Books published by Spineless Wonders

From the assassination in Australia, one of a series of international terrorist attacks, the story traces back to the streets of 1920s Berlin and the Armenian genocide of World War I. Three companion essays provide historical context.'Weaves a mostly-forgotten strand of our history into a compelling contemporary crime story.'- Emily Maguire'A heartfelt and gripping story of family, hardship and resilience.'- Candice Fox

A collection of microfiction and short stories by Australian author and artist, Richard Holt.Richard Holt invites readers into corners that become dark, into places in which they do not belong and into moments that will change things utterly for his imperfect protagonists. The stories in What you might find grapple with misunderstandings, the weight of pasts and the moments when fates change course.Richard Holt’s stories are truly addictive: perfectly formed, funny and tragic glimpses under the surface of life.TONI JORDAN, Our Tiny, Useless HeartsRichard Holt's work combines unique storytelling voices, finely crafted stories and an appreciation of the particular constraints and possibilities of flash fiction.CALUM KERR, Director, National Flash-Fiction Day (UK)In the fewest of words, Richard Holt evokes powerful moods, morally complex stories, immersive settings, and characters that are heartbreakingly human. His stories are a deft blending of literary and vernacular voices.ILKA TAMPKE, SkinRICHARD HOLT is a writer from Melbourne. His microfiction has been published by Spineless Wonders (Stoned Crows…, 2012, Writing To The Edge, 2013, Flashing The Square, 2014, Out of Place, 2105, Landmarks, 2017), Cuttlefish, Visible Ink, and by UK publisher, Gumbo Press. His short stories have been published in Visible Ink, Etchings, Victorian Writer, Best Australian Sports Writing (Random House, 1997) and online in the Irish Literary Review. He was a Semi-Finalist in the Raymond Carver Short Story Competition, 2016, and is a past winner of the Antipodes Sorrento Short Story Competition. His poetry is included in Australian Love Poems (Inkerman & Blunt, 2013) and has been broadcast on Radio National and 3RRR. His non-fiction writing has appeared in journals including ArtLink, World Art, Art Monthly and AR (Architecture Review) and his creative non-fiction has appeared in a number of collections of sports writing. He also produces text-based videos, artworks and interactive text-based installations for public spaces, and was co-founder of Melbourne zine store, Sticky. He is a former recipient of a Maurice Saxby Mentorship for Children’s Writers and Illustrators and was Bayside Writer in Residence in 2013. 

“Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind.” Nathaniel HawthorneIn this anthology, over 40 writers measure time in inventive ways. There are microlit about toenail clippings and fish casserole to text messages, that lost daylight-saving hour and some brilliant pieces on the more political associations with time such as climate change, the refugee crisis and terrorism.Includes pieces from emerging Indigenous writer, Raelee Lancaster along with award-winning authors Dominique Hecq, Andy Jackson, Mark O’Flynn and finalists from The joanne burns Award.Hand-picked by writer, critic and academic, Cassandra Atherton. Her most recent books of prose poetry are Trace (Finlay Lloyd, 2015) and Exhumed (Grand Parade, 2015).Perhaps time is the best possible theme for an anthology of micro-fiction and prose poetry; it emphasises a small aperture, a modest economy, the sense this form can give of something particular standing in for the greater, messier and much harder-to-read larger world. Here, nothing is permanent, but so much is made of each particular perspective and of the raw beauty inherent in change.JULIENNE VAN LOONTime is filled with a fascinating variety of meditations on the fourth dimension. Time here is deep time, ancestral time, the elided time of memory, the looping time of held trauma. Sometimes it fails to run at all. Mostly it refuses to last.MELINDA SMITH

You Can Lead is a practical and down-to-earth guide for new team leaders, and for established leaders who want to increase their leadership capability. It is packed with the wisdom and experience of some of the best thinkers in this field. The text is written in an easy-to-read style, and jargon is minimized. It contains engaging examples and scenarios to illustrate the main points. Diagrams provide easy reference guides to the main points in each chapter.The book demystifies the idea that to lead you have to have a special personality or 'look the part'. It explains how anyone can become an effective leader by behaving in a way that inspires others to follow them. There is plenty of advice about connecting with people, building relationships based on trust and influencing others to share the team's vision and ethos. Readers will also learn how to manage the stresses and the difficult moments, as well as enjoy the successes with their teams.Another feature of the book is that it highlights three critical knowledge and capability domains that each leader should attempt to master. These are: Focussing individual and team effort Energising and motivating the team Creating a positive social climateReaders will learn what each of these involves and the strategies they can use to begin implementing each one right away. In addition, they will find detailed advice about what to prioritise in each domain during the first 30 days in a new team leader role.PRAISE FOR YOU CAN LEADJudith is a knowledgeable and respected expert in the leadership field. She has worked across all sectors and grasps the critical factors driving leadership performance. As a professor, her teaching on this topic in the MBA program was relevant and engaging. Those qualities shine through in this excellent book. - Stan Glaser, Professor (rtd.) and Principal at Glaser ConsultingYou Can Lead is a timely guide for team leaders seeking to deliver better outcomes to the community. It is full of real-world advice and illustrated with mini case studies and anecdotes that bring the key points to life. It will be a valuable resource for leaders in health management and those teaching about leadership in any field. - Anneke Fitzgerald, Professor of Health Management, Griffith UniversityYou Can Lead is essential reading for all who aspire to be leaders in their field. It is informative and practical as well as inspiring. If you are starting out as a leader I highly recommend this book. - Wendy Holland, Associate Professor, University of Technology Sydney