My second collection of stories was written with the assistance of a generous grant from the Australia Council. It was published in 2012, and was shortlisted for the Steele Rudd Award (part of the Queensland Premiers Book Awards), Australia's only prize for short story collections by a single author. By creating a range of characters who are very different from me, I have engaged in acts of  ventriloquism and the empathetic imagination. It's also an immensely pleasurable process to get out of your own head for a while and pretend to be someone else!

ABOUT AN UNKNOWN SKY

Tourists in Moscow and Vienna confronted by the weight of history. A young student teacher discovering her capacity for compassion. A teenage boy defending his mother's reputation. A man anguished by his sister's illness. An ageing widow infatuated with a troubled young man. Conflicts between the silent burdens of the past and the drama of everyday lives. Written with eloquence, grace and emotional generosity, these stories seek understanding rather than judgement, inviting us to reflect on the unspoken longings and regrets that make up who we are.

PRAISE FOR THE BOOK

'beautifully written and never over-written ... Midalia is a master of inference drawn from detail.' Australian Book Review

'Midalia's skill at presenting big ideas through everyday experience demonstrates how powerful good writing can be.' West Australian

'... stories that unerringly and gracefully obtain rare vantage points on life.' The Australian