Not Doing NaNoWriMo Officially But...

Many of my friends are doing NaNoWriMo. http://www.nanowrimo.org/. Each morning when I check in with Facebook (part of my pre-writing day ritual...along with Spider Solitaire if I have story issues) I'm impressed by my friends' dedication. Status updates are filled with figures - word count aims for the day and totals for the previous day. Go you good things!

So why am I not joining the craze? Well, I kind of am, just not officially as commitments from Nov 20 will slow my writing flow. My project is more a NaNoWriTwoAnAHaWe - National Novel Writing Two And A Half Weeks. Each day, I set a figure, and write like crazy intending to complete my work in progress. So far so good. November has resulted in 5,000 words ! 2500 per day, with time out for a Melbourne Cup Lunch  - I'm happy.

So, back to it. No Spider Solitaire today - during my morning walk, a new character formed and has added another level to my work. Gotta love those 'pop-in' characters!Ummm - can I use my blog as part of my word count?

Six Launch

Karen Tayleur signing Six at Borders, Knox.

Last Friday night, car filled with scrummy food, drinks and important author type (Karen) we sallied forth to Borders at Knox to launch Karen's new book, Six. What a night - lovely spot for a launch, great staff, loads of enthusiastic people AND a chance to catch up with great friends.What's not to love.
If you haven't read Six yet, what are you waiting for?
www.bdb.com.au

Not jinxed!

Do you know I was worried that my last blog might have jinxed us!

I'm a very happy, crazy Collingwood fan!

Grand Final - again...

Okay, so it's time to fess up to my major issue - footy, actually, to be specific Collingwood.
My grandfather was a big Collingwood fan and because I thought he was Christmas on a stick, I followed his lead and supported the Maggies.
As a kid, my bedroom was covered in Collingwood posters (and Sherbet posters - incidentally, Daryl Braithwaite barracks for Collingwood - just saying!), I cried in the 70s and early 80s - enough said - rejoiced in 1990 and as for early 2000...
I wore a decorated duffle coat and watching training. I know - tragic.
And here I am, years later, and I still love my footy. I've moved on from Craig Stewart (whose number was on the back of my duffle coat) and Michael Christian to Harry O and Heath Shaw. And thanks to Heath, I realise I am now seriously old. Why was it Heath Shaw that made me realise that? Well, when I was a teenager I had a poster of his father, Ray, on my wall.
On Saturday, this old woman will be cheering like crazy and hoping that the angst will pay off!But no matter what the result, I know my major issue will be as strong as ever.
Go Pies!

Phew - what a massive couple of months.
Since June, I've
- worked at part time librarian at St Mary's Colac
- visited schools in Ballarat, Werribee, Hamilton, Terang and Drysdale
- judged two short story competitions - one for Ruyton in Kew and the other for the Wimmera Regional Library Corporation. (Winners announced in October)
- been to heart stopping footy finals (! one more to go - Go Pies!)
and
- tried to keep up with my writing.
- read heaps of books.
It's been fantastic, but I'm enjoying the quiet and a chance to write more.
Today I'm working on a YA piece while it rains, shines and rains again.
Starting a new piece always feels strange. The words tend to stutter out, rather than flow. I'm sure it's because the project is new and unfamiliar, compared with the work I've just finished, which was Dare You.
But today I feel like I've reached the stage where the words are flowing and last night solutions to problems popped into my head. Thank goodness for notebooks!
By the way, there's a sensational new book about to hit the stores. Six by Karen Tayleur. Loved, loved, loved it. It's out in October!

Ballarat Writers' Festival and St Ignatius

To finish off a busy Book Week and Literacy Week, I visited St Ignatius in Drysdale and then presented two sessions at the Ballarat Writers; Festival.
The Year 7 girls at St Ignatius where terrific! Thanks for your questions and enthusiasm.
Thanks also to the organisers of the Ballarat Writers' Festival! Truly a thought provoking and inspiring day. Congrats to everyone involved.
This week is a quiet one - yay!

After Highly Recommended!

The winners of the 2010 Australian Family Therapists Award for Children's Literature have been announced. (That's the award Allie McGregor's True Colours won three years ago.)

Winner of the older readers' category was I Lost My Mobile At the Mall written by Wendy Harmer. Sally Murphy's Pearl Versus The World won the younger readers' category. Congratulations to Sally and Wendy. I've not read I Lost My Moible yet, but did read and LOVE Pearl. It's a gorgeous book.

One book was highly commended - drum roll...After! Absolutely thrilled with that!

And Dare You is officially 'out there'. Dropped into a bookshop in Geelong to see it front and centre on display! Big like for that one!

This is the cover of my new book, a young adult novel called Dare You. It hits the shops in August. Dare You is about three friends, Ruby, Khaden and Sas, who's childish games are spiraling out of control.
My copies arrived while I was teaching. Not sure the Year 3/4s knew what to think when I squealed and hugged the books to my chest! Still, they are used to me being over-excited about books. I'm working part time as a school librarian this term, and managed to startle a child with my enthusiasm for Rowan of Rin! He took it to read more because he was petrified that interested!
Watch out for Dare You in all good bookstores soon!
Want to know more - check out www.bdb.com.au

World's worst blogger!

Okay, so I'm the world's worst blogger, which frankly I find surprising as I love a chat! Somehow, I keep forgetting to post. So, here goes, trying to be a better blogger.

Since my last post, Black Dog Books released my young adult novel, After, and in August will release my brand new y. a. book Dare You. Very exciting stuff.
As well as writing, I've been visiting schools around Victoria, having a ball with amazing students. (Hello Heywood!!)

So here's a picture of After, and stay tuned for the Dare You cover!Dear Families,