In partnership with
Hooley Dooley. Where do I start?
There’s a strange stillness that arrives after a dream comes true.
For years, The Art of Giving lived in my bones (and my Google Docs), it whispered into the cracks between caring for others, stitched together in small pockets of time, wrestled with, cried over, shaped, reshaped, nearly burnt down, and then finally, released.
And this past week, I’ve watched it travel out into the world with a momentum I never could have predicted.
Amazon rankings climbed. Pinch me. Messages pouring in from people who feel seen in their anxiety about nearly getting a parking ticket... Readers finishing the book and telling me where it landed for them. Readers finishing the book and telling me what they think of me.
It’s been beautiful. Overwhelming. Clarifying.
And today… quieter.
The kind of quiet that lets you take a breath and ask,
What now? What does this book want from me next?
To be fair… This Story really started thanks to Taree.
People see the book.
People see the rankings.
People see the launch.
But what they don’t always see is where the rebuilding happened - here, in the Manning Valley, after I uprooted my life on the Gold Coast to follow love. To follow that epic love story. To follow the Taree man I met by chance.
Moving to this region forced me to do something I had never done in my entire caregiving life:
Slow down. Receive. Let myself be looked after.
It came in unexpected places:
quiet mornings at Wild Cosmo Café,
friendships formed over repeat hellos,
standing in back paddocks marrying couples as Your Smiling Celebrant,
friendships formed over pats of my dog,
even finding comfort in the hands of my local nail technician.
Rural life softened me. Tended to me. Gave me community at the exact moment I didn’t know I needed one.
It’s where I finally faced my own pain, my own health, my own healing - including the hip replacement I kept avoiding while pouring into everyone else.
And because of that…
this book could finally pour out of me.
The message is bigger than the memoir
As the first readers finish the final chapters, a theme keeps emerging:
“I didn’t realise how much I was carrying until I read this.”
“I saw myself in your story.”
This isn’t just a book. It’s a mirror. And it’s revealing something important:
So many carers, support workers, mothers, partners, nurses, and quiet givers are under-equipped to look after themselves.
They’re exhausted, overwhelmed, stretched thin, and too often invisible.
And that’s why the next part of this journey feels so clear.
✨ What’s next: resources and support for the people who give everything
I’m now developing:
A downloadable carer guide — practical, gentle, grounding
A companion journal to help people unpack their own story
Workshops and speaking sessions for support workers, NDIS teams, community health organisations, and regional groups
Conversation circles for readers and carers needing a space to breathe
Because if there’s one thing my story taught me, it’s this:
You can continue to give….beautifully, wholeheartedly….
but only if you’re cared for too.
And I’m ready to bring that message anywhere it’s needed.
The Art of Giving is no longer just mine. It belongs to every person who has ever loved someone so hard they forgot themselves in the process.
🌱 Thank you, truly
To everyone who has read, reviewed, shared, messaged, cried, or quietly carried the story with them - thank you. Your support this week has meant more than you know.
Lots of love,
Karlee x
Finished the book? I’d be so grateful if you popped a little review on Amazon or Goodreads - it truly helps new authors.
More importantly… it helps this book finds who needs it.
Smart Investors Don’t Guess. They Read The Daily Upside.
Markets are moving faster than ever — but so is the noise. Between clickbait headlines, empty hot takes, and AI-fueled hype cycles, it’s harder than ever to separate what matters from what doesn’t.
That’s where The Daily Upside comes in. Written by former bankers and veteran journalists, it brings sharp, actionable insights on markets, business, and the economy — the stories that actually move money and shape decisions.
That’s why over 1 million readers, including CFOs, portfolio managers, and executives from Wall Street to Main Street, rely on The Daily Upside to cut through the noise.
No fluff. No filler. Just clarity that helps you stay ahead.