November | 2022 | Felicity Banks

Thank you for being trans

November 23, 2022 at 11:41 am (Uncategorized)

As twitter implodes, I am moving to mastodon. I made this thread by laboriously writing the whole thing, calculating the number of posts it needed, and then replying manually to each post one by one to link them.

It’s possible I should have just been, you know, brief, like twitter/mastodon are meant to be. Too bad.

Here’s the thread, with pictures just for fun (yes I went to the beach last week).

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Felicity’s Gift Guide 2022

November 11, 2022 at 11:16 am (Uncategorized)

It’s time.

This list is all stuff that I either made (wrote/photographed) myself, or was made by someone I know.

For Young Kids

As you can perhaps guess based on the title, this book is designed for refugee and immigrant kids who are new to Australia. It will be published in English, Indonesian, Arabic, Spanish, Mandarin, and Dari Persian. You can see the whole book here.

The English version is JUST about to go to the printer (but in the world of books that could mean anytime from ‘this week’ to ‘sometime in the next twelve months, probably’) and the launch is on February 11 2023 in Canberra.

The other languages are all in different stages, so although we aim to have all of them done by February 11 we may not make it. But if all else fails, I am keeping careful records of pre-orders and would love more as we’re at the expensive end of production.

For Kids

My kids’ magical pirate trilogy is finally complete! Think “Narnia, but with (more) pirates”. They’re suitable for 8+. And yes, I can sign them for your little pirates. I can also gift wrap them, including a tag.

If you buy them through my online store it will automatically charge postage, so if you live in Canberra feel free to just comment on this post or email FBanksBooks@gmail.com to arrange pickup or delivery.

Here’s the book trailer for “The Monster Apprentice”.

Mini Art/Christmas Cards/Bookmarks/Postcards

These are all $1 each. There are lots of great photos taken around Australia (by me), cat photos (also mostly by me) and prints of amazing art by Afghan woman Jahan Ara Rafi. I promised to pay Jahan $1250 by the end of this year so I’m scrambling to sell enough cards to pay her in a timely manner (obviously I will pay her either way, but it was a stupid promise to make—I love giving money to artists and I got carried away).

Please note: Some designs are sold out already but most have at least ten cards left.

A small number of the scenic photos have also been printed out in a large size and framed—so let me know if you’re interested in those, which cost $100 each.

From the Whitsundays in Queensland (the above is Whitehaven Beach, often voted the most beautiful beach in the world; the first two below are taken from Daydream Island):

Kosciuszko National Park (the cave is Jillabenan Cave in the Yarrangobilly Caves area), NSW.

Bateman’s Bay, NSW.

My mother’s garden in Canberra:

Young Adult Magical Steampunk Set in Australia

These books always sell better than anything else. They’re fun, exciting, and suitable for anyone from 12 to 200 years old. Each book has a bonus interactive short story as well. If you buy the whole trilogy, I’ll include “Emmeline’s Empire” for free (valued at $60). It’s the full version of the interactive story in Book 3 including professionally printed art and physical objects (but there are major spoilers if you read it before reading the trilogy).

I can sign them, naturally. I can also gift wrap, including a tag.

And yes of course there are book trailers for all three. Here’s the first one (the couple in the display image are married now):

Magic in the Mail: Feuding Fae

I invented an interactive story system in which stories are told through letters, objects, and artworks. “Magic in the Mail: Emmeline’s Empire” is one of those stories, but “Magic in the Mail: Feuding Fae” can still be bought in its original form—three parcels that arrive one at a time in the reader’s physical mailbox.

Or you can just get all three at once. I won’t mind.

Here’s the trailer for both “Magic in the Mail” stories:

Each “Magic in the Mail” story costs $60 (although if you want “Emmeline’s Empire” you might as well buy the whole steampunk trilogy and get it for free). All the artwork is professionally printed.

“Feuding Fae” is technically all ages, but probably best for 10+.

Murder in the Mail: A Bloody Birthday

The physical, mailed-to-you version of this story is sold out, but you can get it in book form for $23.95.

This story is also told in letters, objects, and artworks—with clues in the art.

It’s a cozy murder mystery (meaning that nothing bad happens… except the murder) suitable for any age not put off by the cover.

I can sign them, naturally. I can also gift wrap, including a tag.

And here’s the trailer for that one:

Very Large Framed Art

The frames are A1 size, which is enormous (approximately 60cm x 85cm). Both photos are by Sujay’s Photography. They cost $200 each, and can be hand delivered in Canberra only. They’re not available outside of Canberra unless you can come and get them from West Belconnen.

Prints by Qusay Fadheel (a refugee from Iraq)

Qusay has been painting for over forty years in a variety of styles from landscapes to surreal.

Each of these prints is available in A4 size for $25 or framed for $50.

Other sizes are possible too and I have several unique frames including a Royal Doulton “Radiance” frame (worth $200 but selling for $100 including an abstract print by Qusay and its original box).

You can see the full range of available prints in the Etsy store I run for him here but I recommend buying them directly from me.

Digital Tales

I write a LOT of interactive fiction, most of which is sold as phone apps. There’s steampunk, piracy, climate fiction, crime, and more. This list has descriptions and links.

Escape Room

The “Madam Alchemist” magical steampunk escape room is up and running again post-covid so if you’re in Canberra you can give it a go. It’s one of the cheapest escape rooms out there; beginner-friendly and accessible to those with chronic illnesses (there are no physical challenges, and plenty of chairs). It takes an hour and is suitable for 10+ (supervised) or 12+. You need at least two players and can have up to six (but I recommend three or four).

There’s some info here but all you really need to do is call or SMS Chief Minion Carol (0404 188 138) and book a time that suits you and her. It’s portable (for $150), but it’s cheaper ($100) to simply use our primary venue in Macgregor (West Belconnen, Canberra).

Yes there are books in the room. No, it’s not a trap designed to keep you in the room forever.

Charities

I run the Castle of Kindness Refugee Sponsorship Group and the West Belco Free Pantry. The West Belco Free Pantry also runs “Homeward Hampers” for Indigenous Detainees who are being released back into the community.

You can donate to the Castle’s perpetual GoFundMe here, or email FBanksBooks@gmail.com for donations to any of these charities. I can hand-write a thank you card if you like (addressed either to you or to someone else).

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DIY Cat Enclosure, Part 3

November 7, 2022 at 7:20 pm (Uncategorized)

Part 1 is here, and Part 2 is here.

We have a gazebo and a quantity of good quality secondhand netting, so obviously we want to enclose the gazebo, making it part of the cat enclosure.

Zipper supervised the work, guarded the tools, and tested the netting.

It actually really sucked. Chris measured the space between the gazebo pole and the fence, cut the netting, and re-threaded the edging before using a range of techniques (mostly zip ties and a piece of wood cut to the right size) to attach it to the four sides of the space. And that was our weekend.

I unpacked the second cat tunnel and put it on the opposite side of the gazebo from where Chris was working. Zipper went through several times.

Chris has ADHD and works best with supervision/company so while he worked I made a ‘nest’ for myself, the kids, and the cats in the trampoline. Tim joined me for quite a while, and I ultimately fell asleep for about two hours. Both cats investigated the new use of the trampoline too.