Insanity week!
So, it's a crunch week. Working a new job full-time, Base Nowhere manuscript due in next week, two workshops to prep and I can't tell you what else. But! I've got five minutes to say what a great time I had last week at Cleveland Library, talking about Iron Junction, and then at BayFM with Bruce Walker. Thanks to all the staff and attendees who made the day flow flawlessly (including the awesome display!). And I'll look forward to those coming to the creative writing workshop this Saturday at Victoria Point Library. More news in a few weeks when deadlines have been met and sleep caught up. :)
Books From Our Backyard, launched!
This week, I had the pleasure of attending the 2013 Books From Our Backyard launch at the State Library. BFOB is a fantastic project - a catalogue of books by Queensland writers across a huge range of genres. It's gratifying to see so many excellent local writers being published, and an excuse to get together with some of them to celebrate never goes astray. I was very happy to spot Ryders Ridge in the mix (despite my poor attempt at selfie). There's tons of great reading in the catalogue, so check it out - there's something in there for you.
Upcoming Events and New Page
Hello all :) The EOFY is just a few days away, which means the year is about to turn the corner into Festival Season, which I look forward to each year. I'm pleased to say I'll be at Brisbane Writers Festival again this year, Brisbane's premier event for readers and writers. Drop down and say hello at one of the panels - I'll let you know which ones I'm doing closer to the time. In July, I'm chuffed to have been invited to give book talks and a workshop in some of the council libraries across Brisbane. These are:
- Victoria Point Library - Creative Writing Workshop: 26 July, 9am–1pm. If you've ever wanted to write a story but don't know where to start, this is for you. Please contact the library to book.
- Indooroopilly Library - Author talk: 15 July, 10:30am.
- Cleveland Library - Author talk: 17 July, 11am–noon.
Finally ... I've published the first version of my FAQ Page for Writers. Any feedback appreciated, and I endeavour to add more resources and information over time.
And with that, I'm about to dive into the Base Nowhere manuscript, which means a few weeks of relative silence from me. See you on the other side. :)
Resources for Writers
Helly lovely readers. Well, June is well and truly here and that means that I'm not only marking student assignments, but shortly will be deep in an edit of my next book (due in at the end of July). I'm itching to get back to it! At the same time, I'm receiving lots of questions from both my students and other writers out there. I love hearing from everyone, but it's clear that a few questions are common and I could make my website more useful by answering some of them online. To that end, I'm working on a "For Writers" page, which I'll stock with FAQs about writing, getting published, and a few useful resources. Stay tuned :)
Winter Warmer Gift Pack - Winner!
Thankyou to all the wonderful readers who entered my winter warmer gift pack giveaway - we had 70 entries and I enjoyed seeing the photos and reading your comments. However, there can only be one winner, and after folding and shaking all those entries, and blindfolding my husband to select the lucky piece of paper (drumroll ....), that winner is Ted and Delores Bebbington, who posted over on the Facebook thread - congratulations!
I'll be in touch to have the gift pack speeding your way very shortly. Sorry there can't be a winter warmer gift pack for everyone, but I hope you're finding other ways to keep warm in your part of the world. Wishing you a good day, and happy reading :)
Winter Warmer Book Pack Giveaway!
Now that the chilly brrr weather is finally upon us, it's the season of coats, doonas and hot drinks. If you're down south, maybe you're already cracking ice off the windscreen. And if you're up north, well, maybe you finally put on a t-shirt instead of a singlet!!
Regardless of where you are in our great land, to celebrate the appearance of winter, perfect season for reading in your long socks, dressing gown, or snuggie**, I am giving away a winter warmer reader's gift pack, including:
- Personalised signed copy of both Ryders Ridge and Iron Junction
- Chocolates to nom nom while reading
- Tea mug to hold hot beverages (perfect for melting chocolates in mouth into saucy heaven). To set the mood for your rural reading adventure, mug is carefully selected to be at home either in a station kitchen or crib room, aka "trendy industrial chic"***
- Tasty tea to brew in above mug! I've included both Perth Breakfast, in honour of Iron Junction's WA setting, and Toasty Warm, the toasted marshmallow of teas, perfect for winter nights.
