A mountain bookshop trail, 'Business Chickens', and Cosmo mag returns
The giveaway is Bri Lee’s new novel ‘The Work’
Firstly, this newsletter has received an influx of new subscribers. Hi, newcomers! Thanks very much for putting faith in me that I can turn out an entertaining read. I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.
I think (actually, no – I know) this new interest in Becks and the City is due to my being more active on the Substack app – following profiles and writing notes. While the app formerly known as Twitter is in continued uncertainty/decline and Insta’s equivalent, Threads, is still finding its feet, Notes is surging ahead as a warm, friendly, ideally interactive place to hang out. I’m really feeling it as a cosy place to spend some of my online time.
My writing news this week is that I have a story coming out in the upcoming Oxford Flash Fiction Prize anthology Jigsaw Pieces, which will be launched on 25 May. The Kindle edition is available for pre-order now on Amazon here. The story fuses non-fiction and fiction in a sort of experimental list format. It’s a weird one and to be honest, I was despairing of ever finding a publication that would take it. It’s definitely an acquired taste, so I’m delighted it’s found somewhere that likes it.
That’s all for now – until next week!
News
1. Hot on the heels of last week’s special edition where I discussed the weird state of flux Aussie magazines are in currently, the return of Cosmopolitan mag has been announced. This is quite the long-awaited comeback, as Cosmo last graced store shelves in 2018 after the close of similar title Cleo two years earlier. Previous to its departure, Cosmo had been going for 45 years. Holy moly! It sure had stood the test of time up until that point, so I think it deserves its chance at a revival, and it’ll be relaunching in all-important month for fashion mags, September. So far, the plan is for six issues a year, with accompanying social media and digital content. I’m keen to see it sitting next to newly revived ELLE on the stands.
2. I already vaguely knew music and singing were good for us emotionally and for keeping our brain ticking over, but as the ABC has reported, singing in choirs helps us recover from burnout. Frankly, who isn’t burnt out these days? Apparently, while singing solo is good, singing in groups is better. It’s a chance to raise your voice in unison rather than opposition to others, feel a sense of belonging, express yourself and focus on something other than day-to-day woes, and making something delightful for the audience. Sounds like the perfect hobby to me.
3. I’ll be travelling to the Blue Mountains in a couple of months for a writing adventure, so this will fit perfectly into my plans (time allowing): a road trip to eleven quaint bookshops in the region. Don’t get me wrong, the nature walks and waterfalls are calling my name as well, but what writer can resist the siren song of new-to-them bookshops? Such a great idea for small independent bookish businesses to (literally) put themselves on the map.
Reviews
1. I wouldn’t usually recommend a picture book for kids, but I recently had cause to read Business Chickens by Jess McGeachin and can I say: I’ve never identified with a chicken (or a children’s book character) so hard in my life! Fran isn’t like the other business chickens – she isn’t good at being punctual or being serious – and is distraught when she fails at being an office clone like everyone else. But maybe she’s just different… in a good way? It’s got a gorgeous rebel-flavoured message, the cutest graphics, and has a recipe in the back. What’s not to love? I’ll be giving this to any parents of littlies that come within my orbit in the near future, for sure.
2. A while ago, I received a sample of Living Proof’s full thickening cream, available at MECCA for $51 for 109ml, and even though I’m not really the target audience (my hair is generally thick with a capital ‘T’) I thought I’d give it a shot. Lately, my bleached-out hair has had some breakage around my forehead, so I’ve gone darker with my colour for the cold months and am looking to rebuild my hair. I can’t say this lemon-tinged salon-scented cream noticeably thickened my hair, but running some through the lengths made my hair soft and easier to manage. It didn’t weigh my hair down but did de-fluff it and smooth it down. I’ll continue using the sample until it runs out and hopefully it’ll make up for the breakage.
What I’m Feelin’ Right Now
Tom kha soup
‘Nobody – from Kaiju No. 8’ by OneRepublic
Pastel rainbow colours
Denim dresses for workwear
Moving to a Tasmanian farm and discovering an old swing hanging from a tree in my gigantic backyard
Putting blueberry jam in my tea
Watching a volleyball match live at the venue
Apple and honey as a flavour combo
Chocolate-hued jeans
Giveaway
The giveaway this week is a cracker – Bri Lee’s new novel The Work! Enter your name and email address here for a chance to win.
Playlist of the Week
Strolling through an art gallery in the morning light: