First up, thanks for joining me on Substack. I’m a big fan of the discussion threads you can find here so I’ll be opening up my own thread for subscribers to chat about a different topic once a month.
For this month, I’d love to know who’s out there so please say hello in the comments thread and let me and everyone else know as much or as little about yourself as you’d like to share. Are you here out of curiosity, for my wonderful words 😉, because you have no idea what Substack is, because you need a break from social media, because you’re a writer, a reader, a fashionista or a Francophile or a combination of all 4 – or are you none of the above?
I’d love to make this a community, so hit the pink button below and let’s start talking!
Hi everyone! For those who don't know me, I'm Natasha. I live in Perth, Western Australia. I write books, draw dresses, read a lot, and travel when I can. I'm into running as well. Right now I'm reading Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, in case you're interested! Looking forward to meeting you all.
I was disappointed in myself as my goal was 100, but it's been a tough year. Reading is my meditation. Yes, social media is so misleading of what people are really doing in their lives, happy to have time away also. Have even joined a letter writing group and now have a penpal.
Hello Natasha, I'm Nicole from Brisbane Queensland. I read alot 81 books this year. I love to sew and paint. I go to Aqua and water walk. I just finished reading The Natural History of Loveby Caroline Petit. Happy New Year, looking forward to chatting.
Hi Nicole! Great to see you here. Wow - 81 books is incredible. We authors love people like you. I think I read about half as many as that and I feel like I read less this year than last year. For 2023, my big goal is to spend a lot less time on social media and more time reading, thinking, and writing here on Substack. I'm looking forward to the challenge of doing something new and much more meaningful than the things that take up a lot of my time right now. Thank you so much for joining me here.
Hi Natasha, I’m excited to be a part of your Substack community, thank you for creating it! I’m Casey and I’m from a little rural town in north west NSW, Australia. I am a lover of history, fashion and reading, so naturally your books are the most perfect form of escapism for me! I have two beautiful sons and I’m a special education teacher. I am currently reading The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan; reading her latest release is a Christmas holiday tradition I’ve upheld for years.
Welcome Casey! Thank you for being here. I've never done a Substack before so I was pretty nervous that no one would subscribe and I'm very happy right now that people have not only subscribed, but you've kicked off the discussion thread too! I've never read Karen Swan but I've heard lots of good things about her.
And I love that you have a Christmas reading tradition too. Our main Christmas tradition here is to make a gingerbread house from scratch. I'm no baker but it's amazing how well that royal icing can hold everything together!
Hi Natasha, I hope u know I have always loved your writing from even before you published your first book. I didn’t know what substack was until you posted yesterday. Oddly, just that morning I was saying to my sisters that I feel so impatient writing a first draft of my next book and I wished that blogging was a proper thing again, you know like how it used to be, so I could share a bit of my research and also hear about what other writers were thinking/writing/doing. And then there you were with a new option. I’m still confused though, still super new. Why substack and not a blog on your own page? Or will I grow tired of the inbox messages, if I subscribe to too many things? Etc etc. But... ultimately, I love what you have done these last couple days and I have loved many of the posts and newsletters I have since come across. Still exploring, I think.
Also for others, I’m in Perth too. I just finished Brooke Dunnell’s The Glasshouse and Claire Keegan’s ‘Small things like these’. I am halfway through an incredible book called ‘The unwomanly face of war’ and I just begun Gail Jones’ ‘Salonica Burning’. All good and all recommendable. Happy New Year. Thanks for introducing me to this.
Yay! I was so happy when I saw your name here. And I'm so glad I've introduced you to Substack. I say try subscribing to a few things to start with and see what you find yourself looking forward to in your inbox. I've found that there are a handful of newsletters I absolutely love and that – maybe it sounds corny – enrich my life and make me think.
I missed blogging too. I used to be able to write different things to just a long novel when I blogged and I think that was good for my writing. The reason I chose Substack rather than a blog is because I like their mission – that when writers write things and publish them on the internet, they should probably be paid for those words if people are getting value out of them. And I like that they also have the balance between giving and getting rewarded - you can make some posts free and just give those words because it's a good thing to do, but you can also paywall other posts and thus find another way to make a living as a writer by writing. Maybe it's Utopian but I want to start changing people's minds about how valuable our words are and I definitely don't want to keep propping up Meta. With a blog, I'd still have to promote each post on Instagram. The idea with Substack is that there is and will be a community of people here who will support your writing. Fingers crossed anyway!
Hi Natasha, huge fan, also from Perth and a devoted Gingerbread house builder! I had no idea Substack existed, so thank you for sharing. I just deleted Insta from my phone (due to an unstoppable scrolling addiction!) but still desperately want to stay in touch with the reading/writing community. This is perfect.
