Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Watercolours - book launch and giveaway

I first met Adrienne about 7 years ago when she was 36weeks pregnant with her twin boys. She came into the bookstore I was working in, looking for a novel that required little concentration. We started chatting and over the next few years, caught up quite regularly. We're both writers and it was a pleasure to meet someone with the same love of words. She told me, way back when her twins were still in the belly, that she was working on a novel. Fast-forward to Sunday just gone and in that same bookstore where we met, she launched Watercolours - her novel that she so often refers to as her "10 year baby."

The narrative is superb, the characters so well-developed, and her descriptions of a small Australian town are absolutely wonderful. I'm so inspired by her talent and ultimately her desperate need to finish the story of the boy she dreamed up so long ago. Her husband, actor Rob Carlton (who recently played Kerry Packer in the ABC mini-series Paper Giants), introduced Adrienne on Sunday, and spoke of her passion for the written word and her unwavering dedication to the project. Lack of time, motherhood and editorial criticism didn't stop her mid-sentence. She just kept going till the tale was told, with many a late night spent tapping away. And now, lucky for us, we can delve into the story of artist-genius Novi and the small town of Morus where he spends his childhood.

The lovely people at Harpercollins 4th Estate have given me two copies to give away and Adrienne has promised that she'll sign them before I send them to the winners. Please leave a comment below and I'll draw a winner next Tuesday 24th May. Read on for a fascinating interview with the writer herself.


Jodi: Do you remember where you were when Watercolours first came to mind?
Adrienne: On the Island of Lipari, in Sicily! I was on a backpacking holiday after uni and having the most wonderfully luscious time, climbing volcanoes and eating bags of fresh figs. The character of Novi came to me first, a boy with a gift for art and an obsession with drawing the people around him. I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen if a particularly sensitive and observant child drew pictures of his community and its history, how the results might come across as spooky or even threatening to the adults around him with something to hide.

Jodi: You refer to it as your "10 year baby." What kept you motivated in that decade?
Adrienne: Friends and family were very supportive, and I’m very grateful for their encouragement. Ultimately though, I loved the story - especially the Australian silk-growing history I uncovered during my research and I just had an unwavering urge to share it! I became quite fond of the characters, too; I liked hanging out in the town I created, so this kept enticing me back to my desk.

Jodi: You admit that writing can be a lonely business but you managed to create characters with so much depth. Did they ever feel completely real to you?
Adrienne: On some level they took on a life of their own, and inhabiting them gave some unexpected depth to my life during the period I was writing the book. For example, sometimes I’d be reading the paper and come across an article that would normally be of no interest to me, but I knew it would have an impact on one of my characters and so it made me sit up and take notice. The Business Section took on a whole new level of significance, as did the local rag! But the character of Novi, the story’s eleven-year-old protagonist, was the character I related to most deeply because his story is of one of becoming an artist. When I started writing the novel I had no idea what I was doing, but writing - like art and music and all creative processes - are really quite similar, involving struggles with inspiration and self-doubt, self-discipline, loneliness and exhilaration. It’s quite a rollercoaster! Novi’s journey felt similar to my own and this gives an authentic emotional anchor to the book.

Jodi: How did the map of Morus help you in the writing process?
Adrienne: My wonderful artist friend, Rachel Couper, sketched a big map of my fictional town on butcher’s paper, with the river and the sea, the highway and streets and all the character’s houses set in place. This allowed me to keep the physical landscape in my head, to picture my characters in action, moving around town and the different routes they took. She also helped me draw a storyline map, a visual representation that captured all the strands and elements, how they intersected and where the climaxes were – this was incredibly helpful because I felt at times that I was drowning in text, in piles and piles of pages. Having something visual up on the wall allowed me to quickly navigate where I was up to in the story and to fix the setting in my mind.

Jodi: What was the most enjoyable part of the writing journey for you?
Adrienne: With each draft, the feeling that the manuscript was getting better. Editing notes can be confronting, but once you get over the demoralizing fact that more work needs to be done and start incorporating the suggestions that feel right, very quickly you see how much your manuscript is improving, and that is so exciting - it gives you a whole new burst of energy.

Jodi: What was the most challenging?
Adrienne: Juggling motherhood with writing. The two can seem at odds with each other and I often felt wrenched in two directions. My husband’s career had taken off and he was busy and away from home a lot - it felt like there was no time or energy for my own creative work. It’s not an easy phase of life, but parenthood does make you efficient with your time and it forces you to sort out the things that are most important. I had to carve out time for writing, and when I did I was much more content. When the twins started school I suddenly found balance again and I couldn’t believe how much progress I could make in a week.

