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Archive for the ‘Creative passion’ Category

Creative energies

Posted in A writer's life, Australian author, Author signing event, Creative passion, tagged , , , , on September 24, 2026| Leave a Comment »

This evening I went to see the Dracula Ballet at the State Theatre in Sydney. It was amazing. Visual, great sets and lighting. The white vampire ladies were amazing, so creepy and their movements unearthly. Apparently it is coming back in November so check it out.

Today I booked Tainted Lady in for an edit. Don’t get too excited. I am not so prolific as it seems. I drafted this one over ten years ago and have revised it in recent times. I am finalising a restructure but I am close. This will be the third book I’ll publish this year. It’s a Regency romance.

The cover is brilliant I think.

In less happy news, I have not drafted any more words on Amethyst Way but I hope to return to it soon. Sunday I will be at Books and Beyond in Ourimbah. Life has been hectic!

Anyway, I shall go to sleep now if I can stop listening to The Quiet Gentleman.

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Catching up with things

Posted in A writer's life, am wrinting, author appearances, Author signing event, Creative passion, tagged , , , , , , on September 23, 2026| Leave a Comment »

I am in Sydney being a grandma to my youngest grandchild. I’ve gotten over the must clean and tidy and now after a few days I am tackling things. Writing has not been easy. I am hoping after this blog post and maybe a newsletter, I will be able to settle down.

I don’t usually suffer from writers’ block. I do suffer from distraction if there are other things going on, like tax returns, travel to book events and travel to look after the bairn. (People who know me are certain I have ADHD and maybe they are right but I don’t need pills so I’m not bothering to get an official diagnosis.)

For the first time I made a book cover in Canva. I have not made one anywhere from memory previously so yay me. I had help from Google and Youtube. While I passed the first hurdle on upload, I received an email to say the cover spilled over the lines and I need to resubmit after fixing it. I did that this morning and I hope I sorted it. I don’t want to ruin my career in cover making before it has started. Mind you I did not design the cover. The designer isn’t doing things for other people anymore so they said I could use it so I did.

What cover you may ask? I’m making a paperback of Vorn and the First Comers so the novella is more accessible. I had the ebook for free and everywhere except Amazon has it for free. It’s very hard to keep permafree on Amazon because they don’t like it.

Vorn and the First Comers is an origin story for the world of Argenterra, the Silverlands series. Ages ago I was going to write different stories that link to Argenterra, Oathbound and Ungiven Land. The characters, particularly Rae, tell of their ancestors and the First Comers. That enriches the story I think and fills up with world with history and magic.

I started off strong with Vorn but stumbled with Goslien of the Valley and to a certain extent, Faruni’s Triplets. It was meant to be a collection Tales of Argenterra by Kushlan Silvertongue. I just couldn’t find a way in to Goslien’s story for like more than ten years. The other day while laying in a half sleep the story came to me. Clear picture of Panal of Puri and Goslien. Wow. I have written up notes but am yet to write this one up. But I feel a bit closer. I just can’t write on demand like that. Or to market either. I have to feel it, see it in my mind. Temperamental me!!!

News! The Founders’ Legacy is still 0.99cents for the ebook but that finished on September 30 so if you haven’t got a copy, then grab one now. I’m not making a profit on it at the moment. There is no series, but I am interested in getting people to read it and to tell me about what they think.

So far I have had a few great read comments…or that made me think…or I really liked it.

That reminds me, I have a review quote from Dr Craig Cormick, who launched the book.

Brave, challenging and just a great read! The Founders’ Legacy is going to mess with your head–in the most positive way. Dr Craig Cormick OAM, Children’s Book Council of Australia (ACT) Ambassador and Marion Writers Centre Patron.

Get your copy of The Founders’ Legacy! Here is the universal link.

Next up, I’ll be in Ourimbah in the Central Coast on Sunday at a free book event. It’s such a cute event and it has indie writers across children’s, non-fiction, romance, fantasy, sf and horror. Well worth the trouble! Here is the website.

The next event for me is Once upon a fairytale at The Cube in Campbelltown. I’m looking forward to dressing up with a fairy persuasion.