I love writing and have been part of Holly Craig’s Write Club this year and will continue in 2023. Currently reading “What if You Fly” by Camille Booker and loving it.
Excellent to meet another gingerbread house builder! My kids' theory behind gingerbread house making is to stick as many lollies onto the house as can possibly fit. It always looks very colourful at the end!
And agree with you about Insta - it's so easy to become addicted to the endless scrolling. When I recently went away on holiday, I wondered what on earth I was actually getting out of all that scrolling. Lost time was the only answer I could come up with. I'm really hoping this Substack will be a good way to build a community that gives back some value to everyone so we feel like it's time well spent and as if we're a better person having read or written something here – because we've learned something, made a new friend, got a great recommendation or walked away with an idea.
Hi Natasha, I'm Andrew, a sometime short story writer but more often a poet from Melbourne (previously Sydney). I love historical fiction and have enjoyed your books greatly. And you've prompted me to stop procrastinating and start using Substack (rather than WordPress, etc).
Hi Andrew! Thanks so much for joining in the fun! I used to love writing poetry but it's something I don't do enough of anymore. I found a wonderful podcast recently that I've started listening to, which is just one poem a day and I've really enjoyed listening to the way people play with language. I think that's one of the best parts of being a writer – fitting words together in strange and beautiful ways and poetry is such a great example of this at work. It's really recharged my creativity. And so glad to hear you're giving Substack a go too. We might as well give it a try and see what comes of it, right?!
And so far I'm finding Substack easier than the alternatives. And so true : writing expresses so often what we can't say. Full disclosure: I did try writing two novels (maybe I may return to that), I still occassionally write short stories but I keep coming back to poetry (if I don't I go mad).
I am from Southern California! I am so excited to meet Alix in a few days! Your books made me fall in love with Historical Fiction! Each of your characters stay with me and I find myself recommended your books to friends often and then discussing the book/characters once they finish!
I have two very active children, a husband, and work full time. I have personal reading goals set each year and often meet those goals by listening to books as well; I wouldn't be able to read nearly as many books as I would like to if Audio wasn't available.
I look forward to reading more of your words! You have a beautiful way with words and am excited this platform exists!
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Beth! I'm so glad you've joined us here - I'm also really excited that this platform exists and I hope it's going to be a worthwhile and fulfilling way to build a community and write things that are a bit of a bridge between an entire novel and a short post that's meant to get someone's attention while they're scrolling.
I'm a big audiobook fan too - I find I listen to more memoirs than I would sit down and read as I love listening to the real people behind the book tell their own stories. If you have any audiobook recommendations, let me know as I'm always on the lookout for something to add to my wishlist.
Huge fan of yours! Love your words on Instagram, so this sounds perfect!! Reader of historical fiction, particularly female resistance workers, absolutely European travel.
Thank you for being here! I'm looking forward to building on the kinds of posts I've been writing on Instagram and being able to flesh them out a bit more – and not having Instagram make money off those posts! Let me know if there are any particular topics you're interested in hearing more about - I welcome ideas in these early stages of my Substack adventure!
Hi Terrilyn! So happy you've joined in the fun here. I can't wait for Alix to finally say hello to my North American readers who've all been waiting so patiently. We're getting so close now! I'll be exploring some of the areas of history that I cover in the book here on Substack in the next month or so, so stay tuned!
Hi Natasha, I’m Annette and I’m from Melbourne. I’m a copywriter and have a love of reading, baking, travel and anything fun. I love your books and have also got my mum hooked on them! I’m so happy to be a part of this community.
Thank you for joining everyone here! I'm so happy to see so many people coming on board. And a big thank you for introducing your mum to my books. I don't know if people understand how valuable word of mouth is to writers and that, every time someone recommends our books, it's about fifty times more powerful than any Instagram post or advertisement could ever be. So I really appreciate it.
Hi my name is Christine and I live near Brisbane. I am retired but my passion is making greeting cards. I have no idea what Substack is but willing to give it a try to read Natasha's news and information. I am currently reading Golden Earings by Belinda Alexandra and loving it.
I didn't know what Substack was either at the start of 2022 so thank you for giving something new a try. I love the community here and the information I find. It's an enjoyable place to spend time and I always walk away feeling like I learned something. I'm going to post soon about the other Substack newsletters I really enjoy in case that's of interest to anyone.
Hi Everyone, I’m very glad to be here. I’m a writer from Melbourne and I work full time. Fairly new to the writing game and I am excited to have my first novel coming out next year. Natasha’s recent comments about the role of social media for writers has captured my interest and so I signed up for her newsletter. It seems like social media is a necessary evil for writers, but it’s also a huge drain on time and energy we could be spending on doing the actual writing. I look forward to further discussions on this subject. Cheers, Naomi. x
Congratulations on the novel, Naomi! That's such a huge achievement. You'll have to keep us up to date with how it's all going – and feel free to ask questions at any time. Happy to help if I can.
