Hi All, I finally found an exchange beta reader (thanks CeeCee). We’ve been madly reading and critiquing each other’s work on a quid pro quo trade off basis for the past couple of weeks. Hopefully we’ll be finished this weekend. I have to say it’s been a positive experience. It’s my first time as a […]
Hi All, It’s been a while since I read The Book Thief by Australian author, Markus Zusak. At the time I had no idea it was a teen/YA book although I have read it described as ‘adult’ too. As always, my review is not a spoiler and I’ve pasted the jacket blurb further below. The […]
Hi All, This week’s blog is about the importance of research for writers of fiction. Some people may wonder at the relevance of research when novels, at least for the most part, are figments of our imaginations. Aren’t we entitled to a certain amount of poetic license? Don’t we have a right to develop our […]
Hi All, It’s been two months since I’ve written an actual ‘update’ on where I’m at with finding a US agent and building my writer’s platform. Before I move on to agents and platforms, I have to give a HUGE shout out to Kim Stait who recently completed a beautiful pencil drawing of Grace to use in […]
Hi All, Burial Rites by Hannah Kent would have to be in my top 50 list which is strange as I’m not normally drawn to historical novels. Not only that, it’s a debut novel written by a young Australian author! The plot drew me right in, mainly because I’ve always been interested and desperately aggrieved by what I feel are […]
Hi All, This week’s blog is all about revision. I often post short excerpts from my first novel, Gracie’s Girls, on my facebook page and almost every time I do this, I end up changing something. Revision for writers is definitely an ongoing thing. For some it’s fun and for others it’s an ordeal. I’m […]
Hi All, This week’s blog is for those of you who love to write. As many of you know by now, the main point of my website, blog and facebook page is to build a writer’s platform while sending agent queries for my fist novel. I’ve been taking very short excerpts from Gracie’s Girls and […]
Hi All, Another blog for those of you who love to read! By now you’ve probably noticed a pattern with the books I choose to feature. They’re all best selling page turners. I do read a lot of less known books and I’d say I very much enjoy about half of those and still learn […]
Hi All, I have a penchant for surfing YouTube for videos on writing. I’ll often don my cordless headphones listening to stuff like ‘writers on writing’ or ‘how to get an agent’ or ‘tips on publishing’. One of my strengths is multitasking, so the ability to educate myself whilst clearing my email, washing dishes, walking […]
Hi All, Yikes! The second half of the year is already upon us and before we know it a big guy wearing a red suit and sprouting bushy white facial hair will be throwing presents under a plastic pine tree. There’s no time to sit back waiting for my dreams to happen so while I continue shopping […]