About

Thanks for dropping in.

When I curl up on the couch with a book from one of the great writers like Somerset Maughan, Ernest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Virginia Woolf, Raymond Craver and James Baldwin the here vanishes and I’m somehow magically transported to there, the town, city and or country that serves as a backdrop for stories about people and their life choices. These writers use words to give life to characters. Sometimes witty, sometimes sad their stories are always insightful and have captured the mood of different eras.

I’m Anthea. In 2008 I enrolled in Massey University Certificate of Arts program, initially concentrating on creative writing papers. In 2010 I transferred into a Bachelor of Arts majoring in English and Media Studies; completed June 2019. Juggling my day-job with studying was challenging. English was my nemesis, as I appear to have mild-dyslexia. Thankfully, I discovered a passion for Media Studies.

In the midst of my university journey, I had an epiphany and poured my energy into getting fit enough to walk the Camino Way, a reasonable challenge for someone who sits at a desk each day. On one of the many solitary long walks I undertook, I decided to challenge myself further and start up a blog. Putting myself out into the blogosphere felt like I was jumping off a cliff.

I am inspired by travel writers, A.A. Gill and Jim Perrin; their ability to weave words that transport me into other lands is enviable. The Artful Compendium was born out of my quest to learn how to write travelogues that transported the reader there.

Roald Dahl said, “those who don’t believe in MAGIC will never find it.” I believe in MAGIC. The kind found when you dare to step out of your comfort zone or take the time to disengage from the digital world and listen to the universe.

As busyness has engulfed our lives the one time we seem to disengage is on holiday.

I think this is why many of us like to read about travel because those magical moments are buried beneath the debris of our daily lives. Perhaps this is why Aristotle believed reading has healing capabilities.

I never envisioned The Artful Compendium as a travel blog, rather a place to drop into, which is like your favourite music playlist or compilation CD that delivers something special amidst the familiar. But then blogging like our life is a journey.

2 Responses to “About”

Suzanne 19/08/2020

Yes, it does feel a bit like jumping off a cliff, though establishing is less scary! Pleased to have found your blog. Looking forward to reading more.

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