Category Archives: Random

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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 ...

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History: Who Owns It?

Many authors are famous for writing historical fiction. Some take the time period, others take real-life people and re-imagine them. Others take historical characters from other books, and re write as their own. Others take events, say they are based on truth but put their own fictional spin on them.

But what is the role, nay responsibilities, of writing history? Do fiction authors have to ‘get it right’? Or are they allowed creative licenses?

I think ‘history’ has to be split into two categories: personal history and world history.

Personally speaking, I’m currently editing my novel that is *based* on true events. I took the basic premise of what happened, and amped it up to get an entire novel out of it. It’s interesting, in this most recent draft I’ve been straying much closer to the truth: I’m finding it’s going to make ...

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Should Children’s Literature Be Entertaining for Adults too?

First day back at uni and already I am inspired!

Firstly, Toni Jordan. I was over the moon to discover that she is one of my lecturers/tutors this semester. I own both her books, have seen her speak and am just so excited. Her lecture this morning - first one - was laid back and she just spoke with such passion about books and writing - it was really inspiring and made me want to write! Having her for another two hour tutorial was pretty amazing, and I can tell already that she is going to be amazing.

For over two years I've lamented to anyone who'd listen that the diploma got all the good teachers (Sally Rippin, Toni Jordan, Kate Holden and so on) and now we have one! :D (Speaking of, you all heard they're turning the iconic diploma into an associate degree? As ...

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What Are You Thankful For?

So yesterday it was Thanksgiving in America and despite not being American, I really think the holiday has some good values that the rest of the world could see fit to introduce.

A holiday without presents where everyone gathers around to give thanks for what they have? Yes, please!

(It's also hilariously ironic that they often call it Turkey Day and that I have a picture of a Turkey on here as my nick-name in primary school was Turkey! My surname is Burke, then you go Burkey-Turkey... get it? My best friend even named her new gold fish after me when we were 12, Turkster and Gobbling :P)

However if I ever were to go to America to celebrate it, I wouldn't eat the Turkey  - ewww! My best friend always refers to that as me not wanting to be a cannibal by ...

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Literary Photos

I'm in a visual mood today kids!

Enjoy this collection of literary photographic treats (and be sure to check out Bookfessions! What a great site!).

 

 

 

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Dylan Moran, Edited Work + Other Randomness

On Sunday, a friend from uni and I went to see Dylan Moran.

THE MAN IS A GOD.

Ahem, sorry.

You guys watch Black Books right? Well, you should.

My friend Jess and I sat there, waiting excitedly for him to come out. We'd gone to dinner before hand, and decided that we wouldn't care if he didn't talk all night: as long as he walked on stage, mussed his hair, smoked and drank red wine. THAT IS ALL WE NEEDED.

He came on stage, holding red wine, and mussed his hair.

(No smoking, although let's be honest, we were expecting that :P)

OUR LIVES ARE COMPLETE.

Of course, I went home that night and watched Black Books, meaning an assignment due the following day didn't get done :p

ZOMG. Last night I fully intended to write this post. Instead, I wanted to take a quick nap at 6pm as ...

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On Revising

Tonight I was watching MasterChef, as I often do.

The challenge they had tonight was to:

Make up a recipe Test it out until they perfected it in their kitchen at home (and by home I mean the large house they all share) Write the recipe out Make the dish in the MasterChef kitchen, to be professionally photographed for the recipe card Home cooks then came in and tested the recipes

It occurred to me while watching it the importance of testing things.

Mistakes were evident in the testing phase as wrong measurements were written, wrong times, missing ingredients.

This has been on my mind lately as I was talking with a friend about the revisions I'm doing on my manuscript.

Without my betas (my lovely, lovely, wonderful betas) I wouldn't've picked up half the stuff they did.

Without my betas, I wouldn't know things that I thought worked but don't.

Without ...

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Random Rambled Jumbled Post

It's Friday, Friday, gotta get down on Friday....

Speaking of Ms Black, who saw Katy Perry's new video clip? Respect for Rebecca: sky-high!

Actually, it's kind of a miracle that I'm blogging tonight.

I was supposed to be working - like I do most Friday nights - but my boy (the same one that I was dancing with glo-sticks with last Friday) fell off his trampoline, hurt his leg and therefore tonight was cancelled.

So instead, I'm sitting at home, fan-girling over Robert McKee.

You kids know him, right?

If ...