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On the ending of the Otori

May 6th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Reading | Writing & Publishing - (0 Comments)

(copyright: Lian Hearn’s website; font: Beth’s handwriting.)

The Harsh Cry of the Heron is the final book in the Tales of the Otori series. The series wasn’t written exactly linearly. The original trilogy was written first, then Harsh Cry (a sequel, set sixteen years after the trilogy finishes) and finally Heaven’s Net (a prequel, beginning sixteen years prior to the opening of the trilogy, but ends at the very same moment that the trilogy opens).

Note: this post can be said to contain spoilers for the Tales of the Otori series.

Recently, I have been reading so many new books and authors, that returning to the Otori was like having a dream about someone that had passed away. The Otori tales really had finished for me after the trilogy. I didn’t particularly like the first book when I originally read it–I couldn’t see what my parents and sister saw it in. Then I studied it in school two years later; I finally got it. I saw what the pull and the attraction was.

I didn’t put the books down until I finished the entire trilogy. (I even wrote a beautiful essay about it. I particularly like the metaphor … Read more.

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The #actbookbake check-in post!

May 5th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Life & Stuff - (0 Comments)

(photo credit: edwardkimuk via photopin cc)

Once there was a young girl who loved to bake and loved to share her baked goods and loved to talk about books. This girl then asked if people would come and eat her baked goods and talk about books with her. What happened was that EVERYONE brought baked goods, brought friends, brought bookish things to talk about and had a grand old afternoon.* Very modernly called #bookbake, this now happens in Sydney fairly regularly.

* This may or may not be a true story.

This lovely girl is Rose, whom I met via NaNo one year and has coordinated the Australian Best Blogs Competition for the past two years. She’s coming to Canberra for a weekend and wants to meet us all!

Therefore, #actbookbake was born! (I can not lie, this may become a recurring event. I love books, I love baked goods, I love writerly folk.)

The first #actbookbake will be held on the lawn between the National Library and the lake at 10.30am, Sunday 2 June. So, if you’re coming along, let us know below in the comments! And if you know what you’re baking to bring, let us salivate over … Read more.

George R.R. Martin on being mocked

May 3rd, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Inspiration & Definitions - (0 Comments)

We all need to be mocked from time to time, lest we start to take ourselves too seriously.… Read more.

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On abstract locations (a #doctorwho post)

May 2nd, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Arts & Culture | Ayla & the Doors - (0 Comments)

(copyright, sort-of: alibi_factory)

It’s started to crop up again: “A Partial Map to Your TARDIS” is making the rounds on the internet. I am quietly pleased when I can say, you haven’t seen that before!? and also a little saddened by it. The internet has become so huge and sprawling (quite like a TARDIS in its own right) that these wonderful things get lost in the cyberspace.

The fanfic/fanart mash-up has regained prominence because the latest episode of Doctor Who took us further into the TARDIS, exploring rooms, technology and even the engine. Of course, the writers will not need to keep these rooms as the official rooms–the TARDIS changes so often that there is no guarantee that a room that was there before will still be there nor that it will look the same as it did earlier. (See, the console room and its desktop themes.)

I first came across the project as a link from Sam’s blog. (Sam writes unbelievable fanfic of all fandoms.) This was a really long time ago. I tend to tweet about the mash-up at least once a year because how can you not when something so beautiful, elegant … Read more.

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On voices and narrators in #charliecub

April 28th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Charlie & Cub | In Progress | Writing & Publishing - (0 Comments)

(photo copyright: me; illustration copyright: sister)

But fate – or was it us? – had other plans for her.

This week, I’ve been editing Charlie & Cub. I’ve put myself on a tight schedule that I am already failing to live up to–but despite this failure, I feel the editing is going quite well. Each day, I put a chapter in my bag and head to a a cafe (usually a different cafe every day, just to spice things up) and edit that chapter. It’s currently taking me an hour per chapter, but this will change as the chapters start to become longer.

I have feared, sort-of but not exactly, starting my serious editing on the series. The main reason was that I knew what the first question I needed to tackle was. I needed to answer the question of voice.

In C&C, the story starts as a pseudo-prologue. A prologue that sits at the beginning of and part of Chapter 1. The prologue uses a very different voice* to the rest of the story.

The prologue is insanely important to the rest of the story. It needs to be in there. But it is told by a … Read more.

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On young people’s programs

April 24th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Arts & Culture - (0 Comments)

(photo credit: scottwills via photopin cc)

I am passionate about young people’s programs. They don’t have to be writing programs (although those tend to be my favourite), I really like all programs for young people. I had quite a peaceful young life, but I realise that some people that do not have such young lives. (Some of the kids I went to school with were such people.) It’s important that there are programs dedicated to them.

