tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-91999721238705301342024-02-20T02:09:51.906+11:00Keyboard & Penwriting, reading, books, stories, wordsrooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.comBlogger21125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-10502151519599604222008-11-16T00:31:00.000+11:002008-11-16T00:31:00.668+11:00Suspended for NaNoWriMo/ Amazon Best Books of 2008It's getting to the pointy end of NaNoWriMo, and I do want to reach 50,000 words, so entries here may be sparse for the rest of November...<br />
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You might like to toddle over to the book section at Amazon.com and see their picks for the 100 best books of 2008.<br />
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.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-50771003316374569642008-11-14T17:19:00.000+11:002008-11-14T17:19:00.581+11:00Quote: Nathalie Goldberg<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I read Nathalie Goldberg's two books about writing, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Wild Mind</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Writing Down the Bones</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> years ago. Still have them on the shelf, and did a quick squizz through them the other day. Some of what she says I can still see influencing my writing process and habits.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I was reminded of her again by this quote, which Ali Edwards used on her blog (</span><a href="http://aliedwards.typepad.com/_a_/collected-quotes.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">here</span></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> is her page of Collected Quotes). While playing along with NaNoWriMo, I find myself harvesting from the day. Blue birds, meals, glimpses, people, words, phrases. Noticing, then remembering is so important.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Learn to write about the ordinary. Give homage to old coffee cups, sparrows, city buses, thin ham sandwiches. Make a list of everything ordinary you can think of. Keep adding to it. Promise yourself, before you leave the earth, to mention everything on your list at least once in a poem, short story, newspaper article.<br />
</span><em><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Nathalie Goldberg</span></span></em></span>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-87592560335949519382008-11-12T16:34:00.000+11:002008-11-12T16:34:00.346+11:00Michael Cunningham on writingVisiting a writing class in Maryland, author Michael Cunningham spoke about his writing and his writing process. Read the whole blog entry <a href="http://tooshytostop.wordpress.com/2008/10/30/michael-cunningham-inspires-us-to-participate-in-nanowrimo/">here</a> . My favourite quotes:<br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">We’re not smart enough to write novels. We have to outgrow the modest idea that inspired the novel and allow it to take on a life of its own. We have to work until something passes through our consciousness. Try to get out of the way of the book.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #222222; font-family: 'Lucida Grande'; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Write the best goddamn book you possibly can. There are more books than anyone can possibly read. You only feel different when your work is published if what you published is good. Trust your instincts and write what is most compelling to you.<br />
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</span>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-45455665211473058702008-11-10T17:00:00.000+11:002008-11-10T17:00:01.254+11:00Urban fictionIn New York, urban fiction is finding keen readers in libraries and on the street. Read more about it in a New York Times article <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/23/nyregion/23fiction.html?partner=permalink&exprod=permalink">here</a> , including one mama who insists that her entire family reads for an hour every day. Yay!<br />
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<a href="http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/urban-street-lit-in-the-library/"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: italic;">found via Smart Bitches, Trashy Books</span></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-44923901798293691282008-11-08T16:59:00.000+11:002008-11-08T16:59:00.893+11:00Free audiobooks<a href="http://librivox.org/">LibriVox</a> offers free audiobooks of books published before 1923. And you can become a reader for them too, if you're interested.<br />
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.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-60658959993280249412008-11-06T16:41:00.000+11:002008-11-06T16:41:00.205+11:00Writing advice from Scott WesterfeldYA author Scott Westerfeld (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Peep</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">s</span> is a favourite book of mine) blogs about various things, including some writing advice - mostly written by Scott, occasionally by a guest blogger. Catch up <a href="http://scottwesterfeld.com/blog/?cat=5">here</a> .rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-26147467836068063602008-11-04T17:07:00.000+11:002008-11-04T17:07:00.522+11:00First Tuesday in November + authorsPolitical action by authors? Check out <a href="http://yaforobama.ning.com/">YA for Obama</a> .rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-81196384509948080752008-11-02T16:28:00.001+11:002008-11-02T17:17:24.824+11:00NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month has started.<a href="http://www.nanwrimo.org/">http://www.nanwrimo.org</a> . Although the server's pretty frantic at present, so it might not load for you straightaway.<br />
