My family and other animals...

I have moved into a rhythm of slow days at home around here, which is exactly what I had in mind for my leave. I've enjoyed getting into a routine of house-work throughout the week, cooking and baking, writing and reading. I've also added a few new things to my days.

First of all, I taught myself how to make cotton face masks. As the situation in Victoria and NSW continues to escalate we are facing the need to wear face masks very soon here, so I didn't want to wait until they were mandatory. I used this really simple Youtube video to guide me. 

I have mostly been pleased with the results and glad that I hoarded so many little stashes of fabric over the years! The elastic has been harder to come by (perhaps others have the same idea at the moment!) and the thicker elastic I had to use this week on a second batch of masks wasn't as comfortable. Still, they will do. I plan to send some to my sisters, my mum and my friend in NSW. There are still plenty left over for us too! Once I started they became quite quick and fun to whip up!

Also I have joined two online courses, one through Futurelearn, called 'Short Film in Language Teaching.' This is through the British Film Institute and I am enjoying plodding through at my own pace and taking what ideas are useful for my own teaching.

The second course is a Heritage Teacher Summit, run by a group of US-based Spanish teachers on teaching Spanish to heritage speakers. This group is one that I continually struggle with in my planning and assessment so I'm really looking forward to this course, plus I have access to the material for a whole year. No rush.

Neither one of these courses feels like a chore to me - I enjoy both and when I've had enough I stop and do something else. Perfect pacing and interesting topics are definitely key!

The weather has turned the last couple of days and it is cold! There is snow on the mountains and the wind is icy. Last night we reached -5о so I'm a bit scared to see what has happened to our garden. Hopefully the cabbage and spinach will be protected by the shade cloth. 

The days are sunny though so the animals have been enjoying their run around times:

The two Isas even found a nice dirt bath between the wicking beds!

                         

                         

They are such good layers, we are getting three eggs a day now, which is enough for us and to give away. 

My writing has been slow to start but this week I hit a patch of inspiration and have been spending a lot of time on both the novel and the short stories. Reading truly is the best inspiration and this week I picked up a couple of books on a trip out to Dirty Jane's Canberra, a lovely big warehouse full of vintage and handmade things. I picked up some Agatha Christie (two that I don't have and haven't even read!) and the fantastic "My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell. 

You may already know the Durrells from the BBC show. The writing is absolutely beautiful in its descriptions and Gerald Durrell paints such wonderful portraits of all the members of his family and the animals that he voraciously studies on the island of Corfu. 

            "Perhaps the most exciting discovery I made in this multi-coloured Lilliput to which I had access         was an earwig's nest. I had long wanted to find one and had searched everywhere without success, so         the joy of stumbling upon one unexpectedly was overwhelming, like suddenly being given a wonderful         present."

Such joy!

There truly is beauty and magic all around us, and now that we have the time, why not take a pause to appreciate it?

reading it up, writing it down

via

A Book by Edgar Guest

“Now” - said a good book unto me -
“Open my pages and you shall see
Jewels of wisdom and treasures fine,
Gold and silver in every line,
And you may claim them if you but will
Open my pages and take your fill.

“Open my pages and run them o’er,
Take what you choose of my golden store.
Be you greedy, I shall not care -
All that you seize I shall gladly spare;
There is never a lock on my treasure doors,
Come - here are my jewels, make them yours!

“I am just a book on your mantel shelf,
But I can be part of your living self;
If only you’ll travel my pages through,
Then I will travel the world with you.
As two wines blended make better wine,
Blend your mind with these truths of mine.

“I’ll make you fitter to talk with men,
I’ll touch with silver the lines you pen,
I’ll lead you nearer the truth you seek,
I’ll strengthen you when your faith grows weak -
This place on your shelf is a prison cell,
Let me come into your mind to dwell!”

The weather seems to be making its way rather rapidly toward autumn here in the 'berra, which means lots of rain and time spent indoors. What a perfect time to pick a book!! (Although for some of us a waking moment is a perfect time to pick up a book :)

I am still ploughing through Homer's Odyssey but I've also acquired a few new books which I'm making my way through at the moment. They are Buddhism for Mothers by Sarah Naphtali, a beautiful book which is helping me deal with my anger and frustration in regards to the kids. I wish I was a gentle parent and this book is helping me get there :) I love it's very practical suggestions and Napthali's words speak right to my heart.

Patriarchs of Time by Samuel L. Macey is a book that I got for Christmas. I am only up to the third chapter but it has already impacted on Orpheus and every page I read continues to inspire and delight me. I also love his research, especially into the 16th and 17th century emblematic depictions of Father Time. In other research I have also been browsing through some Petrarch, the Bible (as much as one can browse through the Bible) and Orpheus' Hymns.

