A year unlike any other comes to a close and I found myself unexpectedly writing and publishing a brand new work in the space of a few months. 2025 has been the year of Australian Gothic; from the early months of the year spent scribbling in a notebook to now, where I find myself spreading the book as far as I can in bookstores, street libraries – anywhere. People often speak of the ‘one they were born to do’ and well, Australian Gothic certainly is that for me. For a long time I’d have said Tenebrae Manor was that work, but that was written by a cynical 22 year old. I’m sure I’ll gather more wisdom as I grow older, but for now it is Australian Gothic that is the touchstone of my creative endeavours, the one I’d place on a pedestal and say ‘this is me’.
To everyone who has read Australian Gothic or supported me in different ways in 2025, thank you truly. I think the word ‘cathartic’ is overused, but struggle to find another superlative to describe how it feels to put something so personal out into the world. There is a sense of relief, of being heard, of adding my voice to the world and leaving something meaningful behind. I feel like I have walked through flames this year, but as iron sharpens iron, I emerge on the other side stronger for it. I keep thinking I’d like 2026 to be an easier experience, but realise that life simply isn’t like that – that we are made to walk uphill, and that there is nothing truly insurmountable.
Let’s talk books – I read some good ones this year.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running – Haruki Murakami: A non-fiction one to kick things off. I’ve mentioned here before that I love to run, and I felt a sense of ‘kindred spirit’ with Mr. Murakami with this work. I perhaps felt a little less crazy about some of the strenuous ordeals long-distance runners go through – willful suffering, indeed!
The Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien: How often have you re-read a childhood favourite? For me this was a second read of Tolkien’s masterpiece – some 25 years after I read it as a teenager (God I’m getting old). With a quarter century more of life experience behind me, this book struck me hard in so many ways. It remains a beautiful and transcendent work of friendship, morality and perseverance. What could I say of this that hasn’t already been said? I am so happy I revisited it.
The Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoyevsky: ‘The one you were born to do’. Dostoyevsky’s magnum opus is not for the faint of heart; a thousand page tome packed full of rapturous profundity. I learnt so much from this book – its messages have shaped my own personal philosophy and challenged ideals that I had assumed true for a long time and I now realise I was mistaken. ‘Without God, everything is permissible’ – a terrifying thought. ‘Every man is not only responsible for everything he does, but what everyone else does’ – even more terrifying.
Fear and Trembling – Soren Kierkegaard: Probably the most difficult book I’ve ever read – without hyperbole. There are video summaries of this book that can help explain the gist of this one, and I’d suggest listening along to some of them as you read this to help you understand. This book taught me about the absurdity of faith, yet the necessity of such faith that is required to connect with God. ‘He who loved God became the greatest of all’.
The Book That Made Your World – Vishal Mangalwadi: A work that presents the influence the Bible has had on the world, particularly the West, and how even the most mundane of life’s enterprises have been shaped by the Bible in one way or another – mostly for the benefit of humanity.
“Darkness had no need of aid from them; She was the Universe” – Darkness, Lord Byron.
Merry Christmas and God Bless. See you in 2026 – PSCx
P.S.Clinen 