Like many writers, I suspect, I have a notebook addiction. (The kind you write in with a pen.) These days there are so many gorgeous ones available -- even in common, mass-market, office supply stores. And it's the inexpensive ones that are the most dangerous... because it seems perfectly acceptable to buy a few more when … Continue reading You can never have too many notebooks
I'm a little bit excited. This week I took the plunge and signed up for my first NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month). The challenge -- and readers of this blog might be aware I love a challenge -- is to write 50,000 words of a novel during the 30 days of November. (Technically the challenge … Continue reading Did I just sign up for NaNoWriMo?
Here in Melbourne, Australia, Spring is well underway after a miserable, wet Winter. As the days lengthen and the evenings grow warmer, the temptation to venture out into the evening is strong. Beckoned by the balmy air and lingering sunshine, I find myself donning track-pants and runners and heading down the driveway. I'm lucky enough to … Continue reading The beachfront beckons
It's my great pleasure to welcome author Rabia Gale to my blog today. Her bio says she breaks fairy tales and fuses fantasy and science fiction... How could you not want to read anything and everything she writes? I invited her here to discuss, among other things, her novella, Rainbird, which she launched this week. Here's … Continue reading Talking Rainbird with Rabia Gale
It's hugely important to feed the muse, no matter the creative endeavour. And from now on -- at least for a little while -- I'm dedicating Wednesdays on this blog to this purpose. Today's inspiration comes in the form of music. Specifically Dvorak's Symphony Number 9 -- From the New World. I love all kinds of … Continue reading Dvorak and the bright, beautiful sunrise
Our little band of adventurers is really starting to hit its stride now. After Saturday's D&D session, we are lurking at the edge of a clearing in the forest, above which is suspended a temple in the treetops, completely overrun by goblins, hobgoblins and the like. We are poised for the battle of our short … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: the temple in the treetops
And now for something a little different... It's time once again for that most fun of flash fiction competitions -- the Wikirandom writing challenge. It's not really my turn to host, but Laird Sapir is swamped and so has passed the baton on... So I'll keep this short and sweet and get right to it! … Continue reading Wikirandom flash fiction challenge returns!
Some time ago, I was challenged to list several sources of inspiration and -- before I get into that -- it has made me ponder the nature of inspiration and what people do with it. So what is inspiration? The dictionary says (OK, I'm also an engineer and I like definitions): inspiration - 1. drawing … Continue reading Contemplating the nature of inspiration
I asked my mother this (of me) the other day, wanting to correlate my memory of my first reading experience with hers -- and was surprised by the answer. I've long thought the first chapter book I ever read was Charlotte's Web, when I was about eight. This is what I've been telling people for years. Only it … Continue reading What was the 1st book you ever read?
OK, so I've lost count of the number of people who have told me The Princess Bride is their favourite movie in the whole wide world. It's certainly one of mine... and this short tribute is in honour of its 25th birthday -- which I understand was last week. The Princess Bride is one of … Continue reading Celebrating 25 years of The Princess Bride
Ellen Gregory 