Sherlock Holmes: A Scandal in Bohemia by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I have a wonderful app of Sherlock Holmes stories on my iphone so that no matter where I am I can tap into this amazing character and share his magnificent adventures. (And as an aside, as a Holmes fan I am also appreciative of the new tv show Elementary. I like the new take on an old classic :) It's good when I need to sit in with the kids as they go to sleep because being on my phone I don't need a lamp on to read.

And with the impending release (well, US Autumn/Fall 2013) of Diana Gabaldon's new book Written in My Own Heart's Blood I am seriously considering going back to re-read An Echo in the Bone. The one I had autographed :) I've only read it the once so I think it's time I went back over it again. 

What are you reading? Share below - I'm always on the look out for something good.

spanish lessons

For nine painstaking years I learned Spanish. Through primary, high school and then finally university I never gave up on learning the language that I loved so much. It was hard work and I still wasn't even fluent. My high school Spanish teacher, a short, beautiful, inspiring Chilean woman said to me once that if I ever wanted to be fluent in Spanish I needed a Spanish boyfriend.

So I married a Spanish speaking man. The Captain's family comes from Uruguay and the learning of Spanish in his childhood was a very important thing. Thankfully he agrees with me that the kids should learn Spanish in our home, instead of laboring over it like I did for years with textbooks and tapes (or podcasts, or whatever the crazy kids are listening to these days!!)

So since our son was born in 2008 it has been the Captain's role to speak only in Spanish to our kids. Now that baby number three has arrived and that first child is almost five, he has done a wonderful job and they have a good grounding in their comprehension of Castellana. Since my mother-in-law took over babysitting duties last year while I worked their Spanish has improved even more.

My parents-in-law recently returned from a holiday in Spain. And here a couple of books that they brought with them to continue our children's Spanish lessons. 

via

This one came with a CD Rom which we have yet to look at.  The book itself talks about the history of the Spanish language, where it originated and its development over the centuries.  The pictures are gorgeous; colourful and very child-friendly. The story is told from the point of view of a young girl Lena and her brother Lito. 

The story is quite in-depth and may be a bit over the heads of my four and two year olds. I would suggest that it is more relevant for 8-10 year olds.

via

After a visit to the Alhambra in Granada, they brought this back for the kids. Like the previous book it has great pictures and a very comprehensive history that may be a bit advanced for my littlies. But any history of Spain is going to be encouraged in this house, regardless!!

I think it's really important that my kids not only know how to speak Spanish but understand the history behind it. Although their family is not from Spain it doesn't matter. They will in time, also learn about the history of their ancestors in Uruguay.

This is a cute little book about dinosaurs that was brought for my son. It includes colouring in, vocabulary, stickers and writing activities. A big hit!! I think it is the activity book that accompanies the That's not my...series of children's book. Lots of fun.

So, although my own brain is a bit baby-adled the kids' language lessons are well in hand and for that I am very glad.

The Scottish Prisoner

It's been a while since I've done a review and I actually finished this book last month - I'm just getting around to reviewing it now!

For those of you who know, I am a big Diana Gabaldon fan and any of the Outlander books are a delight for me to read. I wasn't sure how I would go with The Scottish Prisoner though, because technically it is a Lord John book and although I love Lord John I wasn't expecting what I got in The Scottish Prisoner.

Gabaldon has, for the first time that I am aware, incorporated a fair amount of magic and superstition in this book. Of course magic exists in the other books, what with Claire travelling back in time and all, but the way in which she dealt with it in this book was really very nice.

Based on the premise that the Stuart cause could make yet another comeback, this time in Ireland, Lord John and Jamie Fraser head there to find out what is going on. This coincides happily with a military case that Lord John and his brother Hal (the quintessential officer and gentleman) are investigating. The two cases turn out to be linked and Gabaldon, as always, weaves a story that is believable yet is also a joy to read.

The Druid cup is said to contain powers that will help reunite all those wishing to rebel from the English monarchy (in this book that is predominantly the Irish as the Scottish are still suffering greatly from their failed rebellion) and Jamie Fraser has some rather mystical experiences with the cup. But knowing, as he does, the future he knows there is no hope for the Stuart cause.

It was really nice to have Jamie back and although I missed Claire it was a nice book that explored the complex and intricate relationship between Jamie and Lord John. It was definitely worth the read, and even better, was a nice thick size more akin to the other Outlander books than the Lord John series.

If you're interested in Outlander then you'll enjoy this book, and even if you have no experience with that series this book would stand alone rather well regardless. Read it if you love historical fiction, dabbles in magic, great humour and 18th century England.