And yes – it wasn't until I went away on holiday recently that I really thought about how many thousands of words I pour into Instagram and Facebook every year and when I realised that those words were what Instagram and Facebook relied on to make money, I felt ill. It actually made me angry that publishers want writers to do something that only primarily the bottom line of a company whose business practices are questionable to say the least. I want to use this Substack to flex my writing muscles a little by writing posts that are different to what I can do in a novel and to try to step right away from Instagram and Facebook. Glad to have you here too.
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement, Natasha, I really appreciate it. I am glad to have an alternative way to connect to the reading and writing community. You have made me see social media in a whole different light and I am going to have to think differently about the way I use it.
Hi Natasha! I've followed your blog, Facebook etc. since you released A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald and I've loved following your journey as a writer. I live in north west NSW, read a lot and I'm also a writer. Looking forward to engaging with Substack. :)
Hello. My name is Cheri. I have always loved reading. Several years ago I got very interested in historical fiction- particularly WW II fiction. I don't read as much as I did a couple years ago as life has been a bit hectic over the past two years. I am interested to see what I find on Substack and I am trying to cut back on FB and IG.
Hi Cheri! Great to have you here. Hope you find lots of good stuff on Substack. I'll do a post very soon on which Substacks I like and hopefully others will share their tips too so we have a great list of things to read that go beyond the soundbite impossible perfectionism of Instagram.
Hi everyone. I'm Rachel and live in Wellington New Zealand. I love reading and creative writing. I work in health communications for a day job and enjoy creative writing in my spare time. I've started my first novel over the past year (although the idea was seeded some 15 years ago while travelling). I have a while to go and my goal is to finish the first draft in 2023. I have two teenage children who also keep me busy. I discovered The Riveria House in a bookshop about 3 months ago and then quickly bought the Three Lives of Alix St Pierre' as I love the mix of historical fiction, strong female characters, creative writing and storytelling. I enjoy talking about all things reading and writing and the craft of writing too. I'm about to start 'Miracle' by Jennifer Lane.
Hi Rachel! So good to have a New Zealander here! I love that you've held onto an idea for 15 years and haven't let it go, but have kept thinking on it and are turning it into a book. I always say that you have to be truly passionate about anything you want to write about, passionate enough to be happy to live with it for a long time and you clearly have that passion. I wish you all the best with it - feel free to share your progress and ask questions as we travel through the year on Substack!
Hi Natasha, I’m Nathalie, french writer and excited to be a part of your Substack community, thank you for creating it! Your are quite an example for me and I'm following from your first book.
Hi Natasha, Sue here from Ireland but hopefully returning forever to my beloved Perth later this year. I came across Substack with David Michie (also Perth author) & find this medium so much more interesting & informative than Facebook. I don't subscribe to any other on line eg twitter, Instagram etc. I love reading, use Libby, the WA online library, Apple & Amazon. It is where I escape from the stress of life. Australia has, & is producing some excellent authors & I rarely read any other than these as there is such a wide variety of genre to choose from. I'm looking forward to your monthly blurb!
Hi Sue! I agree with you wholeheartedly about Substack. I love the mission of the platform, the writers you find here and the readers too. I don't know David Richie's Substack but I will take a look - thank you for the recommendation!
Hi Natasha, I an Christine and I live in North West Sydney Hills area. I have been reading your books for a few years now I love historical fiction books. I would generally read about 15-20 books in a year. Sometimes less sometimes more.
Hi Kate! 92 books - wow! That's quite incredible. As I think I said to someone else in this thread, we writers love voracious readers like you. Thank you - and may your 2023 be equally full of books.
Hi. I am Ulla and are joining from Denmark. I read or rather listen to a lot of historical fiction. Often these books don't get translated into Danish, so I actually practice my English this way. (Recently i enjoyed listening to The three lives of Alix st Pierre...wonderful book!)I love listening and knitting at the same time . I read books too, right now Virginia Wolf 'A room og one's own' which we will discuss in my bookclub later this month. I am a retired chef and Danish teacher.
Hi Ulla! So happy to hear that you enjoyed Alix St Pierre! I think it's incredible that you can listen to audiobooks in another language – I try to do this with French language audiobooks but I have to reduce the playing speed a little so I can keep up. Great to have you here!
