My writing
I love the process of writing and the stringing together of words to form
a story borne from the wisp of an idea.
Having dabbled in poetry and short stories for many years, I focused on
writing more seriously once my children were at school.
An active member of the Canberra writing scene, I was elected to the Committee
that was instrumental in establishing the ACT Writers Centre.
For almost a decade, I contributed a weekly cookery column,
Stirring the Pot, to a subsidiary of The Canberra Times newspaper.
My poems and book reviews have been published in the literary pages of The Canberra Times, and editions of Muse magazine, Tamba, Studio, Spindrift and FreeXpression.
In 2013, I won the Narrative category of the SA Writers Centre/Food Bloggers Australia food writing competition, judged by food historian and Professor of the Graduate Program in Food Studies at the University of Adelaide, Barbara Santich,
and Michelle Prak, Board Member of the SA Writers Centre.
In 2015, one of my original recipes was selected for inclusion in Australia Cooks, edited by Kelli Brett, and produced by the Australian Broadcasting Commission and HarperCollins.
My first book, The Barber from Budapest & other stories - a memoir with recipes -
was published in November 2016 by Parsley Lane Press.
MEDIA
Media appearances, interviews and reviews:
Other honours and achievements:
- Weekly columnist, Stirring the Pot, The Chronicle newspaper
(The Canberra Times), 1993-2003 - Weekly radio segment, The Ten Dollar Dinner, 666 ABC Radio Canberra
with James Valentine and Rod Quinn, 1997-2001 - Catherine Saxelby's Food Watch, guest blogger, 2012
- True Food Network, featured foodie, 2012
- Interview with Kate Freeman - HER Canberra, July 2013
- Fairfax goodfood, Top of the Posts, July 2013
- Food Writer Friday, featured blogger, 2013
- IN Daily, Adelaide's independent newspaper, featured blogger, 2013
- live with ILVE, featured blogger, 2013
- Sapphire Coast Tourism, A Foodie's first visit to the Sapphire Coast, 2014
- Interview with Ellias Hallaj - CBR Foodie, Meet a Canberra foodie, 2014
- Featured - Fairfax goodfood, Food Bloggers Share a Good Meal, 2014
- Featured - Capital Region Farmers Market Friendly Folk, 2015
- Featured - 5 of the Best Melbourne, 5 delicious cherry recipes, 2015
- Featured - ANU Reporter, From a horse and buggy to a baby in a buggy, 2015
- The Barber from Budapest & other stories featured - Matilda Bookshop
- Review - The Barber from Budapest & other stories,
by Michelle Brotohusodo - HER Caberra, December 2016 - Review - The Barber from Budapest & other stories, The RiotACT, November 2016
- Review - The Barber from Budapest & other stories, Food & Travel, November 2016
- Interview - ABC Radio National Life Matters, December 2016
- Interview - J-Air Travel Writers Radio, November 2016
- Guest spots talking food and cooking on Radio 2CC Canberra, 2017
- Guest speaker - Australian Federation of Graduate Women,
Southern Highlands Branch, March 2017 - Review - The Barber from Budapest & other stories - The Canberra Times,
November 2016 - Guest spots talking food and cooking with Lish Fejer
on her Sunday Brunch program, 666 ABC Canberra, 2016-2018 - Panelist in discussion with Simon Rickard at Festival Muse Canberra, March 2017
Other honours and achievements:
- Australia Day Achievement Award - leadership & innovation
Department of Industry, 2012 - Participant - Visit Canberra's The Human Brochure campaign, 2012
- Winner, Narrative Category, Best Australian Food Blog writing competition, 2013
- Winner ABC's Australia Cooks competition, ACT (mains category), 2015
(my winning recipe featured in Australia Cooks book by Kelli Brett) - Guest panelist, Is full time blogging the holy grail? - Eat Drink Blog Canberra, 2015
- Coordinator and judge - Eat Drink Blog writing competition, 2015
- Guest judge, Sydney Markets Fresh Awards writing competition, 2016
- Guest judge, Sydney Markets FRESH awards writing competition, 2017
- Guest judge, Sydney Markets FRESH Awards writing competition, 2018
- Guest judge, Sydney Markets FRESH Awards writing competition, 2019