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I've undertaken the challenge this year, and am aiming to keep myself honest and on track by blogging about it. My NaNoWriMo user page is <a href="http://www.nanowrimo.org/eng/user/403334">here</a> , with an extract from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Bluebi</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-style: italic;">rd Café</span>.</span><br />
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Typing words for this confirms something I've learned and taught about fiction writing - you don't necessarily know what you're going to write about until you start putting words on the page. So, you need to write, to unfurl what is waiting in your mind and heart.<br />
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And then you edit a lot. But first, write the stuff you're going to edit.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-92032825119097688082008-10-29T15:18:00.002+11:002008-10-29T15:18:01.051+11:00Longlist: Australia-Asia Literary AwardThe <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Sydney Morning Herald</span> reports on the longlist of twelve books vying for Australia's richest book prize, the Australia-Asia Literary Award. <a href="http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/books/longlist-unveiled-for-110k-prize/2008/10/17/1223750298530.html">Read the article here</a> .rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-5292431986394717552008-10-27T14:48:00.000+11:002008-10-27T14:48:00.437+11:00Alien OnionThe Allen and Unwin (Australia) blog, <a href="http://alienonion.blogspot.com/">Alien Onion</a> , is lively and entertaining. Worth adding to your blogreader list (I use bloglines).<br />
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Discovered via <a href="http://justinelarbalestier.com/">Justine Larbelstier's blog</a> . Which is also in my bloglines list.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-34816519511316384272008-10-25T14:15:00.000+11:002008-10-25T14:15:00.525+11:00Interview with Chuck Adams, editorFive pages of advice, information and opinion from a very experienced editor, who counts Sara Gruen's <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Water for Elephants</span> among his success stories.<br />
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An example:<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 13px; line-height: 22px;"><b>What are you looking for in a piece of writing?</b><br />
The first thing is the voice. If it's got a strong voice, I'm going to keep reading. And if a story sneaks in there, I'm going to keep reading. To me, those are the two most important things. I want a voice and I want to be hooked into a story. I believe very strongly that books are not about writers, and they're definitely not about editors—they're about readers. You've got to grab the reader right away with your voice and with the story you're telling. You can't just write down words that sound pretty. It's all about the reader. You've got to bring the reader into it right away.</span><br />
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Read it <a href="http://www.pw.org/content/agents_amp_editors_qampa_chuck_adams">here</a> .rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-44652072476617833192008-10-23T09:43:00.000+11:002008-10-23T09:43:00.575+11:00Book covers, celebrity and dumbing downThought provoking blog entry, with a bunch of links, from the Smart Bitches <a href="http://www.smartbitchestrashybooks.com/index.php/weblog/comments/book-covers-celebrity-and-dumbing-down/">here</a> .rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-43583989467665764722008-10-21T11:18:00.000+11:002008-10-21T11:18:01.392+11:00Authonomy<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What is authonomy? </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In one way, HarperCollins' slush pile, outsourced to readers. You can submit your ms (you'll need at least 10,000 words) and/or do some talent-spotting (your notes on the work of others will help encourage them to read your irresistible prose...). The five top rated mss each month are reviewed by real live HarperCollins editors.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is how they describe it:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11px;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">Get Read. Get Noticed. Get Published.<br />
</span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">authonomy</span></span></span><sup><small><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">TM</span></span></small></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is a brand new community site for writers, readers and publishers, conceived and developed by book editors at HarperCollins. We want to flush out the brightest, freshest new literature around - we’re glad you stopped by.<br />
</span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">If you’re a writer, </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">authonomy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is the place to show your face – and show off your work on the web. Whether you’re unpublished, self-published or just getting started, all you need is a few chapters to start building your profile online, and start connecting with the </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">authonomy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> community.<br />
