🌞 Meet the newest therapy dog

Good morning!

Do you know the one thing better than a long weekend?

A long weekend with good news!

Without further ado…

📚 Booker Prize shortlist

For the first time in history, the International Booker Prize shortlist is composed entirely of Independent publishers.

The Booker Prize is one of the most prestigious literary awards and has been presented for 57 consecutive years. The prize “‘celebrates the best works of long-form fiction or collections of short story collections’ which are translated into English and published throughout the United Kingdom.

This year, the shortlist has the most international representation it has ever seen. Spanning seven countries - Denmark, England, France, Japan, Italy, India, and Scotland - the six shortlisted books are translated from five languages, including Kannada (spoken in parts of southwestern India), marking the first time a work in this language has reached the shortlist.

The selection features both established and debut authors, with all six books published by independent publishers (typically defined as publishers outside the ‘Big Five’ of Penguin Random House, Hachette Book Group, Harper Collins, Simon and Schuster, and Macmillan).

These stories and narratives were brought to English-speaking audiences with independent publishers amplifying underrepresented voices within the industry.

📸 Photo of the week

You’re looking at a photo of Songkran, a national festival in Thailand. Connected to the Thai New Year and the end of the annual rice harvest season, this celebration is about purification, honouring elders and fostering a sense of renewal.

The most famous part of the festival is the water fights (pictured), which you also might be familiar with if you watched the latest season of White Lotus.

According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand, "people of all ages take to the streets armed with water guns and buckets" in what is usually Thailand’s hottest month of the year.

🎵 Feel good song of the week

🦮 Louie is certified!

On this lovely Sunday, I want to introduce you to Louie.

Louie is one of the Gold Coast’s newest four-legged hero. This four-year-old Border Collie has recently been certified as a therapy dog, and he’s already making a big impact, “bringing comfort, calm, and a whole lot of tail wags to those in need in the trauma recovery space”.

Louie was trained through Therapy Dogs Australia and works alongside his handler, trauma-informed breathwork coach Caroline Brunne, to support mental health and trauma recovery.

He’s also about to begin a trial of therapy visits to the Gold Coast Centre Against Sexual Violence (GCCASV), where he’ll provide support to individuals in challenging circumstances. Caroline, who sought support from the centre as a sexual violence survivor 20 years ago, said “It’s my way of giving back to an organisation that supported me during my most vulnerable moments, when I needed it the most.”

As if you needed any more convincing about how amazing Louie is, here’s a picture of him!

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🪩 Disco club for women

Okay, so this is self-sourced community news. I actually came across this initiative on Instagram last weekend and genuinely just wanted to talk to someone about it.

Someone I knew posted about Lise and Sarah’s Disco Club, which led me down a rabbit hole. Lo and behold, there is a whole disco club that exists just for women!

The website explains, “enjoy a judgement-free, safe space for dancing and singing with friends. Join hundreds of women in sparkles, sneakers, or whatever makes you feel comfortable. Dance to hits from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s (Whitney, Britney, Celine and Beyonce) along with timeless classics and modern bangers”.

The event tours the country regularly, and if you watch the videos, it looks like so much fun!

🏏 Afghan women’s cricket

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced an initiative to support the development of Afghanistan’s Women’s cricket. Members of the squad have been displaced since the Taliban assumed power in 2021.

The sport’s governing body is partnering with the cricket authorities of Australia, England, and India to set up a fund and high-performance program to help Afghan women continue their pursuit of being world-class cricketers.

Several members of the Afghan women’s cricket team currently live in Australia. The ICC said the announcement aims to " ensure every cricketer has the opportunity to shine, regardless of their circumstances.”

So good!

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