Anthony Eaton's Blog: Musings from an Outer-Spiral-Arm , page 20

Cool Books and Old Friends.

Yesterday, I was really pleased to see this post here over at Steph Bowe's blog, not least because an old friend of mine, Ben Beaton, makes an appearance. (Or, more accurately, his new book: Mama's Song does...)

Ben and I met when we were both in first year uni, about 900 years ago. Then we both became high school teachers, then we sort of drifted apart for a while as life took us in different directions.

I know he's been working at getting a book out there for a long time now, though. And about f

I knew this would happen...

It's always such a lovely thing when someone reads one of your books, and then takes the time to write you you and let you know that they enjoyed it. The first time it happens, it's actually kinda surreal, and even after it's happened a few times, it never gets old.I got home this afternoon to find a card on my desk. Sent via my publishers by a nice lady who'd recently read Into White Silence. She liked it. She took the time to buy a card with a suitable image on it. She wrote a sincere and ver

First Line Meme -

This one's been around for a little while, now: I first noticed it when Lili did it, and more recently Penny and have been meaning to get onto it myself ever since...

It's pretty self explanatory. First lines from your published, pending, and WIP's:

Published:

1. The Darkness: The Darkness returned to Isolation Bay the Year I turned sixteen.

2. A New Kind of Dreaming: The boat was dead.

3. Nathan Nuttboard H.T.B: There's one thing you need to know, right from the outset

4. Fireshadow: Old spirits live

Standing at the base of the mountain...

So, last week, just before I got hit by the dreaded Pig Disease, the readers and editorial reports for my next book dropped into my inbox, along with a frighteningly imminent deadline (Douglas Adams on Deadlines: "I love deadlines. I really like the 'whooshing' noise they make as they go past".)
This is always something of a good/bad moment, for me.
On the one hand, it's a sure sign that the end is in sight. Just two or three, or twenty or thirty rewrites, and then the book is done.
On the other ha

And in flew Enza...

I had every intention of being a good blogger this week, and blogging away every day. Even just a little bit.

And then, at 5.13 monday night, I got a sore throat.

"Darn. Here comes a head cold." I said.

Oh, such optimism.

By tuesday morning, I no longer had a sore throat. Instead, it felt like someone had scoured the inside of my neck with steel wool. I also had a headache, which I put down to lack of caffeine and tried to 'cure' with three double shot coffees over the course of the morning.

Not surp

Will be able to blog on a semi regular basis on matters pertaining to, but not limited to, own life...

So...
This week I've been putting together a job application.
*gasp*
I know that for most of you who are, you know, living in the real world, this probably isn't such a big deal.
But for the last seven years I'VE BEEN WORKING AS A FULL TIME, SELF WRITER, PEOPLE!
And that's not the worst part. The last time I actually had to apply for a job was when I finished university and applied for my teaching position in Perth. I applied for one job. I had one interview. That was in 1994.  
That's right. The sum

An Open Letter to the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd

I'll be dropping copies of this in the mail this afternoon, to both the PM's Canberra and Queensland offices...

The Hon. Kevin Rudd
P.O.Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
Canberra, ACT

Dear Mr. Rudd,

I write concerning the recent proposal from the productivity commission regarding changes to Australian Territorial Copyright laws. As a parent, an educator and a practicing, published, Australian writer, the ramifications of these proposed alterations concern me immensely, and I appeal to

Territorial Copyright and Being Heard

As there is a lot of debate currently happening on the issue of territorial copyright, I thought it might be a good idea to put some useful information together in one place, so that people who want to be heard find it simple to do so. Here, then, are a few steps and bits of information you might find useful

1. Inform yourself. The following websites will be handy in making sure you have a solid working background knowledge of the issue: (For the most part, these arguments are from the perspectiv

On Matters Masterchef

I'll admit it. Like most of the rest of the country I've been watching Masterchef assiduously for the last couple of months. Like everyone else I've developed something of a crush on Matt Preston. Have enjoyed immensely George's ability to invent new and torturous ways of twisting the English language into totally incomprehensible sentences, and have loved the way Gary perpetually looks as though he's swallowed a canary.

Like everyone else I've wanted to take Chris' hat and feed it to him, possib

My top 10 Tips

Writers often get asked what are our 'tips' for people who want to write. Usually we say fairly general stuff like 'Keep practicing' and 'don't get discouraged' and 'learn to accept criticism'. These aren't always the most useful or practical bits of advice so, for what it's worth, here are…

Tony's Ten Writing Tips:

1. Never start a story / chapter with a rhetorical question.
They're a really boring and predicable way of trying to get your reader's attention.

2. For that matter, don't end your story