Jodi: In one sentence, describe what Watercolours is about.
Adrienne: A small town mystery steeped in a vivid Australian landscape, where love and good intentions triumph.

Jodi: Any plans for another novel?
Adrienne: My next novel is set in Avoca Beach, about a lonely young mother who becomes obsessed with a sailor watching her from a coal bulker moored just outside her cliff-top house. It’s a story of youth, aging and the discomfort of transition.

Jodi: For all those writers who dream of completing a novel - what is your advice?
Adrienne: Start now, because it will take you longer than you think. And don’t worry about getting it out perfectly in the beginning, there’s plenty of time for editing, and some of the best stuff comes out in raw form. Just harness your energy to your ideas and let them fly!

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Wednesday, May 19, 2010

raindrops keep falling



I'm fast learning that just because it's wet outside it doesn't mean we have to stay in. I read somewhere recently that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. And so I rugged him up (he looked a little fatter as a result) and he wore for the first time his superbly wonderful star raincoat (it's cotton lined so provides warmth too). He splashed and frolicked and I followed behind dodging the puddle spray. And then he said something to me that absolutely made my day.

"Mum," he said.
"...the sun has gone away."

I suppose it's just the beginning of his ponderings and wonderings.

By the way, I think stormy fishing villages are incredibly romantic. Annie Proulx' The Shipping News is a fabulous read and I feel like indulging myself in a fishing village novel right about now. Any suggestions?

And speaking of novels, a friend of mine has been writing a novel for eight years and a large Australian publisher has just bought it. I'm so excited for her...and inspired too.

P.S. The raincoat is by Penny Scallan. The girls version is gorgeous too (covered in apples)

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Wednesday, May 12, 2010

remedy, ambition and contradiction


We've been cooped up at home with a cold. All three of us are snuffly and coughing and generally miserable. Although it's very autumny and crisp the sun is still bright and welcoming and there have been some lovely warming moments spent on the balcony (all rugged up with a cup of tea in hand). Remedies have come in the form of lemon & honey tea, reading Vogue and the following delicious treats:

  • Macro organic crunchy peanut butter (without doubt the best)
  • freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • local mandarins
  • rice crackers/corn crackers/ryvitas with avocado, hummus and tomato
  • spelt sourdough pumpkin bread (common ground bakery)

The laptop has been open all day long, sitting on the table and I've been writing intermittently. It's a nice way to work actually. Typing in tune with spontaneous bursts of inspiration.

While reading the June issue of Vogue (gorgeous Samantha Harris graces the cover) I stumbled across an article by the fabulous Felicity Loughrey. "Relight My Fire" is about ambition and the loss of it as we age. Within the first paragraph Loughrey states that perhaps her ambition "...fell out with the placenta," (she's a mother of two). It sparked a plethora of thoughts, most in relation to my return to professional writing. It has interested me how many people have expressed their relief that I'm 'using my degree' or embarking on a 'professional journey' again. Because apparently teaching yoga isn't all that recognised in the big wide world of success. Sure it doesn't pay all the bills but it sure does make me a better person/partner/mother/writer.

After three-and-a-half years of living in the beautiful and very protected bubble of pregnancy and motherhood stepping back into the professional game has been daunting and nerve wracking. But it has also sparked my ambition in a way I never anticipated. I'm reading more articles, newspapers and magazines than I have in years. I'm inspired by the people I'm meeting and I've gained confidence in my ability to evoke emotion with words. But does this ambition allow me the time and energy to bake bread, grow a vegie garden and spend countless afternoons at the beach with Che? Theres no way I'll let it stop me being the mother I want to be...I've just got to find a way to make it all work together.

Contradiction is a good way of describing how I feel sometimes. Do you ever have that feeling? For instance, if someone was to ask me how I would describe myself as a mother I would say: "I'm an earth mother with a penchant for designer clothes." I love love love going into the city with some spending money and immersing myself in boutique shops - clothes, bags and T2. And yet there is no way I could live in a city (I've tried before and I found it utterly exhausting). Yoga has encouraged me to simplify and declutter but I'm still a long way off from living simply. I love the opportunity to spend a morning at a local cafe and yet sometimes I think it would be ideal to move far away into the country hillsides and live on a property.

