BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Ballaarat Mechanics' Institute - ECPv6.15.20//NONSGML v1.0//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH 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:20240406T160000 END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:AEDT DTSTART:20241005T160000 END:DAYLIGHT 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 END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250730T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250730T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250408T040007Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T041032Z UID:64365-1753902000-1753905600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | How to Love Yourself & Others 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-30-july/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-to-Love-Yourseld-Others-square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250731T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250731T160000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250624T062123Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T063012Z UID:65855-1753956000-1753977600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Freemasons Vocal Schedule 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/rsss-vocal-schedule-7/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Royal South Street Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos3.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250801T160000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250801T203000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250624T063047Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T063002Z UID:65863-1754064000-1754080200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Freemasons Vocal Schedule 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/rsss-vocal-schedule-8/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Royal South Street Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos3.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250802T093000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250802T210000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250625T043529Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T063828Z UID:65954-1754127000-1754168400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Freemasons Vocal Schedule & Championship Challenge 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/rsss-vocal-schedule-9-2/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Live Music,Royal South Street Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos3.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250803T143000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250803T203000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250624T235217Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250626T062854Z UID:65881-1754231400-1754253000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Herald Sun Aria Heats 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/rsss-aria-heats/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Royal South Street Society ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250804T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250804T213000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250625T000219Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250722T042831Z UID:65888-1754335800-1754343000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Royal South Street Society | Herald Sun Aria Semi Final 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/rsss-aria-semi-final/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Important Dates,Live Music,Royal South Street Society,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/sq-promos.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250806T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250806T193000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250527T025831Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250616T021316Z UID:65197-1754503200-1754508600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In conversation with Chloe Adams & Alli Sinclair 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/chloe-adams-alli-sinclair/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Ballarat Winter Festival,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sq-promo-chloe-and-alli-v2.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250806T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250806T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250408T041052Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T041408Z UID:64372-1754506800-1754510400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | How to Love Yourself & Others 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-6-august/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-to-Love-Yourseld-Others-square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250810T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250810T160000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154209 CREATED:20250512T035956Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T061800Z UID:64945-1754834400-1754841600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:The Little Brass Band | BMI Fundraiser: Cheers\, Raise a Glass to Brass 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/little-brass-band/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/little-brass-band-square-promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250813T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250813T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250408T041113Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250408T041537Z UID:64373-1755111600-1755115200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | How to Love Yourself & Others 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-august/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-to-Love-Yourseld-Others-square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250815T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250815T193000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250811T041345Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250811T045630Z UID:66767-1755280800-1755286200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:The Secret History of Sharks with Professor John Long | National Science Week 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/the-secret-history-of-sharks/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Festival,Fundraiser,Members,Science Week,Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/sq-promo-the-secret-history-of-sharks.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250816T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250816T220000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250605T021537Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250801T031934Z UID:65518-1755372600-1755381600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Craig McLachlan Live & Intimate - Six String Stories 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/craig-mc-lachlan/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:BMI Produced Event,Live Music,Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/CRAIG-MCLACHLAN-SixStringStories_CM_Hero_draft2-Liam-Mudge.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T193000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250522T034400Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T001437Z UID:65063-1755712800-1755718200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Michael Robotham 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/michael-robotham/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/sq-promo-robotham.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250820T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250814T001943Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250814T002105Z UID:66976-1755716400-1755720000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | How to Love Yourself & Others 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-20-august/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/How-to-Love-Yourseld-Others-square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T170000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250714T045240Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250715T044101Z UID:66222-1755957600-1755968400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Laura J Fitzwilson\, Book Launch - The Fool 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/laura-j-fitzwilson/ LOCATION:Heritage Reading Room\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-laura-l-fitzwilson.