Talking divided hearts on Triple R

I had the pleasure of talking about The Divided Heart on Triple R's "Reading Room" segment with host Kulja Coulston and author/ illustrator Sally Rippin as part of station's Grapevine program today.

You can listen here if you like. Our chat starts at about 2:27:00 into the recording.

Working on the reissue of The Divided Heart has again given me the chance to talk to some incredible women artists. I'd forgotten how much I love meeting and talking to women about these deeply felt issues. It's wonderful to be reminded how discussing the "intersection" of mothering and creativity leads to such a profound and heartfelt explorations of both.

A book like this relies on the openness of its subjects - and I am still struck, every time I meet one of my interviewees, by the extraordinary intelligence, honesty and generosity of spirit - not to mention the precious time - that these women proffer.

It's as though I myself finally understand what playwright Hannie Rayson meant when she said: “There is such intelligence, insight and honesty in this book, which makes me remember why I love being in the company of women. Perversely perhaps, this book made me yearn to go back and do it all again.”

Me too!

New version of The Divided Heart on its way...

I think I can now safely announce that The Divided Heart has found a new publisher and, all things going to plan, will be reprinted and back on bookshop shelves in April 2015!

Independent publisher Affirm Press have taken it on, albeit with some significant changes -- all involving a very tight deadline.

Hardworking editor Aviva Tuffield and I are currently working on the new edition, which will feature updated content and additional interviews.

It's very tempting to tell you which artists I'm set to meet next week, but I don't want to steal the book's thunder, so you'll just have to wait till the book is released next year.

It all feels very exciting -- and such a relief to be able to tell people who ask me how/where they can get their hands a copy that it will be back in print soon...

Also, for me personally, it will finally free me up to pursue some of my other writing more wholeheartedly (no pun intended!). For quite a while now, every time I've tried to sink into a new project, I've felt this pressure to put that energy into getting The Divided Heart back into print as a first priority.

The combination of kids and full-time work means I still have very little time around the edges for creativity, so it's all too easy for unfinished, long-term projects to use up the space that might otherwise go towards new work. (All part of the complex discipline required to make art, I know!)

So not only is it lovely to get this chance to breathe new life into what really has been my passion project for some time now, its reissue might finally give me the space and time to follow it up with some new writing (I hope).

The great gift of writing this book has been the incredible community of creative people it has connected me to. As I've said many times, the letters and messages I have received from readers over the years have been so insightful and moving, I've felt that any one of their writers would have been worthy of an interview for the book itself -- if only it could be endlessly expanded. Which it has and will continue to do in other forums.

Thank you for staying connected with this blog and with The Divided Heart. I'll be sure to keep you posted on its progress...