Coastliners

Via

I just finished reading Coastliners by Joanne Harris. I'm a fan of some of her other books (including Five Quarters of the Orange but more so Blackberry Wine) and when I read the blurb for this one online I was intrigued. The story reminded me a bit of Pepper Ridge Lane (which, by the way, still lives :) and I wanted to see how Harris dealt with some of the same issues.

On reading the book however I found that it was actually quite different to Pepper Ridge. And I was glad for it. Normally I tend to stay away from books similar to my own ideas, but I really loved Blackberry Wine so much I wanted to give this a try.

I suppose the main difference between Pepper Ridge and Coastliners is the simple fact that Coastliners is set on a small, isolated island. The community there are generations-old, their history is complex and intertwined and their issues are very locale relevant. With Pepper Ridge the township of Mount Houser is much newer as are its occupants. Yet I suppose there are some overlapping themes in that there is both a girl returning home, with little idea of what to expect and finding herself faced with a changing community and the threat of encroaching development. So, yeah in that respect, similar. But otherwise the characters, themes and setting are all quite different.

I enjoyed this book, though I found it quite long. There were however some excellent twists and turns that made me both cringe and sigh in relief! I like that :)

The sad thing about this book is the common theme that it holds to many disappearing villages all around the world. Globalisation has brought many good things, yet the loss of these small places as their young people leave to find jobs in big cities may not be one of them.

If you like stories of personal accomplish, communities coming together in the face of a common enemy and some good humour thrown in then I'm sure you'd enjoy Coastliners.

Date a Girl Who Reads

by Rosemarie Urquico

Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.

Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.

She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.

Buy her another cup of coffee.

Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.

It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas, and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by God, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.

She has to give it a shot somehow.

Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.

Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.

Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilight series.

If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.

You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.

You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.

Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.

Or better yet, date a girl who writes.

Reviews-Day Tuesday

Okay so technically today is Friday, but "Reviews-Day Friday" just didn't have the same ring to it and I couldn't be bothered waiting til next week to write this post.

It has been a while since I have reviewed or discussed any of the books that I've been reading so this post may get a bit long as I try and cover just what has been passing these eyes over the last few weeks.

Recently I was reading Diana Gabaldon's blog and came across a really great post called How do you Read? In it, Diana addresses the all important issue of reading. And how, where, and when she gets the time to read. And I have to say, I'm pretty darn impressed. I thought I was good sneaking in pages (rarely chapters) when the kids are actually playing nicely together, while I'm cooking breakfast, or feeding the kids their lunch. But Diana...let's just say I haven't progressed to doing it while brushing my teeth!! What a hero!! No wonder her books are so totally excellent!

So, what's been on my agenda lately?

The one that I have been wanting to blog about for a while was The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

Not only is this brilliant, talented and funny writer Australia, apparently (according to my friend Jenny) he's also a bit of a cutie. Not that that bares any weight at all on his writing, I just thought I'd mention it. In case you were wondering. Now you know.

Set in Nazi Germany this story is told from the perspective of Death, a sentient and rather compassionate being who has massively strong and caring arms with which to sweep up the millions of souls that die on his watch.

The story deals with a young girl's (Leisel Meminger) experience during the war. She is fostered into a home after her younger brother dies. Her foster parents are the most complex yet sweet-hearted characters I have read in a long time. And I can just picture Hans Hubermann's (her foster father) crinkly silver eyes.

Anyway, as the title indicates Leisel becomes, quite by accident, a book thief. After discovering a book at the grave of her younger brother, The Gravedigger's Handbook, she slowly yet enthusiastically develops a love for the written word. At a time when many books were condemned to the pyre, she, with the help of her touchingly loyal friend Rudy, acquires a variety of books to help fulfill her curious and intelligent mind.

The theme of World War 2 Germany is not a new one, yet I absolutely loved the way Zusak created it in The Book Thief. It was fresh and original and a delightfully inspiring read. This book stayed by my side - in the rumpus room, the kitchen and the bedside table. Couldn't leave it alone. (Much to the poor Captain's dismay.)

Next on my list is a return to an old favourite writer, Italo Calvino. I first met (in the literary sense) Calvino during my studies of Italian at Sydney University, 104 years ago.

To say that I didn't quite get him in Italian would be an understatement but I fell in love with him in English. I have just borrowed Invisible Cities from the library and it blows me away.


This short story is actually a clever collection of descriptions of cities, given by the explorer Marco Polo to the great Kublai Khan. The reader learns, though, that he is actually just describing the one city to the Chinese ruler. The incomparable Venice.


With superlative imagery and adjectives, Calvino is a master at creating the scene, without being repetitive or boring. I look forward to finishing this book, just so I can read it again and discover what I've missed!! This one lives in the rumpus room, because with it's singular page chapters, I'm sure to get a few good chapters in each day!!

