Teacher, blogger, YouTuber and author
16
Jul
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 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
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
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 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
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
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 »
23
Dec
It’s funny, I’ve watched lots of author interviews and something these incredibly brave people have in common is their belief that it doesn’t get any easier. What do you mean? You might say. Well, just because you’ve finished one project (i.e. a novel), it doesn’t mean that working on the second is any less daunting…. continue reading »
23
Nov
If you read my article about the fact that you’ve got to be in it to win it, you may have heard of the Furious Fiction writing competition that is hosted by the Australian Writers’ Centre. I submitted an entry in October and we had to pick six words from a list of twenty. Moreover,… continue reading »
17
Nov
This week I attended the Lane Cove Literary Awards for the first time and sipped on white wine as smoke from nearby bushfires swirled on the other side of the wide glass window. For the first time in about fifteen years, I had entered a short story competition and to my amazement, had been longlisted… continue reading »
