Storytime

I am so good at starting things. So very damned good! Start clearing my desk, then distracted. Start cleaning the windows..half house done and ooops..distracted. Start a garden bed... and before I finish (and I so see it all in my mind how I want it)....distracted. Begin weeding a garden bed....distracted. Anyone else see a pattern emerging? I begin a poem...never finish. Begin a short story....it falters and stops. So whilst on our writing retreat a few weeks ago, one fellow scribbler suggested I write the end of the junior novel I've been working on. The interesting fact was that I could see it. Visualise the scene as though it were in a movie. So I wrote it. It's not a whole chapter, not even the entire scene...just that last image I had at the ending of this book. It's the first time I've worked like this. I am a plotser...a by the seats of my pants kind of writer. Planning to me is boring, is tedious. It takes time away from the fun! ...

to go away with your writing group. In no particular order.... 1. LIKE MINDED SOULS. It is just great to be with a group of people who get what you do. They know why you scribble down ideas on napkins, or listen to conversations. Understand when you sit silently in contemplation of a plot line. Why you struggle to find the exact words to describe something, stare mesmerised at the sea. They understand because they do it too.  2. BOOKS. It's always a chance to talk about books. What we are reading, what we heard was great, what we tried to get into and failed. Books are passed around. Are oohed and aahed over. Blurbs are read, storylines picked apart. We pass books on, borrow books, recommend books. There is always talk and chat about books.  3. WORKSHOPPING. It's a chance to get those pieces read and commented on. Chewed over, talked about some more. Time for some one-on-one chats, for group discussions. Over the years at these retreats we have seen m...

I've spent quite a lot of time this last week in the garden. Mostly because it really really needs it (it is so OVERGROWN). As I potted around I made some discoveries. Some plants I'd cut back were happily rejuvenating. Some were flowering. I dug over half the veg patch, adding manure, dug that through. I've put plastic on parts of the other half, (hoping to kill the oxalis that has decided that patch is home). This is one of those actions that will take a little while to deliver the goods. We also cut down the climbing roses on the side of the garage...well he got out the saw and zoom zoom, I merely came along and pruned what remained. Other half then got some wires on the wall so we can hopefully train the roses into some semblance of order. I also weeded and mulched the bed below with a couple of ideas of what I'd like to plant there. This is something that will look pretty average for quite a few months. Hopefully we'll get a bloom o...

It's school holidays (well here in Victoria it is) and it has been interesting thinking back on the programs I've run. Everything has involved massive use of imagination for the children. One of the definitions of imagination I like is....   :a creation of the mind, especially an idealised or poetic creation. Sometimes though we expect our imagination to just burst forth on demand. Sometimes it takes time. A warm up, stretch or two.  During the holidays we had our Lego Club. I had the kids making Lego cars propelled by balloons. We also had to make catapults....both of these inventions had to work. The cars had to travel, the catapults had to....well...pult. So the children had to think, then try, then re-think. Consider why their car wasn't moving...perhaps too heavy, balloon too close to the wheels. Catapults had to work (I had lollies flying everywhere). It was interesting to see so many different options...once the kids got going. Another progra...

Last weekend I went to see the Wonderland exhibition at ACMI. Totally recommend it! So much fun. Interactive displays for the kids (or let's face it, the child within) and some magical effects. Must admit I spent a lot of time reminiscing. I had actually seen quite a few of the different versions of Alice. Mind you...there has been over 40 different versions of Alice since the first in 1903. Written by Lewis Carroll in 1865 this is a true iconic book. Most people have read it (at least once)....majority of folks have seen some version of Alice. Animated...or even the dark version... And if you haven't read or seen the show, most people will know references to Alice in Wonderland. The Mad Hatter. ...Caterpillar....Queen of Hearts (off with their heads)...the White Rabbit ....Cheshire Cat. I must admit to having so many favourite quotes from the book. 'Why sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.'...