- Bookmarks to keep your place when you get up to make more tea.
Simply comment on this post (or on the Facebook thread) to enter - winner to be chosen by random draw. Entries close midnight (Brisbane time) on Wednesday 21 May 2014. Gift pack will be speedily in the post soon after that - good luck!
**any brave people who post (either here or on the Facebook page) a picture of their favourite winter house socks, blanket, snuggie or other snuggly reading companion (animals accepted!) will receive a double chance to win!
***I claim no special knowledge of what is "trendy" or "chic". But, mug is guaranteed to hold hot beverages. :)
Update: Although my books aren't available for sale everywhere overseas (yet!), I'm quite happy to ship to an international winner, so enter away, even if you're outside Australia :)
Brrrrrrrrrr! Or, a few days in Canberra ...
I'm in Canberra for a few days this week, mainly for some tech writing work, but also sneaking in some writing and catching up with friends. Today, on a mission to find a scanner in our nation's capital (which I've done more than once on the road when editing must be returned ...), I went on a long chilly walk. Canberra is really very pretty, in an almost alien fashion. It's autumnal, showing off foliage in shades of umber, orange, rust, lime, yellow and every shade in between...
... but it's also very ordered, with geometric shapes that look best from the air; manicured, sprawling streets; and lots of feature buildings. Every time I come here, I look forward to a few things in particular: Questacon (of course!), the War Memorial, the relaxed traffic experience, and the postcard moments around every corner.
And on chilly days like these ones, when the cold air gives the sunlight a hard edge, I also think about Silver Brumbies in the snowy mountains just a few hours south, like I'm reading Elyne Mitchell under the covers again. For now, I'll have to suffice with a laptop on my knees, a hot cup of tea and some good wordage. But I've got an idea in the pipe for a winter book giveaway when I return, so stay tuned for that. :)
Talking romance
Yesterday, I had the fortune to be invited to the Roses Down Under readers' group at Rosemary's Romance Books. Rosemary's is a boutique bookstore dedicated to romance of all flavours, and has a level of personal service that immediately makes you feel at home. We spent a lovely few hours talking about books (a lot about mine, which no writer can really complain about) and I learnt a few things, too (like the upcoming Outlander TV Series, how did I miss that?). Everyone was warm and welcoming and I thank Rosemary for the invitation.
Book 3 ... progress update!
With Iron Junction's launch just gone, it's time to be moving on with the next book (***I would have preferred this said "drinking cocktails in the Caribbean", but sadly untrue...). And today I have progress to report ... the first edit is done, and it's time for me to do one last skim before sending to my trusted beta readers. Then I will have time to edit again before sending it to my publisher in July. The book should be out before this time next year.
Between the first draft and this second draft, the manuscript put on a bit of weight (around 6000 words more), but that's fairly usual for me. I'm still calling it Base Nowhere, but I don't know if the title will stick to the end. I'm also brewing my ideas for books 4 and 5 in the background - but will stay focused on the current project for now. It's nice to have that sense of where things are going next, though.
Iron Junction's fabulous launch
Last night, a horde of excited readers descended on Wandering Cooks for Iron Junction's official launch, braving even the rugby traffic. Food, wine, friends and books makes for a winning combination, and we all had a great night. I want to especially thank QWC CEO Meg Vann for her lovely launch speech, and for her deft conduct of our Q&A, and my equally lovely publisher Bernadette Foley for coming all the way from Sydney. Rebekah Turner also excelled in organising cool themed choccies and waterbottles, and finally, the group of cos-players who came dressed in hi-vis and hardhats (and scared me witless when I thought we were being evacuated!). Thankyou all!
