In my last substack Love, Poetry and Time Management I wrote about how I had recently subscribed to the BBC Maestro platform and was enjoying the courses. One of those courses was Writing Love Stories by Jojo Moyes.

Although the course is directed at unpublished writers, there is plenty to offer established authors as well. Jojo is not only a warm and humble personality, but she is also an excellent teacher. But before I say more about the course, let’s talk a little bit about love stories.

It is undisputed that social media has gobbled up a lot of the time we would have previously spent reading. In the past when we would settle into an armchair after dinner, or find a seat on the train, or climb into bed, we would reach for a book to relax with or to pass the time.

Many of you know the wonderful Anna Loder, Sydney bookselling and event personality and champion of Australian writers.

For readers who want to read the books in order, I’ve listed my novels and non-fiction book in order by publication date for you.

Passion is one of those magical words that lifts our spirits just to hear it. The idea of living passionately, fully and with boldness stirs something in our soul. Indeed, passion is a state of mind that fills us with an inner fire and makes us feel alive.

I’m often asked if there is a place and time that has particular appeal to me. My answer is always Paris between the wars. After the tragedy of the Great War, the city burst to life and became a hub of creativity in art, fashion, literature, dance and music.

The French Agent is set in France and Australia in 1946. The story in France is about a secret service agent on the trail of a war criminal. The story in Australia is about the country coming to grips with the aftermath of the war, including the return of traumatised servicemen and women and the massive migration into the country of displaced people from Europe.

My mother’s family – White Russians from China – had their lives turned upside down by wars and revolutions. Post-war migration to Australia completely changed the culture of the country. So, while there are many novels written about the tense days of the Second World War, I am particularly interested in what happened in the aftermath.

Previously I’ve written about where I get my ideas from and how I plot my novels, but readers are often curious about what happens after I’ve spent those long months writing the novel. Why does it take a further twelve months from the time I’ve finished my manuscript to the date of publication?

We have all been deeply upset by the outbreak of war between Putin’s Russian army and Ukraine. It’s shocked us, because Ukraine is an independent country, and it should be free to choose its own destiny just as any other sovereign state. It is not a territory of Russia and yet Putin – against the counsel of his closest advisors – saw fit to invade it.

When writers meet each other for the first time, one of the questions we love to ask each other is: ‘Are you a pantser or a plotter?’. Readers are often curious about this too.

I have wanted to ask my publisher, Anna Valdinger at Harpercollins Publishers Australia about her career for some time. Recently, I got to do just that!

One of the great pleasures of having written The Divine Feline: A Chic Cat Lady’s Guide to Woman’s Best Friend, is the beautiful cats and their guardians I have met from around the world. Marshmallow and Snowy Moon are two Instagram stars from Lebanon @marshmallowpaw.

Dear Pebbles,

I can’t seem to get a good photograph of my cat, Purrito. He is cute as a button but whenever I try to take a photo of him he looks down, or away, or rolls over and starts licking his tushy. The only good photographs I ever get of him are when he is sleeping. What should I do?

Defeated

I was barely into my third decade when I was published. In one of the interviews I did early in my career for a metropolitan newspaper, my photograph was captioned: ‘Late Bloomer: Belinda Alexandra.’

Love can improve your writing – and just about everything else too!

Have you ever noticed that when you feel the emotions of love, joy, gratitude and appreciation it seems as if your heart is swelling and the world is opening up before you?

At fourteen, Simone Fleurier is wrenched from her home on a Provençal lavender farm and sent to work in Marseilles. Her life there is hard and impoverished, but Simone discovers the music hall and a dream: to one day be a famous dancer and singer.

When I recently read Night Rescue by Jill Gilbert of Australia’s Kangaroos, I related deeply to the emotions she so beautifully expressed. She’s kindly given me permission to share this moving story with you.

Dear Pebbles,

My cat, Ferrari, is very fond of tearing around the house late at night. He sleeps all day and then, just as I am turning off the light and snuggling into bed, he starts creating all sorts of havoc: Racing up and down the stairs; knocking vases off tables; playing with the venetian blinds.

Spectator

I’m often approached at book-signings by people who tell me that they dream of being a writer but they don’t know where to start.