Bio

Marie C. Lukic

I am a published writer of fiction and non-fiction, and have an interest in sociology and history. This year, I have  taken on the world by designing  my new website marielukic.com where I  promote discussion about writing. During the past few years, I have developed social networking articles on facebook  I have enjoyed a career teaching English, Humanities and Literacy.

I also write speculative fiction, poetry and design books. I have largely overcome being a shrinking violet, and now see the world as my battlefield! I still teach when I have time, but am currently ultimately experiencing challenges and joys associated with the multitude of grandchildren, though I  hope soon to return to the classroom soon.  In the meantime, I pursue my literary career.

In my early years,  I  attended St Bernadettes, West Ivanhoe, a very good school that produced many capable people in diverse professions and occupations. In my spare time, I studied at Trinity College of Music, London (Elocution in Ivanhoe) with Connie, Constance Casey from the ages of 4-17 (1963-1976). My hobbies included riding ponies and swimming at Heidelberg pool.

In the 1972-1977, I was educated at Our Lady of Mercy College,  Heidelberg where I performed strongly in HSC English and Literature. I studied a Bachelor of Arts, English major at Latrobe University, sub major Legal Studies. My English literature degree included literary analysis, but as a serious student, I grew in my understanding of the English language as a result of my degree.  I graduated in 1981 after taking one brilliant gap year in 1979, when I travelled  throughout Australia with my girlfriends.

Next, I studied Education and commenced a secondary teaching career in 1983, which began in the new, exciting Sunraysia College of TAFE where I taught TOP English (Year 12 English). The following year I convinced the Department to allow me to transfer back to Melbourne. I left the best position of my career in beautiful Mildura at Sunraysia TAFE, and marriage followed a few years later.  I taught English and Humanities in Melbourne secondary colleges. Teaching is stimulating and challenging, so when I am not writing books, I enjoy teaching. Post graduate studies in Leading Literacy occurred at Bastow in 2014 when I  studied Leadership and Writing to Learn. I coordinated Bastow Writing to Learn Literacy in a rural secondary college setting.

I have excelled in certain subjects during my education, particularly professional writing at NMIT where I received excellent encouragement and honed my literary talent. While teaching part-time, from 2005-2007, I completed a Diploma in Professional Writing & Editing at NMIT where I polished my first children’s novel, Galaxy Trotters, published originally in 2009 (galley), which I initially wrote during family leave 1984-91. Galaxy Trotters was  launched at Readings, Carlton by Carole Littler in June 2010. Years earlier, my first children’s picture book was published in 1994 (Thomas Nelson), Pasquale’s Gift, a Gathering Speed reader for primary school with multicultural themes. I write in most genres including poetry and have several educational texts published, including Leading Edge Guide to Maestro (Harcourt Education). During family leave, I studied Journalism 1A and 1B by correspondence at Deakin University, excellent subjects to enhance written expression.

More recently I have self-published on KDP and currently self-publish on Google Play. My biggest project at present is to refine and design my  Kingdom of Nerada series, which I am currently restructuring, an exciting project.  While at NMIT, I had short stories, poetry and reviews published in INfusion, the NMIT magazine. During work placement, I had the opportunity to complete photo research, which has led to the exciting diversion of photo illustration of a few of my books.

I  have also spent several years interviewing my father, the late, Ray Street, and writing two family histories, one on her father’s side and one on her mother’s side, which remain in draft. I see myself as a natural born speculative fiction writer with a philosophical streak, so have enjoyed developing my Silver Grail Sacral Culture, which includes a trilogy of Mind Body Soul texts, Transcendence, Chrysalis and Germination. In these texts I not encourage people to generate culture and ideas, but forge a path toward an enjoyable and challenging life.

Bookbinding is an area of interest,  so I have studied marbling and the short course, Introduction to Book Binding at RMIT (School of Design). I am a member of Bookbinders Victoria.  I live on the outskirts of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, so local workshops are a viable possibility.