Books published by Interactive Publications

In her second collection from Interactive Press, on an unlikely pilgrimage, a cycling tour to find a poet's unmarked crib, Jane Simpson discovers a landscape at once less Romantic, and more lyrical than the 'unspoilt Nature' seen by tourists at scenic spots. Unexpected turns draw the reader into the worlds of goddess religions, pre-contact M¿ori society and western Christianity; and into the intimate world of family relationships. In the final section, where the sun and stars sing at the marriage of gay people in the Church, Wordsworth's piano is tuned to the harmony of the spheres.

Lorraine Rose addresses the pervasive anxiety about where the world is going. In the midst of uncertainty, we are forced back to basics to re-discover tools for living. She identifies anchors that can help us navigate our lives by understanding our needs from the early years and during our developmental path to maturity.Bringing our pre-verbal selves into consciousness is now more possible with advances in psychological practices, and this leads to a better understanding of our nature and needs. Those who missed out on emotional milestones can, as adults, revisit their early years to resolve those issues that impact on their capacity to mature, the quality of their relationships, and their ability to regulate their emotions. Finally, Lorraine Rose provides a commentary on recent economic and social models western society to assess whether these models align with the needs of citizens. Ways of assessing the health of our society help us better discern our needs on a personal and societal level.

In this lecture, Cho-Nyon Kim explores his spiritual journey in the Korean religious environment, in which Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Christianity have all influenced cultural practices and been integrated into daily life. He is inspired by the life and thoughts of Ham Sok Hon, a prominent Korean peace activist and Quaker. He asks how we can live a simple life in a complex world. He wants to focus on how we can create a peaceful society in the face of nationalism and self-centredness. Quakerism has similarities to Taoism in its mysticism and its sense of waiting in a meditative way. Cho-Nyon Kim concludes that he must lead his life 'in the manner of those who always seek truth with an open mind'.

Ranging from satire to meditation to philosophy to the comic, ClaraJoseph's second book of poetry, Dandelions for Bhabha, is an intenseengagement with philosophers and literary/cultural theorists and theircontroversial positions. Her poems refl ect on the postmodern conditionwhen "The screaming begins at the wall / when one chick is taken"and "Universal Justice is dragged / to Auschwitz." The collection,divided into three sections, "Descartes' Lover," "Jus' Thinkin'," and "ToTalisman," engages with ethics and with thinkers such as Roland Barthes,Jeremy Bentham, Homi K. Bhabha, Paul de Man, Jacques Derrida,Michel Foucault, Mahatma Gandhi, Stephen Greenblatt, David Hume,Friedrich Nietzsche, Jean-Paul Sartre, and Gayatri Spivak. The poemsin Dandelions for Bhabha are, as the title hints, enchanting and unexpectedopportunities to philosophize art and aestheticize thought. Narrativesof miracles, refl ections on visuals, and dialogues of the dead enter thehopes, joys, and wonders of daily living. Joseph's skill is to narrow the gapbetween the creative and the critical, and to provoke.

A memoir about surviving a childhood navigating around a violent and abusive father, and how the past influenced the author''s professional life and personal relationships.

After twelve years trapped in the throat of a serpent, a girl escapes. She returns to her village naked with a monstrous snakeskin trailing behind her.One decision at a time, she reclaims her life. Each character she encounters by land and sea-brute, healer, orphan, mystic, lover-reflects an unhealed aspect of herself and plots her recovery through symbolic milestones.Serpent's Wake is intended for adults and young adults exploring how, once fractured, we may mend.

PhD student Dylan Cashew abandons his thesis on D. H. Lawrence for the uncertain world of top secret aerospace editing, college teaching and then independent publishing. Dogged and even mentored by Lawrence and others from parallel Dimensions, Dylan finds himself immersed in a publishing venture that, with aid of his PR-savvy wife, interjections from the Internet, and a bottomless supply of scotch, nearly goes under before he receives an offer from a Chinese conglomerate that may be too good to refuse.If you're an author, published or unpublished, or wished you were one - or someone who's worked in publishing, or wished you could - this book is for you. (Have we missed anyone?!)This is David P. Reiter's latest sortie into the satiricsphere of digital narrative. His having won two Western Australian Premier's Awards for Timelord Dreaming and My Planets Reunion Memoir has done nothing to curb his rash flirtation with innovation. Nearly 200 Internet "call-outs" will tempt you away from the central storyline. Can you resist?