Daniel and I have been watching past episodes of Grand Designs and the most inspiring building we've seen is the Woodman's Cottage in Sussex. It really made us think about how unnecessary all our stuff is and how one day, we would love to live simply and sustain-ably, in-tune with the environment. I just wish I could successfully stifle my deep yearning for new clothes. There-in lies the contradiction.

For now I'll sip my tea and write my dreams and perhaps one day soon, in this very space, you'll read of our leap of faith as we venture into the hillside (sounds romantic, doesn't it?) x

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Sunday, May 02, 2010

the river, it flows by itself




Ever since Anna attended one of my birth workshops with her hubbie and full-belly in tow, we have enjoyed a constant conversation over email. Last week I sent her a quick reply and two of the four sentences went like this:


"I have had the most challenging morning with my determined toddler.
Will write a longer email soon."
Anna wrote me this morning and said she thought that because I never write about toddler craziness and antics she presumed they never happen in my house. And then she reminded me of this post I wrote. A post that I needed to read again.
While I reflect on the growth, joy and love in this space please don't ever think that it's all bliss and incense in my life. It's not and I don't ever expect it to be. The last few weeks have been particularly challenging because of the change recently mentioned. I've been a little nervous and stressed and I think it's infiltrated into our family life. At the same time Ché is gaining such wonderful independence and it was only today when I looked at the picture I took of him that it all made sense. Like I have been struggling with my role as muma, partner, yoga teacher, professional writer he is contemplating much bigger things. I'm sure, sub-consciously he is wondering whether he is a baby or a big boy. I can see it in this photo.
He is regularly explaining to me that he is a big boy and yet he's spending more time in our bed at night than he has in months. He wants to do everything himself and yet there are times when he wants nothing more than to be snuggled, cuddled and kissed.

It is human nature to always look forward; to plan, prepare, think about tomorrow. And yet the essence of yoga is to be in the present - right here, in the now. Yesterday in my pre-natal class there was one girl so close to birthing her baby and I could tell how challenged she was by time. "I'm counting down the days," she said. But she is only 38 weeks and perhaps, if her baby decides, she could be pregnant for another month. I reminded her of how precious it is to be one with her baby because once the cord is cut, the oness and wholeness is gone. I reminded her to find peace in her body, breath and baby. To find joy in the present. In today.

I have been getting quite stressed and upset by Ché's tantrums and determination and yet I think it's him just being overwhelmed by his world. I have noticed whenever we walk somewhere that I am thinking about the destination and he is consumed by the cracks in the pavement, the trail of ants in his wake, the pebbles under the tree. His world is the minutiae even though he calls himself a 'big boy'. I have to remember that.

I love this quote:

"Don't push the river, it flows by itself."
Thanks for all your well-wishes re. my new job. Result? It was exciting, inspiring and wonderful. I feel like I've fallen on my feet.

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Friday, March 19, 2010

golden



Thanks for all your kind well-wishes. Daniel is all better and now I've come down with a sniffle and a sore throat. I'm not the best in stressful situations - I lose my appetite and survive on nervous energy which is so very unhealthy. So now my body is telling me to slow down, eat up and rest. Which is exactly what I'm doing. Lots of fresh juices, lemon & honey tea (Daniel makes it super strong and just right) and vegie soup. Golden sunshine helps too - I've been stepping outside this morning to soak it all in.

I'm also thinking about writing as a profession again. Teaching yoga is my first choice - it always will be but unfortunately it doesn't make much money. Sure I'm rich in the heart but no so in the wallet. Daniel wants to work a little less and spend more time with Ché, a wish that I would really love to see fulfilled. I'll continue teaching and hopefully I'll be able to find work that means I can do both. I'm a little apprehensive and quite scared about it all actually. I'm trying to not let it weigh me down. I just know what the journalism industry is like and I know it's not going to be heartwarming. It's challenging and while I don't really enjoy being in a space like this, I'll do it because I need to for my family. Because that's what Mumas do.

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

"white space" - the pondering place

white space, bedroom space

There's a post over at Camp Creek Blog about the 'white space' on a page. The blank bits, the nothingness between words, paragraphs, thoughts. It really made me think about the way a writer uses white space as a form of punctuation. To highlight an idea.

To emphasize.

To make the reader stop

and think
about what is being said.

And then the post goes on to ask, where's the white space in your day? In your child's day? Do you run from sentence to sentence, sometimes overlapping, and find yourself, at the very end of the day, in a ball on the couch, exhausted. Too tired to think?

