Sally Piper

1 February 2023

Dublin Literary Award

Sally Piper

1 February 2023

I’m humbled and ecstatic that BONE MEMORIES has been longlisted for the 2023 Dublin Literary Award. The Award is sponsored by Dublin City Council and administered by Dublin City Libraries. Nominations for the annual Award are submitted by libraries in major cities from throughout the world and I am ever grateful to State Library of Queensland for nominating mine.

Witnessed quite the hunt on the bush trails this afternoon. A cane toad hurtled past with unusually long leaps then a grass snake sailed past soon after, head well up like the mast of a ship, in extraordinarily rapid pursuit. Didn’t end so well for the toad. 🐍 vs 🐸

Thank you @uqpbooks for this exciting book mail. I’ve be hearing such wonderful things about FROGSONG by @lissmanning so I can’t wait to dip in! 💚📗 #frogsong #melissamanning #uqpbooks #newfiction

Celebrated the launch of this stunner this afternoon (book and author) at Loft West End and for Hawaiian cocktails and all things pineapple afterwards @avidreader. Love, friendship, sisterhood and marathons … @dranitaheiss delivers it all, in reality and on the page. #theparadisepact #anitaheiss @simonandschuster #booklaunch #newfiction #romcom

So that’s a wrap celebrating 40 years with this fella. #srilanka

Dogs are ubiquitous to Sri Lanka; many brawl-scarred, others thin and mangey, the bitches perpetually feeding puppies or soon to be, all of them sassily road smart with few I’d pat given rabies is endemic in the country. But this sweet girl led me up the mountain, chased thrown sticks and just loved human contact so how to resist.🐕♥️

Sunrises, sunsets, illuminations and shadows. #srilanka

I promise this is (probably) the last of them: 1 & 2 Malabar Pied Hornbill 3 & 4 Spoonbill 5 Asian Openbill 6 Southern Sea Eagle. #malabarpiedhornbill #spoonbill #asianopenbill #southernseaeagle #birdsofsrilanka

More birds of Sri Lanka: 1 & 2 Crested Hawk-Eagle 3 & 4 Painted Stork 5 Brown Fish Owl 6 Common Kingfisher (that looks anything but common). #birdsofsrilanka #crestedhawkeagle #paintedstork #brownfishowl #commonkingfisher

1. The elusive Purple-faced langur, endemic to Sri Lanka. 2 & 3. The mischievous, prevalent, sometimes aggressive, often bickering Toque macaque. #purplefacedlangur #toquemacaque #monkeys #srilanka

Today we walked section 13 of the Pekoe Trail, from St Catherine’s Mount to Hupatale, which was probably the prettiest and easiest of the three sections we’ve walked. The tea plantations were well maintained and the villages along the route that provide the tea workers were equally flourishing and prosperous, unlike the villages we passed through on the previous two days where it was obvious that plantation owners are investing less in maintaining the area. To have a female guide in Sri Lanka is rare, making Gisela’s company all the more special. She is as outspoken about gender equality as me and we shared some great conversations about her Tamil history, her Hindu faith and life as a woman in Sri Lanka. And we stopped at a couple of her friends’ homes along the way for tea (of course). Gisela’s grandfather, a lawyer and activist, was influential in improving the rights of Tamil workers, which is the main ethnicity of tea workers. We were sad to say goodbye to one another this afternoon but what an absolute joy it was to spend the past three days with her. ♥️♥️ #pekoetrail #srilanka

We walked section 12 of the Pekoe Trail today, from Udaweriya to Hupatale. It was longer and hotter than yesterday with quite a different landscape. We started in the mountains where agriculture is on steep terraces, then through a mix of eucalypt and pine forests, with many fallen trees from November’s cyclone, hugged high mountain trails beside tea plantations, took in sweeping views across valleys, distant lakes and abandoned villages, where tea crops have been let go by plantation owners and work is no longer available to villagers. Had a kilometer or so walking along a working trail line, and all the while guided by the lovely Gisela. #pekoetrail #srilanka

We walked Section 11 of Sri Lanka’s Pekoe Trail today guided by the lovely Gisela. Incredible views of mountains, valleys, tea plantations and villages. Not sure if I’d rather ascend or descend the Devil’s Staircase, a 3km series of switchbacks - the knees complain going down and the glutes complain going up.🤷‍♀️ Regardless, I loved all 15kms of this section. Really stunning scenery and lots of friendly villagers along the way. Thanks @fionastager for the heads-up about this fabulous trail. I might not have clocked it otherwise. 🙏 #pekoetrail #srilanka

Asian elephants, Hurulu Eco Park, Sri Lanka🇱🇰 The baby elephant in photo 2 & 3 is only 2 months old and still learning to use its trunk to pick grass. #asianelephants #huruluecopark #srilanka

Absolutely thrilled to see @sharingwithfriends_foundation have won the Heart of Winner National Award for Making a Difference - Group Award. This award celebrates the incredible work of their volunteers and pro bono supporters who have made their Darra co-housing project a reality. Legends all, and an apt recognition of all the hard work they do to bring affordable, secure housing to older single women with limited means, especially on this day - International Women’s Day. So proud of you all! #sharingwithfriends #cohousing #affordablehousing #womenhelpingwomen

Views from Sigiriya or Lion Rock, a 5th century fortress, at sunrise. Quite a few steps were involved but well worth it at the top. #sigiriya #srilanka

More birds of Sri Lanka: 1. Indian Roller 2. Scaly-breasted Munia 3. Crested serpent Eagle 4. White-throated Kingfisher 5. Blue-tailed Bee-eater 6. Chestnut-headed Bee-eater

Birds of Sri Lanka: 1 & 2 Grey heron 3 White egret 4 & 5 Cormorants

The wet weekend was a perfect excuse to hunker down with TWO ISLANDS by @ian_kemish. It’s a sophisticated mix of thriller, crime and the politics of the often long road to convicting war criminals. It is also about PTSD in veterans across generations, from WWll to Northern Ireland and the Balkans, and the courage and determination of witnesses and investigators who bring those who commit war crimes to answer for their actions in the International Criminal Court. Most of the novel’s suspense and intrigue occurs in the weather-ravaged landscape of an isolated Scottish isle, a place populated with quirky, tight-knit locals and is a temporary home for more than one person seeking to escape. ♥️📚 #twoislands #iankemish @uqpbooks #crime #thriller

I loved everything about this memoir MOTHER MARY COMES TO ME by @arundhatiroyauthor. I loved Roy’s wit, her understated courage and unwavering commitment to her activism. And I was in awe of her unfailing fidelity to her family despite the oftentimes cruel nature of it, especially her relationship with her enigmatic mother. My favourite memoirs are the ones that intersect the personal with the political, and this Roy does in spades, bringing a rich and illuminating catalogue of India’s challenges and shames over her lifetime, but also the integrity and pride of its diverse people determined to rise above the racism and sexism that besets her country. I couldn’t be more pleased to see it longlisted for the @womensprize for non-fiction today. So deserving. ♥️📕 #mothermarycomestome #arundhatiroy #memoir @penguinhamishhamilton

It was a full house @avidreader last night for the launch of this beauty TWO TONGUES by Maria van Neerven. Such an intimate and joyful event to have Ellen van Neerven in conversation with their mum Maria. A rich poetic seam clearly runs in the family. @mariavanneerven #ellenvanneerven #twotongues #poetrycollection #avidreaderbookshop #booklaunch @uqpbooks

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