Writerly roundup

While I was up north, exciting things have been happening. For instance:


Midnight and Moonshine

  • Angela Slatter and Lisa Hannett have revealed the cover of their collaborative collection, Midnight and Moonshine, and now available to order ahead of its November release. It is very, very pretty — the art is by Kathleen Jennings, recently short-listed for a World Fantasy Award, as was Lisa for her solo, debut collection, Bluegrass Symphony. The stories will be awesome. It deserves to be under many Christmas trees and on many book shelves.

  • Kim Wilkins has started a writing advice page on Facebook. Kim, or Dr Kim as she’s affectionately known to many of her students, has a knack for making the writing process understandable and desirable. Her tips column in WQ magazine was exceptionally popular, so plug in!

  • The embers of the Borders bookstore meltdown are being stoked this month with the online business rebranding itself as Bookworld and offering free postage.

  • And check out the awesome writing talent on the guest list at November’s Supanova in Brisbane and Adelaide!


    Meanwhile, Ego Likeness have released a new single. This band give great ear worm; I can’t wait for the new album to land.


  • Writing notes, and a nod to Ego Likeness

    It’s one of those windy, now rainy and chilly, days in old Melbourne town, and I’ve been tapping away at adding new flesh to old bones fuelled by copious amounts of coffee and the new album by the superb Ego Likeness. The clip is of a tune from the album, Breedless, distinctive and easy on the ears while the rain patters on the roof.

  • Emerging writers might like to check out the awesome manuscript workshop collaboration between the Queensland Writers Centre and Hachette Livre which is now open.
  • Like some passion with those fangs? Ticonderoga Publications want your paranormal romance short story for their follow-up anthology, More Scary Kisses.
  • On a sad note, Australian small press Brimstone reports it won’t be publishing Australian Dark Horror and Fantasy 4, nor will it be continuing with the series.
  • But in good news, Ben Payne has released issue 1 of his new, free, online mag, Moonlight Tuber.
  • Right then. Back to the bones.

    Three new things and a touch of regret

    First, the good new stuff:

    1. Prahran Markets secrets have been revealed thanks to a cool guided tour, and I now know about avocado that doesn’t go brown on exposure to air — not before the salad’s eaten, anyway — and the enticing woodfire smell of smoked garlic and the dizzying array of spuds, including purple ones. I don’t know when, if ever, I was so excited about fresh produce. Product of choice, however, was a blue cheese from Victoria’s Apostle Whey.

    2. Ego Likeness have a new album due out any minute now, called Breedless. (Here’s a nice live clip of an older tune, Severine)

    3. Spotted in the wild: Brissie writer Will Elliott’s Pilgrims. You might remember Will for his Aurealis-winning debut The Pilot Family Circus and its dastardly clown action.

    And now for the regret, though it’s still good news, oh yes! Concrete Blonde, or at least original members Johnette Napolitano and Jim Mankey, are hitting the road to celebrate the 20th anniversary of their album Bloodletting. This was the album that made me fall in love with this group, and it spawned their first gold in the form of Joey — in Australia, mind! Of course, the regret attached to this news is that the band don’t have dates for an Aussie leg on their tour. To celebrate, here’s the title track to Bloodletting: delicious!