Cottage Diaries

September 2, dear reader, and here in Australia it is day two of spring!

Sprrrrrrriiiiiing!

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Not only that, it’s also warm, sunny and windy in Rrrregional Victoria and what’s more it’s a good drying day. If you know any Irish peeps, you’ve probably heard that term before…

Good drying days. Aren’t they the bee’s knees?

All The Things are on the line, flapping like a happy giant’s bunting.

I LOVE looking at washing on the line. Especially sheets and towels and vintage tea-towels. They look even better displayed on the clothesline than inside the house.

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Meanwhile, down at the compost bin, I heard something hiss.

I swung around and there she was.

Look closely and you can see her big blue tongue.

I’m sure she was saying, ‘Piss off, human. I’m finally getting some rays and YOU are cramping my style’.

I took a few photos then got outa there. I didn’t want to stress her. Blue tongue lizards are my absolute favourite. When I was a kid, we loved coming across them out in the paddocks or in the garden. I loved blue tongues—but I was scared stiff of goannas. Giant snakes WITH LEGS. Urgh! #AustralianChildhood

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From Lovely Lizards to Lovely People

People — good, beautiful, generous humans have been spontaneously giving me gifts. I know, right?! Out of the blue and out the realms of magick!

For instance, just the other day, a luscious care pack turned up on my doorstep. (We are still in lockdown, dear reader. Himself calls it the Lockdown Hokey Pokey. ‘You put your regionals in, you put your regionals out, you put your city folk in, and you shake em all about…’)

Himself should work in advertising.

Or politics.

Same thing…

Meanwhile. PRETTY!!! (see below)

Another neighbour gave me the most exquisite bunch of flowers—from her garden!

OMG! Flowers. And random care packs. These are totally my love language!

What’s your love language, dear reader? Tell me in the comments. Yes, please!

Even my e-Course software provider (Kajabi), got in on the act and sent me a box of swag. All the way from the USA! Including this snazzy light box!

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News from girlandduck HQ

We recently opened the Duck Pond for our August intake and it was BRILLIANT!

So many shiny, new duckies from here, there and EVERYWHERE (hello Canada!!), have joined our ranks. The energy, the enthusiasm, the talent and the connection in our Pond is BOY OH BOY!!!!

Can you tell I’m stoked? Yes, indeedy!

Fairytale Month is well underway. I’ve gotta say it’s one of our best ideas yet.

I’m already planning to run it again next year because FAIRYTALES!

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Inside the group, I even did a formal introduction AND a reading of The Stolen Child, by W B Yeats. Just to get us all in the mood.

Kate Forsyth’s masterclass is this coming Monday. What can I say? Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild!

If you missed out on a duckie membership this time, never fear! We’ll open the Duck Pond again soon. Probably October. Make sure you’re on my mailing list to stay informed.

Excellent New Creative Stuff!

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about characters.

Actually.

Scrub that.

I’m ALWAYS thinking about characters.

You know, the ones we authors and illustrators cook up.

There are countless little people in my head.

They spill out onto notebooks, sketchbooks and, um, shopping lists.

They whisper when I’m out walking.

They turn up (uninvited) to stories that I’m working on.

Sometimes they are embraced with loving arms, sometimes they end up on the cutting room floor, sometimes I redirect them to a different story.

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At the end of the day, I reckon creative writing is first and foremost about character creation.

With this in mind, (and all my little people gathered around my desk), I’ve been busy prepping, mind-mapping and getting set to record a new, creative writing e-Course.

This course has a different structure to my others. This one is an intensive. It’s like a masterclass ON SPEED.

Short term commitment, long term gain. For writers of ALL kinds of fiction, not only kidlit, but adult fiction, screenplays, stage plays. All of it!

Lots of fun and lots of serious stuff, too.

I’ll share more about it when it’s polished and set to rock n roll, okay? Make sure you’re on my mailing list, to get the news. Don’t rely on this blog for updates. No, ma’am!

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That’s it for now, dear reader.

Fairies, flowers, cottage diaries and characters.

The list is TICKED.

Love and sparkles to you every single day xo

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PS Btw, have you done my free e-Course, Five Ways to Write a Book? Well you should!

Hit this link and check it out!