From cover 2 cover
Two lovely readers have messaged me in the last 24 hours to say they finished Iron Junction in a single sitting. I'm so flattered, because in today's world the luxury of such a block of time devoted to reading is a precious thing. Some of us are fast readers and some of us are slow, but there's something special about the long escape into story world, maybe by bedside lamp (or iPad light), barely registering the passage of time, except by our fingers turning (or clicking) the pages. Waking bleary-eyed after very little sleep, but satisfied because we had to finish it, and we did. This got me to thinking about the last time that I read a book from cover to cover, and I'd love to know yours, too. Or maybe you're the kind of voracious reader who regularly takes your books this way. Sadly, I rarely can, but I remember the last one I read in a single sitting very clearly. It was JR Ward's Lover Awakened. I read it on the couch in our little cottage, from early in the morning one Saturday until the sun was going down, and it was magic.
So what was the last novel you devoured wholesale? Or if you simply can't, the last one you wished you could have read this way?
The next novel - some truth about editing
A week before my second novel Iron Junction hits the shelves, and I'm doing what every writer does at this point - working on the next one. I finished the first draft of what I'm calling Base Nowhere before Christmas, and for the last two weeks I've been reading and making my editing plan.
As many of you will know, I'm a huge fan of planning in writing and editing. And so now, I have mine for my first structural review. And here's the truth: I have 85 scenes in total. Of those:
- 7 (8%) need replacing completely
- 24 (28%) need substantial rewrites
- 44 (52%) need minor edits
- 10 (12%) I can keep pretty much in tact.
In addition, I have 17 structural issues in my notebook, and 355 comments in my word document, which are a combination of flags to aid solving the 17 issues, some smaller structural issues, and a few things that are working and are marked so that I don't accidentally delete them. It sounds like a lot of work (it is) but I've done this before, and it's where the magic happens.
I have no issues with calling my first draft the "shitty first draft" as Kim Wilkins would say. I went through the same process with both Ryders Ridge and Iron Junction. And this is before I give it to a trusted editor to give me their opinion for my second edit. I love that I know what I have to do (well, I know what's wrong, at least ;)). But most of all, despite its faults, I love the story. And that's why all this is worth it - to find the very best version of the story within that first draft.
So, from now begins the real work, even as I'm starting to percolate ideas for the book that comes after this one. But there's no work I would rather do. If you'd like to love this trial of editing too, how about joining me for Year of the Edit at QWC? Happy writing.
'The Iron Road' - free eBook
Today, I'm very excited to announce that my new short story, 'The Iron Road' is now available as a free e-book. I really love the cover and the story - I loved coming up with it and writing it, and I hope you will too. Perfect for a lunch break, before bed, or whenever you most like to read - if you're waiting for Iron Junction, why not download this and take a trip to the Pilbara a few weeks early? Here's a preview:
In the dusty red reaches of the Pilbara, a simple misunderstanding sends love off track... Stacey had thought Liam was the one. A fellow survey geologist who could discuss books as intelligently as he could detail rocks. Who looked as good in a tux as he did in his high-vis work clothes. She'd thought they'd found the perfect life: civilisation and adventure; together. But Liam hasn't told her everything. And now, on a ridge above a narrow outback gully, Stacey can see her perfect world crumbling before her eyes. Can their new love survive this unexpected obstacle?
Here's where you can find it:
Happy reading :)
Iron Junction Brisbane Book Launch - 11 April 2014
I'm very excited to announce that the official Brisbane launch for Iron Junction is just around the corner, and I'm inviting you all to join in the celebration. Queensland Writers Centre CEO Meg Vann will be our special guest and official launcher. I hope you can join us!
Iron Junction Brisbane Launch
11 April 2014 @ Wandering Cooks
1 Fish Lane (Cnr Fish Lane & Cordelia Street), South Brisbane
RSVP by 9 April to either the Facebook event page, or email charlottenashauthor AT gmail.com
Book winners!
