I’m currently working on a novel that I hope to have completed by mid 2017 and have already sent a draft to a major publisher and have had encouraging feedback from a friend who is a Professor of Literature in New York. Sometimes after a day of writing, I walk away and think it’s a pile of crap and other days I am in complete awe of the perfect sentence.
I have discovered a love of research and have spent time with detectives, barristers and even visited a gun range with a firearms expert to shoot the type of gun that the main character uses to unfortunately kill someone he loves. As this moment changes his life and has a major impact on the storyline, I wanted the experience of firing the gun – to feel the reverberations in my body and speak with first hand knowledge about it.
I’ve completed a number of short stories that I have entered worldwide into short story competitions and for consideration for inclusion in short story anthologies. Ideas for these stories come from things I have heard, experienced or even from dreams – especially after a dinner involving members of the deadly night shade family. I know I’m in for a night of powerful dreams if I eat eggplant or capsicum for dinner!
I have a number of patrons who support me in everyday ways, through generous contributions and via my Patreon site
I am moved by the engagement of my friends, family (and even people I don’t know really well), in my dream and my commitment to my creative life. Sometimes they give dinners, a coffee, tickets to events, petrol and even a lawnmower! 100% of the cash support goes to paying for professional development including membership fees for Australia Society of Authors and Writers Victoria as well as attendance at their fabulous courses such as Literary Speed dating, Getting Published and a Storytelling Masterclass.
From time to time I will post excerpts from my work on this site and I hope you enjoy these and the blogs about my writing life.
In the past few years I have had some work published in Arts Hub publication, Writers Victoria’s Writers Magazine and The Dura publication. I’m working seriously and happily to follow up with some more substantial work getting published in the near future.
PS. Excerpt of artwork by the talented Daria Healy Koljanin