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Dr. Karen Lowry

Dr. Karen Lowry
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…you’ve succeeded in describing this world in a subtle, natural way, without labouring anything or overdoing it.

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kazzalow

Mum and I both needed a day to unwind and relax, s

Mum and I both needed a day to unwind and relax, so we went to lunch at @catalanosvicpark and then went shopping at @regencyretro and @urbanrevaus along the strip.

Dinner time is a big deal in the Lowry house. Swip

Dinner time is a big deal in the Lowry house. Swipe to see how the pets let Ben know they're ready for their next course.

I've been seeing a PT for months now, but my anxie

I've been seeing a PT for months now, but my anxiety has kept me from tackling the gym on my own. Well, today I did! It was a big win for me.

It's been a tough week adapting to a new medicatio

It's been a tough week adapting to a new medication. I did an activity recently to work out which low effort tasks have the biggest impact on my mindset. Unsurprisingly, journalling came out on top. I reflect in my journal every day and also use it to track important metrics (weekly steps, books read, words written, number of times I've fainted from low BP, etc). I reflect on challenges in my writing, teaching, and home life (and explore ways to overcome them). I review books I've read, films I've watched. I write notes on courses I've done (such as @hollycraigauthor's The Write Club). This small book holds my life together.

15 years together. What a journey we've had so far

15 years together. What a journey we've had so far. I feel so privileged to be doing life alongside you, to have your ever constant support and love. Here's to many more years to come where I get to show you, again and again, how much you mean to me.

Today, I usually teach, but it is a tuition free w

Today, I usually teach, but it is a tuition free week. According to the forecast, it is also the only warm, sunny day this week. I took a break from staring at my computer and went to Kings Park with mum for a picnic. We walked 10k steps and enjoyed seeing all the wildflowers in bloom. Tomorrow, I'm back to marking, but today is all about spending time in nature.

I set myself a mini reading challenge this week an

I set myself a mini reading challenge this week and made it through 7 books that have been on to read shelf for a while. I can't believe it took me so long to read Big Beautiful Female Theory by @eloisegrillsartist - an absolute standout in this pile.

Note: I do not support J.K.Rowling's views, I just own the book. I did struggle with committing to reading this because of her views. It definitely impacted my enjoyment. I'm also aware that's coming from a position of relative privilege.

Happy father's day, Dad. We miss you.

Happy father's day, Dad. We miss you.

I spotted the little journal by @writingwa and @ni

I spotted the little journal by @writingwa and @night_parrot_press in @crowbooks today. Have you not read my story yet? Are you keen to read some amazing local speculative fiction? Head down now to secure your copy!

#bookshelfie #bookrecommendations #readlocal

I haven't gotten much writing done lately as work

I haven't gotten much writing done lately as work has been busy. As well as marking for Curtin, I had to compile grades for the Board of Examiners in order to finish up my role at Murdoch. I've also had bad insomnia and had a few nights this week where I didn't sleep. But I've gotten a lot of reading done, and I've spent my spare time cuddled up in bed with these guys. I do have some exciting writing news I hope I'll be able to share soon!

Tickets available at wapoets.com Come join our m

Tickets available at wapoets.com

Come join our monthly poetry feedback session.

You can now order the inaugural issue of @writingw

You can now order the inaugural issue of @writingwa's the little journal online from @night_parrot_press. Show your support for this great initiative with your dollars and with your reviews.

In the front is the teddy my parents bought me whe

In the front is the teddy my parents bought me when I was 3 months old. He's almost 34 years old, and I still sleep with him. In the back is the same commonwealth stuffed dog from 1990, bought on eBay. Hamish has gotten me through so many challenging moments and traumas in my life. He is many times repaired and well loved. To be able to able to hold him as he existed in my childhood is so surreal. Every time I see him, I feel such deep nostalgia and comfort. The research it took to find him was well worth the immense calming effect seeing him has on me now.

Interestingly, I was just talking to students today about writing poetry using an object as the triggering subject (I showed them "the birth of SPAM" by Craig Santos Perez, which is about colonial influences in Guam). There is potential in this picture, I think, for a very good poem.

These photos are 1 year apart. I'm wearing the sam

These photos are 1 year apart. I'm wearing the same glasses in each of them. Sometimes, progress feels so slow. I'm building muscle and lifting weights, so the scales don't always shift as much as I'd like them to. Walking more also increases my fluid retention and chances of edema because of my hypotension. But damn, as @thrivecoach_ing says, comparison photos are so important.

