About Me

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Perth, Western Australia, Australia
I am based in Perth, Western Australia. You might enjoy my books - The Dagger of Dresnia, the first book of the Talismans Trilogy, is available at all good online book shops as is Book two, The Cloak of Challiver. Book three, The Seer of Syland, is in preparation. I trained in piano and singing at the NSW Conservatorium of Music. I also trained in dance (Scully-Borovansky, WAAPA) and drama (NIDA). Since 1987 I have been writing reviews of performances in all genres for a variety of publications, including Music Maker, ArtsWest, Dance Australia, The Australian and others. Now semi-retired, I still write occasionally for the ArtsHub website.

My books

The first two books of my trilogy, The Talismans, (The Dagger of Dresnia, and book two, The Cloak of Challiver) are available in e-book format from Smashwords, Amazon and other online sellers. Book three of the trilogy, The Seer of Syland, is in preparation.I also have a short story, 'La Belle Dame', in print - see Mythic Resonance below - as well as well as a few poems in various places. The best way to contact me is via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/satimaflavell

Buy The Talismans

The first two books of The Talismans trilogy were published by Satalyte Publications, which, sadly, has gone out of business. However, The Dagger of Dresnia and The Cloak of Challiver are available as ebooks on the usual book-selling websites, and book three, The Seer of Syland, is in preparation. The easiest way to contact me is via Facebook.

The Dagger of Dresnia

The Dagger of Dresnia

The Cloak of Challiver, Book two of The Talismans

The Cloak of Challiver, Book two of The Talismans
Available as an e-book on Amazon and other online booksellers.

Mythic Resonance

Mythic Resonance

Mythic Resonance is an excellent anthology that includes my short story 'La Belle Dame', together with great stories from Alan Baxter, Donna Maree Hanson, Sue Burstynski, Nike Sulway and nine more fantastic authors! Just $US3.99 from Amazon. Got a Kindle? Check out Mythic Resonance.

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Places I've lived: Manchester, UK

Places I've lived: Manchester, UK

Places I've lived: Gippsland, Australia

Places I've lived: Gippsland, Australia

Places I've lived: Geelong, Australia

Places I've lived: Geelong,  Australia

Places I've lived: Tamworth, NSW

Places I've lived: Tamworth, NSW

Places I've Lived - Sydney

Places I've Lived - Sydney
Sydney Conservatorium - my old school

Places I've lived: Auckland, NZ

Places I've lived: Auckland, NZ

Places I've Lived: Mount Gambier

Places I've Lived: Mount Gambier
Blue Lake

Places I've lived: Adelaide, SA

Places I've lived: Adelaide, SA

Places I've Lived: Perth by Day

Places I've Lived: Perth by Day
From Kings Park

Places I've lived: High View, WV

Places I've lived: High View, WV

Places I've lived: Lynton, Devon, UK

Places I've lived: Lynton, Devon, UK

Places I've lived: Braemar, Scotland

Places I've lived: Braemar, Scotland

Places I've lived: Barre, MA, USA

Places I've lived: Barre, MA, USA

Places I've Lived: Perth by Night

Places I've Lived: Perth by Night
From Kings Park

Inner Peace Blog

Inner Peace Blog
Awarded by Joanna Fay. Click on the image to visit her lovely website!

Versatile Blogger Award

Versatile Blogger Award
Awarded by Kim Falconer. Click on the pic to check out her Quantum Astrology blog!

Fabulous Blog Award

Fabulous Blog Award
Awarded by Kathryn Warner. Click on the pic to check out her Edward II blog!

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Thursday 19 April 2007

Spring in Devon

Oh to be in England...well, I'm here and it's April, and spring is so advanced already that it's a bit worrying. Well, more than a bit, actually, for if the place keeps heating up at this rate they'll be growing bananas in Devon soon. (Did I blog Sam's bananas? I think not. He has a bunch on a tree in his conservatory - in the Rhine Valley! I hope they ripen, Sam!)


Here the hawthorn is already in full bloom (it used to be called "May" because that's when it always flowered) and I heard on the BBC that swifts are nesting already, a month early. Something worrying has happened to the climate and will go on happening, it seems; however, the upside is that I'm seeing more flowers than I might have done in what used to be considered a "normal" season. Bluebells galore - and not all of them blue. They come in mauve and pink and white as well, in scores and hundreds and thousands. Tulips are a joy - if you can see them under the showers of dropping cherry blossoms. We're having temperatures in the high teens-low twenties Celsius, which again is unusual in April. And none of the fabled showers. Nice for me with my perpetual cathedral hunting, but not, in the long term, a good thing at all.

I spent Sunday night in Salisbury, where there is an excellent YHA establishment. A lot of YHA hostels have been closed down, which is a shame as I much prefer them to backpackers' places, which are often very noisy and sometimes seem to attract people I'd rather not share with. As the average B&B is too expensive for me, I was glad to find a Youth Hostel in Salisbury. Don't be put off by the Youth bit, fellow mature persons - they attract travellers of all ages and nationalities. I shared with a young Taiwanese-French scientist and at breakfast I met a whole family of people from the Midlands - four generations of them!

Salisbury is a lovely town, very well placed for Stonehenge and Avebury, although for the latter you really need wheels. I think I like Winchester even more, though. I'd really like to go there again, while Salisbury and Stonehenge can be seen in one or two days. I last visited in 1996 and wouldn't have gone again, except the visit allowed me to meet still another e-cousin, Jeremy, who is doing a virtual One-Name Study of the TURTLE family. I was happy to meet his wife, Janet, and to take a peek at the latest results of Jeremy's painstaking research into our mutual ancestors. And you should see their amazing collection of turtle ornaments, doorstops, paperweights etc. There was even a velour one than did a song and dance act!

Yesterday it was Exeter. I did the rounds of a group of really old churches, dating back to the conquest. Some of them have been extensively rebuilt over the centuries, of course, but here and there the visitor can see the original Norman arches and even the odd bit of Saxon stonework. I also visited Exeter Cathedral and saw the burial place of a pair of many-time great-grandparents, Hugh Courteney and his wife. Fine family historian I am - I can't remember the poor woman's name. However, they lived back in the 1300s, by which time our ancestors number in the tens of thousands, so no wonder I can't remember the odd one:-)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Satima your cousing Jean here from Leeds. You are making me tired just thinking about all the travelling you have done it makes interesting reading and I am so glad you are enjoying yourself. Just got back from America with my family been away for two weeks ski ing in Colorado and then to the sun shine in Florida celebrating my 50th Birthday. So it has been nice reading your blog to see what you have been up to since we met. When are you due to go back? Good luck with everything and have a safe trip home Lots of Love to your family take good care of youself.

Jean
XXX

Satima Flavell said...

Great to hear from you, Jean - and I hope you had a super holiday, too. I return to Oz on 21 May. Isn't it great that I caught up with so many cousins? Give my love to all the ones in your area!

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