</span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">And if you’re a reader, blogger publisher or agent, </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">authonomy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> is for you too. The book world is kept alive by those who search out, digest and spread the word about the best new books – </span></span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">authonomy</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> invites you to join our community, champion the best new writing and build a personal profile that really reflects your tastes, opinions and talent-spotting skills.</span></span><br />
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<div style="color: #333333; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.authonomy.com/FAQ.aspx"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Click here for the FAQs</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> .</span></div>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-27779030185179065892008-10-19T11:11:00.000+11:002008-10-19T11:11:00.434+11:00What agents hate<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">...or to put it another way, tips on what to avoid doing in your manuscript's first chapter. </div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">Read them <a href="http://www.writersdigest.com/article/what-agents-hate">here</a> : from Writer's Digest.</div>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-47839404604848818172008-10-17T10:06:00.000+11:002008-10-17T10:06:00.272+11:00Top 100 books: A&R list<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIValROUVz811NLKjzo6r1SONjBFj98GSmf39YEmDfexfwVcNnF4SnwtSBArI1Y39spkjPxPCkF9Ig7mdLW9njPMRjTtYN5_LO3zRWP5-L8ehLz_fT53B_-_mYuncODs_XETajfrITC1Z/s1600-h/top+100.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR9CdmXS6ur7HFSYscy29P5HYomNklUEA9iT4InLZNlnYc_wR0Bmn9lfcdJ6qhQmHf1dc2cfnyUWs3gMwzQbEI7HZ2_spy-x_cTQ2MG2kNTDZU1724EieF1784iq3OBq2tMQD_dKQj3ayP/s320-r/top+100.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Angus and Robertson booksellers have released the fifth of their </span><a href="http://lists.angusrobertson.com.au/top-100-list"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Top 100</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> lists, as voted by customers (26000 votes). Here's the list:</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><div class="pageprint" id="contentSwap1"><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">1 Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">2 Twilight - Stephenie Meyer</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">3 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">4 The Obernewtyn Chronicles - Isobelle Carmody</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">5 My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">6 To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">7 The Book Thief - Markus Zusak</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">8 Breath - Tim Winton</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">9 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">10 Break No Bones - Kathy Reichs</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">11 The Power Of One - Bryce Courtenay</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">12 Fight Club - Chuck Palahniuk</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">13 Magician - Raymond E. Feist</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">14 The Bronze Horseman - Paullina Simons</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">15 Mao's Last Dancer - Li Cunxin</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">16 Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">17 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">18 Cross - James Patterson</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">19 Persuasion - Jane Austen</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">20 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">21 The Time Traveler's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">22 The Secret - Rhonda Byrne</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">23 Marley and Me - John Grogan</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">24 Antony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">25 April Fools Day - Bryce Courtney</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">26 North & South - Elizabeth Gaskell</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">27 In My Skin - Kate Holden</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">28 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">29 A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">30 The Other Boleyn Girl - Phillipa Gregory</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">31 Nineteen Minutes - Jodi Picoult</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">32 Atonement - Ian McEwan</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">33 Shantaram Gregory - David Roberts</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">34 Pillars Of The Earth - Ken Follett</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">35 The Pact - Jodi Picoult</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">36 Ice Station - Matthew Reilly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">37 Cloudstreet - Tim Winton</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">38 Jessica - Bryce Courtenay</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">39 A New Earth - Eckhart Tolle</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">40 The Princess Bride - William Goldman</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">41 Running With Scissors - Augusten Burroughs</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">42 Anybody Out There? - Marian Keyes</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">43 Life Of Pi - Yann Martel</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">44 Seven Ancient Wonders - Matthew Reilly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">45 People Of The Book - Geraldine Brooks</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">46 Six Sacred Stones - Matthew Reilly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">47 Memory Keeper's Daughter - Kim Edwards</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">48 Brother Odd - Dean Koontz</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">49 Tully - Paullina Simons</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">50 Tuesdays with Morrie - Mitch Albom</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">51 The Catcher in the Rye - J.D Salinger</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">52 Eragon - Christopher Paolini</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">53 Eat, Pray, Love - Elizabeth Gilbert</span></div></div><div class="pageprint" id="contentSwap2"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="" name="contentSwap2" style="-webkit-background-clip: initial; -webkit-background-origin: initial; background-attachment: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none;"></a></span><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">54 It's Not About The Bike - Lance Armstrong</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">55 A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">56 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">57 The Alchemist - Paulo Coelho</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">58 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">59 A Fortunate Life - A.B. Facey</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">60 The Mists of Avalon - Marion Zimmer Bradley</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">61 The Notebook -Nicholas Sparks</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">62 Water For Elephants - Sara Gruen</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">63 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">64 The Host - Stephenie Meyer</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">65 Dirt Music - Tim Winton</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">66 Eldest - Christopher Paolini</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">67 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">68 It - Stephen King</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">69 World Without End - Ken Follett</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">70 Emma - Jane Austen</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">71 Temple - Matthew Reilly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">72 Little Women - Alcott Louisa May</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">73 Lean Mean Thirteen - Janet Evanovich</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">74 Scarecrow - Matthew Reilly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">75 American Gods - Neil Gaiman</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">76 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">77 P.S, I Love You - Cecelia Ahern</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">78 All That Remains - Patricia Cornwell</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">79 The Last Lecture - Randy Pausch</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">80 Past Secrets - Cathy Kelly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">81 The Persimmon Tree - Bryce Courtenay</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">82 Husband - Dean Koontz</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">83 Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">84 Wicked - Gregory Maguire</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">85 Spot Of Bother - Mark Haddon</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">86 Always And Forever - Cathy Kelly</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">87 The Road - Cormac McCarthy</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">88 Cents & Sensibility - Maggie Alderson</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">89 Me Talk Pretty One Day - David Sedaris</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">90 The Shifting Fog - Kate Morton</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">91 We Need To Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">92 Everyone Worth Knowing - Lauren Weisberger</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">93 Hour Game - David Baldacci</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">94 Darkly Dreaming Dexter - Jeff Lindsay</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">95 The Woods - Harlan Coben</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">96 Half of a Yellow Sun - Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">97 Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">98 Scar Tissue - Anthony Kiedis</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">99 Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali</span></div><div style="margin-left: 13px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">100 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks</span></div></div></span>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-25333596441467743042008-10-15T08:26:00.000+11:002008-10-15T08:26:01.128+11:00Where do you find your ideas?Linda Newbery and Nicola Davies answer this question in <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/26/writing.childrenbooks">this article, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">From Idea to Story</span></a>. Here's a quote:<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; color: #333333; font-family: arial; font-size: 14px; line-height: 19px;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Where do you get your ideas from?" Every author who gives talks to children or adults has been asked this question hundreds of times, and of course there's no simple answer. Ideas are everywhere - the trick is to recognise a promising one when you get it, and not let go. Your starting point may be something that's happened to you, or to someone you know; a news item; a fear, or a dream; something from the past; a fascinating character; a painting or poem; and of course our heads are crammed full of ideas and images from books we've read, stories we've heard and films we've seen.<br />