"When we cram too many experiences into a child’s day/week/life, we don’t leave time for them to think about what they’ve experienced — they just move on to the next thing, letting the previous thing drop away."

Such a good lesson for myself in my life. And the way I find and move with the steady rhythm of our family. Because the resting is just as important as the doing - the restropective thought just as important as engaging in the present task.

It's about the quality, not the quantity. Slow food, slow fashion. Living - It's the new 'slow'.

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Saturday, March 07, 2009

slightly chaotic


my life has been these past few weeks. Chaotic in a mind-frazzling way. Because I've felt a bit of weight on my shoulders from the deadline and my ears have been getting tired at the sounds of constant screaming and sobbing due to this. Combine the deadline and clingy bub together and there I have a pretty good explanation as to why journalism and mothering don't always mix.

Thank-you so much for all your comments re. my professional writing work. So sweet of you to care and offer advice. And it's so nice to know that there are a few more journalists/mothers/bloggers out there too.

Did I come to a conclusion? Well, no. Last week I was in the midst of writing for a big project that had a looming deadline and I couldn't pull out. So I let the washing and the dishes and the bed making and the whole house go while I typed frantically in the few spare hours when Ché slept. Amongst the stress and the tension I managed to complete the task and get positive feedback from my editor. I remembered how good it feels to complete a piece of writing and to 'hand it in'. It's also rewarding to see my name in print - but this job I've been offered means I'll be writing as a ghost most of the time (ie. writing under another name or writing for a company).

Sometimes it's hard to send your art into the world and not have your name on the tag.

It's also amazed me in the past few weeks how deeply connected I feel to Ché at the moment. Perhaps because he has reached another level of understanding where he talks and points and listens...I have trouble being away from him. He's such a joy to be around and I don't want to miss out on anything. And I know that this writing job will require my full attention. And I'm not sure I can give it that right now.

I'm still juggling the pros and cons in my head while listening to everything that Daniel has to say too. He always says the right thing - even if, at the time, I don't want to hear it. He's my realist, my perfectionist. He's a do-er and I'm a dreamer and together we're pretty good. I'm so thankful that he goes off to work each day so that I can be a stay-at-home-mum. I really am. I'm even more thankful when he walks in the door each afternoon and the three of us are together again.

And then I forget about the chaos and settle in to the comfiness of our family and I remember what a good number 3 really is. It's better than any sentence I've ever written - that's for sure.

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Sunday, November 09, 2008

30 days of gratitude : 30 (+ a sweet something for you)


Gratitude today for you dear reader...on my last 'official' day of gratitude. 30 days of noticing the little things that make me happy. Without being all gushy, lovey and goo-gaa, I'd just like to say that all those comments are so welcome in my life. They make my days. So thank you.

What's most exciting is that these posts have proven that writing, for me, is a given. It's what I do. Pencil and pen on paper, fingers on the keyboard. And now that I'm a muma I have learnt to compose sentences in my head. I thread words together until a spare moment arises whereby I reach for a piece of paper - a bill, an envelope, sometimes the pages of someone's else's novel.

More on this to follow.

Today I am parting with another gorgeous, gorgeous clothkit. A magenta dress perfect for an evening out with your love. It can be made for sizes 8-18. It's a bit folksy, a bit of night-time glamour - it's pure 70s style. "A tropical print dress with rounded collar and tie, side pockets and easy buttoned elastic waist."

I truly love this one but in sticking with my Spring mantra, I'm giving it away. All you have to do is leave a comment. I'll announce the winner next Sunday evening. You can read more about clothkits here.

Sending some good ole vintage luck your way.

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Sunday, November 02, 2008

daily meditation


The spring day
lingers
in the pools

haiku by Issa
Found in "today and today"

Since Year 4 poetry class I have always loved haiku. The simple rhythm three lines can create.
No rhyme, just flow. 5, 7, 5. Typically addressing a season, a reference to time in nature. Perhaps it was the beginning, that poetry class, of me and words. I'd rather write a letter than speak on the phone. With pen in hand I internalise and although there are times when it creates frustration...there is more joy than anger.

I calm when I watch the smooth, lyrical line of pen on paper.
You may calm with a needle and thread
Paintbrush and watercolour
Rolling pin and dough
Hammer and nail.

What is your daily meditation? What do you enjoy?

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Monday, October 06, 2008

30 days of gratitude : 17


When I began thinking about gratitude and the way it can change perspectives I planned to post once a day in September. Hence 30 days of gratitude. But September was so busy - we were sick, we recovered, we got sick again, there was a party to organise, a birthday to celebrate and somewhere in the middle was the sorting, cleaning and decluttering of Spring. So gratitude is spilling over into October which, I think, can only be a good thing.

