Monthly Archives: June 2009

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: STEVEN AMSTERDAM

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: STEVEN AMSTERDAM

Steven Amsterdam is an author, originally from New York City, but currently living in Melbourne with his partner and two chickens. His work has appeared in Meanjin, Overland and Emerge.

His first novel, Things We Didn't See Coming was out in this year from Sleepers Press. The Enthusiast gave it 9/10 stars; The Age said, "Preternaturally assured, finely crafted and thoroughly accomplished, it deserves to be read widely"; The Australian called it a "challenging and impressive debut"; of course, I could go on. Click here to read more reviews.
1. What can you tell Literary Life readers about your novel?
Remember Y2K? The story starts with a boy on that New Year's Eve, watching his father pack for all the emergencies that were predicted. His mother is above it ...

Popular Penguins & Flu

Good day to everyone!

I've already started two different posts today, but alas they are not published!

I have a very interesting and in-depth author interview in the works; I'm just waiting for a response for clarity on one of the questions.

I also have a brand spanking new book waiting to be reviewed, just have to find the time to read it!

Other than that, not much as happened over the past few days. Namely, because I've been really sick! Been in bed all day feeling sorry for myself. Which is where I am now. I really have to get that stupid screenplay done, I have to email it to my teacher at some point today.

I was also very surprised last night to randomly find the episode of Harper's Island that ...

L. A. Candy – Any Good?

A lovely Saturday to you all!
As I'm sure you've heard, Lauren Conrad, fresh from leaving The Hills, has released her first novel - L. A. Candy.
Now while I like the cover a lot, is it actually any good?!
I'm not convinced.
I haven't actually read it, so I can't really pass judgement, but I've read several excerpts, one of which I'll post below for you, in purple (it was going to be pink, but that would have been too hard to read), to honour Lauren:
Jane spun around. Standing in the doorway was a guy with short, cropped blond hair and blue eyes. He was carrying a big, sleek leather portfolio.

"Hi," Jane said, a little startled.

"Hey, there," the guy said. "I'm looking for Fiona Chen, but I think ...

Winner Announced!

A huge congrats to Steph from Hey, Teenager for winning the Vampire Bag! YAY!

I was going to put a picture of it, but the stupid uploader wouldn't work :(

Anyway, join me in saying yay for her! YAY!

This is how I decided the winner: I took the three entries and assigned them each a colour of nail polish - silver, purple and green. If anyone was wondering, Steph was green, Brea was purple and Amy was silver. Then I put all three under my doona, mixed them around, shuffled the doona. Then I went away, did some stuff, then I came back, and selected one out from under the doona. That was green. Therefore Steph wins!

Watch out in the mail, Steph, the bag is coming to you!

Melbourne Writers Festival Friday plus Wacko Jacko


Wow, it's a bad day for pop culture today.

Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson both died, as I'm sure you've heard. And you may not have heard, but Jeff Goldblum is not dead!

I can't say I watched Charlie's Angels or anything with her in it for that matter, but it's still sad.

Wacko Jacko is another thing altogether...

Although I do believe he did molest the children (I don't want any hate comments okay! This is my own opinion!) and that disease that 'made' him turn white is the biggest load of... Well you get the point.

Apart from those two things, you can't deny he is truly the King Of Pop. So many brilliant songs.

And it's for that reason that I chose to put ...

Seven Different Plots and Basic Needs For Stories

So I've been looking through some photos from a friend's 21st that I couldn't make.

And it dawned on me that all 21st party photos are the same.

Of course except for the people and place. But think about it. Photos of birthday girl (or guy) with parents. With siblings. With friends. Drunken photos. Photos of the birthday girl (or guy) looking all pretty in the new dress (or suit). The MySpace type photos with the birthday girl (or guy) and friends. Photos of speeches. General wide photos of the room. Photos of the grandparents, sitting off to the side.

And then that got me thinking more: aren't all books the same?

They say there are seven different plots for stories:

1 - [wo]man vs. nature ...

Book Prices – To Buy From The Internet Or Stores?

I received an email from Australians For Australian Books a few hours ago addressing book pricing.

I'll post it below, and highlight the important parts if you don't want to read the whole thing.

Claims by bookseller Dymocks about UK and Australian prices for Tim Winton’s award-winning book Breath are deceptive, say Australian book publishers.

The CEO of the Australian Publishers Association, Maree McCaskill, was responding to a news release today from the CEO of Dymocks, Don Grover.

She said Mr Grover had claimed that Winton’s Miles Franklin Award-winning novel was more than 30% cheaper to buy from a UK website than from Australian bookshops because of Australia’s book copyright rules.

“Mr Grover ...

Receipts

In my cleaning, I found this receipt:


Now Megan, you may be asking, what is so special about this receipt? Why are you showing it to us?

I am showing it to you for two reasons. Firstly, it is the receipt for the $950 worth of books I brought (remember the K-Rudd money books?)

Secondly, it is very long.

My women's Australian size 8 Chuck Taylor to prove how long it is


Close up of some of the books I brought


This receipt is insane, clearly.

PS: Only one entry for the competition?! Come on guys! ENTER!

Early Monday Morning Thoughts

I've been listening to With Lots Of Love From Georgia again. In fact, it's playing right now as I type this, which is making it extremely hard to concentrate on both.

Currently, it's just been the robbery and Georgia is dreaming about it.

I've been quite good this evening. Cleaned up some of my room, and decorated a box with postcards and stored my 'zine stuff in it. Well I will be storing my 'zine stuff in there once the postcards on the outside dry.

I also did four loads of washing this afternoon. I made pasta for dinner and watched MasterChef Australia and laughed at the judges who seemed all too enthustatic for being in Hong Kong. They all had stupid grins on their faces the entire episode and kept saying, "We're in Hong Kong!" Yes, ...

Randomness

Sorry about the lack of blogging! Been a frenzy these last few days of school, and then the Internet reached its download limit! Which is ridiculous cuz it's only the 20th of the month! How are we supposed to last without it?! Argh.

This morning I worked at the party shop. The first party was fab. The girl - Ella - was so cute and her parents were brilliant. Half way through the party, a little girl came up to me and asked if she could tell me something. I said yes, and she said, "You're a really good person." Awww! It was so cute! I gave her a hug and then she kept on dancing. Sometimes I love my job!

And sometimes I don't. The second party was twelve four year olds. Sooooo painful. They were too ...