La Bella Figura by Beppe Severgnini was originally borrowed as research for my story (which I have yet to detail on here - sorry!) but turned out to be such a funny account of "the Italian mind" that I ended up reading it just for the humour!


If you are planning to travel to Italy or you are interested in the Italian way of life, or the people, or their food, or their art or architecture, please read this book. That's all I'm going to say on that. It beats The Lonely Planet guide by a million. (How's that for an eloquent review?!)

I have also started re-reading A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon because I actually read this book first (even though it's number 6 in the series!) without realising! So now that I've read the other seven I'm going back to my beginning to discover all the wonderful things I missed out on the first time!!

There are a couple of other books that I'm currently coasting, but I won't go into them just yet.

I hope you're all reading something (even if it just this blog once in a blue moon!!) and please share...

What are you reading now? Or what have you just finished that was really worthwhile??

Ciao xox

Victorian Vignettes

It all started a few weeks, or maybe months ago when I went to the doctor. In the waiting room I discovered they have a book shelf where you can borrow a book and return it next time you come there. They all looked fairly new (our doctor's surgery only opened up this year) and not too germ-infested so I took one home. It was The Curse of the Kings by Victoria Holt.

As you can probably guess it was about the mummies of Ancient Egypt. However, it was set in Victorian England. And thus, it was the beginning of my new relationship with Victorian England literature and culture. I have taught Victorian History once before and I must say I'm ashamed to admit it now, but I found the whole thing a bit of a snooze (can't imagine my students were that inspired either!!), but now I'm loving it! I wish I could go back and teach it all again - how different it would be!

So after I finished the Kings I started reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. If you haven't read this book, then you should.
Really. Source: Amazon(And I purposely chose the DVD cover instead of the book because I'm unashamedly in love with Colin Firth. Don't tell the Captain).

Definitely.
Absolutely.

I read somewhere that you become smarter if you read Jane Austen and that is so like, totally, far-out for real! The language may seem like a deterrent, especially if you're used to more candy pop-fiction with contemporary lingo (à la Oscar Wao), but once you get started it's fantastic! And so witty, I had no idea (sorry if I'm sounding like a literary nitwit at this point, but I'm being honest!) What I also didn't realise (again, another nitwit alert -stop reading now if you're already offended by my Austen autism) is that Bridget Jones is so totally based on this story. I knew that Sense and Sensibility and Clueless shared the same storyline, but didn't realise it with this one. Right down to the stuck-up, yet misunderstood Mr Darcy (and Colin Firth of course!)

After I finished Pride and Prejudice, I started on Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Now this one I had read before, but many moons ago (back when it was compulsory HSC reading).

(Again with the DVD cover because I have a thing for Timothy Dalton - truly the best Heathcliff in my mind :)

Source: Amazon

Wuthering Heights is not the same style as Pride and Prejudice which is more witty and flippant in tone. Wuthering Heights is much more tragic and the writing reflects that. If you're not sure of the story I suggest you download Kate Bush's rendition. Man that song says it all...

Heathcliff, it's me Cathy, I've come home....

My Victorian tastebuds were tickled. So we borrowed The Wolfman. We thought that with a cast like Benicio del Toro (yum!), Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving it was going to be a sure hit.

Source: Amazon

It wasn't.

I mean, it was easy to watch and had all the dark, stereotypical imagery of Victorian England but totally lacked in engaging dialogue and intriguing plot development. Very predictable, not all that great.

Finally our sojourn into the 19th century ended with another movie: Sherlock Holmes.
Source: Amazon

Brilliant.

Absolutely fantastic.

Totally made up for the disappointment that was Wolfman. The acting, the humour, and the settings were all spot on. Can't wait to read the books now.

Anyway, I've been so inspired by this little bit of Victorian culture (more or less :) that I've decided to do a history post on it.

Coming soon....


Kirsty x

Summer Reading Review

Summer, I hope, is trying to come to an end (or at least the 40 degree days are abating for now) and my husband, a teacher, has headed back to school, as have the kids next door. The return of school is usually a signal for the end of summer here, although February is often the hottest month!

Anyway, I'm going on the premise that summer is coming to an end, at least our lazy, hazy days of summer are. Which is fine by me - I already feel like I have a hot water bottle strapped to my belly full time!!! Bring on Autumn I say!!!

So let's have a look at some books that I've read over the summer holidays.




The Lost Symbol - Dan Brown

As an historical fiction writer (or should I say aspiring writer!!) I enjoyed reading Brown's previous book, Angels and Demons. I found it suspenseful and purposefully written. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same thing about The Lost Symbol. I found this one rather contrived and painstakingly written. What I mean is that the story seemed to be too forced and often bordered on, well, boring. I'm sorry to say it but I really didn't enjoy this book. I did like the information on the Masons and the historical underpinnings of Washington D.C. but then I could always have read about that on Wikipedia or in a history book. The writing was wordy and the plot too manufactured for my taste. I like a bit more subtlety in my books.



