Blog Pieces

  This is my self-published book – I’m so pleased with the cover. Here’s the link to Amazon I want to shout to the world, ‘READ IT. READ IT! BE ENTERTAINED!!’ Problem – How to market a self-published book I don’t expect everyone to like it but I would love to think that everyone who reads English will give it a go! One of the hardest things for self-publishers is getting their book noticed.  It is harder than writing it, than having it edited and working on the advice and criticism that follows. Harder than the whole writing process. Harder…

This is an amazing time in Australia.  It is a time where the country pulled together, cared for each other, looked out for each other and followed the rules. By doing this we have stopped COVID – 19 in its tracks. Not conquered yet but certainly halted it.  We believed all  lives mattered in this wonderful multi-cultural nation of ours. Watching the weekend marches you could be led to believe that ‘Only Black Lives Matter’. Of course Black Lives matter and all of us whatever race we belong to are horrified by the actions of the police officers in Minneapolis.…

It’s taken me a while to write this post … I don’t want to offend anyone or lose a friendship… it is more that I’m writing to get an understanding of my friends who aren’t writers or readers. Writing and publishing my book ‘Mayhem in Melbourne’ has been a huge mile-stone in my life.  Yet I have at least three friends who I thought were close friends, who four months after publication haven’t read it.  I put a copy in their hands so it’s not a problem with access or the cost. When I see them, I don’t say ‘Have…

I wrote this piece about the magpies in my area during COVID-19.  I also mention them here. This piece is for your enjoyment:- it is part of my ‘Love Writing Collection’ Life with the Magpies In my post code it is the year of the magpie. There are magpies everywhere. Yelling, chortling, and talking loudly amongst themselves. They do this at full volume. I’ve yet to see a magpie whispering to a mate. My favourite park is full of them and until the lockdown they marched around the children’s play area lording it over everyone and pretending they’re in control.  …

My writing is not going well at that moment – too may statistics about Covid-19 to distract me.  My creative juices need an out outlet so I’m cooking. I have just made Lebanese Lamb Stew with Eggplant I love egg plants. I love the colour and I love the shape.  I bought one so I could admire it on my kitchen bench. Then it came time to use it and on searching for a recipe I came across this one on the Adamant Kitchen blog.   The recipe turned out well. I think less tomato puree next time and possibly…

I’m giving away 10 copies of my book Mayhem in Melbourne… read further to find out how you can score one. At the moment, locked up as we are, I’m reading book after book.  It is so relaxing.  It takes me from this fraught and stressed existence to another world.  I have just finished reading a Donna Leon Mystery, The Girl of His Dreams. It has taken me to Venice and the world of Commissario Guido Brunetti.  It is giving me an interest in today’s Venice without the crowds of tourist he is describes as he walks around the city…

A WEEK INTO LOCK DOWN… …and I’m working out ways to control my roving mind – or is it brain function.  Whatever it is, it is flipping around all over the place and preventing me from keeping on task.   Are you having this problem? Or is it just me?  I need to switch off  the breaking news, in fact all the social media. I don’t need to know the latest cornovirus  figures. It only depresses me. The task I have given myself is to work on the sequel to ‘Mayhem in Melbourne’.   I have the first draft of the…

It is a little while since I posted.  It’s such an unsettling time. COVID-19 is on all our lips. When I heard about the lock down  I thought there’s an upside to this. I can really make headway with my book. No social engagements. Nothing to interrupt me.  Nothing I can do other than a quick trip for a few groceries. Everything to give to my book.  But it isn’t working out like that.  I can’t concentrate. My mind’s all over the place and therapeutic walks have all but vanished from my life. It is all the changes that are…

Last time I posted on this blog I talked about my writers’ block. I was suffering and feeling inadequate and somewhat miserable. The Internet is full of cures but I have found my own cure by chance. It may help you if you ever find yourself in the same state.  It is not a happy state.  Writers write I kept telling myself that. It did no good something was stopping me writing. Check out the book I have written here   My cure and I’m sure my writers’ Block is cured.   Walking! Instead of sitting at home and gazing at…

Hi there, This is a post with apologies. My aim is to post once a week yet the last couple of weeks have seen nothing from me. Why can’t I write?  Now my book is published I find myself word-tied. It’s as if words are NOT one the things I enjoy most in life. It’s as if one my greatest pleasures that of  playing with words and working out the best way to write something has gone. The challenged to make something funny or gripping or just plain interesting has disappeared. It  this Writers Bloc? It that what I have?…