Happy New Year from Ontario, Canada 😊 As with most here, I’m new to Substack and joined recently when a Canadian social media personality I enjoy started transitioning his posts here, for many of the same reasons as you, Natasha, particularly with respect to Twitter changes. I am an avid reader and truly appreciate the blood sweat and tears that go into creating something for the world to read - my thanks to all of you here who are giving so much of yourselves to your craft. My first read of the year is The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre 😉 - a signed Australian edition my friend in Sydney sent me after attending the launch at Dymocks 🥰 I was so excited to receive a copy before it is released here next week.
Hi Kelly and thank you for joining us! I hope to see more and more people writing great things here and the reading community growing in tandem. And yay that you got an early copy of Alix St Pierre - I remember signing that for you. Your friend was so excited to get it for you, which was just lovely. I hope you enjoy the book – and many more great books to come this year!
Hello., I'm Jacie from Perth, Western Australia. I am an aspiring/emerging writer. I lose my way a lot. I have ADHD, which impacts my abilities sometimes. I love reading, sewing, DIY/Upcycling things. I also love walking along the coast where I live; currently returning to that following a broken ankle.
I am currently reading The Bookbinder's Daughter by Jessica Thorne.
Hi Jacie! Hope the foot is healing up well. I think we all lose our way from time to time and that’s okay. You’re such a creative soul that I think you’ll always find your way back. And sometimes I find that I learn something in that lost time that helps me later on. I’m glad you’re here anyway.
It is, slower than I want, but what can I do? Such kind words too, I have learnt so much from you along the way. Happy to be here, this is an interesting platform. I have been wandering off and reading here and there on it.
Hello Helen! You're one of my favourite book reviewers so I'm thrilled that you're here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on what you're reading over the coming months. Thanks so much for doing us!
Thank you for introducing me to Substack. As a writer and marketer, and like most people here, I feel Meta has become somewhat of a necessary evil. You have to use it but sometimes, especially as a consumer, it is like digging for a diamond amongst a sea of mindless drivel. I’m all for promoting not just the power, but the value of the written word. I’m located in Sydney and have ambitions of transitioning into a full time writer in 2023. I subscribe to a couple of writers newsletters and podcasts like Writes4Women, and I am really looking forward to Bijoux.
I discovered you when you were on tour promoting The Paris Seamstress and have been following you ever since. I love your storytelling and the fact you write about strong independent women. And, as a marketer, I also appreciate and admire the way you promote your work. It’s a skill in itself, and one not many writers execute as well as you do.
As for the other info, I’ve managed to rack up 71 books this year and am currently reading The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. For me this year’s standouts (apart from the Three Lives of Alix St Pierre, of course) were Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Still Life by Sarah Winman.
Great to see you here, Linda. Let's hope we can one day get to a world where Meta is no longer either evil or necessary – although I suspect the second, while challenging, will be easier to achieve than the first!
Thank you for your very kind comments. I wouldn't be the writer I am without having the most wonderful readers in the world. And 71 books is sensational! If only there were more readers like you around. Lessons in Chemistry and Still Life were two of my faves as well so you have excellent taste in books! Look forward to seeing you around on Substack in 2023.
Hi all of you from northern Europe, Sweden! I love history and novels and if I could do my life over I would have worked as an archealogist. (Spelling it right or not ...?) I will soon go to France to research some areas for my 5th novel, but it's still unfortunately just a hobby of mine even though I've gotten some lovely exposure in swedish media. 🙌🏼 I'm new to Substack and miss my old blog, maybe this is the new?
How wonderful to have you here! I love that you'd be an archaeologist if you could live life over again. There's something quite appealing about being the one to sift through the earth for clues to how people lived centuries ago, looking for the traces they've left behind. I sometimes feel like research is a bit like archaeology, albeit with a bit less dirt (!), as we try to find the outlines of people from the past in the letters and diaries and documents and photographs that survive them. Hope your research trip to France is a success too!
Hello Natasha, I’m a fan of your writing from way back and am always inspired by your work ethic and fabulous stories. I’d never heard of Substack so this should be interesting. I’ve just finished reading the seven skins of Esther Wilding. Brilliant intertwining of stories. Happy New Year
I think it's wonderful that quite a few people who hadn't heard of Substack are giving this a go - thank you for being willing to try something new! And thank you for the lovely compliment too. 😊 I haven't read Esther Wilding yet so it's great to hear that you enjoyed it. The book has such a beautiful cover – and Holly's a terrific example of an Australian writer who's been so successful. We need more authors to succeed like she has!
Hi everyone! For those who don't know me, I'm Natasha. I live in Perth, Western Australia. I write books, draw dresses, read a lot, and travel when I can. I'm into running as well. Right now I'm reading Carrie Soto is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reid, in case you're interested! Looking forward to meeting you all.
