Featured Sponsor: Helen Patrice

When I was 16 I put an ad in the local paper to start a writers' club, and another bespectacled 16 year old responded. She was red-haired and a keen science fiction/fantasy writer. We were as different as anything but we hit it off and have been firm friends ever since. You  could say that that writer’s club was a precursor of my current Mastery Club, becaase it was all about supporting and challenging each other with our writing.

Today Helen is also a published author and poet, and she has stepped forward as a sponsor of The Mastery Club™ 10 Lessons Program. Here’s a summary of some of Helen’s publications:

A WOMAN OF MARS is the poetic story of a woman homesteader on Mars, taking her from age 16 through to her 70's. It's a science fiction story, and also reflects Australia's founding through tough women who endured their harsh environment.

PALAEONTOLOGY FOR BEGINNERS will be published in 2014 as both a hard copy book and a Kindle ebook.  It is a collection of Helen's poetry, spanning a 30 year writing career. 

THE FATAL SHORES is nearing completion. It's a second book of science fiction poetry, returning to the Australian theme of prison transportation.

A collection of Helen's short stories, and a collection of the articles she had published in magazines such as MOTHER AND BABY, NOVA, and LIVING NOW, are in the works. A collection of travel articles and essays is beginning. 

Helen says: "Lots and lots of exciting projects, while my seemingly never-ending autobiography simmers along. Having lived several lives in one (daughter, student, mother, writer, belly dancer, psychic, witch, advocate, educator, world traveller, along with all the weird and wonderful jobs I had to work to put food on the table), I am finally telling my stories on the page, rather than around the dinner table. Possible title is: KISSED BY A SEAL (goosed by a dolphin)."

Thanks, Helen! You'll make a wonderful Guest Speaker for the ninth session of our program. :-)

New Criteria for a Sound Education

What if ‘aliveness’ and the ability to achieve one’s goals and dreams were the criteria and measure of a sound education rather than grades? How would our world look, sound and feel?

That question was the point of my presentation when I joined celebrated UK ‘word artist’ Suli Breaks, Founder of Be Who You Wanna Be Greg Schreeuwer, and Founder of KidsAtSwitch Jamie Lee, on stage at the Oxford Arts Factory in Sydney on March 15th.

Jamie spoke first about the work she is doing teaching financial literacy and entrepreneurialism to primary aged kids. (She has a brilliant program – stand by for more detail in a newsletter to come.) I spoke about my experiences home educating my kids and about The Mastery Club – of course! – with the upshot of my presentation being the question above. Greg spoke about being bullied at school, and guided the audience to reflect on their own experiences at both ends of the bullying equation. And Suli entertained us, informed us, charmed us, and inspired us with his moving spoken poetry. Our theme was ‘Education’ - you can watch Suli’s message here.

Greg is in the process of organising an Online Youth Summit – I’ll share more about it in coming newsletters. 

Books are Pivotal in Creating Meaningful Conversations

"Both brilliant books with real tips for kids to cope with the thousands of issues they face in this modern world. These should be made compulsory texts in upper primary schools. We are anxiously waiting for the next novel. These books have also been pivotal in creating meaningful conversations with my daughter on topics which can be hard to raise. Thank you.” – Anj Cowle (via Facebook)

Thank you, Anj Cowle!

Do You 'Crash and Burn' or 'Crash and Learn'?

My article on this subject is in this month's 'Living Now' – a magazine that is available from most health food stores and wellbeing centres for free! (Other recently published articles include 'The 'Small Print' on our 'Contract with Life' at www.mental-health-center.com or 'The Wandless Wizard Inside You' at www.howdoyoufeel.com.au)

And consider connecting with me on my Liliane Grace Author & Writing Coach Facebook page... :-)