Back from NANOWRIMO
I’m a NANOWRIMO winner! After a month of writing an average of 1,667 words a day and going to bed after midnight every night I completed my goal of writing 50,000 words. I still can’t believe that I did it. I’m quite pleased with the result: an almost-complete first draft of a young adult novel.
It’s taken me a while to recover from NANOWRIMO, catch up on my life and pay all the overdue bills but now I’m back on pagesetc. … Continue Reading
Hodge podge
This week’s post is a bit of a hodge podge.
If you’re a Salinger fan you’ll be interested to read this article published in New York Magazine a few months back: Betraying Salinger. It’s written by Roger Lathbury who had the opportunity of a lifetime, to publish JD Salinger’s final book and then ‘blew it’. You’ve got to feel for him.
(And I was chuffed to discover that Salinger and I share the same birthday, January 1.) … Continue Reading
Writers’ rooms
Being obsessed with books I am also just a little interested in writers and the how, the why, the what and the where of what they do. It’s the ‘where’ that brings me to write this post because I love the writer’s rooms section on The Guardian site.
People’s workspaces provide such an insight into their personality. Cluttered or sparse. Clean or covered in crumbs and tea stains. Comfortable chair or uncomfortable chair.
Below are the rooms of a couple of my favourite writers: … Continue Reading
Review: Buddhism For Mothers by Sarah Napthali
Buddhism For Mothers – A Calm Approach To Caring For Yourself And Your Children by Sarah Naphali
Let me just start by saying that I’m not a Buddhist. And whilst Buddhism For Mothers is about how Buddhist principles can be applied to parenting I think mothers of any spiritual or religious belief can get an awful lot out of this book.
Topics include parenting mindfully; listening well; dealing with anger; and meditating, amongst others.
Writing style: Easy to read. Not preachy. … Continue Reading
When the planets align
Sometimes the planets just align and you know that someone, somewhere, is looking after you.
‘Free delivery worldwide’ + bookstore site + Australian dollar stronger than it’s been in, like, forever = I’m a pig in poo. The ‘poo’ in this wonderfully evocative metaphor is The Book Despository.
I’m probably about three years behind the rest of the book-buying public but I’ve only just discovered it (thanks to an expat friend living in London).
… Continue Reading
If I Ran The Circus
My boys and I were in the queue at the post office yesterday waiting to buy some stamps when Finn spied a pack of Dr Seuss books in a bin of childrens books. Four books for $10. Fantastic. I’ll take those thank you very much. I didn’t even pay to much attention to which books were included. It didn’t really matter. I’d just bagged a bargain.
I was pleased to discover that Oh, the Places You’ll Go! was included. It’s certainly one of Dr Seuss’s best books. My husband and I love it and we read a passage from it for our youngest son at his naming ceremony recently. … Continue Reading
It had to happen … my favourite books
It had to happen at some point … a list of my favourite books. After all, what’s a blog about books without a list? I love lists. I love my favourite books so it makes sense really.
But this isn’t a list for lists’ sake. It’s intended to give you an idea of where I’m coming from so you can either say ‘Yeah, I like. This blogging lady and I are on the same page’. Or alternatively ‘She reads what?! This blogging lady is crazy loco’. … Continue Reading
What I’m reading