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The sometimes lonely art of writing books

Posted in A writer's life, Creative passion, Indie Publishing, Life, the universe and everthing, reviews, science fiction, SF romance, tagged , , , , , , , , on September 9, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Sometimes writing books is yelling into a void. Maybe it is an indie publishing thing. You know, at least in the traditional model, you might have an agent that says, well done or an editor that says they like your book, and marketing obviously like it and the booksellers have ordered it and maybe you get sales and reviews. You might get book blurbed by another author, a famous one, and that will go on the cover or in the end pages.

The indie model is a little bit more fraught, I think. I have beta readers and they might say-this is good- or I liked it- along with comments to fix things that aren’t working as well. An editor might say that they enjoyed it, but here you are paying them so can you believe that? Maybe, they don’t have to say that after all. Goodness I sound paranoid as all hell. Well no false modesty there!

But the real proof is in books selling and book reviews and ratings. Sometimes there is this nerve wracking period where they are no reviews. Just crickets! And honestly, reviews were more the thing say ten years ago. I had heaps of reviews for Shatterwing, but once retailers bought in ratings, you get them instead of textual reviews, if the person comes back to give you a rating. Also, people used to review books. I haven’t stuck my nose in because it’s become one of those things that people want money for and once you start paying, retailers like Amazon will shut you down. No paid reviews. And honestly, review blogs have been replaced by Booktok and well I haven’t really got my head around that.

BTW I stay away from Goodreads mostly because it’s kind of a cess pit, although there are some great reviews in there and I love aspects of it but it can be hard going.

On Apple Books just now I saw someone had given The Founders’ Legacy a three star rating. I think it’s great that someone rated it. But as a writer, I’m craving dialogue, what did they like? what did they hate? what did they think? There are no other reviews. Anyway, I shall twiddle my thumbs and wait.

This is probably because The Founders’ Legacy is a thinky SF book and it’s going to be divisive I think. It’s sort of in the book banning category in the USA kind of thing because it’s talking about gender, equality, gender roles and it’s not an easy read because of the pronouns (single non-gendered pronouns). Dr Craig Cormick who did the launch speech said it ‘does your head in’ and it’s meant to do that. In that way, it’s not like my normal novels, which are action and adventure and story and meant for fun.

Anyway, if you have read The Founders’ Legacy, please leave a review and or rate it where you bought it. Or blog, or post or make some noise. That is really, really helpful.

The reality is this book isn’t going to be on bookshelves. People aren’t going to be drawn to the pretty cover, the internal decorations, the back cover blurb. That’s the reality of indie publishing. While I have set a recommended retail price, the price at book retailers is really high. I think Amazon has the paperback for $47!! Anyway, there is a buy direct link on my website where you can get it at the RRP of $30.00 including the gst.

By the way, the ebook of The Founders’ Legacy is currently 99 cents for September. Here is the link This is a universal link that should take you to your preferred ebook retailer.

One last thing, I have been doing a lot of book events this last year or so. What is fun and interesting is return readers. I am surprised sometimes when a reader says, I read that and that. What can I read next? So awesome. Also feedback. For example, I was at an event in Newcastle a few months back and a reader said she’d really like more space pirate stories. I do have one in mind and they sell okay at book events, but yeah colour me surprised. They are rather fun and uplifting I think.

And another interesting thing for me, is The Silverlands series. I have the box set on Kobo and Apple Books and it is my best seller on Kobo Plus. Go figure. It was my first fantasy series I wrote, first series to indie publish and sometimes I think it’s the poor sister, but I don’t know some people really like it. It would be more romantasy these days because it has three romantic relationships, and a coming of age thing, and well my favourite hero ever, Oakheart. Now that Amazon have altered their pricing I may put the box set up there too.

Anyway, I should stop looking at what is happening with The Founders’ Legacy and get on with other stuff. Gentleman Magician goes live tomorrow. I have Amethyst Way in progress and another book I’m meant to be restructuring. Mind you I have hurt my back shifting a desk and that has dented my ability to sit at the desk quite a bit. So while I feel sorry for myself, I shall blog!

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It’s me again

Posted in A writer's life, am wrinting, Creative passion, Life, the universe and everthing, Singapore, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 27, 2026| Leave a Comment »

My last day in Singapore.