</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When a promising idea grabs hold of you, hang on to it and see if you can turn it into a story, or at least the beginning of a story. You can build on it by asking yourself questions and thinking of the answers. Who? When? Why? will get you started; then more and more questions will follow: But why doesn't he tell anyone? Who could possibly help her? Where have his parents gone? What's he hiding from? At this stage, it's a game: you haven't committed yourself to anything, and can enjoy playing around with ideas and possibilities.</span><br />
</blockquote></span><br />
<div style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Playing around with ideas and possibilities, and pursuing good ideas. A very good place to start...</div>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-33696753965222295382008-10-13T08:08:00.001+11:002008-10-13T08:08:00.503+11:00Book Club FictionI don't belong to a book club right now, but reading <a href="http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2008/10/book-club-fiction.html">this blog entry about Book Club Fiction</a> from (literary agent) Nathan Bransford, it seems like a lot of my reading is in this commercial/literary crossover.<br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Around the publishing industry there has long been a hankering for a certain type of book that is both literary and yet commercial, familiar and yet exotic, well-written but not too dense, accessible but with some depth. They are books that are kind of tough to categorize, because they don't exactly fit into any one genre. I'd often hear people calling them either literary commercial fiction or commercial literary fiction.<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #333333;"></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">But during my last trip to New York I heard an apt label for this category: book club fiction*. And lots of editors want it.</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"></span><br />
<blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">What books are in this category? Think: </span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">LIFE OF PI<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT TIME<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*THE STORY OF EDGAR SAWTELLE<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*THE KITE RUNNER<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*THE LOVELY BONES<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">*SECRET LIFE OF BEES<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">etc.<br />
</span> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">(*EAT PRAY LOVE would be an example of book club memoir)</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span> </span></blockquote></span><br />
<br />
Which begs two questions, one of which is whether, in writing my own work, how I should be thinking about what I read in relation to what I write. I'm not entirely sure about this, in that my writing style/method isn't necessarily to work to a formula, of any kind. When writing fiction, I'm telling stories with the voices and conflicts and events that come as I put words on the page. The evaluation of genre/niche comes later - I want to grab and catch the words first. Later, of course, there is the issue of genre/niche in relation to marketing, to catching the attention of an agent and publisher. And yet there are so many books that have been successful and eluded pigeonholing. They were what they were, and readers found and loved them.<br />
<br />
The other? Have you thought of hunting among book club recommendations to find among them more books you'd like to read? Of the list above, I've asterisked those I own or have read (own meaning I haven't read 'em yet). Publisher sites often have book club/reading group sections to cater to this market.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-15050608973243289242008-10-11T08:50:00.005+11:002008-10-13T17:09:55.997+11:00NaNoWriMo: National Novel Writing Month<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUHU99V6Njd_CemXeYWoTY32WAa8rDnV_kBLfI0cZ-ya2UkzRJvJCNgQ96Hv3y6BBc7eYdqIn_kzQq3VJrOAqFoPZsqz0ICt3wDvicPeAgUp8wQA5k9N3tHbC30Q2xvDApWnL-3Ux-p93W/s1600-h/nanonwrimo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCME3fsg9_WDO-T5Z4JYvZHq8wxJrj7HrqLjr6SAdH4BqB9QNVBxz6UEev8MRZhP2wWI5QPRGsnO0MO1HK93ipU88I6EJoR8RXM_JkFgaxjwN-MXAXdzBkw_PcwPTw3WBmKTC2fnnqArk4/s400-r/nanonwrimo.JPG" /></a></div><br />
There is fun to be had in November, and time now to sign up and get yourself ready. Read all about National (that doesn't mean just the US) Novel Writing Month here . Over in the sidebar you'll find a link to the home page and also my page. I have plans...<br />
<br />
<br />
The gist is that you join up deciding that you'll make/find/create time to write a novel of at least 50,000 words in the calendar month of November. You can clock your count on the site, and be among the winners if you reach/surpass that goal number (anyone who does is a winner - it's not about the prizes). The goal is volume, not exquisitely polished paragraphs. Chasing the words to create a story, which may or may not be finished when you reach 50,000 words or the end of November.<br />
