BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH X-WR-CALNAME:Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute REFRESH-INTERVAL;VALUE=DURATION:PT1H X-Robots-Tag:noindex X-PUBLISHED-TTL:PT1H BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Melbourne BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20250405T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20251004T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20260404T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20261003T160000 END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:STANDARD TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:AEST DTSTART:20270403T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20271002T160000 END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260303T011741Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T041831Z UID:71063-1778697000-1778702400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Kerri Rogan DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/in-conversation-with-kerri-rogan/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-v3.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260513T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260302T013053Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T041747Z UID:71031-1778698800-1778702400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Love Changes Everything: How to Transform Yourself & the World Around You DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/kadampa-meditation-series-13-may/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/3-Love-Changes-BMI-Square.png ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260514T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260514T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260129T041334Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260409T035403Z UID:70407-1778787000-1778792400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Black Dog DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-black-dog/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/black-dog-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260516T083000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260516T180000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260128T044603Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035919Z UID:70338-1778920200-1778954400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Victorian Occult Conference DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/victorian-occult-conference/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Conference ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/sq-promo-vic-occult.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260310T001332Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035527Z UID:71137-1779217200-1779220800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/minervas-secrets-night-tour-19-may-26/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Australian Heritage Festival,Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_908662326866361-e1708918930337.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T210000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260519T220000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260310T002124Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T044437Z UID:71139-1779224400-1779228000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/minervas-secrets-night-tour-18-may-26-2/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Australian Heritage Festival,Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_265285705882698-e1708919200874.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260522T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260522T203000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260318T041021Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260413T065647Z UID:71379-1779476400-1779481800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Panic from the Sky: A Call of Cthulhu Advenure DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/panic-in-the-sky/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Heritage Festival,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Ufo-picture-only-for-ATDW-Tales-from-Rat-City-David-Waldron.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260527T183000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260527T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260313T002934Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035212Z UID:71249-1779906600-1779912000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Amanda Hampson DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/amanda-hampson/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-amanda-hampson.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260611T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260611T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260129T043042Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035120Z UID:70415-1781206200-1781211600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Monster DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-monster/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/monster-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T200000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260310T005733Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035038Z UID:71141-1781290800-1781294400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/minervas-secrets-night-tour-12-jun-26/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_908662326866361-e1708918930337.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T210000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260612T220000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260310T010115Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T035008Z UID:71143-1781298000-1781301600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Minerva's Secrets | Night Tour DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/minervas-secrets-night-tour-12-jun-26-2/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Night Tours,Tours ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/received_265285705882698-e1708919200874.jpeg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260623T193000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260313T005434Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034824Z UID:71257-1782237600-1782243000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Mark Smith DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/mark-smith-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-mark-smith.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260704T110000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073314 CREATED:20260413T230016Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260410T004508Z UID:72002-1783159200-1783162800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Whistle and Trick DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/whistle-and-trick/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy,Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/png:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/WT-Portrait-promo-copy.png END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T125000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20250930T001641Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034727Z UID:67766-1783681200-1783687800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production | SOLD OUT DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260710T205000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20251001T031523Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034644Z UID:67817-1783710000-1783716600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T110000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260711T125000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260212T045959Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034613Z UID:70689-1783767600-1783774200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:21 HEARTS: Vivian Bullwinkel and the Nurses of the Vyner Brooke\, a THEATRE 180 production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/21-hearts-vivian-bulllwinkel-and-the-nurses-of-the-vyner-brooke-a-theatre-180-production-saturday/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/sq-promo-21-hearts.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260715T193000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260313T024204Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034457Z UID:71265-1784138400-1784143800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Benita Bensch DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/benita-bensch/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-benita-bensch-v2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260716T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260716T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260129T044738Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034341Z UID:70423-1784230200-1784235600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Journey Home DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-journey-home/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/journey-home-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260723T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260723T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260223T045111Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034312Z UID:70806-1784833200-1784840400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-23-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260724T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260223T053244Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034253Z UID:70815-1784919600-1784926800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-24-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T160000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260223T053557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034233Z UID:70819-1784988000-1784995200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-25-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260725T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260223T053430Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034212Z UID:70817-1785006000-1785013200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-25-july-2/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260726T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260726T160000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260223T053749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034148Z UID:70821-1785074400-1785081600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:God of Carnage\, A Ballarat National Theatre Production DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/god-of-carnage-26-july/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat National Theatre,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/God-of-Carnage-BMI-Square.