Just some of the treats in boxes shipped down by my 'rents this week... (Thanks Mum & Dad! x) Missed my Marilyn collection! I am a movie buff, yes. Hello childhood! Macauley Culkin is my boyfriend. The Roald Dahl box sets were a present from Mum and Dad when I was about nine, and my sister … Continue reading How did I live without them?
Commentary
Kilts and wine breath: a conversation with my sister about meeting Diana Gabaldon
Some years ago when I was a bookstore girl, I became intrigued by this massive brick of a book called Cross Stitch (Outlander in the US), which many middle-aged women would get flustered over: ‘You haven’t read it?’ they’d ask. I read it, and it was great fun – particularly the raunchy historical Scottish sex, and the … Continue reading Kilts and wine breath: a conversation with my sister about meeting Diana Gabaldon
Goodbye Billie Jean
With a million things due and a million to organise (not to mention the inbox) I'm running away today to go for a walk in the mountains with some dear friends. I really, really need it. Yesterday I came back from a business trip to Sydney. It was great meeting people from some of the … Continue reading Goodbye Billie Jean
Snapshot
Number of items on to-do list: Nine. Not too bad. The next five books I'm planning to read in no particular order: Jasper Jones (Craig Silvey), Siren (Tara Moss), Parrot & Olivier in America (Peter Carey), The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe (J Randy Taraborrelli), The Year of the Flood (Margaret Atwood). Time I got … Continue reading Snapshot
Moving house, check out Readings Monthly and diminishing attention spans
Lots of books are getting moved from one place to another this weekend (and categorised and alphabetised) so forgive me for being a bit quiet. It's not online yet, but my feature interview with Alex Miller, on his new novel Lovesong, has just come out in the November issue of Readings Monthly. Pick up a copy … Continue reading Moving house, check out Readings Monthly and diminishing attention spans
Buying time: Liz Sinclair on asking for money to write her book
I was very curious when I heard about Liz Sinclair's project 'Help Me Write My Book'. Like many writers, Liz has to work to support herself, and of course, work takes time away from what she's really wanting to do - write that book. My first reaction, honestly, was something along the lines of 'why does she … Continue reading Buying time: Liz Sinclair on asking for money to write her book
Chairing panels at writers’ festivals: a few things I’ve learnt
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival 2009 'Blogging, Dissent & Solidarity' session. Kadek Adidharma, Dian Hartati, yours truly, Ng Yi-Sheng & Antony Loewenstein. Pic from official festival Facebook page. I've attended several writers' festivals over the last three years, and in the past year have begun to chair or sit on panels at some of these. … Continue reading Chairing panels at writers’ festivals: a few things I’ve learnt
Avatar: a mash-up
This piece is a mash-up of an undergrad essay from a couple of years ago, plus present thoughts, imaginings and speculation on the narrative of self in a virtual environment. Storytelling is as old as humanity. The human has always actively projected him/herself into realms of fantasy (through song, art, drama, writing). Modernity advanced the visual aspect … Continue reading Avatar: a mash-up
And the winner is…
Twitter user @whymicesing (Michelle Farran) is the winner of the double pass to the Speakeasy Cinema screening of Obscene: A Portrait of Barnet Rosset and Grove Press, along with a burgers and bevvies. Michelle's answer was My Secret Life and Tropic of Cancer. Cheers for your entries! Come along anyway if you like - ticket details are in … Continue reading And the winner is…
Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press – Melbourne screening (win tickets!)
The preview: Obscene is a film biography of Barney Rosset, the influential publisher of Grove Press and the provocative Evergreen Review. He was the first American publisher of Samuel Beckett, Kenzaburo Oe, Tom Stoppard, Che Guevara, and Malcolm X. He also battled the government to overrule the obscenity ban on groundbreaking works such as Lady Chatterley’s Lover, … Continue reading Obscene: A Portrait of Barney Rosset and Grove Press – Melbourne screening (win tickets!)
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