St George author Lynn Garlick will share her insights about life as a mum and the writing process behind her recently published book, Binding: More Than A Motherhood Memoir, at The Clive James Library, Kogarah, on August 10.
Written from the perspective of a single mother raising children in the area, Dr Garlick talks about her latest literary work, which was launched at Mortdale Community Centre.
Dr Garlick says her book aims to show the resilience of mothers, particularly in a situation where becoming a single mother eventuated from leaving an abusive relationship.
"I wanted to highlight how difficult life can be for single parents because of a number of systems and policies that make it hard for them to support their family and live in peace," she said.
"What really helped my family was the wonderful community and supportive friendships that exist in the area and I try to show the value of that in the book."
The author has received a Doctorate of Creative Arts and was nominated for several writing awards including an 'Our Watch Award' and a 'US Pushcart Prize' for a modified chapter from the book.
"I started writing to capture the joy and love of being a mother," Dr Garlick said. "My intention first and foremost, was to write a creative work that was a really enjoyable read and of literary merit."
The blurb reads: "Binding is a powerful story of a mother's quest for peace and happiness for her children and herself against the odds. As a social worker, Lynn supports families in trouble, only to find that her own family is unravelling. Eventually Lynn and her daughters learn to write a new story and together they triumph by doing things in unconventional ways."
Described as "laugh out loud funny in her observations - and at other times devastatingly poignant" by Australian author Kim Kelly, the book features stories about family life in all its realism.
There are scenes specific to the area, and humorous moments as the mum tries to teach her daughters to surf at Cronulla. Another scene is where Dr Garlick spends Mother's Day surrounded by extended families in cafes and restaurants, but she is without her children.
Her free talk begins at 6.30pm.
