It seems for the month of November, I will be fixated on inspirational aids/props to get me through NaNoWriMo... Last week it was notebooks. This week it's chocolate. What can I say? I'm a week into NaNoWriMo now (trying to write 50,000 words of my novel in just 30 days) and chocolate is NECESSARY! I … Continue reading You can never have too much chocolate
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
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 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
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
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
There's a 2006 Irish musical film called Once, which is one of those movies that grabs hold of you and won't let go. It's a really simple story about a musician (Glen Hansard from The Frames) busking on the street, who meets another musician (Markéta Irglová) by chance, and they decide to record an album. The addition of her … Continue reading When your mind’s made up (from Once)
Cunctator noun: One who hesitates; a procrastinator or delayer When I saw this word hit my inbox (from A.Word.A.Day) last week, I knew I had to share it -- even if only as a reminder to myself that I must not embody its meaning. This evening, however, I fear I deserve it as a descriptor. … Continue reading Word of the day: Cunctator
It turns out there's more to chocolate than I ever realised. Like a fine wine or a premium coffee, the highest quality chocolate has subtle flavours and aromas reminiscent of the plantation where the caca0 beans were grown. Along with the cocoa mass concentration, which determines the degree of darkness, these flavour variations can be … Continue reading A chocolate education: 6 things you need to know
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
Ellen Gregory 