I love writing for clients, agencies and publications, but I also love doing my own thing. Here's a selection of side projects I'm proud of...
Wollemi Press
Wollemi Press is an independent children's publishing imprint based in the Blue Mountains, Australia.
Established in 2022, this tiny Australian publishing house was created with the purpose of being the umbrella imprint for my books, and hopefully books by others in the future.
The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue is Wollemi Press’s first official publication. Eloise and my previous books – the award-winning Leonard the Lyrebird and its follow-up, Lilah the Lyrebird, have also been taken under the wing of Wollemi Press, though will remain catalogued on the NLA as published by King Street Press and Jodie McLeod respectively.
Wollemi Press operates on the shared land of the Dharug and Gundungurra traditional owners.
Visit wollemipress.com.au
The Black Cockatoo with One Feather Blue is Wollemi Press’s first official publication. Eloise and my previous books – the award-winning Leonard the Lyrebird and its follow-up, Lilah the Lyrebird, have also been taken under the wing of Wollemi Press, though will remain catalogued on the NLA as published by King Street Press and Jodie McLeod respectively.
Wollemi Press operates on the shared land of the Dharug and Gundungurra traditional owners.
Visit wollemipress.com.au
Leonard the Lyrebird: A Musical Story
Leonard the Lyrebird: A Musical Story is an original composition by acclaimed composer Ian Munro based on the children’s book Leonard the Lyrebird – written by Jodie McLeod (me!) and illustrated by Eloise Short.
When Blue Mountains-based concert pianist and music director Grace Kim had an idea to create a classical music work based on a Blue Mountains children's story, she consulted her trusted research assistant: Google. Unfortunately it uncovered zero children's books with a local focus, but it did reveal one in the works... Leonard the Lyrebird.
Grace contacted me while we were in the middle of crowdfunding Leonard to tell me about her idea and asked if she could read the story. Being a classical pianist myself and realising both her talent and that of the proposed composer – Ian Munro – I jumped at the chance. Thankfully, after that first read, Grace knew it was the story she'd been looking for.
Fast-forward one year, and Leonard the Lyrebird: A Musical Story had its world-premiere performance at Scenic World in the Blue Mountains in 2019. Produced by Mountain Concerts, featuring Grace on piano, Opera Australia Orchestra principal cellist Teije Hylkema and associate principal clarinet Philip Green – and with Ian narrating – the performance played to packed audiences against the backdrop of the Three Sisters in Katoomba – precisely where the story of Leonard the Lyrebird is set.
When anyone asks me to describe the music, all I can say is: it's a truly enchanting musical experience for families – an imaginative blend of storytelling, illustration and instrumentation. What a thrill it was to hear my story adapted into the most delicate and powerful music I could ever have imagined. I am so grateful to Ian for his time, talent and care in making the piece as emotive as it could possibly be.
In 2022 Orchestra Victoria performed Leonard the Lyrebird - A Musical Story at several locations in the Bendigo region, giving many children in those communities their first classical music experience.
So ... what's next for this project?
Further performances are in the works for Leonard. In the meantime the score is available from Australian Music Centre and a media kit with imagery and illustrations to facilitate performances will be available from this website very soon.
If you would like to enquire about a performance are your children's or writers' event or festival, please get in touch.
Grace contacted me while we were in the middle of crowdfunding Leonard to tell me about her idea and asked if she could read the story. Being a classical pianist myself and realising both her talent and that of the proposed composer – Ian Munro – I jumped at the chance. Thankfully, after that first read, Grace knew it was the story she'd been looking for.
Fast-forward one year, and Leonard the Lyrebird: A Musical Story had its world-premiere performance at Scenic World in the Blue Mountains in 2019. Produced by Mountain Concerts, featuring Grace on piano, Opera Australia Orchestra principal cellist Teije Hylkema and associate principal clarinet Philip Green – and with Ian narrating – the performance played to packed audiences against the backdrop of the Three Sisters in Katoomba – precisely where the story of Leonard the Lyrebird is set.
