Sylvia Petter's Blog, page 16

Bloomsbury Paperback Blogstop with Vanessa Gebbie and The Coward’s Tale

Recently at a local writing evening, one of the participants said it was her birthday and she wanted to spend it in a memorable way. That struck a chord with me and since I received the gift of The Coward’s Tale by and from Vanessa Gebbie, what better way to have a memorable day than by chatting with Vanessa about some of the things that came to mind before, during and after reading her critically acclaimed novel.

SP: So, Vanessa, come on into my souk. Have a seat, the big comfy one with the f...

Bloomsbury Paperback Blogstop with Vanessa Gebbie and The Coward's Tale

Recently at a local writing evening, one of the participants said it was her birthday and she wanted to spend it in a memorable way. That struck a chord with me and since I received the gift of The Coward's Tale by and from Vanessa Gebbie, what better way to have a memorable day than by chatting with Vanessa about some of the things that came to mind before, during and after reading her critically acclaimed novel.

SP: So, Vanessa, come on into my souk. Have a seat, the big comfy one with the f...

To my agent

I read lots of stuff people write about
agents

Some say they're necessary
some say they take your money honey ergo they
aren't

Some say ditch 'em ifthey don't get you a deal

I've got an agent
who's taken no money but has done much
for me

She's not given me any deal
but she makes me feel
she believes in my work and
most importantlylets me be free to be the writer I am
So guess what?she's the best agent for me
for in the end the onus is
not on her but on me

Searching for 5 artists!

New Sun Rising: stories for Japan is searching for the artists of the following:

Blossom Tree (b/w photograph) Calligraphy (black on white background with black border and stamp;

The meaning of the calligraphy is: "不撓不屈 （ふとうふくつ）
どんな困難に出会ってもけっして心がくじけないこと。futoufukutsu
No matter what difficulties you encounter, never let your heart/mind/spirit falter."

Cherry Blossom (pencil drawing, initialled CE) span

My Kindle Experiment

I've got several projects on the go at the moment and my Kindle experiment feeds in to them. The small group reviving the New Sun Rising: stories for Japan project needs to know how to kindle and kindle well, for it's not just a matter of straight text. There's formatting for poetry and pix to do. But you gotta start somewhere.

At this point I have to say that content is the most important thing; it has to be and look right. So editing, no typos, good resolution, and lots of html tips. Here I...

Riches and realisations from Geneva with love

Back from Geneva where it was freezing cold outside, but warm in my heart. I met up with old friends from a workplace that had introduced me to telecoms technology, before such became mainstream, and had ignited certain inclinations in me it was unable to extinguish. And, so to the Geneva Writers' Conference where I caught up with old writing friends and met new ones. At the open mic dinner reading on the Friday night, I was fortunate to be included, and read my tiny Wizard of Oz...

January Roundup

Well, I'm having my ups and downs with acceptances and rejections, with my two micros bombing in Oz, but another being accepted in the UK for Carolin Smailes' charity project. The longer Oz bomb now has been neatly tucked away with artwork by Sharon Ratheiser on my Writings blog.

But I also have some exciting news I can share once the programme of the 12th International Conference on the Short Story in English is up. And I'm really pleased to see Back Burning featured at Australian...

Hippo New Ear!

Christmas came and went with a wonderful time spent with dear FrOz friends from Paris and The Possum, my Swedish brother and Dr Gugu. We had the tree, candles and wonderful food – traditional carp on the 24th when Christkindel comes and duck on Christmas Day all done by hubby. I just had to wash up, which I like. The Possum is still with us and her Soume flew in for some quality time. It's back to work tomorrow, but here's a roundup of what's been happening on the writing front.

On my...

Catching up!

November whizzed by faster than a blogpost, so for a roundup I'll have to consult my page on Facebook where the writing news is almost immediate.

First there's the 12th International Conference on the Short Story in English that will be held in Little Rock, Arkansas next June 27. The website is still a work in progress but the initial list of writers is up. It promises to be a great event and I'm also looking forward to hanging out with some writer friends.

Then there were deadlines...

Publishing news!

Well, the results are in and I'm really pleased to say that my story, "Culinary Foreplay" was highly commended in Australia in the The Stringybark Erotic Fiction Award 2011 and will appear in the e-book and print anthology, The Heat Wave of '76, which is available for purchase here.

AstridL might feel that I'm cramping her style, but she needn't worry too much. Her story, "Matilda's Waltz" is now available as a mobile download from Ether Books where several of my stories now live. So happiness...