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T200000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250823T230000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20241204T023112Z LAST-MODIFIED:20260203T025535Z UID:60476-1755979200-1755990000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Six String Blues - A Tribute To Blues Guitar 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/sex-string-blues/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Blues Festival,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/square-promo-six-string-blues.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Matt Arthur Music":MAILTO:matt@mattarthurmusic.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250827T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250827T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250408T041557Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T042601Z UID:64376-1756321200-1756324800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration 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-27-august-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250830T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250830T203000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250811T023940Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250812T005435Z UID:66742-1756582200-1756585800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Melbourne Guitar Quartet 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/melbourne-guitar-quartet/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Classical Music,Live Music ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Concerts Australia":MAILTO:michael@concertsaustralia.com END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250831T130000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250831T140000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250722T023048Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T030553Z UID:66327-1756645200-1756648800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:A Poet's Guide to Love and Loss | A Ballarat Arts Foundation fundraiser featuring tenor Douglas Kelly 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/a-poets-guide-to-love-and-loss/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Live Music,Theatre Production ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/victorian-opera-sq-promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250901T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250901T193000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250711T023001Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T001637Z UID:66163-1756749600-1756755000@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:In Conversation with Gabriel Bergmoser 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/gabriel-bergmoser/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Library ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/gabriel-bergmoser-sq-promo.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T183000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250728T035749Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T031406Z UID:66371-1756920600-1756924200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Ballarat's Henry Lawson\, Unknown facts presented by Hedley Thomson 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/twilight-talks-henry-lawson/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Important Dates,Members,Talk,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-2025.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250903T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250813T042810Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T042930Z UID:66936-1756926000-1756929600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration 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-3-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250904T180000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250904T190000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250603T000019Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T233613Z UID:64998-1757008800-1757012400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Tracey Lee Holmes: A Life Through Sport 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/bmi-twc-tracey-lee-holmes/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Culture,Fundraiser,Important Dates,Talk ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/sq-promo-tracey-holmes-v4.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250906T100000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250907T140000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250409T010714Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250805T075721Z UID:64397-1757152800-1757253600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Spring Book Sale | Reward yourself with loads of Summer reading 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/book-sale-september-2025/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Culture,Fundraiser,Members ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/book-sale-square-spring-2025.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T170000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T193000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250801T001930Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T003001Z UID:66551-1757523600-1757532600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Crafting Conversation: The Jewellers Edition 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/crafting-conversation-jewellers/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Art programs ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/square-promo-mgth.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Make Good Things Happen":MAILTO:angela@daltonbaker.com.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250910T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250813T043002Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T043105Z UID:66938-1757530800-1757534400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration 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-10-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250911T193000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250911T210000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250212T025145Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250321T110610Z UID:61982-1757619000-1757624400@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Ballarat Film Society | Goodbye Julia 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/bfs-goodbye-julia/ LOCATION:The Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Ballarat Film Society,Externally Produced Event,Film ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/sqaure-promo-bfs.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250914T140000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250914T160000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250805T063244Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250828T023211Z UID:66629-1757858400-1757865600@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Fashion Parade Fundraiser | Vintage & Preloved Clothing Shop 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/vintage-collectables-fasion-parade-25/ LOCATION:BMI – Minerva Space\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350 CATEGORIES:Fundraiser,Important Dates,Members,Vintage & Collectables ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/promotional-square-2.jpg END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T173000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T183000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250728T041859Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250826T032241Z UID:66377-1758130200-1758133800@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Twilight Talks 2025\, Season 3\, Spring Season | Into the Dragon's Den\, The Chinese community in Bendigo 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/twilight-talks-saving-dragons/ LOCATION:BMI – Humffray Room\, 117-119 Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, VIC\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:Author Talk,Fundraiser,Important Dates,Library,Members,Talk,Twilight Talks ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/square-promo-20252.webp END:VEVENT BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T190000 DTEND;TZID=Australia/Melbourne:20250917T200000 DTSTAMP:20260418T154210 CREATED:20250813T043212Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250813T043312Z UID:66940-1758135600-1758139200@ballaratmi.org.au SUMMARY:Kadampa Meditation Series | Focus: The Power of Concentration 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-17-september-25/ LOCATION:Lending Library\, Sturt Street\, Ballarat Central\, Victoria\, 3350\, Australia CATEGORIES:kadampa ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://ballaratmi.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/square-promo-1.webp ORGANIZER;CN="Kadampa Meditation":MAILTO:info@kadampa.org.au END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR