Donna Maree Hanson, Author, Phd in Creative Writing

My big confession. I was meant to finish drafting Amber Rose by tomorrow. It is not going to happen. I have had other things crop up and the last two days I was so tired I could barely think. However, today Amber Rose is at 35,000 words, not 80,000 words. The words are coming.

A lot of things going on at the moment. A sick relative and the possibility of heading to NZ again before Christmas. Visitors for Christmas. Christmas! It’s so close. Work and social events increasing. However, I will try to keep writing until I can’t and then hope I can knuckle down in January.

I can’t believe we are near the end of the year.

I can’t believe I’ve done a lot of Christmas shopping already.

What else have I been doing?

Reading A Restless Truth by Freya Marske. I am really liking Maud and Violet and the setting on a ship. Think Titanic as a model and magic of course and lesbian sex.

I’m also listening to Kate Elliott’s King’s Dragon. I have a few of Kate’s books but I must confess I haven’t read them. This audio book displays her excellent prose, like brushes of a delicate paint, an intricate plot, reminiscent of history and elves and creatures. I’m just enjoying it so much.

I also put my nose into Julius Ceasar’s War in Gaul, which is very interesting too. A translation of course.

Viewing wise I have been whiling away many evenings watch Lark Rise to Candleford and loving every minute of it. Tonight I’m taking a break from that show to watch something with Matthew. Matthew has been very diligent writing to his deadline which is coming up fast. There will be some more Matthew Farrer fiction available next year I hope.