On making art during dark times
(so I have a book coming out)
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but the world is a bit scary right now. I don’t talk about politics or current affairs much on social media, largely for my own mental health. We all fight the good fight in our own way, and if you want to know about my politics, you can read one of my books.
It’s challenging to be an artist in times of crisis. Our work can seem frivolous, and devoting time to it can feel indulgent. And promoting new books feels even worse. I felt this meme real hard:
But art is more important than ever during dark times. Whether it’s a call to arms, a light in the darkness, a challenge to be accepted… or just something that brings comfort or even distraction. And there is never a time where making something beautiful isn’t a valid thing to do.
I’m currently working on Bravepaw #3, as well as a Secret Project that I can’t tell you anything about. But I’m not working on it by myself…
UNHALLOWED HALLS releases Feb 18
If you like
gloomy dark academia
bleak Scottish moors
magical boarding schools where trans kids exist
diverse squads of eccentric, loveable weirdos
demonic energy
ancient Celtic magic
banter
fey genderqueer boys in kilts who knit and do plant magic
mysterious pig mascots
standing stones
just a touch of cosmic horror…
…then boy do I have a book for you!
There’ll be a free launch event on Tuesday February 18 at Dymocks Melbourne, alongside the fabulous Lisa Tirreno who is launching her incredible swoony romantasy debut, Prince of Fortune. And as an added bonus, there’ll be super early copies of Bravepaw 2: Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire available for purchase!
Read
My 2025 reads so far:
Orbital (stunning writing and vibes, don’t expect a story)
Klara and the Sun (I adore sentient dolls and lonely girls, but the ending didn’t quite satisfy me. I think maybe I want this to be Season 1 of a prestige drama?)
Not Here to Make Friends (absolutely inhaled this Bachelor-style romance from Aussie legend Jodie McAlister)
Watch
Severance. Somebody Somewhere. The Pitt. We’re also rewatching Outnumbered with our kid. It’s a UK show from the 2000s about parents struggling to manage life with three kids. The adults were scripted, but the kid actors worked more loosely with a lot of improvisation. I remember originally seeing that show and thinking it was a hilarious comedy. Watching it now as a parent, it is more like a highly realistic documentary.
Play
Some fool got me Baldur’s Gate 3 for Christmas and I am obsessed. My rescue dog and my rescue owl bear are best friends! Is this the point of the game? No! Do I care? Also no!
Lili Wilkinson is the award-winning author of twenty books for young people, including A Hunger of Thorns, which won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award, and was a CBCA Honour Book. Lili has a PhD from the University of Melbourne, and is a passionate advocate for YA and the young people who read it. Her latest books are Deep is the Fen and Bravepaw 1: The Heartstone of Alluria.