Which leads me to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th books I read this summer. These ones were incredibly hard to put down and absolutely inspiring to read - as mentioned in my last post I've taken a real liking to crime fiction and I think a lot of that is due to these books.



Stieg Larsson's Millenium Trilogy (consisting of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire,and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest)





Set in Stockholm, Sweden in the present day (more or less) these books offered a different and very exciting heroine. Lisbeth Salander was one awesome chick. I loved that Larsson made her so strong yet so vulnerable at the same time. She was exactly the kind of heroine I love to read about, but which, sadly, are rare. Her story is intertwined with that of journalist Mikael Blomkvist. For a philandering journalist, he wasn't half bad a character either. Their relationship was a very delicate, complicated one and it continued to develop, albeit rather stuntedly, through out the three books. This, clearly, was part of Larsson's plan. The three plots are not quite connected, there are different villains and different mysteries to be solved in all three books but the connection between them, i.e. the characters and the setting, is a brilliant manouever. Apparently there is already a film made of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, which I'm really looking forward to seeing. Totally recommending this series to anyone who is interested in crime fiction, or even just really good fiction. It's also nice to have a more exotic background (i.e. Sweden) for a novel instead of the usual environs.



There were a couple of others that I read, some history, non-fiction ones that I'll review later. Right now I've got a hankering for some burritos!!

Adios, KV-ettes


Kirsty x

Last Minute Madness

Well folks, the last weekend before Christmas has suddenly flown by. It's now only FOUR sleeps til Christmas day! I hope your weekend wasn't as hectic as mine!

Friday was a wonderful day. My husband X and I got out of the house and went to the movies. X's mother minded N for us, which was nice and we got some time to spend together before the rush of this week.

What did we see, you ask? Well, believe it or not we saw New Moon, which is the second movie in the Twilight series.

It was really good. I'm a big fan of the first one and I've read all the books, so it was so exciting to finally get to see this one and at the movies too. The books aren't, in my humble opinion, quality literature, but they're easy to read and fairly lighthearted. The movies are the same, plus I LOVE the scenery. Living back in Canberra I live in a perennial brownness of dirt and dry grass so all that lush greenery is like heaven to me. In fact, here's a pic I took of some rosellas outside eating near N's new playgym. Check out the poor grass!!

The weather on the weekend was quite nice but this week we're heading back up into the 30s again, so looks like the grass will have to suffer longer still.

I must admit though that I really don't mind it. I love looking out at my new, big backyard and seeing the rich, earthy browns and greens of the country and the gum trees. It's different to Sydney but it still feels homey to me. As well as the rosellas we've been getting lots of visits from some cockatoos and galahs, which N absolutely loves to chase!

Saturday we had a nice, albeit late, visit from X's brother and wife and they're three kids. They live just outside of Canberra but are moving in the next week, so we'll miss them lots! N loved having his big cousins over to play with (they're 12, 10 and almost 8) and they adored playing with him too. When it was time for bed he was so hyped that it took him a while to settle down.

Yesterday we hit the shops for some last minute shopping. I realised I still had quite a few pressies to buy so my plan was to stick it out until everyone was done (normally I get tired, frustrated, annoyed etc) after half an hour and call it quits (hence the last minute need for shopping). Thankfully we weren't at the mall too long before we finished up and were able to go to one of my favourite, last minute shopping stops: a pottery gallery in Pialligo called Bison. Check out their gorgeous craft here

So all in all a pretty busy and fun weekend! N is still settling into the whole new house routine and isn't sleeping too well. Any tips on how to get a 22 month old to sleep through the night would be greatly appreciated!

Last night was particularly fruitful in terms of working on the new book. It's set around this area, around Christmas time too, so I just have to look out my window, or close my eyes and smell the air and I'm hit with inspiration. I've been doing lots of research for it, particularly on the Italian occupation of Ethiopia. I've been reading a really insightful and enjoyable (in terms of good writing, not necessarily content) book called Amedeo: The True Story of an Italian's War in Abyssinia by Sebastian O'Kelly.

It was given to me as a part graduation/part farewell present when I left work at the University of Wollongong after I graduated and it's sat on my bookshelf for SIX YEARS!!! can you believe! Then when I had the idea for this book I pulled it out and it's really good. The imagery is incredibly vivid and O'Kelly introduces the story in an almost fictional manner. You can get it here if you're interested.