When anyone asks me to describe the music, all I can say is: it's a truly enchanting musical experience for families – an imaginative blend of storytelling, illustration and instrumentation. What a thrill it was to hear my story adapted into the most delicate and powerful music I could ever have imagined. I am so grateful to Ian for his time, talent and care in making the piece as emotive as it could possibly be.
In 2022 Orchestra Victoria performed Leonard the Lyrebird - A Musical Story at several locations in the Bendigo region, giving many children in those communities their first classical music experience.
So ... what's next for this project?
Further performances are in the works for Leonard. In the meantime the score is available from Australian Music Centre and a media kit with imagery and illustrations to facilitate performances will be available from this website very soon.
If you would like to enquire about a performance are your children's or writers' event or festival, please get in touch.
Deadline Party
They say the only deadline you should care about in life is death. But “they” didn’t know about my party.
The Deadline Party is an idea I came up with to stop me procrastinating on doing something I really wanted to do, but always found excuses not to do it. In 2012 I spoke at Ignite Sydney about it, and the video is one of the most watched talks on the Ignite Sydney YouTube channel. Follow @DeadlineParty on Twitter and Facebook.
Work in the Nude Day
A day to celebrate the freedoms of working from home.
When working as Editor of micro business community Flying Solo, I was involved in creating a national 'day' hosted by Flying Solo to celebrate the unique freedoms of people who work alone from home. 'Work in your Pyjamas' day was one option, but 'Work in the Nude Day' had way more appeal.
Held each year on the first Friday of December from 2012-2014, Work in the Nude Day gave home-office workers a chance to celebrate their unique freedoms, and highlight the lifestyle advantages of becoming your own boss. A big part of the day was the 'selfie' competition run by Flying Solo, which invited those who work alone from home to submit a tasteful pic of themselves working in the raw for their chance to win a prize.
Each year the event resulted in loads of publicity for Flying Solo, with editorial featuring in Time Magazine, Huffington Post and News.com.au as well as a segment on The Project in 2014; and offered a chance for many solo business owners to gain 'exposure' for their own businesses.
As the event manager, copywriter and publicity person I too submitted my selfie each year, occasionally in the form of a video... one of which has had over 2 million views! Gee, with a title like 'Work in the Nude Day', I wonder why?
Held each year on the first Friday of December from 2012-2014, Work in the Nude Day gave home-office workers a chance to celebrate their unique freedoms, and highlight the lifestyle advantages of becoming your own boss. A big part of the day was the 'selfie' competition run by Flying Solo, which invited those who work alone from home to submit a tasteful pic of themselves working in the raw for their chance to win a prize.
Each year the event resulted in loads of publicity for Flying Solo, with editorial featuring in Time Magazine, Huffington Post and News.com.au as well as a segment on The Project in 2014; and offered a chance for many solo business owners to gain 'exposure' for their own businesses.
As the event manager, copywriter and publicity person I too submitted my selfie each year, occasionally in the form of a video... one of which has had over 2 million views! Gee, with a title like 'Work in the Nude Day', I wonder why?
True Blue Mountains
Where the locals love to eat, explore and experience..
Living in the beautiful Blue Mountains near Sydney I tend to host a lot of visitors. I find I'm always tailoring itineraries for people, recommending my favourite cafes, restaurants, walks and lookouts, so I thought I'd make it easier for everyone and put all my suggested places to eat, explore and experience on one handy website: True Blue Mountains.
As a food and travel writer/reviewer, I'm loving writing about where I live with editorial abandon, and am slowly learning the ropes of food and landscape photography...
Follow True Blue Mountains on Twitter and Facebook.
As a food and travel writer/reviewer, I'm loving writing about where I live with editorial abandon, and am slowly learning the ropes of food and landscape photography...
Follow True Blue Mountains on Twitter and Facebook.