We were interstate looking after my brother’s dog. It had been planned six months ago so he and his wife could holiday in Vanuatu. And while Warren and I had been watching news of the coronavirus unfold for months thinking this will hit home soon, while we were minding Zoe, this shit got real. On …
Writing about my relationship
The initial draft of my first novel was titled Staging Life. It told the story of two friends, based on me and my husband, who end up in the Afterlife. A few theatre references were thrown in and, hey presto, I had my first draft. Then I had it professionally assessed. Besides changing the title, …
Authors and algorithms
A Twitter post popped up recently about how interactions have diminished. I responded saying that I've noticed this too. Recently I asked #WritingCommunity if they've noted Twitter is behaving like Facebook (i.e. the same small number of regulars reacting to what you've posted). One person responded. For an author, this is not good. I already …
Book Review – The Museum of Modern Love by Heather Rose
Many reviewers consider this novel a meditation on art. This is true as it's really not a story driven piece. Several times I put this book down for a while to consider what I'd read. But it was never going to be a 'did not finish' book. I had to take it in stages as …
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Authors in Cinema – Capote
"His voice is like what you'd imagine a broccoli to sound like, if a broccoli could talk." There's truth to that in the way Toby Jones plays Truman Capote in the film, Infamous. This quote is said by an actor portraying Gore Vidal, and yes, the voice has its own...um...appeal. I was never a fan …
Resurrecting an abandoned manuscript
Sequels never sell as well as the first in a series. It's something I've learnt through time. The final of the Actors and Angels trilogy has had lower sales than the first, even though it's won a Rainbow Award. More people have read Nate and the New Yorker than its follow up. So, quite some …
The Library, Reimagined
I've found a place to write. Those who follow my blog know that since my husband retired, my writing time has shrunk. Until now! The Marrickville Library has opened which is a short bus ride followed by an even shorter walk away from my home. And there are many cool aspects about this new building. …
Never read your reviews!
New book. Time to check for reviews. Because at time of writing this I was addicted to Google, searching said book title plus my name. All authors do it. We need the quotes for marketing while the novel is still fresh. No reviews on Amazon several weeks after release, but a few on Goodreads. But, …
When Romance Rules! (Guest blog by Hans M Hirschi)
My husband told me I can use any part of our own relationship in my books. While all my books do include a love story, they are not traditional Romance novels. But somehow, if you write about romantic themes as a gay author, this is how you are often caterogarised. At a recent forum, I …
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Why we love the TV show ‘Work In Progress’.
Me and my husband had to watch this after it was reviewed on Foxtel's review show, Screen. Self proclaimed butch dyke, Abby McEnany, is the creator, executive producer and star of this endearing series. Oh, and she's a comedian. Her character, also named Abby, suffers from depression, but trust me, this is not a series …
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kevin klehr 