Self-publishing Mr Middleton’s Teleporter, Part 12
In which I just say no….I think.  Yes, that’s right.  No. It’s been some time since I updated you on Mr Middleton developments.  This is probably because I have been hesitant, not wanting to disappoint, and not wanting to jinx future efforts. This is what happened after the last post, at which point, Hoang and I were about to tackle the world of publishers. The major publisher who was interested, was not interested in a stand-alone, illustrated book. They liked my writing, and they liked the drawings, but it was just not their mainstream fare.  They said they would like to see a collection of short stories from me.   As my husba

Horoscope for the Week beginning 9 November 2009
This week, you will find the backbone you never knew you had as it transforms from spaghetti into kevlar in one, fell motion. Adversaries, believing until now that they had your number, fall back, confused and, suddenly, afraid. But you don’t need to wait around for them to re-group – you are on your way, donning the brash new colours of your courage and heading straight for the moral high ground. From up there, where mere mortals fear to tread, you might see someone who looks just like you, far, far below. Squint through your telescope – it’s not you, it’s (gasp) your mortal enemy, pushing against the same stone wall you used to prop up with your daily

Curry muncher
My friend, Roanna, recently published a short story on Eureka Street Online, called “Curry muncher.” Ro and I met about ten years ago, at a Varuna Writers’ Centre retreat for emerging writers.  In that week, I realised I did not want to be writing the book I was writing back then, and Roanna worked out, conversely, that she did.  Which is good, because she is an excellent writer, as you’ll see when you read her story. Funnily enough, I can see some of the themes from the story I was writing back then, emerge in more subtle ways in my current written work, even thou

Horoscope for week beginning 26 October 2009
Monday will find you expectant.  Without even realising it, you have been waiting, bated breath, for just this sunrise, just this lunch hour, just this, and this, and this.  But because you didn’t fully imagine it, you won’t be disappointed; instead, your expectation was more in the vein of a gentle humming, a thrumming in the back of your mind, a flutter in your belly.  By Wednesday, you will have pocketfuls of rainbows; by Thursday, your sleeves will be lined with forget-me-nots and memories of secret blushes.  Friday and you will sigh, full of soft, rainy evenings and siren sun-drenched avenues, your stomach full and your muscles floppy with energy well-spent in

Tips for juggling creativity and work: part two
This week, I bring you Tori’s tips for juggling creativity and work. *** Creative type No. 2 Tori, food writer and communications officer 1.  What’s your creative passion or dream? To live well and share that fun by writing about it. In my early 20’s I wasn’t very well -there were a few  years when I spent a disproportionate amount of time in bed- I kept the brain ticking by writing a terrible terrible novel. I learned that when things are a bit rocky time spent on the couch with a lap rug, cup of tea, and an internal conversation can be instantly comforting.