I was amazed and humbled by the responses on last week's book giveaway post. Those landscape experiences not only took me away - to golden beaches, waterholes, and down long dusty roads - but every story was heartfelt and personal. The posters were right - Australia is magical, every part of it. I want to thank everyone who posted (both here and on Facebook) for sharing their experiences - your passion for Australia was palpable, and made me very proud to live in this amazing country. I wish I could make all the posters winners, but with two book packs to send, there had to be a tough decision. As my favourite, I chose Lynn's story of wedgetail eagles on the road from Darwin to South Australia. I just can't go past majestic birds. I can still remember seeing injured wedgies at a wildlife park years ago and it broke my heart (and inspired a short story), so I loved this glimpse of them wild and free. Here's the post:
Driving South down the ‘track’ from Darwin heading for SA ..through the heat haze, rich red dirt & scrubby trees my son & I see what at first looks like shortish people running back & forth across the undulating road … As we get closer there appears to be a group of 5… We wonder what they’re doing … We come up over the next rise in the road & there in front of us are 5 magnificent & very large, wedgetail eagles. Mum, dad & their fledglings. We were stunned & in awe to see these incredible birds … They were feasting on a bullock .. & were quite calm about us slowing down to admire them. We were enthralled .. & humbled by their presence. Once again the magic & mystery of Australia’s outback reminded me how ancient our country us .. how majestic … & that we humans are tinier than a grain of sand. I love our country & never cease to be amazed at what appears over the hill & around the swooping curve.
My second random-draw winner was Beth, with her honeymoon story of snorkelling, clams and ill-placed flippers that made me laugh. Congrats to both - your books will be on their way very soon.
Book giveaway!
Today, a box arrived on my doorstep. On opening, I discovered a shiny pile of Iron Junction, basking in the aroma of new books. So, time to celebrate :) With release date only a couple of weeks away, I am giving away a double signed set of Ryders Ridge and Iron Junction to two lucky readers.
To win, just comment on this post - I'd love you to share a sentence or two about your favourite Australian landscape experience. Whether it's the sparkling water of a north Queensland beach, the sunrise over a rugged inland bluff or just your special patch of the city suburbs. I will choose my favourite, and another commenter at random to receive the prizes (I'll also include anyone who shares or retweets this blog post on Facebook/Twitter in the random prize, so tell your friends). Comment before 5pm AEST this coming Monday 10 March to win! And good luck :)
Year of the Edit
There's a bit of perfect storm going on over in the Nash writing camp at the moment. By pure chance, there's a new novel (Iron Junction), a new edition of Ryders, a short story in that universe, and two more spec fic short stories - all due out within a month of each other. I mention this not for its own sake (though, given it's unlikely to happen again, I'll take a moment to admire the alignment of stars), but because in cleaning up my office this week, I found all the versions of all those stories - bundles of revised pages riddled with scribble and corrections, which reminded me of how things have changed.
My first attempt at writing a novel ended around Chapter 3 when I realised I had no idea what I was doing. My second attempt (probably 8 years later), which I did finish, was a disaster. Some likeable ideas, but poorly told, in both story and line craft. My editing attempt was pretty haphazard, and I loathed editing, which was reflected in the end product. That book is still in pieces - a much loved idea that hasn't found form. I moved on. Four years and three manuscripts (and countless editing later) came Ryders Ridge. By that time, I'd learned a few things about how to edit - how to plan for it, how to execute it, how to finish and move on. More experienced writers than me shared their insights; and steadily, I came to love it.
Some of the reasons I hated editing in the beginning were: 1) The awfulness of examining my own work, 2) the hugeness of the task, 3) not knowing where or how to begin, 4) having no idea how long it would take or when I'd be done. I now have a method that solves those problems and works for me, and this year, I've been given the opportunity to share it through QWC's Year of the Edit.
So, if you have a finished draft and you're new at editing, or if you loathe it (but know you need it - we all do), or if you're just daunted by the size of the task, join me for Year of the Edit. I'll do my best to show you a way forward, and maybe you'll come to love editing too. :)
The power of letters
Most of us don't write letters any more. Email is fast, convenient and cheap. We send snail mail only when we have to - originals, contracts, maybe a postcard. Considered and heartfelt letters penned by hand were, until this last month, something I hadn't sent or received since childhood.
Then, during February, I was on a course where I had nothing else. No phone, no internet, nothing but pen and paper and stamps. It was a gruelling program: pre-dawn to late every day, almost no contact with the outside world, except through letters.