I reached 30,000 words on Amethyst Way, Cry Havoc Book 5, which is not too shabby. I’m very excited about this.

With Gentleman Magician, Cry Havoc Novella, I’m waiting on feedback from Matthew on the blurb. I need to blurb to create entries of the National Library and the ISBNs and preorders and so on.

Now I have reached my goal, I’m about to head out to do some gift shopping and we might eat out for my last night here. At present I still have to pack but all my clothes are on the bed waiting to be stuffed around gifts and things.

In other world news, there are terrible floods in Nepal, which are awful and bring back horrible memories of the Boxing Day tsunami. I was not affected directly, just emotionally by that disaster. Climate change disaster!

As well as Dolly Parton passing away, Tim Curry has joined her. More icons falling.

In the old days of Live Journal I used to blog about life and stuff. And I’ve been thinking about this recently, particular AI and it’s impact. My writer brain goes into story mode and I toss ideas around. The trouble is those thoughts are scary.

My latest thought is that our children or grandchildren or even ourselves will have to pay for knowledge. At present, you Google something and the AI comes back you, offering help and so on. But when we are all dependent on AI, and our children can no longer think for themselves, the billionaires may start charging us for knowledge, for information.

Information that was created by humans, created by us and that is mostly free.

That’s a bit scary right. Then, what about AI changing information and us losing our history. How will we know what is right and what is wrong?

My answer? Librarians and books. Real, analogue books. But what if they disappear as wekk? What if we can no longer learn from history because that history has been rewritten and knowledge is transactional on a fee for service basis. I am sure someone has written a book like this already.

It sucks to be a writer sometimes because the brain goes to weird places.

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Mad about maps

Posted in A writer's life, am wrinting, Creative passion, Maps, tagged , , , , , , , , , on August 14, 2026| Leave a Comment »

In a recent post, I talked about losing Russell Kirkpatrick. Yesterday, I dug up the maps he made for my books over the years.

I remember him telling me to draw a map and on one visit to Australia from NZ I showed him my hand drawn map of Argenterra, of which I was very proud. Of course, it was a bit like the expression his family included in their powerpoint about Russell at the memorial. “That’s terrible. I appreciate the effort.”

Although he may have been a bit more scathing. Lol. (I do really suck at this map thing). He was ‘Mad about Maps’ and I think his Twitter handle was ‘Insane Mapboy’ and you can imagine him seeing my pitiful drawing compared the carefully crafted maps he drew for his books. They were real places to him, everything considered carefully, cause and effect, geography, perfectly envisioned. And there’s me with a map, my head in a story and not really able to imagine and draw the place as well as him. However, he was helpful and liked to instruct.

The map helped me navigate the land in the Silverlands series and he sat with me to talk about naming conventions and how languages changed over time. I had a place called Two Rivers Meet and he said that it would be better as Trivers Meet or something similar. He also talked about some place names and from whose perspective they were named from. It was an incredibly helpful discussion and he also helped me flesh out a few things about the geography. He also prompted me to give the place a few more names so it wasn’t just empty in places. I also had the Lake of Reflections drawn way to big!

This is the map of Argenterra he did for me, based on my drawing but with extensive Russell improvements.

The next set of maps we worked on were Dragon Wine maps, three in total. It wasn’t a matter of just handing him a rough drawing. No, I had to sit with him and learn stuff too. Dragon Wine opens in Shatterwing at the prison vineyard and this is how we envisioned it. It was Russell’s idea to have the vineyard broken into types of grapes and we also had fun naming the rivers and things to fit in with what I had mentioned in the book. This map was included in the Pan Macmillian version of the book but somehow slipped out of my self published version. I’ll be fixing that soon.

The other map pertinent to the first and second books, Shatterwing and Skywatcher, is the map of the Sartell region. They also work for Nightwings and Bloodstorm. It also shows where the prison vineyard is, where the observatory is and Vanden town as well as Sartell. Some of these places are explored in the rest of the series.

For the last two books, I needed a map of the whole world of Margra. As it was post-apocalyptic, after a moon fell, there would be significant changes compared to the past, which is unknown. The map needed to be a sort of pieced together map that identifies past continents, swamped shorelines and maybe even conjecture. Russell did a bit of research on this and also drew on past experience of seeing maps where things were guestimated rather than measured and so on.