If you're wondering who would win a showdown between me and an obstinate sewing maching, you'd be forgiven for betting on the sewing machine. But I too can be stubborn and obstinate!! It took A LOT of frustration and mock swearing, but this morning I finally got my act together and finished making N's Christmas sack. It was an idea I had about a month ago, got really excited and bought all the material and then did nothing with it!! Not too shabby, if I do say so myself!

And there's a drawstring at the top, so you can pull it tight like a sack!! (I thought the whole stocking concept was a bit too complicated for my amateur sewing skills!!)

Then last but not least we had the 20 week ultrasound today. The baby seems to be doing fine although the sonographer was a bit concerned about the due date. I told her not to worry, it was probably just another big baby!! And if you want to know what it is we're having, you'll just have to wait til May!!!!

Merry Christmas, Buon Natale, Feliz Navidad, KV-ettes!! This is probably my last entry before C-day, because we've got friends coming to visit tomorrow, then another dr appointment on Wednesday and then it's Christmas Eve!

Have a safe and happy one!!

Bacci xoxoxo

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

Merry Christmas, KV-ettes!


I know it must seem like a life time since I last posted on here, and believe me it feels like it to me too! But let me tell you there is good reason for it this time (and not just me being lazy).




Before I go into that though, I'd just like to comment on my last post, the visit to see Diana Gabaldon talk. It was awesome! And so inspiring. She is a very captivating speaker, and she clearly has her talk down pat because she spoke really well, confidently and with so much humour! Those of you who have read her books will recognise it, it's smart and subtle and she talks as quickly and fluently as she writes! So for the forty five minutes that she did speak she included so much.


She talked about how she became a writer, her life prior and post becoming an author and her latest works. She also had some amusing anecdotes about her recent trip to Scotland where she met the actual Lord Lovatt! What a trip!!




Anyway, there was also some book signing, so here's a pic of me with Diana, courtesy of my wonderful sister who accompanied me to the talk.






So I came home feeling suitably inspired and continued to work on the new Orpheus.

However, it wouldn't be me if that were the end of the story would it???



Since that day much has happened. I suppose the biggest was our return to Canberra. Last week we packed up the little house near the beach in Sydney and headed back down to our nation's glorious capital. And thank the heavens we chose last week to do it too because this week has been a sizzler!! With two cars loaded with stuff (not to mention the two removalist trucks - what can I say, I'm a hoarder!) we managed to arrive safely in our new, glorious home. It is so big and the yard is huge with orange trees, kiwi trees, grape vines and even a walnut tree! My little boy (and my big boy) both love it!! I don't think we could have survived much longer in that little house we were in - my son is far too busy and needs plenty of room to run!

So I'm extremely glad to be here - despite the heat! We've even managed to put up the Christmas tree and some decorations, although the Christmas shopping is still a bit behind. I'm not worried, I have a week. And believe me, the crowds here are nothing compared to Sydney!!


Anyway, not long after we arrived here last week I could hit with a blinding flash of inspiration and I've started writing my third story (you knew it was coming didn't you!!) I'm really enjoying it and finding it very easy to write because it's much closer to home than Orpheus. I'm so excited to have so many pieces of work in progress and because my husband is on holidays until late January I might actually get to complete one of them!!! My writing space here is a little cramped, but I'm not complaining! Here's a pic of it before the boxes were unpacked:

We've since discovered that we'll need to buy a fourth bookcase for the study - we certainly like our books in this family!

In fact, I've put a couple on my wish list this year. The one that I'm most excited about is Stieg Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo."

I've heard so much about it that I must admit I'm quite intrigued and because there were 26 people on hold for it at the library I thought I'd just request my own copy! So much for cutting back! My sister recently asked if I wanted to get rid of any books in the move so that she could swap them at her local second hand bookstore. I thought it was a great idea until I scoured the bookshelves and came up with nothing!!!

The downside to the new house is that the front of it faces west so in the afternoons we get the full summer sun. Which means that right now I'm baking in a little book filled room while my husband and son play outside in a blow up pool. Hmmm...priorities anyone?

So, I'll try and write more next week before Christmas after the weekend. Hope you're all having fun and aren't too stressed out by the silly season.

Ciao xoxox

A Return of the Senses

Hello lonely reader...if you've given up on me I don't really blame you. Things have been quiet on the Eastern Seaboard front. The early stages of pregnancy have kept me quiet and offline much of the time. It also means that my book, that poor, lonely, often neglected tome that is meant to be the purpose of this blog has also been a small hiatus.

But it seems that with the wonderful invention of Maxolon comes the chance for us to all breath (and eat) easily once more.

So here I am.

I am sure you have been diligently checking my site, waiting with baited breath for the latest update on Orpheus and well have I got news to you.

