Monthly Archives: July 2012

Interview: Steven Lochran

I first met Steven at an event put on by the publishing house he works at last year. He struck me as warm, friendly, and we chatted easily as we waited for the event to start.

Flash-forward to today and he is now a bona fide author, his own book out today after many years of working with other people's books.

I recently chatted with Steven about publishing, writing, Bachelor's Degree in Unemployment and whether it was awkward his employer's rivals are publishing him:

1. What came first for you: writing or publishing?
Definitely writing. I wrote my first story when I was 6 and I’ve been hooked ever since. I would write and draw stories in exercise books my mum would buy ...

That Moment Where I Purchase A Kindle and Realise Modern Technology Is Ridiculous

I finally joined the 21st century book world and yesterday purchased a Kindle.

I trotted down to the shopping centre and the lovely guy serving me gave me a discount on the bright pink case I bought to go with it.

I spent most of last night downloading books onto it, and playing around with the settings. (I'm a settings nerd like that.) I really quite like how the power off screen is pictures of books/pens/other bookish things.

Just to prove how swayed and almost brainwashed I am about modern technology, when I was looking up the features of different e-readers to compare and contrast, I was scoffing.
“I can’t browse the internet?”
“Black and white screen?”
“No touch screen?”

Honestly? Since when do I need to browse the internet when I’m buying it to read books on. Plus, if I need to ...

Ethics

This week in class we're talking about ethics.

It's interesting, and has been making me think about ethics around what people post online.

I've got my own set of ethics that I made for myself.

And by that I mean, I usually judge each thing on a case by case, but I know what I generally do.

For instance, these new courses I'm teaching or the new residency: I choose not to release those details until it's official.

Or during the Online versus In Store Book Buying Series, when I decided not to name-and-shame publishers who denied me an interview.

I also recently had another piece of news, but before I even mentioned a whisper of it I asked for the company's social media/internet privacy policy - and yep, now my mouth is sealed shut.

Uni was talking about the differences between America and Australia, and: whether ...

Holidays?

Being on holidays is a wondrous thing, isn't it?

The funny thing is, I rarely get holidays, and if I do, I quickly fill them up with productive activities.

Why would one just sit around doing nothing when you can achieve something?

Holidays make me nervous. Copious amount of free time, you're supposed to sit around and do nothing.

Who can do that? Just relax.

About a month ago, one of my bosses (who knows nothing of this double internet website life I live) asked me when I get holidays. "Never!" I cackled crazily, before explaining my uni is year-round along with various other pursuits. She laughed and asked when do I relax. "Never!" She shook her head and said I seemed the type to not take a break.

So, it was no great surprise than to me that for the past two weeks - I seem to have taken things easy.

I ...

Review: Silhouette by Thalia Kalkipsakis

Scarlett Stirling is hardworking and fiercely ambitious. She loves the blisters and the strict regime of her dance classes at the National Academy of Performing Arts. Her life is measured and balanced. Perfect.

But when Scarlett meets charismatic musician Moss, she enters another world - a world without restrictions - and is swept up in a heady whirlwind of sex, drugs and celebrity. Spread thin between her commitments and her desire to be with Moss, Scarlett pushes herself to the limit, unaware she's playing a dark game.

Silhouette is not just another dance book.

This gritty young adult novel follows the strong and determined Scarlett as she navigates her way from the safe, structured Academy into the adult world of commercial dance.

Thalia Kalkipsakis (Go Girl, Girlfriend Fiction) explores a cut-throat industry, where talent and ambition are paramount, and one ...

These Days of My Life

... Which are quite crazy currently.

Some exciting news: I'm going to be appearing at Bendigo Writers Festival!

Check out my appearances page for details.

I'm hosting Emilie Zoey Baker in a Hot Seat session, and I'll be talking with ABC's Jane Curtis on blogging and social media.

See below:

 See anything below? Look! It's me! A photo! In the printed program! (Curious however, I am not from Castlemaine :P)Kinda hard to read, but you get the point!

Other excitement news is as follows:

I'm starting Certificate IV in Training and Assessment - which will see me as a qualified TAFE teacher among other things (this is going to be fun considering I'm already doing double the full-time requirements at uni :P) I'm also starting RPL for a children's services course, which will see me as a qualified child care worker/nanny. This is excellent as I will finally have ...