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Sand Animation with Kseniya Simonova

As I mentioned yesterday, transient art fascinates me. I sometimes become frustrated while writing and entertain the thought of pressing the delete key on my files. But I know I have back-ups, so it would be unlikely my work would be irretrievable. I’ve done it with knitting, though, when I’ve spent months knitting a particular pattern, put it aside over summer, and then the following autumn I’ve changed my mind–I’ve frogged the entire thing, reclaimed the yarn, and started something new.Read More »Sand Animation with Kseniya Simonova

Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (Book Discussion)

My first introduction to Catherine Fisher’s books was with The Conjuror’s Game, which I read as a preteen when I “worked” for the only bookstore in our town as a beta reader, helping the middle-aged owner select new children’s and YA books for the store. I was paid in books (probably a lousy deal, but I was over the moon at the time). Of the dozens of books I read for them, The Conjuror’s Game is the only one I’ve kept, and read several times. Catherine Fisher disappeared off my radar for a while, but, thanks to Google, when I discovered she had a new series available, I couldn’t wait to get reading.Read More »Incarceron by Catherine Fisher (Book Discussion)

Who was Joseph Bell?

I began reading Sherlock Holmes as a teenager and was so intrigued by the clever detective and his deductions that I moved onto other well-known Whodunit authors such as Agatha Christie and P.D James, and decided that this would be my genre as I began my apprenticeship as an author. While working through Blake Snyder’s Save the Cat, I decided to try my hand at adapting one of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s stories—The Valley of Fear—into a screenplay. It was a fascinating exercise, and gave me a lot of insight into story construction and characterisation.Read More »Who was Joseph Bell?

The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft (Book Discussion)

Find It At
– Book Depository (affiliate link)

Find The Art of Falling at AmazonAt the heart of Kathryn Craft’s long-awaited debut novel The Art of Falling is the story of the intense and life-changing friendship between three very different characters. Penny is a dancer treading the finest of lines between disciplined diet and anorexia who regains consciousness in hospital after a 14-storey fall. Marty is her worst nightmare–a baker who tries to sweeten her life with glazed dough-nuts. But he is also her saviour: it was his van she landed on, and he’s determined to check up on her. And Angela is the woman in the next bed with cystic fibrosis, a great sense of humour, and a perfect stick-thin body to die for.Read More »The Art of Falling by Kathryn Craft (Book Discussion)

How to Keep a Conversation Going

Just as some people find it hard to start a conversation, some also battle with what to say next. If talking to people doesn’t come naturally to you, you might want to think of conversation ideas ahead of time. Don’t rehearse too much or you’ll sound unnatural.

Tennis Friends - photo by Windsor Tennis Club Belfast
Tennis Friends – photo by Windsor Tennis Club Belfast

Another way to keep talking is to think of conversation as a tennis match. Read More »How to Keep a Conversation Going

How to Talk to People

How to Talk to People
Happy Time – Myaccountnice

Many people just don’t know what to say and will respond to any attempt to start a conversation. It’s worth a try.

Here’s a neat trick: Start by asking the question you want the other person to ask you. What’s the most interesting thing you do or know or like. Because, usually, the polite thing to say after answering a question is “How about you?”

When I was working as a typist or secretary or personal assistant, I never asked people “What do you do?” Read More »How to Talk to People

How to Make Friends

Friendship is one of the themes that crops up in my books all the time. I’ve made lots of mistakes with my friendships, and learnt plenty of lessons along the way (the hard way). I thought I’d share some of the good stuff.

Hold My Hand - Elizabeth Ann Collette - Be a Friend
Photo by Elizabeth Ann Collette via Flickr

1. To Have a Friend, Be a Friend

You can’t “make” someone be your friend. The only person you can control is you. So look for ways to be friendly and let friendships evolve naturally.

How can you be a friend? Read More »How to Make Friends

The StarThorn Trilogy by Kate Forsyth (Book Discussion)

The StarThorn Tree – Book 1

Find It At
– Booktopia

The StarThorn Tree by Kate ForsythWhen crippled Durrik makes a strange prophecy regarding Estelliana’s dying young Count, he and his friend Pedrin go on the run from the evil Regent’s soldiers, while their parents and most of the village are imprisoned to pre-empt a rebellion.

The Prophecy

Durrik’s prophecy involves six people and a deadline of “when the last petals fall from the StarThorn tree”, so when he and Pedrin discover the count’s sister and her maid hiding in the forest, and their team is joined by a strange old man and a dirty little thief girl, they begin to believe they are destined to save the Count and overthrow the evil Regent.

But the prophecy is vague, and if their assumptions are wrong, they will all risk their lives for nothing. Read More »The StarThorn Trilogy by Kate Forsyth (Book Discussion)

The Cone-Shaped Pointed Hats Worn by Princesses in Fairytales…

Hennin - Pointed Hat…are called “Hennin”. Thanks, Wikipedia*.

I first came across this particular headgear when I was a child listening to a Story Teller tape of The Faery Flag by Beryl Maude-Jones. The accompanying book was full of pictures of pointy cone-hats with long veils. The funny thing was I was scared by the story. So, in true child-like spirit, I decided it would be better if I recorded over this story by singing Happy Birthday onto the tape instead. I earnestly informed my mother that I would re-record the story when I was older and it no longer scared me (as if I could possibly recapture the talent of reader Annette Crosby (she of One Foot in the Grave fame)). Luckily my rendition of Happy Birthday was only long enough to record over the title of the story. And the last time I was able to listen to the cassette tape, as an adult, I laughed at my little five-year-old self singing to unscarify the audio. My husband now informs me that we no longer have any equipment capable of playing those old tapes.Read More »The Cone-Shaped Pointed Hats Worn by Princesses in Fairytales…

Long and Winding Writing Journey

Winding Journey
Photo by Elle

I wanted to be an author from the age of about eight or so – as soon as I realised that real people were responsible for the stories I loved. I was a storyteller from a very early age, entertaining friends at sleepovers with tales of princes and princesses, and making up plays that we would rehearse and put on for our parents.

I never could decide on a “real” job, so I did a creative writing diploma and a secretarial course to learn to type, and kept working away on my first novel. Writing and telling stories have always been a part of who I am, so it’s a natural outlet for my creative expression, my ideas, and the way I view the world.Read More »Long and Winding Writing Journey