I know I have posted this photo of blessing bracelets before. But I am so grateful to Kali Wendorf, editor of Kindred magazine, for publishing this photo with my story "Blessing Your Way".

I first read Kindred when I was pregnant. I was always comforted by the fact that every article written about pregnancy confirmed that it is a natural event and not a medical condition. Kindred magazine "one family, one world" is passionate about natural parenting and sustainable living. The articles are diverse and inspiring, detailing the difficulty and the joy in raising a child in today's world. After reading every edition I feel so reassured about my parenting journey and the way Daniel and I have chosen to raise Che. It's nice to know that so many other parents are opting to embrace the organic, natural, simple life and to raise their children in a natural and 'child-friendly' environment.

After all, "How we treat the child, the child will treat the world" (Pam Leo, author of Connection Parenting).

I was most inspired by Kali's editorial Man and the Machine. It sings so loud the truth about the 'other mother' in our children's lives - the big mother known as nature. Such an honest teacher...the best playmate. Please read it.

If you are new to Kindred and would like to read a few articles you can download the most recent edition here. I promise you, you won't be disappointed.

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Sunday, September 21, 2008

30 days of gratitude : 12


Yesterday was a firm reminder of how hot our summers can be. It was sticky and humid and very very warm for September. I spent the day resting and feeding Che - he had a fever and just wanted to lie next to (or on) me. It is just so awful to see him unwell - I get so worried. No doubt it is an experience that all mothers can relate to.

As we rested and talked quietly to each other I did manage to read a few chapters of Rachel Power's book The Divided Heart - Art and Motherhood.

Oh Ms Power, I am so grateful to her. I have never met her, only read her words, her very beautiful words. In this intelligent and insightful read, she has interviewed some of Australia's most respected artists, writers and actors - all of whom are women and mothers. And they speak about their art, their creative passions and their role as mother and how it is hard, so so hard to balance the two. They are all divided.

It got me thinking about the last year and the way motherhood has changed me as a writer. I have so much more fuel, so much more passion for words and yet so little time to sit and write. Yes, words get written between stirring soup and playing with Che but there are some times when I wish I could have a full day to work at my craft. And if I did? Perhaps the illusive mother guilt would arise and I would sit at my computer torn and questioning.

Can we have it all? As mothers and artists. In time, yes. When our children are little and needy? Maybe, maybe not. Alice Garner speaks candidly about her role as mother to Rachel Power. Her reality being that her life as actor had to take a back-step so she could raise her little one. She chose to do it that way because she couldn't bear to miss out on those precious first few years.

Becoming a mum has unleashed a raw energy within me that I didn't have before. My writing is easily more emotive and lyrical and yet, at the same time, I have managed to become more analytical. Wonderful advancements for a writer and so bitter-sweet because of my lack of 'writing' time. A short story, a news feature, a novel will get written. There are sentences on notepads, cooking books, in my phone. But for now I am a muma, proudly so and soaking up all the experiences so that one day I can reflect on them and compose, in words, a story.

The story has already begun, there are words on paper but I have accepted that it may be a piece years in the making. Dream big, write when I can and if the dishes and the washing have to pile-up - so be it.

An art piece & motherhood...two immensely creative journeys - it's finding the balance that's so hard.

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Thursday, July 31, 2008

space


For the first time since becoming a mum I am craving space. A little room to breathe, to move, to spend a few hours with friends, to look at myself in the mirror and not see mashed banana or vegemite sandwich smeared on my pants...or on my shoulder (a place I never see but everyone else does).

And since our dryer broke the other day our lounge room has turned into toy room/music room/chinese laundry. And this morning I had a little helper who pulled the clothes off while they were still wet. But I was patient and as any mum would, I thanked him for helping me hang out the washing. Hence there is no space in the lounge room.

There is space in the shower though and this morning I relished the escapism the water offers. It was in the shower that I realised that the longest I have ever been away from my baby since he was born is four hours. Four short hours. Truth be told I couldn't wait to get back to him. And I'm sure I will feel the same next week when Daniel and I travel to Sydney for the afternoon to see this.

I am so looking forward to the circus. A little bit of magic and a whole lot of body contortion. And some time for Daniel and I to be together...just the two of us for an evening. I'm sure we will talk about our little chicken for most of trip and that's ok. It is the space I am after. A few hours of feeling unencumbered. Of being with my other boy, the handsome man who has been working so hard for us. His business is so busy and it's wonderful to see him so incredibly motivated and inspired.

