Really short and sweet post today... I just came across the following poster from copyblogger. It's quite pertinent for me at the moment as I try to finish-the-hell-out-of-this cursed, er, fantastically wonderful novel. Yeah. Stuff to remember... Like this infographic? Get more content marketing tips from Copyblogger. You can also download as a PDF from … Continue reading 10 rules for writing first drafts (via copyblogger)
It's time for another installment from my 1993 adventures through Greece. Click here for the story so far... We've just left Olympia in the Peloponnese region of Greece and are heading south-east. Here's a map to help you get oriented. *** [Sunday 5 December, 1993] Being on holiday is the most amazing thing -- I … Continue reading Travelling in the 90s – Gythion and Pylos
Almost every time I go down to Phillip Island I walk along the beach east into Cowes or west to Red Rocks beach... Or sometimes I take one of the walks along the rugged southern coast of the island, where the scenery is striking. Almost every time I walk, I snap some photos of the … Continue reading Weekly photo challenge: The Sea
The blossom is out and the last couple of days I've worn a tee-shirt. Yes, it's been a gorgeous sunny end to winter and next week Spring officially begins with forecast temperatures in the mid-twenties. The blooming of Spring and the crackle of Autumn are my favourite times of year. I'm always ready for the … Continue reading Spring wishes
For my next travel adventure -- which involves jaunting around south-west England for a few weeks before attending the 2013 World Fantasy Convention in Brighton -- I've set myself the challenge of carrying only a 35L backpack (Kathmandu Cane Toad) and a computer bag (my trusty lime green Crumpler Considerable Embarrassment). I'm pretty sure I … Continue reading Packing light – how much space do jeans take up?
ASHI wish we'd never ventured onto the island. Not only is it completely in the wrong direction from the plains and our village, but we have lost one of our companions.It is no secret there was no love lost between the paladin and me, but despite his incessant blathering about his god, he was a … Continue reading D&D Chronicles: Tragedy at the island
Here's something you may or may not know about me. I hate doing anything on the fly. The moment someone plonks me into a situation I hadn't anticipated, especially if I'm supposed to look and sound competent, my brain freezes and I become incoherent. Example - Our choir leader decides to make us sing an … Continue reading This makes my brain freeze
In many ways I suppose this could be a good weekend for reading. But that's not what I'm supposed to be doing... I'm at a writers retreat. I'm supposed to be writing. I'm here in a house with eight fellow word wranglers. There are laptops everywhere. The floor is strewn with cables. Wine is being mulled... … Continue reading On a writing (not reading) retreat
Another thing I came across on the weekend while sorting through storage boxes was all my old thesis stuff. Two boxes, filled with notebooks, log books, specimens, and negatives. So many negatives. Remember them? Much of my thesis involved looking at tiny bits of steel under electron microscopes and I have the photos to … Continue reading Blast from the past: specimens and notebooks
I recently read Jo Walton's Among Others, winner of the 2012 Nebula, Hugo and British Fantasy Awards for best novel. Since it's one of the few recent SF novels I've read of late, I thought I would share some of my thoughts. [Mild spoilers...] Among Others has been described as many things: a fairy story, … Continue reading Thoughts on Among Others by Jo Walton
Ellen Gregory 