Unpack Your Writers' Toolbox
Meet Jo...
A Canadian transplanted on Australian soil, Jo McClelland Phillips received a bursary as an Alumni Award winner to attend the Iceland Writers Retreat in Reykjavik. She has received invited residency from Varuna, the National Writers House (Blue Mountains, NSW), in 2021. Jo’s short story, The Ring, is featured in Venus Rising: Musings & Lore from Women Writers from Our Galaxy Publishing in March 2022. The Glass Slipper, her Cinderella comedy/fantasy story, won at the 2011 Eden Mills Writers’ Fringe Festival (Ontario, Canada). Jo’s nonfiction has been published in Time, Mashable, and her autobiographical essay, How To Cope With The Effects Of Past Sexual Abuse During Pregnancy, discussing childbirth after sexual assault was published in Scary Mommy.
 Venus-Rising-Women-Writers-Jo-McClelland-PhillipsThe stories of these women speak to the beauty and pain, the guts and glory, the thriving and striving of all it means to be in this embodiment. Venus Rising is an anthological collection of inspiring women writers who shine a light on their inner verities and lay their wounds bare for us all. Jo's story The Ring features in this anthology and all the proceeds, including my payment for this story, goes to support Period Awareness. Find out More >> |  Pregnancy-After-Sexual-AbuseI wanted to have a baby, so why wasn’t I happy? I was angry. I felt violated. Why? Lucky for me, I had a wonderful doctor whom I trusted. I downplayed my history, referring vaguely to some sexual abuse. My OB read between the lines, and she explained to me that birth could have an extra emotional result for me. “Many women who have been through what you’ve been through feel like they’ve been raped by their baby.” READ MORE >>> |
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 The_Glass_Slipper_By_Jo_McClelland_PhillipsThe Glass Slipper FANTASY I don't know what kind of people name their daughter "Cinderella"; probably the same people who don't properly bathe her. That was her name, and that was her life. Until the prince gave a ball, then she lost a shoe, and SPOILERS, she lived happily every after. READ AWARD WINNING STORY FOR FREE >> |  Iceland-44-©-Roman-Gerasymenko-1-870x870In 2022 I attended the Iceland Writers Retreat in Reykjavik as a bursary and Alumni Award Winner. I've written several blog posts about the event for their website. READ MORE >>> |
 Iceland-48-©-Roman-Gerasymenko-scaled-870x870In 2022 I attended the Iceland Writers Retreat in Reykjavik as a bursary and Alumni Award Winner. I've returned as a guest Writer to their NEWS page. READ MORE >>> |  Iceland-08-©-Roman-Gerasymenko-scaled-870x870In 2022 I attended the Iceland Writers Retreat in Reykjavik as a bursary and Alumni Award Winner. I met with Jessica Key for a quick Q&A READ MORE >>> |
 IWR-Day-4-12-scaled-870x870In 2022 I attended the Iceland Writers Retreat in Reykjavik as a bursary and Alumni Award Winner. I've written several blog posts about the event for their website. READ MORE >>> |  7845650c873d31b9508589025b16546fMy interview with Danny, on WHAT : DE HEK podcast. WATCH NOW >> |
 DSC03743Some things I've written for my husband's bookshop, A Reader's Heaven in Lithgow NSW. You can view his catalogue and read past post from when blogging was a thing. VISIST SITE >> |  two boys playing video gamesThese six games will capture kids' attention with their sheer fun factor, all the while encouraging creativity, socializing, and learning. Educational Video Games for Kids (2012) READ MORE >> |
 CaptureThe amazing thing about kids is their ability to imagine possibilities. Too many times, kids are told that they can't, not to make a mess or that they're too young. But sometimes those messes in the garages or even their parent's workplace might turn into something extraordinary. We found seven kids, from 9 to 19, who have already produced great things. READ MORE >> |  two kids on social mediaIt’s no secret that social networking is a large part of our culture. Facebook and other social networking sites have minimum age requirements that some kids get around by lying about the year they were born. Parents must be vigilant in this day and age. (2012) READ MORE >>> |
 Photo of Jo pulling a can-you-believe-it-face next to a stuffed moose on a stick in a santa hat at LMy journey from Toronto to Country NSW is at it's core a love story. Read it here in an article by my friend Phoebe Moloney. READ MORE > |
Venus
Rising
I'm proud to be one of the women writers who contributed to Venus Rising from Our Galaxy Publishing.
100% of the proceeds from this collection will be donated to FemTruth Youth's non-profit efforts to bring their 3-act play, Gaslit, to communities to raise awareness in the reimagining of school curriculum and culture inclusivity of menstrual pain.