So for Skyfire and Moonfall, we have a different map. I love the little note at the bottom saying it was compiled by Nils of Barr. Sitting with Russell to do this was not easy because I had to have the names of all the things I referenced and then explain them to Russell. Some are just mentioned in reference to pre-Shatterwing and are not actually travelled during the story. I think Russell wanted to educate me but I can’t replace him with regards to maps. Some people are just good at visualising. Me not so much.

If I do maps in the future, well not sure how that is going to go. I use sketches of houses and things to navigate and describe but not publish them.

Russell thank you for helping me envisage worlds. You taught me so much but I have a lot to learn still.

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Procrastaposting!

Posted in A writer's life, Creative passion, Querying agents, research, Singapore, Steampunk, Travel, tagged , , , , on August 11, 2026| 1 Comment »

I should be hard at work on Amethyst Way this morning. I’m up to 7,000 words but I realised last night that I need to understand Milly better and spend a bit of time with her before I head off into the action. So I need to write another chapter before I kick off the mystery bit. As much as I love Jemima I want the billing to feature Milly in equal parts. I also want to have fun with the narrative. So while I’m lining up my thoughts, I figured a blog post might help.

I’m in the apartment alone for most of the day. I was, too, yesterday but I wrote quite a bit, read, blogged and napped. I’ve done my pool walk and had breakfast. The headline news this morning is that the fancy robot vac has stopped just after starting. I don’t know what’s wrong with it as it speaks Mandarin and talks like an anime character. I love the sound of it. Last week, I was in my room and the robo vac came in and started talking to me in English, but that was my son using the onboard camera and mic. We had good laugh. Anyway, I tried restarting it a few times and it just stops. It is probably something simple but I’ll wait until Ferdi comes back.

If I get bored today I will go out even if its just for the exercise. A round trip on the metro is about 5000 steps! Mostly in airconditioning mind you, so very, very civilised. I weighed myself this morning and despite my exercise and a change in diet where I think I eat less every day, I have probably only toned up and lost a kilo. This is better than gaining weight, which I normally do while I travel.

Also in the apartment is an automated cat litter. I have one at home but not this fancy. This one bags up the doo doo and the used litter and puts into bags, which are stored in a tower. Every few days you empty the pile of bags and there’s no smell. Very high tech. I wonder if they will have something invented for me when I can’t use the loo when I’m old (cough older). I have no idea of the cost of this contraptions. It’s a Petkit so Chinese invented and made.

Another reason that I’m procrastaposting is that I need to do some research. I borrowed some books but I left them at home. Research is good for accuracy but also for inspiration. Now I’ll probably end up restructuring the beginning of my draft, which is something I normally frown upon because I should just keep going and get the draft down and that works generally. However, I don’t feel pressed for time so I’m going to sort it out before I move forward.

In other general news, I received a rejection from an agent I subbed to in February this year, who had a time frame of 8-10 weeks. I reckon I was the victim of a clean out. Ooh I forgot to reject that one. Six months. At least, they wrote to me. Often these days it is forget after 6 weeks or something. I think agents are good to have for traditional publishing but they are a bastard to get.

The editing/writing assistant has just arrived so it must be time for serious work.

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Singapore Speculative Fiction Event

Posted in A writer's life, Creative passion, Singapore, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on August 10, 2026| Leave a Comment »

A local author friend alerted me to a Singapore Speculative Fiction Event at the Book Bar, in Outram Park (actually it is close to Maxwell MRT). So I booked a free ticket and headed over on Friday last. The event was called Home, Truly & Beyond and featured Elaine Boey, Megan Chee and Joyce Chng with moderator Meihan Boey (fangirl squee!).

Duxton Road walking down from the Maxwell MRT station was a lovely experience. There are a mass of old ‘shophouses’ which are now fancy restaurants and exclusive bars.

I discovered a bookstore, called Littered with Books. Great name. I was early so went in to check it out. Bought a special book and then headed out. Littered with Books has lots of books, a lot of international SF and fantasy among the usual collection. The Book Bar was something else all together. It was full of South East Asian books and Singapore books and had a little bar, with food at reasonable prices. I did a quick survey of the books and bought my first round It was all set up for the talk too. I grabbed a drink and found a seat.