I was lucky. Over the month I was away, friends and family wrote me 20 letters and cards. Sometimes they came one at a time; once, nine together. I don't know how many I wrote back (more than 10, less than 20), but those words, back and forth, strung the days together, making spots of light in the dark. I had news of the outside world, but more importantly, I had encouragement and connection. Time had been taken to write and send those letters, thought put into their words; and time and thought gave them weight. They meant more than every email I've ever received together, and I will keep them and read them over.
Letter writing may be somewhat romantic these days, but I don't think there was anything particularly romantic about the ones I sent and received this last month. Almost the antithesis - it was pure function, words as part of survival. When there is nothing else, that which remains takes on greater meaning. So I thank everyone who wrote to me. You can't imagine what it meant to read your words in the cold and dark, and think of home. Thankyou all.
I re-watched two movies from my 80s childhood and this is what happened ...
A few months ago, our local video store closed (and yes, I still call it a video store, even though it had been DVDs for a good few years). One of the consequences of the close is that I was finally forced into digital world for movies (not the best experience). But that led to finding movies that had long ago expired on the video store shelves. Two in particular I haven't seen since primary school 25 years ago, and my recollections were positive (if fuzzy). With some trepidation, I decided to re-watch and find out if they could stack up. So, I give you Midnight Madness (1980) and Sheena (1984).
Midnight Madness (1980)
- RT rating - None!
- Example clips
- Tag line: "The most fun you'll ever have ... in the dark!"
- Quote of the viewing audience: "Wow, Disney made this?"
What I remembered before I watched:
A zany, scavenger-hunt game movie where a bunch of teams (college students) compete to solve a puzzle in the depths of the night. There was something about "melons" referring to a pair of breasts that were one of the clues. That's about it. But, I remember wanting to see it AGAIN. And also, run a scavenger hunt myself. It was AWESOME.
What I thought when I re-watched it:
I was kinda surprised to see it was a Disney production, given above-mentioned melons. The characters were also rampant stereotypes, especially the nerds who came off especially poorly. Key moment of this is when the hero, a freshman counsellor, stops a nerdy college kid in his care from going on a date with a girl just because she also looks nerdy. Oh, great. For all the whinging I hear about The Big Bang Theory from time to time, we've come a long way. However ... as a film, I still found it an entertaining watch. The movie was pretty well put together with enough conflict and story to carry it. I'd also forgotten Michael J Fox was in it as the hero's kid brother, and it was Fox's movie debut. Likelihood I'll watch it again? Maybe in 10 years. It was all right.
Sheena (1984)
- RT rating - 38%
- Trailer
- Tag line: "Part animal. Part legend. All woman." (really??)
- Quote of the viewing audience: "Worst zebra ever."
What I remembered before I watched:
An African adventure film where a girl RIDES HER ZEBRA against the forces of E-VIL. She swings on ropes and shoots arrows. The evil people kill a king and somehow are after Sheena (who grew up with a tribe after her parents die in a cave-in). A man is there also, and he gets burned at the end, after a dramatic end-sequence where Sheena RIDES HER ZEBRA after the bad man across the desert plain. Also, there are elephants, and some flamingos who crash a chopper. It was AWESOME.
What I thought when I re-watched it:
The first, most obvious thing was wait ... THAT'S NOT A ZEBRA! In the whole film, every "zebra" Sheena rides is a painted horse. I'm kinda impressed with the level of effort they went to, and that the paint didn't seem to rub off on Sheena. I guess horses are easier to train.
I'm actually kinda surprised I was allowed to watch this as a child, because it's basically B-grade soft porn, a bit like Starship Troopers 2. I never noticed how Sheena is always breathing in a suggestive fashion, or that the movie wastes few opportunities to get her kit off. The dialogue is bad ... so bad it's really GOOD. This is one of those films that is awesomely awful. Overacted, melodromatic, spaggetti-western sound effects, and it totally works. There's actually a number of funny one-liners, a solid plot (which is actually pretty serious and nasty), Vangelis-esque music, and a nasty German dude who attempts the Nuremberg defence before being speared through the throat. All the bad guys get their just desserts. Likelihood I'll watch it again? Maybe in 2 years. It was still AWESOME.