I need to do more yoga too. Yoga for me. Balance for me. Because I love being busy...I am more productive when I am busy. But at the moment there are stories and classes and study and parenting (parenting first of course) and I want so desperately to do it all. In time it will all get done. The students will get taught and the stories will be told.

This evening, instead of writing about mortgage stress or mopping the floor I am venting here and laughing at these photos. Paper doesn't taste that great.


And when I look at these photos I realise how important images are. Because Che is ten-months-old now and I find it difficult to remember him when he was brand new. Just a little guy. I forget the tiny body, the little lips, the light weight of him in my arms. Thank goodness we took photos. Thank goodness the camera is always close by...so no matter how busy I am I can capture a moment. And find space behind the camera.

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

blessing bracelets


When I was 32 weeks pregnant I invited the women in my life to participate in a blessing way for my upcoming birth. We joined hands and stood in a circle, honouring the connection created between each of us. A candle was lit by my Mum and when I went into labour I lit the same candle, reflecting on the wonderful births she experienced. The women present were asked to share a piece of wisdom to inspire and encourage me as I journeyed towards labour and the transition of birth. I distinctly remember the bright beautiful faces of my friends and the words they gave me. One friend, a midwife, told me to "...just go with the flow". Those words resonated within me from the very first contraction.

An integral part of a blessing way is a blessing bracelet. Every woman present has a bracelet tied around her wrist, binding her to the women in the circle and, in particular, the mum-to-be. The bracelet is worn until the baby arrives safely. It is then cut and a blessing is sent to the new bub.

I have just finished writing a story on blessing ways for Kindred Magazine.

The bracelets in a bowl is a beautiful image because when I look at it I see much more than coloured thread. I see the pregnancy of three women and I see newborn babies. All three bracelets were worn by me. The green/white/red/blue (earth/air/fire/water) bracelet is Che's. The light pink with beads is the bracelet of baby Liviya Raven. And the deep pink/orange is Priya Shanti's.

My blessing way was one of the most important ceremonies of my life. I believe it, along with my sankalpa, helped me experience a beautiful natural birth.

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Friday, July 04, 2008

procrastination can be a wonderful thing



My lovely round dining table sits in the small space between the kitchen and the lounge room. And this is the view I gaze at while I eat breakfast, enjoy a cup of tea, play on the computer. Yes, I am lucky. And you would think that this view would be the best kind of view to accompany a writer while she writes. I tend to get a little lost in the leaves and the height and the birds and quickly forget about the words on the screen in front of me. I think I need a desk like the one that belongs to this creative woman. So begins the search for the perfect little table, chair, pencil holder, inspiration board, pictures for the board. Yes, you get the idea. But really, I should be content with this stunning view, shouldn't I? In between procrastinating today I found this gorgeous room in the latest issue of Country Style magazine...the bedroom of the daughters of Paperwings sigh sigh. Beautiful indeed.


I received an email from Lise, editor of My Child and she has accepted my story for the summer issue...so great to be paid for my research and words and to officially arise from the pregnancy/birth/new baby fog. And then baby boy awoke from his slumber and in the sling he went ready for a stroll outside. We tilted our heads back to watch the sky and caught glimpses of the first pink magnolias of the season;



Bright yellow daisies and pockets of sunshine too;


We could have walked over the hill and far away but the kookaburras began laughing and we knew that meant rain so we headed home to warm soup and bread.


And here I am writing about my procrastination which, when you think about it, is actually just another form of procrastination. So be it. I feel inspired by my dreaming, my wandering, my gazing. Another story due...deadline is Sunday. No worries.

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Tuesday, July 01, 2008

my favourite



While browsing through the new edition of my favourite magazine I stumbled upon the books page and discovered that my much-loved and all-time favourite author has just released her latest collection of short stories. Jhumpa Lahiri is a master story-teller. I dream of writing like her (one day very soon). If you haven't read any of her work then go and get yourself this, curl up in a warm place and get to know Lahiri's beautiful characters. Tonight I plan to be sitting on the couch, blanket over my feet, tea in one hand, Unaccustomed Earth in the other. I plan on making this one last...reading only a few pages at a time. Re-reading inspiring sentences. On my business card I have written "threading words together"... I imagine that Jhumpa Lahiri has threaded each of her words together with gold silk. This is how special her stories are.

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