The view walking up/down Duxton Road.

Meihan talked about why she had organised this talk because while some Singapore writers were known outside Singapore they were sort of overlooked at home. The three writers talked about how they got published, when they started writing, the complexities of being Singaporean and trying to be noticed, particularly with agents and publishers. They talked about crickets when writing to agents. What a great term for the awful experience of querying agents and hearing nothing at all.

The picture of pretalk get together as they waited for the audience.

This picture is one of the panel underway.

They also read from various of their books. Elaine’s Small Bites had me drooling. It’s a body horror collection I believe but the food descriptions were so precise and real. Which is available for preorder. Next on my to do list along with ordering Megan Chee’s Archaeology of Falling Worlds. I bought Wolf Path by Joyce Chng and will do a little review below.

A picture of my book haul.

As for Meihan Boey, I have read her Miss Cassidy Trilogy, having bought them on previous visits. Recommended by my friend Dev J. They are now published internationally and you should definitely read them. So good. A blend of Victorian capitalism and Singapore blend of culture, myths and legends with a splash Scottish faerie.

The Wolf’s Path by Joyce Chng

The Wolf’s Path has made the British Fantasy Awards Shortlist for best collection and I can see why. It is part memoir and part story collection from older stories to newer ones. I find it quite intriguing as many of the fears and concerns Joyce writes about echo in me. Apocalypse, post-apocalyse, war, belonging, gender, aging. I am three quarters of the way through the collection. Joyce has a unique voice and at times uses lyrical prose. One story in particular stood out for me. “A Basketful of Figs”, featuring a fig tree in a courtyard, a symbol of permanence and also food. In the far future, families of Chinese immigrants return to China as ‘returnees’ after generations living in South East Asia. War comes and Joyce’s tale speaks to the impact on her family, her neighbours, distant cousins and even the defenders. I found it a bitter sweet tale. Exquisite even.

Other stories resonate with anger, with questioning, with alien invaders and the sharp strike of talons. Of bravery and difference. Another standout for me was “I found love in an urn full of ashes”–a story flavoured with the essence of myths and legends. I was amused and fascinated by this tale. “Lotus” was poignant, reminding me of the movie Waterworld, but not. It is more reflective on human nature, on greed and the things that make humans fight and I think optimistic after global warming floods most of the world. I loved the detail of the lotus flower, the roots, the seeds. Things I did not know. “Yao Jin” too, spooked me and fascinated me. What is this world that Joyce writes about? Very cool stuff.

Wolf’s Path is published by a US small press and should be available if you order it in or in ebook.

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There is movement at the station…

Posted in A writer's life, Creative passion, new release, Singapore, Steampunk, Travel, Writing, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on August 5, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Gentleman Magician is with the editor. Phew! My son and daughter-in-law were away all day Monday until later in the evening so it was my chance to knuckle down and finish writing/revising/reading through the manuscript. I didn’t get the whole thing done until Tuesday morning, but it is done and it is sent at 50,000 words–full of Edward, Fulton and Dr Heaton. Sorry no Jemima!

I had fun with it and it was a challenge. Prequels can be difficult, for sure, because you have to tie into those things you set up on the novels. Also, there is no romance in it…I can’t have Edward being unfaithful to Jemima, even if it is before they get together.

Right now, I’m onto Amethyst Way. Here is the cover! A big thank you to Frauke at Crocodesigns.

It’s early days on the writing front. I have some words down and will get some more in after I have finished blogging. Amethyst Way will feature Milly and Jemima and using some Victorian era cliches– letters to convey information (not the whole book just the set up) and faerie entwined into the story.

Of course, I meant to start this two weeks ago but with The Founders’ Legacy autocorrect debacle, which delayed me finishing Gentleman Magician, I am about two weeks behind on Amethyst Way. And technically I was meant to write another novel about Jemima’s father and mother, which had to be skipped for now.

I’m so excited to be writing this story. My sister-in-law, who is a big fan of the Cry Havoc series, said she’d love a story about Milly and as The Prudential Light was Aunt Prudence’s memoir and Amber Rose was about Fulton, it seemed only fair to focus on Milly. Of course, that suggestion gave me ideas!