After a carefully deliberated conversation with my mum (one of my many literary consultants) I have brought Olivia out of the 15th century and placed her firmly in the present. There will be (yes, I know...again!!!) no more time travel. But I still plan for this to be the first in a series of books. And it is still set in Italy.

I have decided that the time travel idea caused me to lean too heavily on Diana Gabaldon and I wondered if I could ever possibly write something as wonderful and creative as she did...without stealing bits of it! So I thought, best get rid of that temptation altogether~!

I have also created a lovely, and quite tortured soul to be Olivia's male counterpart in the present. The diary of Giovanni still exists in the past and this way I get to use a whole heap of the stuff that I have already written.

It's still in its embryonic stages (as is baby2) but I'm very excited about it.



And speaking of Diana Gabaldon.

As I wandered into Angus & Robertson the other week browsing for Christmas presents there it was. An Echo in the Bone.

So I of course immediately bought it. It's been a while since I last read "A Breath of Snow and Ashes" so I'm a little bit out of the loop but it seems to pick up from a thread from that one (as in A breath...)

And the other most amazing news is that I am going to see Diana Gabaldon speak and read at a book reading in North Sydney in two weeks. I am very excited about that, let me assure you!!

(If you're also interested here's the link of when she's touring Australia http://www.its.caltech.edu/~gatti/gabaldon/tours/tours.html)

Well, I know this is quite a short post and I'm sorry since it's been so darn long, but my Gorgeous Boy is waking up so I better dash.

Ciao tutti xxxx

The Twisted Path of the Historian at Dawn

Well, it's not dawn. In fact, it's almost noon. But the "dawn" in the title of this post is symbolic, metaphorical if you will. It refers to the inception of a new novel, or new direction of research. It also, in this very coincidental twist of fate, refers to one of the books that I have recently read.


I said a few posts ago that I would like to do a post to the women writers who have inspired me. This isn't it. This is, however (and in another coincidental twist of fate) a quick look at some of the books that I have recently read - all Historical Fiction - that have moved me, or inspired me but they are certainly not the definitive list.


The first one is "The Historian" by Elizabeth Kostova.







Now this book came out in 2005, so I'm a bit behind the times. Not that this is a review, there are plenty of those online. What I'd like to say about this book is more of a note, or two. Kostova writes in a very academic, and not always reader friendly way. At times it seems like a labour of love to work through it - especially toward the end, when it, unfortunately does seem to drag on. But the amount of historical research that goes into this book (and I hear from a reliable source that it is all accurate) is impressive. The story is based around the idea that Count Dracula, or Vlad the Impaler, is still alive. But this is written is such an intense and historically rich manner that it is so much more than simply another vampire story.

The second book that I want to mention is called "The Twisted Heart" by Rebecca Gowers.

Unlike "The Historian" this book came out only this year. Yea for me! It's hard to say what I thought of this book. It was interesting and certainly VERY different to most books that I have read but there was something about the characters that got to me - and if this was Gowers intent then brava to her. Anyway, Gowers was very clever in combining an historical "literary mystery" with a "modern day love story." In fact I really liked this idea and I must admit it was the inspiration for the second novel that I started writing. In Orpheus Olivia travels back in time but I think (and yes I have gone back to this original idea :) ) that this is a niche market. People need to connect with things that are real. And as all good historians know, history is not just about facts and dates, but also how its effects linger in our souls and more importantly in the collective memory of a society.

Anyway, back to "The Twisted Heart," if you're interested in Dickens and some of the more grisly aspects of Victorian England (think viciously murdered prostitutes) then this is the book for you.

Last but not least, is a book called "Death at Dawn" by Caro Peacock.

Apparently this is the first in a line of books based on the character, a Victorian heroine-cum-detective, Liberty Lane. This book is set in Victorian England, during the early days actually of "Little Vicky's" reign. The historical details aren't quite as rich as Kostova's "Historian" but that in a sense makes it a much more readable book. This is not a love story, it's a murder mystery and I found it very entertaining and really appreciated the way Peacock wove in the historical significant details (like the dandy writer Disraeli at the banquet) in a subtle yet confident manner.

It's a hard thing when writing historical fiction, especially if you want to include an actual figure from history. But Peacock did it well, and I enjoyed reading it. Not sure if I'll delve into the following Liberty Lane books, but as it's such an easy and delightful read, I may as well :)

So, in case you are still reading and you're wondering about KV's own novels here's the latest. I have started re-writing the beginning of Finding Orpheus, changing the character of Olivia slightly, but have decided to stick with the time travel for the time being. What can I say? I'm a sucker for that kind of thing.

It seems only fitting then that the next book on my reading list should be "The Time Traveller's Wife". I'll let you know how that one goes (hopefully before the movie comes out later this year).