<br />
The organisers justify this venture as follows:<br />
<br />
<blockquote>NaNoWriMo is all about the magical power of deadlines. Give someone a goal and a goal-minded community and miracles are bound to happen. Pies will be eaten at amazing rates. Alfalfa will be harvested like never before. And novels will be written in a month.<br />
<br />
Part of the reason we organize NaNoWriMo is just to get a book written. We love the fringe benefits accrued to novelists. For one month out of the year, we can stew and storm, and make a huge mess of our apartments and drink lots of coffee at odd hours. And we can do all of these things loudly, in front of people. As satisfying as it is to reach deep within yourself and pull out an unexpectedly passable work of art, it is equally (if not more) satisfying to be able to dramatize the process at social gatherings.<br />
<br />
But that artsy drama window is woefully short. The other reason we do NaNoWriMo is because the glow from making big, messy art, and watching others make big, messy art, lasts for a long, long time. The act of sustained creation does bizarre, wonderful things to you. It changes the way you read. And changes, a little bit, your sense of self. We like that.</blockquote><br />
If you decide to play too, please leave a comment with the link to your page on the NaNoWriMo site.<br />
<br />
In case you think it's all amateur foolishness, the FAQ page on the site lists books published which began as NaNoWriMo works, including Sarah Gruen's <em>Water for Elephants</em>. <br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="color: #222222; line-height: 16px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></div>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-90396112563014989502008-10-09T08:46:00.003+11:002008-10-09T08:46:00.784+11:00Censorship: A golden compass and those penguins<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/29/philip.pullman.amber.spyglass.golden.compass.banned"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Philip Pullman writes about book banning</span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> - The Golden Compass was on the American Library Association's top 5 list for this last year. A quote:</span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> The inevitable result of trying to ban something – book, film, play, pop song, whatever – is that far more people want to get hold of it than would ever have done if it were left alone. Why don't the censors realise this?</span></blockquote>You can also find out why some real penguins from the New York Central Park Zoo whose story became a book caused such havoc among would-be censors.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-57739309772310926652008-10-07T01:22:00.004+11:002008-10-07T02:37:07.573+11:00Robert Harris on How To WriteFrom <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/series/howtowrite">The Guardian's series on How To Write</a> , author Robert Harris on <span style="font-style: italic;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/sep/20/robertharris.writing.fiction">What's the Story?</a></span><br />
<span style="font-style: italic;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">He begins:</span><br />
<div style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Writing a novel - unlike operating a piece of heavy machinery, say, or cooking a chicken - is not a skill that can be taught. There is no standard way of doing it, just as there is no means of telling, while you're doing it, whether you're doing it well or badly. And merely because you've done it well once doesn't mean you can do it well again. The whole process is a mystery, devoid of rules or fairness.<br />
</span> </blockquote></div><div style="background-repeat: no-repeat; border-collapse: collapse; margin-bottom: 13px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">That doesn't mean that guides like this are without value. On the contrary. Having the urge to write a novel, especially if you've yet to be published, is like having a medical condition impossible to mention in polite company - it's a relief simply to know there are fellow-sufferers out there.</span></blockquote></div>rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9199972123870530134.post-15605408599333870362008-10-07T00:58:00.003+11:002008-10-07T02:46:14.687+11:00Welcome and beginningOn my other blog, <a href="http://rooruu.blogspot.com/">patterning the world</a> , the posts are about everyday life in words and pictures. <br />
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This blog is more about words and writing, fiction, books, stories, articles, links: a narrower focus. <br />
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I am a reader and writer, creator and consumer of text in print, the spoken word and on screen, engaged by words and language, intrigued by imagination and its journeys. The keyboard and the pen are the tools I use to explore and to write, thus the title of this blog.<br />
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I hope this blog will be useful to you and to me. There are so many resources about books, words and writing on the net. <br />
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And I may include excerpts from my own fiction as well. Be kind. Honest and kind (what's that Larkin phrase? <span style="font-style: italic;"> Not untrue and not unkind</span>?). Yes. That.rooruuhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17091737221413605044noreply@blogger.com0