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Ballarat National Theatre":MAILTO:contact@bnt.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260729T193000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260416T050939Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260416T070224Z UID:72260-1785348000-1785353400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Phillipa Nefri Clark DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/phillipa-nefri-clark/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/sp-promo-talks.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260807T204000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20251205T035734Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T034032Z UID:69366-1786131000-1786135200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Blake Pavey: A Bit Scared DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/blake-pavey-a-bit-scared/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Comedy ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/sq-promo-blake-pavey.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="KEG Touring":MAILTO:Contact@kegtouring.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260812T193000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260324T234500Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T033956Z UID:71535-1786557600-1786563000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Sophie Green DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/sophie-green/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/sp-promo-talks-sophie-green.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260813T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260813T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260129T051107Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T033912Z UID:70430-1786649400-1786654800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | The Blue Trail DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-the-blue-trail/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/the-blue-trail-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260910T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20260910T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260129T052341Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T033843Z UID:70438-1789068600-1789074000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Kōkā DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-koka/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/koka-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261008T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261008T210000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260129T054045Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T033815Z UID:70446-1791487800-1791493200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Bound for Glory DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/ballarat-film-society-bound-for-glory/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/bound-for-glory-sq-promo.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261009T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20261009T220000 DTSTAMP:20260417T073315 CREATED:20260203T013254Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260331T023230Z UID:70535-1791572400-1791583200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Telegraph Road - The Dire Straits Legacy: Matt Arthur and The Lazybones DESCRIPTION:Author Talk | J.S. Davidson ‘Hunted’ & ‘Tethered’ | Now CANCELLED \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n July 8\n\n \n\n @ \n\n\n3:00 pm\n\n \n\n\n\n \n - \n\n4:30 pm\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n$11.78 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n TBA \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n J.S. Davidson \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga \n \n If one should fall\, they each will fade… \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga \n \n Darkness will come\, no one will evade… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Hunted: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Tethered: The Aztec Saga | J. S. Davidson\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n I don’t know how long I have been in this room. It feels like a century has slipped by\, but my reflection in the metallic door suggest it has been merely weeks. Screams of torment agonise in my mind as I stare at the task before me – an impossible task with only one outcome – death. If Death would come to me and carry me from this torturous place\, I would welcome him with open armsHe will not come for me\, he will come for another\, another whose passing will cause my heart to break even further. There was once a time I didn’t believe in the supernatural. I dismissed the strange book that came into my life as nothing but junk\, and I considered the warnings that followed to be nothing but folklore. How could I have been so foolish to believe the eyes that peered into my mind were innocuous? Now\, as I sit in my concrete cell with three boxes filled with unnerving contents\, I can think of nothing else but the fortune teller’s warning\, he will hunt you\, he will find you\, he will claim you as his own. And\, you will love him until you draw your final breath. I pray to God – any God who may be listening – to give me strength and the power to fight. I know what lays before me\, and I know it’s going to take ounce of strength I have. \n \n \n \n \n \n Time no longer has any meaning. Months may have passed since I awoke in this cell\, or perhaps only mere hours have slipped by.Turning my head\, I look away from the boxes upon the table. I cannot look at them. I cannot think of their contents.The key sits in the middle of the floor\, each time my eyes move past it I am reminded of an escape within my reach\, but an escape I can never take.Picking the blank notepad up\, I poise my pen and begin to write. I begin to fill the pad with my memories of sailing the River of Tomorrow\, and the Hanging Ones.With every passing minute\, the hope I hold for someone to come fades further into the internal abyss of emptiness growing in my soul… \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n About the author \n \n \n \n Ballarat-based author Jan Davidson\, 37\, is no stranger to challenges. Born with physical deformities\, Jan spent much of her childhood at Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital. Yet\, from those early struggles emerged a remarkable talent and voice that now speaks to readers through stories that span magical realms and the rich tapestry of everyday Australian life. “It was really boring as a kid\,” Jan laughs\, reflecting on her years in the hospital. “Netflix didn’t exist back then — so I only had my imagination to entertain me.” What began as a way to escape the sterile hospital walls became the foundation for a writing career that bridges two very different\, yet equally compelling\, genres. Jan is the creative force behind the gripping Urban Fantasy series ‘The Aztec Saga’\, Hunted and Tethered\, published under the pen name J.S. Davidson\, and the deeply human Australian drama series With You\, Breakfast With You and the soon-to-be-released Finding Me With You\, written under the name Ella Stone. When asked why she writes across such different genres\, her answer is simple: “I’d get bored sticking to just one.” She likens the contrast between the two styles to the shift from adventure to comfort. “Urban fantasy is a challenge\, an adventure\,” she explains. “Whereas Australian drama is like slipping cozy slippers on after a freezing day of being outside.” It’s that balance — between escapism and realism\, challenge and comfort — that gives Jan’s work a unique and captivating voice. At home in Ballarat\, Jan shares her life with her husband John and their two teenage children\, Samuel and Phoebe. Her writing life is closely woven into her family’s world\, one that’s grounded in care\, creativity\, and community. The Davidsons have long been active in local volunteer groups\, committed to giving back to the community that has supported them over the years.Jan’s story is a powerful reminder of how creativity can flourish in the most unexpected places — and how resilience\, imagination\, and heart can turn adversity into art. With more stories on the horizon and her latest drama ready to launch\, readers can expect to hear much more from this talented and deeply grounded writer. Whether she’s crafting tales of magic and danger or exploring the quiet heroism of everyday life\, Jan Davidson — as J.S. Davidson or Ella Stone — writes with authenticity and heart. And the world is better for it. \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n $11.78 per person includes booking fee & gst\, also includes light refreshment. All proceeds go to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute to support the staging of our author events. Book on-line or contact Rosemary at the Libary via email library@ballaratmi.org.au or phone (03) 5331 3042 \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n Get Tickets\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event is part of Ballarat Winter Festival \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n This event takes place on Wadawurrung Country. Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute acknowledges the Wadawurrung People of the Kulin Nation as the first inhabitants and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work\, learn and create. Always Was\, Always Will Be\, Aboriginal Land. URL:https://ballaratmi.org.au/event/telegraph-road-the-dire-straits-legacy/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/matt-arthur-sq-promo.jpg ORGANIZER;CN="Matt Arthur Music":MAILTO:matt@mattarthurmusic.com END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR