Having a month off social media was wonderful, I'd highly recommend it. I was able to work on many different projects without distraction (and without comparing myself to others so much). Despite thesis and job-searching stress, my mind felt calmer, and I was able to concentrate for longer stretches. Most of all, as I'd intended, … Continue reading I’m baaaaaack & upcoming events
2012: cut, print, that’s a wrap & see you in February
2012 has been a crap year in some respects; a year of rejections, near misses and setbacks. There has been injury and some sickness. There has been grief. At times it has been hard to stay optimistic. I've also, at times, found it very hard to have faith in myself and my work. There's been … Continue reading 2012: cut, print, that’s a wrap & see you in February
Walter Mason on The Memory of Salt by Alice Melike Ülgezer
The Memory of Salt Alice Melike Ülgezer Giramondo 9781920882907 August 2012 (buy) reviewed by Walter Mason One so rarely encounters God in modern Australian literature that it comes as a shock to see the word, especially so early on Alice Melike Ülgezer’s The Memory of Salt, an extraordinarily lyrical and original novel. The novel’s narrator, … Continue reading Walter Mason on The Memory of Salt by Alice Melike Ülgezer
The books of life: By the Book by Ramona Koval
This feature interview was first published in The Big Issue no. 421. Text Publishing 9781922079060 November 2012 (buy hardcover, ebook) Ramona Koval’s enthusiastic explorations of literature would be familiar not only to those who enjoyed her long-running ABC Radio National program, The Book Show, but also to audiences at writers’ festivals around the world. As an interviewer, … Continue reading The books of life: By the Book by Ramona Koval
20 classics #15: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
I’m reading 20 classic, modern-classic or cult books. Read more about this project here. See the other classics here. Why did I want to read it? Because I already know and love the story so well (mainly via Scrooged and A Muppet Christmas Carol) and I’ve been meaning to read the original around Christmas-time for years! When was it published? First … Continue reading 20 classics #15: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens
You’re all winners
Halstead Press and Irma Gold are very kindly giving away copies of The Invisible Thread to every one of you (within Australia) who commented on that last post. Congratulations! I'll be contacting you shortly for your addresses.
Irma Gold on The Invisible Thread + WIN a copy
The Invisible Thread: One Hundred Years of Words is a new anthology featuring writers connected to Canberra, covering the past 100 years. There are stories, articles, poems and extracts by Judith Wright, Alex Miller, Jackie French, Les Murray, Omar Musa, Don Watson, Garth Nix, Kate Grenville and a huge range of writers new and old. The … Continue reading Irma Gold on The Invisible Thread + WIN a copy
Trauma, kindness & starting with a bang: Jessie Cole on Darkness on the Edge of Town
Fourth Estate, 2012 9780732293192 (buy paperback, ebook) A woman crashes her car outside Vincent's house. Vincent attempts to help the woman, and the baby in her arms, which may not have survived the crash. Rachel is her name and her arrival will have repercussions for Vincent and his daughter Gemma, and will draw attention (and judgment) … Continue reading Trauma, kindness & starting with a bang: Jessie Cole on Darkness on the Edge of Town
The Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012: how did I go?
After completing the recent survey on the Australian Women Writers Challenge website I decided it was time I looked at my reading and reviewing of books by Australian women writers in 2012. On the Overland website Jane Gleeson-White has declared 2012 the year of Australian women writers, and has provided a fantastic summary of the year in relation to … Continue reading The Australian Women Writers Challenge 2012: how did I go?
New York, Noo Yawk for Killings
I wrote a piece for Killings (the blog of literary magazine Kill Your Darlings) on my eventful trip to New York City. It begins: Like Loco, Pola and Schatze I was drawn to New York City to find a millionaire playboy. Wait, that’s not right. But in my nine days in NYC I did sometimes feel that I was acting … Continue reading New York, Noo Yawk for Killings
LiteraryMinded 