I was disappointed in myself as my goal was 100, but it's been a tough year. Reading is my meditation. Yes, social media is so misleading of what people are really doing in their lives, happy to have time away also. Have even joined a letter writing group and now have a penpal.
I love that you have a penpal! What a great idea. I might even steal that idea myself!
Hello Natasha, I'm Nicole from Brisbane Queensland. I read alot 81 books this year. I love to sew and paint. I go to Aqua and water walk. I just finished reading The Natural History of Loveby Caroline Petit. Happy New Year, looking forward to chatting.
Hi Nicole! Great to see you here. Wow - 81 books is incredible. We authors love people like you. I think I read about half as many as that and I feel like I read less this year than last year. For 2023, my big goal is to spend a lot less time on social media and more time reading, thinking, and writing here on Substack. I'm looking forward to the challenge of doing something new and much more meaningful than the things that take up a lot of my time right now. Thank you so much for joining me here.
Hi Natasha, I’m excited to be a part of your Substack community, thank you for creating it! I’m Casey and I’m from a little rural town in north west NSW, Australia. I am a lover of history, fashion and reading, so naturally your books are the most perfect form of escapism for me! I have two beautiful sons and I’m a special education teacher. I am currently reading The Christmas Postcards by Karen Swan; reading her latest release is a Christmas holiday tradition I’ve upheld for years.
All the best for a wonderful weekend!
Welcome Casey! Thank you for being here. I've never done a Substack before so I was pretty nervous that no one would subscribe and I'm very happy right now that people have not only subscribed, but you've kicked off the discussion thread too! I've never read Karen Swan but I've heard lots of good things about her.
And I love that you have a Christmas reading tradition too. Our main Christmas tradition here is to make a gingerbread house from scratch. I'm no baker but it's amazing how well that royal icing can hold everything together!
Hi Natasha, I hope u know I have always loved your writing from even before you published your first book. I didn’t know what substack was until you posted yesterday. Oddly, just that morning I was saying to my sisters that I feel so impatient writing a first draft of my next book and I wished that blogging was a proper thing again, you know like how it used to be, so I could share a bit of my research and also hear about what other writers were thinking/writing/doing. And then there you were with a new option. I’m still confused though, still super new. Why substack and not a blog on your own page? Or will I grow tired of the inbox messages, if I subscribe to too many things? Etc etc. But... ultimately, I love what you have done these last couple days and I have loved many of the posts and newsletters I have since come across. Still exploring, I think.
Also for others, I’m in Perth too. I just finished Brooke Dunnell’s The Glasshouse and Claire Keegan’s ‘Small things like these’. I am halfway through an incredible book called ‘The unwomanly face of war’ and I just begun Gail Jones’ ‘Salonica Burning’. All good and all recommendable. Happy New Year. Thanks for introducing me to this.
Yay! I was so happy when I saw your name here. And I'm so glad I've introduced you to Substack. I say try subscribing to a few things to start with and see what you find yourself looking forward to in your inbox. I've found that there are a handful of newsletters I absolutely love and that – maybe it sounds corny – enrich my life and make me think.
I missed blogging too. I used to be able to write different things to just a long novel when I blogged and I think that was good for my writing. The reason I chose Substack rather than a blog is because I like their mission – that when writers write things and publish them on the internet, they should probably be paid for those words if people are getting value out of them. And I like that they also have the balance between giving and getting rewarded - you can make some posts free and just give those words because it's a good thing to do, but you can also paywall other posts and thus find another way to make a living as a writer by writing. Maybe it's Utopian but I want to start changing people's minds about how valuable our words are and I definitely don't want to keep propping up Meta. With a blog, I'd still have to promote each post on Instagram. The idea with Substack is that there is and will be a community of people here who will support your writing. Fingers crossed anyway!
Hi Natasha, huge fan, also from Perth and a devoted Gingerbread house builder! I had no idea Substack existed, so thank you for sharing. I just deleted Insta from my phone (due to an unstoppable scrolling addiction!) but still desperately want to stay in touch with the reading/writing community. This is perfect.
I love writing and have been part of Holly Craig’s Write Club this year and will continue in 2023. Currently reading “What if You Fly” by Camille Booker and loving it.
Excellent to meet another gingerbread house builder! My kids' theory behind gingerbread house making is to stick as many lollies onto the house as can possibly fit. It always looks very colourful at the end!
And agree with you about Insta - it's so easy to become addicted to the endless scrolling. When I recently went away on holiday, I wondered what on earth I was actually getting out of all that scrolling. Lost time was the only answer I could come up with. I'm really hoping this Substack will be a good way to build a community that gives back some value to everyone so we feel like it's time well spent and as if we're a better person having read or written something here – because we've learned something, made a new friend, got a great recommendation or walked away with an idea.