I am hoping to have Gentleman Magician in print before Books and Beyond on 27 September in Ourimbah. I think my chances are good. I will definitely have copies for all the October events, Conflux, Once Upon a Fairytale, the Goulburn Steampunk Festival and Books in Sight event in Canberra.

Anyway, I’m so excited.

Tonight we are eating out near Orchard Road I think because we are seeing The Odyssey in one of the Singapore Imax theatres. I haven’t ventured out in recent days, except for the pool, which is downstairs and a few laps of the complex in the evening. This is by choice as I want to write.

I know I’m in Singapore, but apart from a few things I have not done, I’ve seen most touristy things. However, now the busy things are done, I should be able to write in the mornings and explore Singapore in the afternoons, maybe even on my own. I usually go out with my daughter-in-law but you know I am a big girl now. We do have a favourite Japanese grocery store called Don, Don, Donki and will get back there soon.

I am going to a book event at the Book Bar on Friday to see Home, Truly and Beyond: Singapore’s Speculative Fiction Writers. It will feature Joyce Chng, Elaine Boey and Megan Chee with moderator Meihan Boey (I love her books). Me and my phone will find the venue.

My son is going to China and Vietnam for work on Sunday, which is Singapore’s national day. I’m likely to stay at home as we are near one of the major venues and there will be so many people, if the run up events are any indication. My son is away for ten days and that leaves me and my daughter-in-law to hang out by ourselves. My son’s absence couldn’t be helped as work is important. I head back at the end of the month, so I’ll have a final week with my son then. It all seems too quick to me. A day short of five weeks! It sounded like a long time but it’s not really. My daughter-in-law suggests I come for three months next time. Matthew has a permanent invitation, too, but alas the old kitty kat, Gin, does not.

Anyway, that’s it from me at the moment. The Founders’ Legacy is out in the world. The physical book launch will be on Monday 31 August at Smiths in Civic, Canberra. The first book physical book launch in literally years.

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Some Singapore Highlights

Posted in A writer's life, Creative passion, fantasy, geekgirl, Geeking out, retro SF, Travel, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 29, 2026| Leave a Comment »

Singapore is full of delights. Culinary, in particular, but also cultural. I had an amazing time last year with the 60th anniversary, with the cultural institutions exhibiting early Singapore artifacts that tied directly to the novel I was writing. This year I had a couple of things on my wish list. But, then, something popped up on my Instagram feed, something right up my alley. The Portals Experience. Link here.

Anyway, my son and daughter-in-law liked the idea too, being geeks like me. Portals is in Scots Road, fairly central. What is Portals? Well SF and Fantasy, a whole spectrum of books, book cover art, figurines, dioramas, games, genre discussion. It was truly amazing and I think I needed a season ticket to get the full effect of it. It opens up the whole world of cover art and books. The early SF. The early art. I’m thinking AI is going to kill the future of cover art and I hate that. These covers were amazing, just like the stories were. Amazing and new at the time. The SF, Fantasy and Horror genres reek with creative imagination of the other worldly and it’s not just books and cover art. There are games, game art, figurines, dioramas–whole scenes of imagined worlds. There are archetypes and there is genre growth and evolution and Portals gives more than a glimpse into this.

I thoroughly recommend this event. I asked one of the staff members if the exhibit will travel elsewhere and she thought not. It took the organizer two years to put together and now they will be looking to store the contents when the exhibition ends September 1, I think. So you have all of August to check it out.

The store was amazing too. You could by first edition SF paper backs, art prints (with half the revenue going to the artists), art postcards (same deal) and other geek stuff.

I will share some photos. It is five stars all round. No loos on site so come prepared.

Image 1. Panels of Fantasy and Science Fiction Magazines. There were several panels of different magazines on display.

Image 2 An example of a panel with book, game and figurine and artwork Warcraft

Image 3 Examples of book displays in the first room

Image 4 Film, artifacts and book Planet of the Apes

Image 4 Examples of early SF books

Image 5 An early book that I had not read

Image 6 Figurines–These were done by themes, exploring different cultural origins

Image 7 Eastern tradition

Image 8 Greek inspired figurines

Image 9

Image 10 Map

A short clip of Atlantis Diorama

And a short clip of one of my favorite parts- The book slider loop thing

Obviously I have way more photos and video but this is just a taste. You should get along to see if if in Singapore and if you are heading to Singapore soon, check it out.

