part in a FREE 1:1 5-day self-love challenge, during which she will personally assist you with your self-love challenges. Mention that you listened to her interview on Abhra's podcast so she can prioritize her response to you. 

This is another episode of the 'In Author's Chair' segment, where we interview writers about their work, motivation, and challenges. Please join me in welcoming Dr Bella Elwood Clayton for today's episode. 
About the author:
Dr. Bella Ellwood-Clayton is an award-winning author. She has a BA from Concordia University in Montréal and a PhD from the University of Melbourne in sexual anthropology—and, yes, that makes for interesting dinner party conversations. Bella's nonfiction book, Sex Drive: In Pursuit of Female Desire, was published by Allen & Unwin in 2012. Bella has published short-stories and poetry and written for publications such as Huffington Post and Daily Life. She frequently appears on TV and gives talks, including a TEDx talk. Her work has been featured in a National Geographic documentary.
Married to a real-life superhero, she lives in Melbourne and has two spirited—eek—teens and a mini Maltese who truly believes he’s a pit bull. When she’s not on her laptop, you can find her downward dogging, pleading with her offspring to go outside, randomly blurting out, “Oh, that’s a good story idea,” and consuming too many vegetarian dumplings.
Book Summary:
Food photographer Rebecca, and her tween daughter, Willow, move from Alaska to Boca Raton, leaving behind their terrible secret about the death of Rebecca’s husband. They’re ready to start anew in the warmth of the sunshine state, hoping it will help vanquish Willow’s night terrors.As her daughter becomes controlled and bullied by the popular group, Rebecca is drawn closer to the charismatic head of the school, Mr. Brady. A hot and steamy—though uncertain—relationship begins. Soon, lies, deception, and secrets cause everything to spiral out of control, and both mother and daughter find themselves on the wrong side of their gated community with devastating repercussions.Full of dark twists and turns, Weekend Friends makes you grateful you’re no longer a tween…or the parent of one.
Amazon US
Amazon Australia

Welcome to Stories and Stanza! I am happy to have you here. 
As a writer, I have always leaned towards poetry. I started this podcast to share honest, heartfelt, and evoking stories that make us see the beauty of life - which is where the show gets its name. In every episode, I will take you on a journey of human experience to uplift your spirit. Today is another episode of the 'Fail With Me' segment, where we explore what failure truly is and link it with emotional intelligence in a supportive space. In a messy and imperfect world where we celebrate success and whisper about failure hushedly, "Fail with Me" flips the script. 
Please join me in welcoming Simon Rinne as a guest speaker. Simon has lived with mental illness for a very long time, and he started Mindful Men in 2021 to share his story and help normalise discussions about mental health. He aims to encourage boys and men to open up, get vulnerable and deal with the issues troubling them. 
In this episode, we look back at some of his failures, his realisations, and the turning point to wellness. Simon shares some valuable insights on Australia's mental health treatment landscape. 
I hope you will like this episode. Feel free to share your comments. 
Thank you.