The setting is the city of Melbourne in the latter half of the 19th century, when it grew rapidly, due to the extensive amount of gold flowing from mid-Victoria. It concerns Dr James Beaney, a very colourful and controversial surgeon, who amassed a fortune from his practice, and displayed it in the jewellery he wore. He was, however, a generous benefactor to the Melbourne University and hospitals in Melbourne, as well as to his birthplace, the city of Canterbury in Kent. Beaney, not for the first time, after his re-appointment to the Melbourne Hospital was implicated in a court case following the death of a patient he had operated on for a large bladder stone. The inquest is outlined in considerable detail and the skill displayed by James Purves, the brilliant young barrister who defended him, will be evident to the reader."One of the most interesting and enjoyable books I have read for some time. Beaney was a colourful character in a booming time in Melbourne, and this has been brought splendidly to life by Brian Collopy."- Professor Sir Peter Morris, AC, FRS, FRCS, Nuffield Professor of Surgery Emeritus, University of Oxford

What will happen when Zahara reaches the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and tries to see the Queen? With a cart full of plants and the straggly weed her father calls The Flower of Heaven, she and her mother and grandmother pass through the Ishtar Gates on the way to the marvellous Hanging Gardens, built by King Nebuchadnezzar for his Queen, Amyritis. But a guard refuses entry for Zahara and laughs at the Flower of Heaven...

This book scrutinises 'peace' and 'war' through Australian lenses. It uncovers a deeper understanding of these terms and reflects a desire to bring to light alternative Australian ideas of war and peacemaking. Certain stories have eclipsed others that add importantly to Australia's history. This Quaker initiative considers a plurality of voices and the 'truths' they purport. It unpacks the act of 'memorialising' to discover the marked impact we make in our efforts to hold on to meaning and to our past. What have been the effects of our responses to the maxim 'Lest we forget'?

Amethysts and Emeralds is a selection of Daniel King's awardwinningpoetry, much of which has been published in journalsaround the world. The poems embrace a wide variety of forms,from free verse to sonnet, roundel, villanelle, and sestina.Thematically, too, the poems are very varied, ranging from therealist "Head in the Sand", published in the prestigious LondonMagazine, to a song lyric from Shadows of 1876: The WildBirds have Returned, a CD of mystical country music songsabout historical fi gures and events from the United States in theyear 1876. Most of the poems, however, are of a religious and/or mystical theme: indeed, a large subset of the poems concernsthe genesis and future life of Kalki, the tenth and final avatar ofthe Hindu God Vishnu (the Preserver), incarnating this time andforever together with Shiva (the Destroyer).

Possums high in blossoms...Dingoes dancing on tiptoes...Sugar Gliders munching on spiders...Blue-tongue lizards showering in the flowers...These are just some of the things our native creatures do to get ready for their night time.What do you do? Tuck your little ones in with this beautifully illustrated rock-a-bye lullaby. Metrical verses introduce us to a plethora of Australian fauna from Possums in the blossoms to Devils in the pebbles. All getting ready for the night. A lovely sleepy time story.- Jackie Hosking, Pass It On Children are fascinated by the night and all the fear and excitement that comes with it, as they explore the darkness with torches and see eyes peering back at them amongst the stars. In this gorgeous story, you will spy a variety of Australian animals preparing for the night. My favourite is definitely the boobook owl. The rhyme scheme and rhythm of this book make it a delight to read aloud and will make it a favourite.- Veronica Chapman, TeachEzy Waiting for the Night is an entrancing bedtime read for children under eight, filled with lilting verse and striking full colour spreads depicting Australian fauna in a stunning array of landscapes. Anna Seed's vibrant palette provides eco-rich imagery that is as ample as the variety of native Aussie creatures who patiently wait for the sun to set so that they can feast and romp through the nocturnal hours. - Dimity Powell, Kids Book Review