Hi Natasha, I'm Andrew, a sometime short story writer but more often a poet from Melbourne (previously Sydney). I love historical fiction and have enjoyed your books greatly. And you've prompted me to stop procrastinating and start using Substack (rather than WordPress, etc).
Hi Andrew! Thanks so much for joining in the fun! I used to love writing poetry but it's something I don't do enough of anymore. I found a wonderful podcast recently that I've started listening to, which is just one poem a day and I've really enjoyed listening to the way people play with language. I think that's one of the best parts of being a writer – fitting words together in strange and beautiful ways and poetry is such a great example of this at work. It's really recharged my creativity. And so glad to hear you're giving Substack a go too. We might as well give it a try and see what comes of it, right?!
And so far I'm finding Substack easier than the alternatives. And so true : writing expresses so often what we can't say. Full disclosure: I did try writing two novels (maybe I may return to that), I still occassionally write short stories but I keep coming back to poetry (if I don't I go mad).
Hi Natasha,
I am from Southern California! I am so excited to meet Alix in a few days! Your books made me fall in love with Historical Fiction! Each of your characters stay with me and I find myself recommended your books to friends often and then discussing the book/characters once they finish!
I have two very active children, a husband, and work full time. I have personal reading goals set each year and often meet those goals by listening to books as well; I wouldn't be able to read nearly as many books as I would like to if Audio wasn't available.
I look forward to reading more of your words! You have a beautiful way with words and am excited this platform exists!
Thank you so much for your lovely comments, Beth! I'm so glad you've joined us here - I'm also really excited that this platform exists and I hope it's going to be a worthwhile and fulfilling way to build a community and write things that are a bit of a bridge between an entire novel and a short post that's meant to get someone's attention while they're scrolling.
I'm a big audiobook fan too - I find I listen to more memoirs than I would sit down and read as I love listening to the real people behind the book tell their own stories. If you have any audiobook recommendations, let me know as I'm always on the lookout for something to add to my wishlist.
Huge fan of yours! Love your words on Instagram, so this sounds perfect!! Reader of historical fiction, particularly female resistance workers, absolutely European travel.
Thank you for being here! I'm looking forward to building on the kinds of posts I've been writing on Instagram and being able to flesh them out a bit more – and not having Instagram make money off those posts! Let me know if there are any particular topics you're interested in hearing more about - I welcome ideas in these early stages of my Substack adventure!
Hello, I’m from California and love Natasha’s books! I have two children and have been married for 36 years. I can’t wait to meet Alix St. Pierre!
Hi Terrilyn! So happy you've joined in the fun here. I can't wait for Alix to finally say hello to my North American readers who've all been waiting so patiently. We're getting so close now! I'll be exploring some of the areas of history that I cover in the book here on Substack in the next month or so, so stay tuned!
Hi Natasha, I’m Annette and I’m from Melbourne. I’m a copywriter and have a love of reading, baking, travel and anything fun. I love your books and have also got my mum hooked on them! I’m so happy to be a part of this community.
Thank you for joining everyone here! I'm so happy to see so many people coming on board. And a big thank you for introducing your mum to my books. I don't know if people understand how valuable word of mouth is to writers and that, every time someone recommends our books, it's about fifty times more powerful than any Instagram post or advertisement could ever be. So I really appreciate it.
Hi my name is Christine and I live near Brisbane. I am retired but my passion is making greeting cards. I have no idea what Substack is but willing to give it a try to read Natasha's news and information. I am currently reading Golden Earings by Belinda Alexandra and loving it.
I didn't know what Substack was either at the start of 2022 so thank you for giving something new a try. I love the community here and the information I find. It's an enjoyable place to spend time and I always walk away feeling like I learned something. I'm going to post soon about the other Substack newsletters I really enjoy in case that's of interest to anyone.
Hi Everyone, I’m very glad to be here. I’m a writer from Melbourne and I work full time. Fairly new to the writing game and I am excited to have my first novel coming out next year. Natasha’s recent comments about the role of social media for writers has captured my interest and so I signed up for her newsletter. It seems like social media is a necessary evil for writers, but it’s also a huge drain on time and energy we could be spending on doing the actual writing. I look forward to further discussions on this subject. Cheers, Naomi. x
Congratulations on the novel, Naomi! That's such a huge achievement. You'll have to keep us up to date with how it's all going – and feel free to ask questions at any time. Happy to help if I can.
And yes – it wasn't until I went away on holiday recently that I really thought about how many thousands of words I pour into Instagram and Facebook every year and when I realised that those words were what Instagram and Facebook relied on to make money, I felt ill. It actually made me angry that publishers want writers to do something that only primarily the bottom line of a company whose business practices are questionable to say the least. I want to use this Substack to flex my writing muscles a little by writing posts that are different to what I can do in a novel and to try to step right away from Instagram and Facebook. Glad to have you here too.
