In 2012, I made the committment to read 6 books by Australian women writers and review 3 (the ‘Miles’ level of the challenge). Ultimately, I read 11 books in this category and reviewed at least 9 and so, buoyed by the craziness of success, I this year vowed to read 10 and …
Whatever your preference, whether you’re a fan of one genre or a devoted eclectic, the 2012 Australian Women Writers Book Reading & Reviewing Challenge invites you to celebrate a year encountering the best of Australian women’s writing. Last December I signed up for the Miles challenge to read 6 books …
A surprise arrived in the post today: the Shirley Jackson Award administration sent me a commemorative token & a copy of the Shirley Jackson Award Ceremony programme. The awards were handed out in July at ReaderCon, & Elizabeth Hand ably won the Novella section where my ISHTAR novella featured. The …
I was lucky enough to convene the Continuum panel on Writing Diverse Genders, Sexualities and Cultures with Trudi Canavan, Louise Cusack & Gillian Polack. Chatting to some audience members later in the bar, we agreed we probably needed something more like 4 hours than 1. So to cover off all …
Like many of you, I’ll be at Continuum in Melbourne this week: Writing Different Genders, Sexualities And Cultures Friday 18:00 until Friday 19:00 (60 Minutes) Twelfth Planet Press Hour Friday 19:00 until Friday 20:00 (60 Minutes) I Don’t Get It! Friday 21:00 until Friday 22:00 (60 Minutes) Book Launch: Ishtar, …
Yesterday I woke up to the realisation my headcold hadn’t gone away after all. Then the bf cursed me for making him sick, too. And that would’ve been about all that happened that day if the cats hadn’t needed feeding (I hear if you lie still too long, cats will …
Aaaaaand, we’re back. Life, eh? Marvellous entries to the favourite fictional woman giveaway. Here are some of my favourite answers: Liz Lemon from 30 ROCK. Nerdy and awkward and sometimes selfish, yet also attractive, determined (if sometimes misguided) and ultimately kind-hearted. And frequently laugh-out-loud funny. – Chris Barnes Jessica …
One astute reader has pointed out to me that she’d like a free! PDF copy of my ISHTAR novella for purposes of research & review while she weighs up her Ditmar nomination list. If you, too, are looking for some reading while you ponder your Ditmar list, email me at rous …
Just a reminder that we have not one but TWO giveaways to celebrate the recent Aurealis Award shortlists. Winners of the AAs are announced on 12-May at North Sydney's Independent Theatre (tickets at the Aurealis Awards website). Give-away #1: If you’re interested in reading my AA-shortlisted novella – set in modern day Sydney, …
The Aurealis Award shortlists have been announced, & winners will be made public at a presentation on 12-May at North Sydney’s Independent Theatre. You can still get tickets to the event (catered – and with booze!) at the Aurealis Awards website. It was a record-breaking year for entries in most sections, …
AND today is the day I rave about Shirley Hazzard on Gillian Polack’s blog for Women’s History Month (cross-posted below, for the curious): Novelist, memoirist and essayist Shirley Hazzard has won the Miles Franklin Award (2004), National Book Award (2003) and National Book Critics Circle Award (1980). She’s been nominated …
This Tuesday, I’m tooting in Alan Baxter’s Tuesday Toots series, waxing lyrical about my book, BAD POWER, from Twelfth Planet Press. Last Tuesday, I was at Lisa L. Hannett’s blog doing some Tuesday Therapy. Tuesdays, eh? Pretty interesting days. Speaking of therapy, I’ve accidentally come across some brilliant advice lately, …
If only I could write every day. I look back to the far-off time when I did so, mostly early morning and then late in the day. I do write in my head every day–I’m tempted to say all the time. One does instinctively reserve a part of oneself as the …
Matthew Powell, for his answer to the question, “If you had a superpower, what would it be?”: I would like the power to write competition-winning entries just by blinking, because {blink}. Damn. What? It’s funny! Also ironic, because he did win. See? Email me your address, Matthew, for a …
Last reminder! Win a copy of BAD POWER today by answering the question: “If you had a superpower, what would it be – and why?” Answers in the comments or via email deborahb AT livejournal DOT com. Competition closes in about 24 hours! But if you prefer to buy your …
A reminder that you, too, can win a copy of BAD POWER by answering the question: “If you had a superpower, what would it be – and why?” Answers in the comments or via email deborahb AT livejournal DOT com. Competition open until the end of the week! And if …
I woke up to a Twitterverse full of book industry talk. a) “All sorts of middle-class folks agree with the billionaire owners of sports teams that the millionaire players make too much money.” Good point, Sherman Alexie. Some interesting questions raised here about the effect of the current eReader gold …
A bunch of BAD POWER review copies arrived today & in celebration I’m giving away a copy to the best answer to the question: “If you had a superpower, what would it be – and why?” Answers in the comments or via email deborahb AT livejournal DOT com. Competition open …
Here’s a quick round-up of some of the articles I’ve been reading on the whole ‘book industry’ future panic that’s going on. Mostly as a result of Amazon’s move into publishing. Which is the kind of smart capitalist move that makes a worldwide centralised marketplace so worrying. What’s Amazon worth, …
(With SPOILERS) I just love the turn in SIXTEEN BLOCKS, the moment Bruce Willis goes from drunk deadbeat cop to hero. The entire movie spins on that point and even the camera spins, giving us Willis’s grim, slack face and his suddenly sharp & sober eyes. And he looks around, …