The Sydney Story Factory, which I have talked about before, is based on Dave Eggers‘ 826 Valencia - both are not-for-profit creative writing centres for young people. The SSF allow children to become professional writers. All programs at SSF are project-based, so all participants walk away with something in print: a book with cover illustrations and their name as author or a newspaper created with other children each having their own byline are just some examples. In education, creativity is lost because the need to teach to standardise testing has only increased. Creativity isn’t encourage and it is getting lost. SSF provides the space, the programs and the support that encourages children to be creative people and tell their stories–stories … Read more.

On the cover of An Abundance of Katherines

April 22nd, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Creative Words | Reading - (1 Comments)

My friend Andrew (his awesome blog!) and I were talking about blogging last Wednesday, and I suspect he was trying to help me blog again, so we can up with the idea where we take a book we own, but haven’t read, and make up what the book should be based on the cover. A bit like the Huff Post article with the 6-year-old girl describing Animal Farm as “I think it’s about a donkey and a pig that do not like each other and they both live on a farm for animals. The same farm. It looks like it would be a funny book with a good really nice ending.”

My book this week is An Abundance of Katherines by the ever-talented John Green.

An Abundance of Katherines is based in the early 1920′s and starts with a group of women at a tea party. They wear fancy hats, large petticoat dresses and carry around umbrellas. Oh, and did I mention they are all named Katherine? Well, yes, it is the season for the name Katherine. As I was saying, the Katherines are drinking tea when suddenly, all the lights go out! They are plunged into … Read more.

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On Best Australian Blogs Comp (and my favourite five)

March 31st, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Blogging - (0 Comments)

(photo credit: thorinside via photopin cc)

This year I knew I was going to enter Best Australian Blogs Competition. I watched the comp last year and found it thrilling. (Possibly more thrilling because my friend Wade was a finalist.) This year, though, I wanted to enter.

The Best Australian Blogs competition is all about finding up-and-coming blogs in the Australian blogosphere. Australian blogs are thriving, and there are many many of them out there. The Best Australian Blogs competition is trying to find the best of the best.

To help out those just visiting my blog for the very first time, I’ve picked my personal favourite five posts from lnkproductions.org.

  1. On The Night Circus: (A review in one hundred words.) I am riveted by the idea of 100-word stories and telling feelings and moments using only 100 words while still creating meaning. It is important to me that I can write meaningfully and create impact with minimal words.
  2. Reading about sadness: I read an article in the Australian Weekend Magazine about Matthew Reilly’s wife and it made me think about sadness and ask questions the connection we feel to ‘celebrities’.
  3. On running a start-up (a

    4. … Read more.

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On writing while travelling

March 24th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Life & Stuff | Writing & Publishing - (0 Comments)

I had such grand plans. I committed to other blogs. I even had topics and themes to cover.

But the reality is that when travelling, writing is difficult. THe dream is nice enough: be a tourist in the morning, sit in a cafe and write during the afternoon. Admittedly, my dream is very French-themed.

I have been travelling in Japan and the US. These countries are not like the African ones I have visited at all — power is consistent, wi-fi is consistant, my time management (however) was non-existant. I fought the fires that needed to be fought — so I worked before 7am and after 9pm.

I should have realised that this wouldn’t be a writing holiday. We weren’t in one place long enough to develop a routine that allowed me to spend time writing.

That’s the key — going in with not only the desire to write, but a plan on how to write while away.

Of course, after travelling, is the after-effect of travelling, the residue of being on holidays. Now it’s time to re-find the writing routine that I had before holidays now that I’m back at home.

I’m still working on that one.… Read more.

On The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

February 8th, 2013 | Posted by Elle in Projects & Works | Reading | Technology | Writing & Publishing - (0 Comments)

This week, I’ve discovered the Lizzie Bennet Diaries. Considering it’s Pride & Prejudice’s 200th birthday this year, it’s quite apt that I found it. Quite honestly, it is amazing.

While I would not recommend watching them all in one go like I did, I do believe that you should watch them all. The actresses get on my nerves. I’m a little sick of them. But then, if you watch anything for long enough, the people will always begin to bug you. Like the book characters, they are over-the-top and soemtimes irritating and insufferable.

Despite this, the adaptation is quite good. It is definitely set in modern times (being a video blog, it would have to be), and the characters have been updated to suit. (Collins is a business man, Pemberley is a digital content company, Lydia parties and drinks in clubs–while still being quite silly.)

This is not my favourite part of the production though. I am particularly interested in how the related media interacts with the original story. Each of the characters have their own twitter accounts–which they use to interact with each other and fans of the show. Some have facebook, others have Pinterest and … Read more.

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