Also, we went to Alice Boulangerie and Restaurant. I had an amazing burger. I couldn’t have the prawn pasta or the lobster pasta because they put fish roe in there. (I needed to google the ingredients). Amazing pastries in the display too. Great service.

Otherwise I have stayed at home and worked on book stuff. Like all day. On the weekend we are booked for the Ginger Lily High Tea at the Hilton in Orchard. Stay tuned.

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Currently in Sydney

Posted in Creative passion, feminism and romance, Feminist Science Fiction, new release, SF romance, The Founders' Legacy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on July 2, 2026| Leave a Comment »

It is going to be 23 degrees C today. It’s mid-Winter and that is batshit crazy. Mind you it’s about 10 degrees in Canberra atm but even that is a bit warm for Canberra at this time of year.

I have retired from my day job (Tuesday) and have come to spread my wings in the big city for a few days as a newly freed woman. Hah! (Mostly to meet people while I have the chance).

Interesting insight into the mind here. I used to think those two days I worked the day job were such an imposition. I worked hard and I was tired after. Now though my brain says…oh two days that’s nothing. You won’t get much work done now you have those two days! You could have kept working and earning $$$. I mean what the hell brain! Don’t be stupid and play around here.

Anyway, now I have to prove my own brain wrong.

I have brought Gentleman Magician with me to start the revision after beta reader feedback. That’s what you do after you launch a book, pick up the next one. The problem I have is that I have a soggy beginning in Gentleman Magician, not surprising as it’s a kind of prequel, a solid middle and a vague, cut off ending. Which means I have a bit of work to do. I did a bit of work on the train up yesterday but right now, obviously as I’m blogging, I’m a bit unfocussed.

I am going to eat lunch out so I am dreaming about Gozleme and whether there is any fresh stuff about…I can’t have any more tea because I have enough caffeine in me that I can’t sit still for five minutes. I will probably excavate my daughter’s cupboard for snacks soon and then complain about my weight. I am nothing if not consistent.

As mentioned, I launched the ebook of The Founders’ Legacy on Tuesday. I am currently planning a physical launch but that may be in early September because I am nicking off to Singapore for five weeks soon and appearing at the Canberra Geek Expo on 18 and 19 July. And I have to arrange for books to be delivered. I tried to book a launch just after Geek Expo before I fly out but the venue is unavailable…so…September. I shall keep you posted.

I am also working on an audio book. Cringe! I hate the sound of my own voice for starters. Also, weird things happen you know. Like one of the characters is called Kai and I have in two separate recordings of chapter one mispronounced the name Kai. And not noticed until I finished the recording for the chapter. The first time I call Kai Kal, which is a mix up with the main character Tal. I thought no problem I’ll just record that bit, snip the recording, delete the offending bit and insert the new bit. But for some very strange reason I am loud and sound very different in the redone recording. I delete the whole chapter and go back to the beginning. It’s all practice right?

The next time when I am editing I noticed I have called Kai “Kate”. Kate! There is no Kate. What the hell is my brain telling my mouth. This time I do a bit of research and can alter the inserted new bit which is loud etc and smooth it in. Not sure I’ll keep it but I did manage to do that using the Audacity envelope tool and manually manipulating the wave form.

Other interesting observations about recording an audio book, beside being exhausting, is stumbling over your own tongue. Yes, the tongue twisting words. There have been a few. One I edited out. The worn brown modular lounge… That does not work in spoken lingo so it changed to “Old brown modular lounge.” Self-congratulatory. Yeah that one. Gez man. Tongue gymnastics there. Preliminary…another twister.

When you record an audio book and you don’t have the stamina, experience and perspicacity, you get tired, your mouth stops working, your lips turn to jelly and your tongue becomes like a piece of disobedient rubber. Blah! Blah! Bleargh!

However, as The Founders’ Legacy uses single pronouns I think it will be more accessible as an audio book so I will perservere.

The only thing I have achieved is an audio book cover so I can’t back out now.

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