RIPE | Sue Reed | Substack

RIPE

Post-trauma badassery, unapologetic ageing, gardening as witchcraft, menopausal resurrection, van life joyrides, and neurospicy chaos.

By Sue Reed

Welcome to Ripe...I'm Sue, come on in.

Writing from the front lines of midlife: voice reclaimed, garden muddy, van packed, and shame left in the dust, I’d love for you to join me

Jun 17, 2025•Sue Reed

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Dear Sue...

#1/2 ADHD Discovery Journey: A letter to myself at age 63

Oct 8, 2025•Sue Reed

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59

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Awakening The Sleeping Queen

Nathalie Cordell is June's guest author in The Book Room

Jun 22•Sue Reed and Nathalie Cordell

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Finding Molly

On Independent Bookshop Week and the cover reveal.

Jun 15•Sue Reed

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24

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Going Rogue in Richmond

On coming full circle, partnership publishing, and going rogue.

Jun 7•Sue Reed

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Life Writing

A Storybook Grandma ... but how to show and not tell?

On the writing and reading of a eulogy

May 31•Sue Reed

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Permission to Read

On the Puritan work ethic, a fidgety brain and holiday reading.

May 11•Sue Reed

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This is the girl (whose body was never the problem)

On the roots of shame, food issues and pre-diabetes.

Apr 13•Sue Reed

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The Book Room

A Year Without A Summer

Lesley Bungay is in The Book Room for May 2026

May 18•Sue Reed and Lesley Bungay

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Fallout

Eleanor Anstruther is in The Book Room

Apr 20•Sue Reed and Eleanor Anstruther

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Why We Write

On writing so others might be seen.

Apr 7•Sue Reed

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15

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Slow Living

Ripe Pickings. Late May 2026

A change of plan, an orange skip, a twilight zone and home to green.

May 24•Sue Reed

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When is a Weed not a Weed?

Gardening as Witchcraft: Ripe Pickings late April 2026.

Apr 27•Sue Reed

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Ripe Pickings, February 2026

Gardening As Witchcraft.

Feb 22•Sue Reed

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Slow Travel

A Madonna with fairy lights, my Mother and Me: Venice works its Magic.

On the overlap between place and memory, and how place can help heal hurt

Nov 13, 2025•Sue Reed

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Travelling alone to Venice, but what would Donna do?

Slow and solo travel as a writer at 63.

Nov 7, 2025•Sue Reed

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Shy Bairns Get Nowt

On Lobsters and Books. Slow Travel and Book Marketing.

Sep 22, 2025•Sue Reed

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My ADHD Journey,

Food, Drink & Drugs...

#3/3 My ADHD Discovery Journey - on addiction and soothing

Oct 21, 2025•Sue Reed

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Lightbulb Moments

[

2/3 ADHD Discovery Journey: Calm in Chaos and the Impossibility of Rest](https://suereed.substack.com/p/lightbulb-moments-calm-in-chaos-and)

Oct 15, 2025•Sue Reed

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19

3

Dear Sue...

#1/2 ADHD Discovery Journey: A letter to myself at age 63

Oct 8, 2025•Sue Reed

61

59

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grief

A Storybook Grandma ... but how to show and not tell?

On the writing and reading of a eulogy

May 31•Sue Reed

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12

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Mother's Day? It's Complicated.

On Mum's books and being mothered or not, as the case may be.

Mar 16•Sue Reed

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10

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Birth Stories. Part One - Mum's Story

On clarity and healing the mother wound

Aug 30, 2025•Sue Reed

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Sex, Gin and Chocolate Cupcakes

#6. 'He did things.' Diary entry age 15, read by my mother.

Sex, Gin and Chocolate Cupcakes - when the stuffing has to stop

May 5•Sue Reed

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#5 1983: A Married Man with Tight Trousers and a Gold Medallion

Sex, Gin and Chocolate Cupcakes - when the stuffing has to stop

Feb 6•Sue Reed

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#4 1976. Herman Hesse and Vanilla Tea

Sex, Gin and Chocolate Cupcakes - When the stuffing has to stop

Apr 24, 2025•Sue Reed

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