Thanks so much for your support and encouragement, Natasha, I really appreciate it. I am glad to have an alternative way to connect to the reading and writing community. You have made me see social media in a whole different light and I am going to have to think differently about the way I use it.
Hi Natasha! I've followed your blog, Facebook etc. since you released A Kiss From Mr Fitzgerald and I've loved following your journey as a writer. I live in north west NSW, read a lot and I'm also a writer. Looking forward to engaging with Substack. :)
Thank you for being with me for such a long time! I appreciate the support – and thank you for following me here. I hope you enjoy the community!
Hello. My name is Cheri. I have always loved reading. Several years ago I got very interested in historical fiction- particularly WW II fiction. I don't read as much as I did a couple years ago as life has been a bit hectic over the past two years. I am interested to see what I find on Substack and I am trying to cut back on FB and IG.
Hi Cheri! Great to have you here. Hope you find lots of good stuff on Substack. I'll do a post very soon on which Substacks I like and hopefully others will share their tips too so we have a great list of things to read that go beyond the soundbite impossible perfectionism of Instagram.
Hi everyone. I'm Rachel and live in Wellington New Zealand. I love reading and creative writing. I work in health communications for a day job and enjoy creative writing in my spare time. I've started my first novel over the past year (although the idea was seeded some 15 years ago while travelling). I have a while to go and my goal is to finish the first draft in 2023. I have two teenage children who also keep me busy. I discovered The Riveria House in a bookshop about 3 months ago and then quickly bought the Three Lives of Alix St Pierre' as I love the mix of historical fiction, strong female characters, creative writing and storytelling. I enjoy talking about all things reading and writing and the craft of writing too. I'm about to start 'Miracle' by Jennifer Lane.
Hi Rachel! So good to have a New Zealander here! I love that you've held onto an idea for 15 years and haven't let it go, but have kept thinking on it and are turning it into a book. I always say that you have to be truly passionate about anything you want to write about, passionate enough to be happy to live with it for a long time and you clearly have that passion. I wish you all the best with it - feel free to share your progress and ask questions as we travel through the year on Substack!
Hi Natasha, I’m Nathalie, french writer and excited to be a part of your Substack community, thank you for creating it! Your are quite an example for me and I'm following from your first book.
Thank you for being here! And thank you for your kind words. It's lovely to have another writer join us here.
Hi Natasha, Sue here from Ireland but hopefully returning forever to my beloved Perth later this year. I came across Substack with David Michie (also Perth author) & find this medium so much more interesting & informative than Facebook. I don't subscribe to any other on line eg twitter, Instagram etc. I love reading, use Libby, the WA online library, Apple & Amazon. It is where I escape from the stress of life. Australia has, & is producing some excellent authors & I rarely read any other than these as there is such a wide variety of genre to choose from. I'm looking forward to your monthly blurb!
Hi Sue! I agree with you wholeheartedly about Substack. I love the mission of the platform, the writers you find here and the readers too. I don't know David Richie's Substack but I will take a look - thank you for the recommendation!
Hi Natasha, I an Christine and I live in North West Sydney Hills area. I have been reading your books for a few years now I love historical fiction books. I would generally read about 15-20 books in a year. Sometimes less sometimes more.
Hello Christine and welcome! It's great to have another historical fiction lover on board.
Hi I am Kate a Brit living in St. Louis MO. 2022 found me reading 92 books and Natasha’s were (are) loved.
Hi Kate! 92 books - wow! That's quite incredible. As I think I said to someone else in this thread, we writers love voracious readers like you. Thank you - and may your 2023 be equally full of books.
Hi. I am Ulla and are joining from Denmark. I read or rather listen to a lot of historical fiction. Often these books don't get translated into Danish, so I actually practice my English this way. (Recently i enjoyed listening to The three lives of Alix st Pierre...wonderful book!)I love listening and knitting at the same time . I read books too, right now Virginia Wolf 'A room og one's own' which we will discuss in my bookclub later this month. I am a retired chef and Danish teacher.
Hi Ulla! So happy to hear that you enjoyed Alix St Pierre! I think it's incredible that you can listen to audiobooks in another language – I try to do this with French language audiobooks but I have to reduce the playing speed a little so I can keep up. Great to have you here!
thank you. In a small country we are dependent on learning foreign languages... :)
Happy New Year from Ontario, Canada 😊 As with most here, I’m new to Substack and joined recently when a Canadian social media personality I enjoy started transitioning his posts here, for many of the same reasons as you, Natasha, particularly with respect to Twitter changes. I am an avid reader and truly appreciate the blood sweat and tears that go into creating something for the world to read - my thanks to all of you here who are giving so much of yourselves to your craft. My first read of the year is The Three Lives of Alix St Pierre 😉 - a signed Australian edition my friend in Sydney sent me after attending the launch at Dymocks 🥰 I was so excited to receive a copy before it is released here next week.
