Voices under the Sun 陽光下的聲音

I am happy to announce that starting this week (September 11 Australian Time), I am guest tweeting for the Australian Women Writers Challenge (@AusWomenWriters #AWW2017). Thanks to Theresa at Theresa Smith Writes (@TessSmithWrites) and Elizabeth at Devoted Eclectic (@ElizabethLhuede) for their kind guidance.

You already know that I am the AWW’s voluntary General Fiction Editor since the beginning of 2017. Working with (and learning from) Katt at Coffee2Words (@coffee2words), we bring forth a round-up every month to highlight the many book reviews that readers from all walks of life have written to support their favourite books by Australian women writers. This has been a rewarding experience, as I get to read some truly excellent reviews. It also encourages me to explore books that are outside of my comfort zone.

I have been reading, reviewing and recommending Australian women writers since 2016. While I often feel obliged to choose Australian authors over their peers overseas, my involvement in this valuable campaign only helps me better understand the nature and significance of Australian literature in the international context. I think it is important to read our own country’s authors of diverse backgrounds in order to understand how our society and culture are experienced by our own people. We get to see ourselves clearly — the familiar, strange and unknown aspects of our life — as our hopes, aspirations, concerns and fears are diligently and carefully examined in literary representations of our past, present and future as a nation.

In this sense, guest tweeting is an interesting task, as it helps me get a sense of how vibrant the reading community is out there, both in Australia and overseas. I strive to bring into focus those Australian women writers of diverse ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds, as well as those based in other countries and regions. Equally worth investigating is how Australian women writers are received in literary markets across the world. My third goal is to promote books by Australian women scientists, journalists, politicians, academics and professionals from all possible industries. As long as there is a rational voice recognised through publication, it deserves a chance to be heard.

So, please send me your book news and reviews, and I will help to promote them. Kindly mention @AusWomenWriters and/or #AWW2017 so I can see them on Twitter. Thanks.