A quick post to acknowledge two things that happened in my blog world this week: WikiRandom Writers Challenge A creation of the irrepressible Laird Sapir, the WikiRandom Writers Challenge is a flashfiction competition involving the creation of a three-sentence story using a phrase generated by hitting the Wikipedia random button. Sara Walpert Foster won the … Continue reading Spreading blog love
Another WIP Wednesday, and today I'm going to talk about one aspect of the fantasy genre you just can't escape from: Worldbuilding. This is perhaps one of the most attractive aspects of writing and reading fantasy for me. I just love the opportunity to explore amazing worlds, and when an author gets it right, it's … Continue reading Two touchstones for worldbuilding
How would you react if you suddenly found yourself stranded on the moon? I jotted this question down recently as I watched a Dr Who episode -- you know the one where Martha is introduced? The episode is called Smith and Jones. Anyway, Martha is a student doctor working in a London hospital that is … Continue reading If you found yourself on the moon…
Inspired by what might have been a throwaway comment on facebook by Alvarado Frazier, I thought I'd launch a series called WIP Wednesday, when I post on aspects of my Work in Progress. I'm not sure how it's going to go, or what exactly I'll write about from week to week, but it'll be reflective of … Continue reading WIP Wednesday: Lucky 7 Meme
A couple of weeks ago, Australian speculative fiction author Deborah Biancotti shared some very wise insights while guest-posting on Lisa Hannett's blog: "... But here’s what you have to remember: You’re running your own race. "This means you set the pace & the direction. YOU do. Both. Pace AND direction. "... So when you find … Continue reading When you feel like you’re taking the hard path
I wanted to work on my WIP today. We've had a public holiday and it seemed the ideal opportunity to get back into my novel after a few weeks of neglect. But, as it turned out, there was something else I had to do first. When my life gets crazy and starts to spin out … Continue reading Decluttering: creativity essential or shameless procrastination?
Custard. Thick, creamy, sweet. Slabbed between two dainty sheets of flaky puff pastry. Eaten with a fork. This is a vanilla slice, an Australian cake institution, derived from the French mille-feuille, but oh so much better. I have a weakness for vanilla slices, a weakness my beloved grandmother discovered while I was still a child, and diligently … Continue reading Six reasons to eat that vanilla slice
For today's FRIDAY WITH FRIENDS I welcome April Plummer, who has recently published her debut novel, Coming Home. I haven't had the chance to read it yet, but it sounds incredibly moving. I asked April to stick around to tell us about her novel and share some of her experiences during its creation. Coming Home For … Continue reading April Plummer discusses Coming Home
Ellen Gregory 