For those who’ve followed me on social media, you may (or may not) have noticed my absence. After much deliberation; due to the onslaught of AI driven technology and the concerns it raises for creatives worldwide, I decided to leave Meta platforms.
While many of us creatives have been told, on repeat, that having a social media presence is crucial for book sales, I can only say that my experience has been the opposite.
That said, several positive things have occurred since In the shape of his hand lay a river was launched in March. If you missed out on a copy of this limited edition poetry collection, you can order one via Elixir & Star Press books-elixirandstar@proton.me
I’ve been working with my publisher on A Counter of Moons; going through the final edits for this book, written after Reuben’s death by suicide, and I’m loving balance of light and dark in the gorgeous artwork my dear friend Kirstie McKinnon has created (watch this space).
I’ve returned to a new project, one that saw me on a residency with Lighthouse Arts in Newcastle, Australia, back in April — a welcome breather from all my grief related work. And, upcoming news for friends in Ōtepoti Dunedin: I’ve been invited down for a couple of awesome writing events during August and September, and hope to connect with you there.
Thank You to: Takahē Magazine for choosing a new flash fiction story for their Takahē Matariki Short Short Story Celebration https://www.takahe.org.nz/about-the-matariki-short-short-story-celebration/ – to be published in their August edition. And Pure Slush for selecting a new poem for their Death Lifespan Vol. 12 https://pureslush.com/store/anthologies-themed/death-lifespan-vol-12/ .
Further afield: The vaginal mesh issue remains active worldwide, particularly for those of us living with the catastrophic effects of experimental plastic implants, and the irreparable health issues we have no option but to live with, or not. So, I’ll aim to repost my essays on this soon. For anyone who is travelling this wretched path, please know you’re not alone.
I’ve returned to X (formerly Twitter) because at this stage it seems intellectual property is safer, in that it’s not mined by AI, and the writing community there is still going strong. If you’d like to follow me there, I’ll look forward to seeing you.
Kia tau te rangimārie, in peace, Iona x
Iona Winter 
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