On this Mother’s Day, I’m delighted to present on HeartSongCreative my first guest blog from a friend and former fellow student, Suvi Mahonen. Suvi is a Whitsundays-based former journalist now turned freelance writer.
Her non-fiction has appeared in various newspapers and magazines in both Australia and Canada including Mariner Life, The Weekend Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald.
Her fiction has been widely published in literary journals and anthologies in Australia and overseas. ‘The fig tree’ was recently published in The Griffith Review’s recent ‘Women & Power’ edition and is an excerpt of a longer work-in-progress, an earlier portion of which was published in The Best Australian Stories 2010 and was nominated for a 2012 Pushcart Prize. The link to ‘Suvi’s ‘The fig tree’ is at:
https://griffithreview.com/edition-40-women-power/the-fig-tree
I would be happy to consider any contribution from interested writers for further guest blogs. John Bartlett
Suvi’s introduction to ‘The fig tree’
“I still remember how impressed I was that John Bartlett, who was in my class at Deakin University when we were both studying Writing and Literature, was the only one of us who had published a novel. Even for a seasoned writer this is a huge achievement, let alone to a student just learning the craft. And even though our paths crossed only briefly, John and I have stayed in touch over the years through our joint love of reading and writing.
John has now gone on to become a teacher of Professional Writing himself, so I was thrilled when he asked me to be his first guest blogger in order that I could introduce my short story, ‘The Fig Tree’, which was recently published in Griffith Review’s online edition of their latest ‘Women and Power’ issue.
Much like John’s highly anticipated second novel Estuary, ‘The Fig Tree’ touches on a number of issues, one of them being mental illness. The main protagonist, Dani Jackson, has emerged from a low point in her life—which included spending time in a psychiatric facility following a severe reactive depression—to finally realise her dream of becoming a mother. But as is so often the case in life, the minute things start to look up for her and her husband, Mark, early results from an ultrasound revealing their baby may have a genetic abnormality throws them back down again. In the midst of renewed tension and anxiety, Mark pressures his wife to have an amniocentesis, but Dani is reluctant. She doesn’t want to risk a miscarriage. Nor does she know if she could go through with another abortion.
As one of Australia’s leading literary journals promoting public debate, Griffith Review’s ‘Women and Power’ issue explores many questions relating to the empowerment of women. And it meant a lot to me that they chose to include ‘The Fig Tree’ in their line-up of pieces. I believe in a woman’s right to determine her own future, just as I believe it’s important for women to have power in politics, and for there to be equality in sport. But, most importantly, I believe in the empowerment of women in the home.
Should Dani have the right to refuse an amniocentesis and risk having a baby with Down syndrome against her husband’s wishes? Can she hold onto her convictions in the face of his pressure? And given she still has vivid memories of the time she was reliant on Doxepin and Valium, would she even cope with a child with special needs?
My hope is that ‘The Fig Tree’ raises awareness for Women and Power in the Home by exploring some of these questions through the eyes of a woman struggling to find the courage to stand up for what she believes.”
