Teacher, blogger, YouTuber and author

08

Sep

The Dubbo dust storm

  I woke from luxurious slumber And stretched out my arms with a sigh. The day loomed large, no plans did I have, When a cough turned my throat sore and dry. I threw back the bedsheets and sharp little breath Told me something was seriously wrong. I ran to the window and closed it… continue reading »

26

Aug

Bridezilla

Here is another short story I wrote for the Furious Fiction writing competition. The story had to mention something being sent or received in the mail, it had to include the words jingle, click, bump and sizzle and the last sentence had to contain three words. We had the weekend to complete it and it… continue reading »

26

Aug

Object of desire

Here is my Furious Fiction entry for August. We had to include the words dizzy, exotic, lumpy, tiny and twisted. In addition, it had to be humorous and mention a sandwich. We had a weekend to do it and it had to be 500 words or less. Object of desire The belly dancer spun past… continue reading »

16

Jul

How to write your novel: Character development

Do you daydream constantly? Do you have a stash of journals? Are you always brainstorming? Well, if you answered yes to any or all of these questions, character development should be a breeze. When I’m planning a novel, I think about my protagonists and what their key characteristics are. I ask myself questions about what… continue reading »

22

Jun

A fun project

A few weeks ago I was introduced to a website called StoryJumper which allows you to create your own picture books. It’s really user-friendly and has cute props you can use to superimpose over various scenes. The selection isn’t extensive, but since it’s relatively new that might change. You can also play around with fonts… continue reading »

06

May

Life in Lockdown

Trapped in a bubble, Virus aloft. Dunking our teabags, Oh, whoops, I coughed! Logon remotely, Switch on your mic. Vectors we all are, Postcodes alike. Download the Zoom app, Save in the Cloud, Email those clients, PJ’s allowed. Queuing at Woollies, Goop up your hands, Wipe down the trolley, Squeeze past the jams. Go to… continue reading »

26

Mar

The seals

Back in 2009, I visited New Zealand and was captivated by the wildlife and spectacular scenery. This poem is about the seals who were lounging all over the rocks near Kaikoura which is in the South Island. Since we cannot travel at the moment due to the coronavirus, I thought it would be nice to… continue reading »

21

Mar

The ballerina

  The flutter of her fingers Causes phosphorescent glow. A delicate little wrist, Expressing more than I’ll ever know. A spray of tulle, a rosebud mouth, The arch of satin foot en pointe. She turns, a blur, a squeaky board, Bewitching from my vantage point. Her dance is rhythmic, ‘round the floor, I’m in a… continue reading »

22

Feb

Keep her safe

  Don’t monetise her personhood, Or tell her cruel lies. Do not destroy her innocence, Or see her as your prize. Don’t hit her or manipulate, Or tell her that she’s fat. Don’t tease her with a pin-up girl, Then patronise and pat. Don’t tell her that she’s lesser than Just ‘cos she wears a… continue reading »

16

Jan

Monster

Several years ago, I was standing in the shower making wild animal noises, reminiscent of a wolf. Despite the horrific pain I was in, I found it interesting that in the 34 years I had lived on the planet, I’d never heard such primordial sounds emanating from my throat. Needless to say, about twenty minutes… continue reading »