Hello,
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My newsletter has had a glow-up, I hope you like it and it is more accessible! It should now work much better in light and dark mode like my websites.
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I am sharing what is happening next week, as there are two lovely ways to gather together, one in Oslo (and on Zoom) and one in a cosy online writing space. I would love to see some of you there.

Ecologies of Belonging at the University of Oslo

On Tuesday 27 October, David Gray-Hammond and I are presenting Ecologies of Belonging: Star Stuff, Kinship, and Becoming Community (An ecosystemic model of distress, joy, and belonging in practice) at the symposium Ecologies of Animality, Disability, and Neurodiversity. The symposium is hosted at the University of Oslo by the Oslo Center for Environmental Humanities (OCEH), EcoLit and the EcoNeuro research group.
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Our talk is from 15:30 to 16:00 Oslo time, which is 14:30 to 15:00 UK time.
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In our talk we explore distress, burnout, grief, psychosis and joy as ecological experiences rather than faults within a person. Drawing on our Re-Storying Autism work, the rhizome of Deleuze and Guattari, and the Star Stuff project, we ask what becomes possible when we stop asking what is wrong with someone and start asking what the whole ecosystem needs, and how interdependence can help us build community together.
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The symposium runs over two afternoons, Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 October, in person in Oslo and online on Zoom. Speakers include Dawn Prince Hughes, Rosemarie Garland-Thomson, Sahana V. Rajan and Tom Z. Bradstreet, and on Monday evening there is a book launch for Disanimality: When Disability, Illness, and Animality Meet. You can register to join online through Zoom.
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You can also read the full programme and abstracts, or find in-person details on the symposium page.
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My other talks are listed on Talks and Conferences.

Gather and Write: body doubling with Writing the Dawn

I work as Writing the Dawn's Creative Lead. Every Tuesday from 10:00 to 11:30am (UK time) I facilitate Gather and Write, an online body doubling session with Writing the Dawn founded by Barb Melville.
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Body doubling means working alongside other people rather than alone. Another person's quiet presence can help with starting, focusing and following through with writing, especially for Autistic and neurodivergent people, although everyone is welcome. We each work on our own thing, but we do it together, with cameras optional and plenty of "coorie comfort" (blankets, pets and favourite cups of tea or coffee all welcome).
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I will provide a creative invite for those who prefer a prompt to start their work or are looking for inspiration from a piece of text, a poem or piece of art. There is opportunity to chat and share at the end after the quiet body doubling time.

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Sessions are free or by donation.
If places are taken, please join the waiting list - we are getting busy!
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Coming up: Creative Nonfiction for Science and Nature Workshop

Writing the Dawn is also running a three-part introductory online course for anyone curious about writing and the natural world, whether you are a complete beginner or have written before.
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It runs on Saturdays 21 November, 5 December and 19 December, from 10:00 to 11:30am (UK time), online.
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It costs £75 for all three sessions, £30 for concessions, and free places are available.
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You can book the course on Tixtree or find out more on the Writing the Dawn workshops page.
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​Core Values: Neuro-Affirming, Anti-Racist, LGBTQIA+ Affirming, Anti-Oppressive
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