Today it's my turn to write an installment of the progressive story, The Octopus Knows, another creation of Laird Sapir. I'll admit I've been panicking er contemplating this over past couple of days... There have been six very creative installments to-date (links to all can be found on Laird's round robin page) and they're a … Continue reading The Octopus Knows – part 7
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
Last night I hopped along to Melbourne's The Wheeler Centre ('Books, Writing, Ideas') for the last in its series of free panels featuring writers in conversation. (The series had a name, but I've forgotten.) This particular session involved 'the two Alisons' -- Alison Goodman and Alison Croggon -- both of whom are Australian fantasy authors … Continue reading An evening of writerly conversation
I'm still in World Fantasy wind-down mode, and today bring you the highlights provided by Toastmaster, Connie Willis. If you read this blog regularly, you'll know that I was recently blown away by her novel Doomsday Book, so was particularly keen to hear what she had to say in person. And what a delight! I … Continue reading World Fantasy highlights: Connie Willis (with Neil Gaiman)
One of about six Guests of Honour at the recent World Fantasy Convention was artist Ruth Sanderson, who has illustrated an uncountable number of picture books (and/or book covers), many of them fairytales and other fantasy stories. Her paintings, several of which were on display in the Art Show, were breathtakingly beautiful -- had I … Continue reading World Fantasy GOH: Ruth Sanderson
It’s hard to believe that it’s essentially a week since the World Fantasy Convention in San Diego – I’m still recovering from all the people, panels and parties! I had the most amazing time. This convention was all about socializing and informal networking. Yes, I attended quite a few panels (mainly those featuring the various … Continue reading World Fantasy wind-down
Today I'm boarding a flight to San Diego USA to attend my first World Fantasy Convention. Exciting! It feels rather indulgent to be taking a trip halfway around the world simply to hobnob with other genre writers and industry professionals, but I know it will be a worthwhile experience. There will be plenty of people to meet, … Continue reading Heading to San Diego
Today I'm going to muse on a topic that has been floating around the writing industry blogosphere the past week or so -- which is what writers get out of blogging and how big a 'platform' novelists need in order to sell books (or to even be considered for publication by the larger publishers). Anne R Allen … Continue reading What I get out of blogging
It's very difficult to put into words how I felt yesterday upon hearing about the death of Sara Douglass, a true pioneer of Australian fantasy. Even today, having had time to reflect and read some of the tributes, I feel intensely and confusedly emotional. I did not personally know Sara Douglass. I never even had … Continue reading Vale Sara
As I watch my young nieces and nephews start to develop an appreciation of books and reading, I find myself wanting to write stories for them. Not picture book stories, but novel-length works of the type I would have adored at age 10 or 11. At that age, I had so much time for reading, … Continue reading Writing for kids
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