I feel remiss that I have not wished my book a happy first birthday this month! Of course, Cassandra received the best birthday gift in the form of a shortlisting in the Aurealis Best Fantasy Novel category but having given birth to Cassandra I should also officially say Happy Birthday. It's been a whole year since … Continue reading Books have birthdays too
Category: Cassandra
A (no longer) Secret Family Recipe
When my Cassandra walks up the hill to introduce herself to Athena, she takes jam drops. That is because my jam drop recipe is one of my most precious things. I have posted before about the magic of living next door to my grandmother. We gardened together and we baked together. My grandmother baked in a … Continue reading A (no longer) Secret Family Recipe
Keeping the Faith – Writing Life
Today is a good day. I found out Cassandra is on the shortlist for the Best Fantasy Novel in the Aurealis Awards. This is a big deal for me. Equal in excitement to the first time I was published and when Odysessy Books agreed to publish Cassandra. I will celebrate this moderate success because it … Continue reading Keeping the Faith – Writing Life
Writing routines and celebrating baristas
Last weekend I had the pleasure of celebrating my writing achievements with my favourite barista. When I was writing Cassandra I had a slightly OCD writing routine (only 2 days a week sadly) that went like this: 7.40am drop kids in town to meet school bus Visit Denise at Cafe Kiks and get a coffee … Continue reading Writing routines and celebrating baristas
Selling Books for Introverts
When I was 19 I had a job selling cleaning products door to door. The product was called Dussall (or was it Duzzall?) because it does all. I hated it. I travelled as far west as Mt Isa and as far north as Emerald living in motels and turning up cold turkey and saying 'have … Continue reading Selling Books for Introverts
Pretty Baby, Ugly Baby and book reviews
Have you ever seen an ugly baby? I was never one of those clucky women who melted at the sight of a baby. But, I don't think I have ever seen an actual ugly baby. As I have been comparing the publishing and writing process to being pregnant and giving birth, the next logical analogy … Continue reading Pretty Baby, Ugly Baby and book reviews
Yoga, writing and Azorbaloff
It wasn't until the week before my book launch that I thought to tell my yoga teacher how much her classes had influenced my book - even though there is no yoga in the book. I have been doing yoga for 19 years! I am crap at meditating. My mind is highly distractible. Over the … Continue reading Yoga, writing and Azorbaloff
Publisher as midwife
My first midwife gave up on me and handed me to a doctor for an emergency Cesarean section. That doctor palmed me off onto another doctor because he had a golf date. I lay on the gurney writhing in pain feeling superfluous to the whole birthing process. My second midwife was called Senga. She explained … Continue reading Publisher as midwife
Launch & Celebrate
A book launch is a kind of like the christening or the naming ceremony. Everyone oohs and aahs over the baby in her best lace dress. No one has met the baby yet, they don't know if she is going to be a fast read or a naughty read but the miracle of life is … Continue reading Launch & Celebrate
Grandma’s poison arum lily
Today I went to the supermarket to buy milk and came home with a calla lily. I did not think twice. As soon as I saw it, I picked it up and put it in my trolley because it reminded me of my grandmother. This a photo of my grandmother in her garden, the farm … Continue reading Grandma’s poison arum lily