And as for the second novel, well it's been put on the shelf for the moment but the ideas and the plan are there. It's too confusing for me to write two at once and I'm finding that I'm just not writing either and avoiding the whole thing altogether! So, I'm getting back on track with Orpheus and the second one will just have to wait.

Oh, and before I go there is one other lady I'd like to recognise. Miss Snark. Now, as some dedicated writers out there may know, Miss Snark is sadly no longer with us in blog land (and even more sadly I found her site about three years too late!) But the good thing is she has left her blog online, perfectly preserved like a 21st century version of Tutankhamun's mummy. So, who is she? Well Miss Snark is/was a literary agent who offered advise, FOR FREE, to aspiring writers. Now, there are still heaps of benefits for a young writer, such as myself, to go to her site. She has advise on synopses (and honestly if you don't know the plural of synopsis should you even be a writer???), cover letters, first pages etc. Just check down her side column bar under Crapometer. It's great, a very entertaining read, but also very useful if you take it seriously.

So, for her contributions to the world of writing I have added her here and also to my own list of writer's resources. Enjoy reading her - she's a hoot!!

Ciao for now... xx

Let's hear it for the boy...

I was reading something the other day about Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of "Treasure Island."



Apparently when Stevenson was writing his novel in 1881 he would often read the latest chapters out loud to his family who would add suggestions. I thought this was a pretty darn good idea and asked my dad, a retired history teacher and avid reader (especially of historical fiction - must run in the blood!!), if he wouldn't mind having a read of my story and boy was I glad that I did!! I got some great feedback from him. He made a lot of really useful comments like alternate words, parts that weren't particularly clear and other suggestions to make the story sound more like written English and less like the spoken word.


This is often a problem that many writers face when they are writing; that is, they write like they speak. Now for some writers, such as Junot Diaz in "The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Diaz", a book I was unable to put down and had a lot of fun reading. It is so completely different to my novel that I loved it! (When possible I try and avoid reading fiction that is too closely related to my area - with the exception of Diana Gabaldon of course!)
or Judge Edwin Torres' "Carlito's Way" (made into one of my all time favourite flicks of the same name)

or even the stream of consciousness that characterises Jack Kerouac in "On the Road" and "Dharma Bums", this is fine.


In fact it is better than fine - it is a highly skillful way of writing. For the rest of us who are writing fictional pieces, in particular historical fiction or romance fiction, I'm not sure if it works as well. I have yet to read any :)

As for me, I know that I cannot possibly write like the aforementioned authors, and nor do I have any intention of trying. It's just not the vision I have for my book. So, having my dad edit my work for me has been a huge bonus.

I did a fair bit of reworking on one of the earlier chapters myself yesterday and today. It was a scene set in the Uffizi gallery in Florence, Italy. I have been there but that was almost 7 years ago now (where do the years go??) So I had to do a fair bit of online research. The two sites that I found most helpful were the Uffizi's site (http://www.uffizi.com/) and the Virtual Tour website of the gallery (www.virtualuffizi.com/uffizi/index.htm). Both of these sites helped me to write the scene as authentically as possible.

And for those of you who are interested here's a sneak peak at the Uffizi's famous checkered hallway.


When I do scenes like this it always blows my mind to think how lucky I am to have the internet and how totally fantastic those historical writers of the past who did not have such immediate access to information were to write their novels. One of the novels that is coming to my mind is "Burmese Days" by George Orwell.


I know that George (we're on first name basis you know!) spent a lot of time in Burma during a military posting but to recall it as vividly as he did was so impressive. I felt like I was actually living in the jungle with Florey. Apparently George's pusblishers feared libel action for this work due to the possibility that it was based on real people. Well I can guarantee you that all my characters are purely fictional (not that I presume to put my novel in the same league as one of George Orwell's!) And if I do take inspiration from somewhere it is other pieces of fiction. For example, in my mind Giovanni looks remarkably like John Winchester (the father) in "Supernatural" (played by Jeffry Dean Morgan) only younger and with more red in his hair :)


Well looking back over this post it seems to me to be a bit of a homage to some of the talented men who have touched my mind and imagination. This was purely incidental, but I suppose that as I began talking about my dad it seems like a fitting way for the post to turn out. So I'd like to send out a big THANK YOU to my dad, Robert Louis Stevenson, Junot Diaz, Edwin Torres, Jack Kerouac, George Orwell and Jeffrey Dean Morgan, for the wonderful impact you have had on my life.
And in that vein I'd also like to acknowledge my wonderful, supportive and loving husband and my beautiful baby boy! I love you both!!
Who knows maybe next time I'll do a post on all the wonderful women I love!!


Ciao for now xxx