@writingwa and @night_parrot_press have published

@writingwa and @night_parrot_press have published a spectacular new journal that is already looking at home on my shelves. What a privilege it has been to be involved. What a magical day.

It is such an honour to have a story in the inaugu

It is such an honour to have a story in the inaugural issue of the little journal alongside so many other amazing, inspiring authors. Big big love to @writingwa @night_parrot_press @rainesquare @edithcowanuniversity for making the launch possible, especially @wilhelmy and @lauriesteedauthor (who was the perfect MC).

The story featured here is very close to my heart as it is actually the opening scene of the novel I've been working on. It has been very easy for me to let my inner critic win, as I often have doubts when writing speculative fiction (it is a genre that comes with a lot of assumptions). To see so many people celebrating the speculative issue tonight was so encouraging.

Props to @literaryminded for her mentorship on my draft novel.

I've just finished reading Mood by @bellarozz. I r

I've just finished reading Mood by @bellarozz. I related a lot to her experiences of anxiety. While I haven't lived with a mood disorder myself, my father did, so I empathised a lot with Bellamy's first-hand accounts. Mood is a vulnerable memoir about identity. Bellamy talks about her experiences with mental illness, anti-semitism, and queerness, but at the heart of this book is love and resilience. Like Bellamy, my own relationship has struggled at times due to mental illness. I felt isolated during those challenges, so it's great to see a book like this out in the world now.

Something Bellamy says at the end of the book stands out to me: "The idea of possibly hurting myself to write a book about recovery and healing strikes me is so typically me." I have dragged my feet finishing my own poetic memoir about trauma because it can be triggering and can hurt. It's a relief to know I'm not the only one struggling with this process. This is what Bellamy's book ultimately does; it offers comfort.

#bookreview #bookcover #bookaesthetic #bookstagram

THIS SUNDAY All Abilities online poetry workshop

THIS SUNDAY

All Abilities online poetry workshop

11-1pm the last Sunday of the month

Ticketing links below or via @wapoets

All Abilities is a monthly online poetry workshop hosted by me for those for who identify as having a disability and/or have access requirements that limit participation to in-person WA Poets Inc events. Everyone is welcome. Each workshop will start with a writing exercise to warm up. Participants can then share their own work-in-progress for feedback. Work can be shared in zoom by reading it out loud yourself, by having the facilitator read it out on your behalf, by sharing the written work on your screen, or by sharing the work in the chat. Zoom uses closed captioning. If you have any other access requirements, please email us ahead of time at kazzalow@gmail.com. You can also share your work in advance via email to have the facilitator manage sharing it with the workshop group.

About the facilitator

Dr. Karen Lowry has a PhD in digital poetry from Curtin University and currently teaches at Murdoch University. She has taught creative writing and poetry at Curtin University and online through Open Universities Australia. Karen has been published in Australian Poetry Journal, Black Inc’s Growing Up in Country Australia and Hunter Writer’s Centre Grieve anthologies, among others. She is currently finishing up her first full-length print collection.

Cost
$10 full link: https://buy.stripe.com/5kA2b36dl5m15pebII
$5 concession link: https://buy.stripe.com/4gw9Dv31929P3h63cd

If you cannot afford the fees please email me via kazzalow@gmail.com for a 100% off discount

I just finished this collection of genre bending s $I just finished this collection of genre bending science fiction stories by South Korean author Djuna and found them absolutely fascinating. The fractured worlds are both fantastical and familiar, making them an easy read for those not familiar with science fiction. Many of the stories collected here form part of Djuna's Linker Universe; a distant future where humanity evolves and travels the galaxies. I found this world a great vehicle for exploring cultural diversity and evolution, though the heavy use of dialogue to narrate past events was, at some times, grating. Still, I found this book so engrossing I was narrating the stories to Ben after reading them. It's a very thought-provoking collection. #bookaesthetic #bookstagram #bookrecommendations #bookcover$

I really enjoyed the book launch for Remedy by @em

I really enjoyed the book launch for Remedy by @emilybridgettaylor today. @writingwa and Will Yeoman did such a great job with the interview. Emily's collection is about healing and is full of vulnerable gothic lyrics. I was surprised to find so many parallels between Emily's process and my own; hearing her speak was really valuable and inspiring. I also really needed to hear her advice on approaching editing with curiosity and openness, not pressure and expectation (which is what has been holding me back!). Emily and her brother performed some of the poems to music and I would absolutely buy a CD - amazing!

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Dr. Karen Lowry
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