Why run a marathon when you can write for charity? #WABIAD

Last Saturday, at 6.30am, the sky looked like this: How do I know? Because I was getting ready to head into Manly for the KSP Write-a-Book-in-a-Day challenge – all to raise money for charity! Our team, made up of ten Northern Beaches Writers’ Group members – Leah Boonthanom, Fiona Howland-Rose,…

Continue reading

Genre-Mashing with @WritingNSW

  Last Thursday night, the NSW Writers’ Centre took their tutors out of their comfort zones and asked them to create a story, mashing together two very different genres. My challenge was to mash up…

Continue reading

Dear Zena…

Every now and then writers doubt themselves. Is this whole writing gig bringing my family enough money? Am I any good? I’m doing all the right things – so why aren’t my sales higher / isn’t my novel published yet? Every now and then, writers get spontaneous unprompted encouragement. Published…

Continue reading

#AurealisAwards – We Were Chuffed & It Grew!

Chuffed. Last night, at the 18th annual Aurealis Awards held in North Sydney’s Independent Theatre, the Australian speculative fiction scene was chuffed… and proud. It all started with Scott Westerfeld’s inspiring opening address. He spoke of speculative fiction as the revitalising force of the movie, television and literary industries, and…

Continue reading

The Importance of Squeeing #WotF

Squee: (verb) To squeal with glee Do you squee? Or does it irritate you to the point that you loathe those who do? Believe it or not, but there are some who’d like to remove the word from the world’s vocabulary by decree! But I still squee. And I believe…

Continue reading

The Freedom of #Conflux9 Writers (Days 3 & 4)

How can I describe what it’s been like the last few days – being surrounded by 250 friends and like-minded people? The 52nd Natcon / Conflux 9 was just that. The layout of Rydges Capital Hill, Canberra, meant I could walk into any room, linger in any corridor, and be…

Continue reading

The Generosity of #Conflux9 Writers (Days 1 & 2)

I never sleep well without Hubbie (ahh…). So what to do when I’m away as I am now and can’t sleep? I know… blog!! I’ve been at #Conflux9 – Australia’s 52nd Natcon – for two days now and it’s been so fantastic I can’t wait any longer to share it…

Continue reading