Hi Kelly and thank you for joining us! I hope to see more and more people writing great things here and the reading community growing in tandem. And yay that you got an early copy of Alix St Pierre - I remember signing that for you. Your friend was so excited to get it for you, which was just lovely. I hope you enjoy the book – and many more great books to come this year!
Happy New Year!!🎉🎉🎉
And to you - and to everyone else as well!
Hello., I'm Jacie from Perth, Western Australia. I am an aspiring/emerging writer. I lose my way a lot. I have ADHD, which impacts my abilities sometimes. I love reading, sewing, DIY/Upcycling things. I also love walking along the coast where I live; currently returning to that following a broken ankle.
I am currently reading The Bookbinder's Daughter by Jessica Thorne.
Hi Jacie! Hope the foot is healing up well. I think we all lose our way from time to time and that’s okay. You’re such a creative soul that I think you’ll always find your way back. And sometimes I find that I learn something in that lost time that helps me later on. I’m glad you’re here anyway.
It is, slower than I want, but what can I do? Such kind words too, I have learnt so much from you along the way. Happy to be here, this is an interesting platform. I have been wandering off and reading here and there on it.
Hello Natasha. Excited you have found a home that provides you with the right forum for us to enjoy your ponderings.
Look forward to reading your thoughts and musings.
~ Helen (Great Reads & Tea Leaves)
Hello Helen! You're one of my favourite book reviewers so I'm thrilled that you're here. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on what you're reading over the coming months. Thanks so much for doing us!
Hi Natasha
Thank you for introducing me to Substack. As a writer and marketer, and like most people here, I feel Meta has become somewhat of a necessary evil. You have to use it but sometimes, especially as a consumer, it is like digging for a diamond amongst a sea of mindless drivel. I’m all for promoting not just the power, but the value of the written word. I’m located in Sydney and have ambitions of transitioning into a full time writer in 2023. I subscribe to a couple of writers newsletters and podcasts like Writes4Women, and I am really looking forward to Bijoux.
I discovered you when you were on tour promoting The Paris Seamstress and have been following you ever since. I love your storytelling and the fact you write about strong independent women. And, as a marketer, I also appreciate and admire the way you promote your work. It’s a skill in itself, and one not many writers execute as well as you do.
As for the other info, I’ve managed to rack up 71 books this year and am currently reading The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See. For me this year’s standouts (apart from the Three Lives of Alix St Pierre, of course) were Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus and Still Life by Sarah Winman.
Great to see you here, Linda. Let's hope we can one day get to a world where Meta is no longer either evil or necessary – although I suspect the second, while challenging, will be easier to achieve than the first!
Thank you for your very kind comments. I wouldn't be the writer I am without having the most wonderful readers in the world. And 71 books is sensational! If only there were more readers like you around. Lessons in Chemistry and Still Life were two of my faves as well so you have excellent taste in books! Look forward to seeing you around on Substack in 2023.
Hi all of you from northern Europe, Sweden! I love history and novels and if I could do my life over I would have worked as an archealogist. (Spelling it right or not ...?) I will soon go to France to research some areas for my 5th novel, but it's still unfortunately just a hobby of mine even though I've gotten some lovely exposure in swedish media. 🙌🏼 I'm new to Substack and miss my old blog, maybe this is the new?
How wonderful to have you here! I love that you'd be an archaeologist if you could live life over again. There's something quite appealing about being the one to sift through the earth for clues to how people lived centuries ago, looking for the traces they've left behind. I sometimes feel like research is a bit like archaeology, albeit with a bit less dirt (!), as we try to find the outlines of people from the past in the letters and diaries and documents and photographs that survive them. Hope your research trip to France is a success too!
Hello Natasha, I’m a fan of your writing from way back and am always inspired by your work ethic and fabulous stories. I’d never heard of Substack so this should be interesting. I’ve just finished reading the seven skins of Esther Wilding. Brilliant intertwining of stories. Happy New Year
I think it's wonderful that quite a few people who hadn't heard of Substack are giving this a go - thank you for being willing to try something new! And thank you for the lovely compliment too. 😊 I haven't read Esther Wilding yet so it's great to hear that you enjoyed it. The book has such a beautiful cover – and Holly's a terrific example of an Australian writer who's been so successful. We need more authors to succeed like she has!
I’m new to Substack so it will be a learning curve for me.