Rebecca: Misrepresented Romance

During last month's obsession with Bluebeard, I discovered Bronte's Jane Eyre and du Maurier's Rebecca are considered 'romanticised' Bluebeard tales. I love Bluebeard (particularly Anglea Carter's retelling, the Bloody Chamber) because it calls out violence (both within and external to us) as a warning to check behind locked doors and develop our intuitive insight. I … Continue reading Rebecca: Misrepresented Romance

The Power of Stories

Humans tell stories. We are all natural storytellers even if we never write a book or call ourselves writers or directors. We even see patterns and create stories even when none exists. Watch this film. https://youtu.be/VTNmLt7QX8E Do you see a story? This film was used in the 1944 experiment of "Apparent Behavior" by Fritz Heider … Continue reading The Power of Stories

Easter and Stories of Rebirth

  Thanks to the goddess Inanna that summer is over. The final arrival of our brief Autumn must be how people in cold climates feel when Spring bursts open. I feel invigorated and, energetic.  Summer is sooo exhausting. No coincidence perhaps that it is also Easter, a celebration of rebirth and for the northern hemisphere, Spring.   … Continue reading Easter and Stories of Rebirth

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

Who was Cassandra of Troy?

Cassandra by Evelyn De Morgan (1898, London); Cassandra in front of the burning city of Troy at the peak of her insanity. [Public domain] via Wikimedia Commons When people ask - What is your book about? - I give the short version. My book is a reimagining of the story of prophetess Cassandra of Troy. My … Continue reading Who was Cassandra of Troy?

Zeus is a slut

One of the things that surprised me when I delved into Greek mythology was that the gods were not very nice. Zeus is the kingpin of the Olympian gods. There are lots of derogatory words for women who have sex with many men. There is no male equivalent. Womaniser or player carry a far bit … Continue reading Zeus is a slut

Beauty shouldn’t have to tame the Beast

After reading Pride and Prejudice with the Pocket Bookclub  I realised Pride and Prejudice was the Beauty and Beast story. I am no genius! Elizabeth Hopkins sets the plot similarities out rather succinctly at the Silver Petticoat Review  or look at Kristen's visuals in her post at See you in the Porridge . Lizzie and Darcy don't like … Continue reading Beauty shouldn’t have to tame the Beast

We are all natural Storytellers

My daughter is of the Hogwarts's generation, so naturally enough bought The Cursed Child. She sent a text to me one Saturday to say she had finished it and she was close to tears and desperately wrote 'I want more stories'. We all need stories - perhaps more than we need a place to live. American … Continue reading We are all natural Storytellers

Myth making and propaganda

Richard III was the King in England from 1483 to 1485. Shakespeare paints him a villainous hunchback. The play The Tragedy of Richard III currently playing at La Boite in Brisbane breaks the fourth wall and asks the audience to  question how storytellers make myths out of history - "how the telling of a story can … Continue reading Myth making and propaganda