This is a tale of two novels. One I started five years ago and is still a work in progress. It’s set in the 90s around the gay scene of Sydney’s Oxford Street. Eight drafts have been written, but after it failed to spark interest, I had it assessed. I found the State Library research …
Writing to a deadline
I have a deadline. A novel I'm writing needs to be published in five to six months. I usually take years on my manuscripts, working on a draft, then putting it aside for a few months. When I pick it up again, I'll see what needs work, fix, then put it aside for another few …
So, you’ve lost interest in that book you’re reading.
I admit, it takes me a long time to ditch a book. I always get into a story, admiring the prose, until there may be a point three quarters in where I lose interest. But at least I've given that novel a decent read. Sometimes I'm still keen to know the ending and skip to …
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Books that changed me
There was a recent challenge on BlueSky. Over twenty days we had to post covers of books which stayed with us, or influenced us, without saying why. I completed the challenge then thought, why not blog about the reasons why. So, I've picked three from that list. 1. Tilda Is Visable by Jane Tara This …
Are you sure your novel is ready?
A couple of books I've read lately inspired this blog. And what's interesting about their flaws is it made me reflect on advice I received when my first novel was published. This was way before self publishing was a thing. Back then the first thing I was told was to have my manuscript assessed. My …
Changing my writing process
I was selling my books at a local author event. On the table next to me was science fiction writer, H.G. Ahedi. It was a very rainy Friday night so not many potential readers showed up, leaving me and H.G. with plenty of time to talk. After chatting about cover artists, the difference between being …
To hell with my outline!
Apologies for not posting for a while. My time has been dominated by listening to, and preparing promotional materials for, a new audiobook. But today's blog is a follow on from my last where I mentioned I've been panstering for a while, rather than sticking to my refreshed outline. And on the days I haven't …
Being reviewed through a Romance lens
Two recent reviews prompted this blog. And it's a weird phenomenon when you write gay fiction. There are readers out there who review your books as if they are meant to be MM Romance. It's an issue I've always had. One of the worst examples was when a reviewer couldn't finish listening to her free …
Should I submit to a publisher or an agent?
I'm going through the submission process. I have a manuscript I believe is ready to send to potential publishers and like many authors, I'm combing through lists to see who takes direct submissions, seeing who is a good fit. Ideally, I'd like an Australian publisher. It would make life easier to be marketed in my …
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Author etiquette
None of us are perfect. I was part of an interstate literary festival once just after I had a major operation on my arm. A day or so in, it was clear my sling needed a wash. It smelled. But I had to be on panels and run a workshop at this two day event, …
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