Celine Kiernan's Blog, page 28
March 30, 2011
Thank you
Donate to the Irish Cancer Society
I have not enough words to express my gratitude for Dad's palliative care team. That they can hold his hand, and express such genuine love and tenderness to him, now that the medical end of things are exhausted, and speak to him with such honesty and thoughtfulness has been a gift. We are blessed to have had them at our side throughout this.
Thank you Stephen, Dr Paulo, Aoibheann, Caroline, Dr Wilheim, Dr Begley and all the very many more professionals who have dedicated their lives to alleviating the pain of others. You been so attentive and loving during these last few years and most especially these last few days and months. It has been a long, hard road, but every step of it, you have made us feel loved and unique, despite the heavy burden you must carry.
Thank you again. For ever, thank you.
March 23, 2011
Some Advice Please…
I got this e-mail on Sunday (scroll down to read) and while I do intend answering it to the best of my abilities, and while I'm very happy to detail my experience and explain how I managed to become a professional writer as well as a professional animator/artist, I'm horribly aware of the fact that I never finished college. (I had to leave through lack of funds) As a consequence I have no real understanding of the benefits ( or pitfalls) of attending a graduate course. I'm quite worried I might inadvertently suggest that attending college is not necessary when, in fact, it may be of huge benefit to this person's future.
Explaining this, I arranged with her to make her question public, hoping to get a good, well balanced reply to her concerns. I'd particularly like to hear from those of you who have been through college, or are currently studying in college, and also those of you who are industry professionals ( you writers, editors, publishers and journalists out there) but perhaps any of you who have a similar experience to mine (who have made it as professionals without the benefits of third level education) could also chime in?
see below for e-mail
From: Sent: Sunday, March 20, 2011 3:52 AM
To:
Subject: celine
Saw on your website that people could email you. I hope this is an honest email that does go to you, and not through the publisher or something. I have an honest question that I really want someones advice on, and in a way I feel like I see your situation similar to something that could be mine.
I am in undergraduate at an art institute currently. I have two passions, neither of which I am willing to give up. Ceramics and Writing. Here is my question. I will graduate soon, and am looking into what I can do outside of undergrad. I am thinking about going to graduate school for Creative writing, or merely taking some time off to develop my ceramic work and writing on my own. I intend to eventually go to graduate school for Ceramics, but want to wait to develop my work before doing so.
As someone who shares two passions, such as drawing and writing, I was curious, what did you go to school for? Do you think that in today's society, I would need a graduate degree in writing to get work published? Do you have any advice for me in pursuing the writing side of my passions?
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End of e-mail.
So, that's it. Have you any advice that you can give?
March 13, 2011
Inky Doodlings
As ever I'm messing about drawing bits and pieces from the WiP. Here's the latest. This is just a portion of a larger drawing, to see the full thing click the pic.
And here is the piece of text this illustrates:
Joseph had just set foot on the steps, his brow still furrowed in anger, when a fortuitous coincidence of time and weather stopped him in his tracks. First, the sun came out, flooding the stage in all its wintry brilliance; then Tina stepped from the wings. Her arms were filled with the skirts and bodice of some elaborate costume, the heavy satin-brocade sprinkled all over with gold and silver sequins. As soon as she walked from the shadows the sun reflected off her like a kaleidoscope, and the gloomy interior came alive with a million, dancing spangles of shivering light.
The effect seemed to arrest Tina as much as it did Joseph, and she came to a halt, gazing upwards, watching the light ripple across the dark backdrop and wings. Her face was all aglitter – her dark eyebrows, her strong jaw and nose, her loosely gathered mass of dark brown hair, all dazzling and bottom-lit with radiance from the dress.
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March 10, 2011
This is what I'm at right now.
Sorry for the thick silence folks, after spending the month of February on the final edits for Into The Grey/Take Me Away, I've finally returned to my present work in progress, and I am merrily blissfully hopelessly back down the rabbit hole.
To apologise (and celebrate) I thought I'd post up a small extract from my first day back to work ((March 3rd 2011) Its very short, barely a thousand words, but I hope you enjoy it ( do bear in mind this is a very early extract, practically first draft. Things may have changed substantially by the time the full thing sees the light of day.) Here you are, an extract from the chapter Dead Water
I'm feeling itchy to do some artwork. There may be inky scribblings on the way.
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On an unrelated note. Thank you to the many subscribers who responded to my query re the Moorehawke newsletter! Just to let you know, the overwhelming majority of subscribers want the newsletters expanded to give more than just Moorehawke news (99% of those who replied, in fact!) I have to say I'm thrilled and very touched that so many of you took the time to let me know! From now on the newsletters will not only contain Moorehawke updates but also small bits and pieces about my other, non-Moorehawke, publications.
February 28, 2011
Yet More Congratulations for Elise Hurst and Allen and Unwin!
You all know my love for the marvellous, wonderful, mindblowingly awesome Miss Elise Hurst . So you can just imagine my smiley face when I found out that she and the glorious Allen and Unwin designer Mr Bruno Herfst have been nominated in not one but two categories of the Australia Publishing Association Book Design Awards. (Best Designed Children's Cover, and Best Designed Children's Series)
Both nominations are for thier stellar work on the Moorehawke Triptych, in particular the middle cover (panel) The Crowded Shadows which is not only designed to fit into the trptych thusly,
Elise's amazing artwork and my three fav covers.
But also repeats with itself to make this amazing pattern,
The wondrous repeating shadows!
Best of luck to you Elise and Bruno, but you're already winners in my eyes. Also many congrats to the design team at Allen and Unwin who have been nominated SO MANY TIMES THIS YEAR. As well as producing terrific, cutting edge YA, Allen and Unwin consistently produce the most interesting and evocative covers, it's terrific to see them get the recognition they so fully deserve!
February 13, 2011
Merron Audio Files
The Crowded Shadows
Because I frequently get e-mails asking how to pronounce various Merron words, I thought it might be fun to make an audio version of the glossary from The Crowded Shadows. (A little tip for when you are using the glossary – if you rightclick the link and chose 'open in new tab' it will play the audiofile in a seperate window so you can read the words while listening to the audio.)
Many thanks to Allen and Unwin for the use of their terrific layout, and many apologies to any gaelgoirí who I may offend with my brutal mangling of our lovely language.
I'm woegeously short on time these days, but I hope to have The Rebel Prince sections online next weekend.
And here's the link again, enjoy!
February 7, 2011
Speaking of covers…
Look what the O'Brien Press sent me last week! The cover for the Irish edition* of Into The Grey. Squeeee. Isn't it the business? It's going to be all shimmery and fog wreathed and special effects-ish apparently. Cannot wait to hold it in my jammy paws.
I'm still fiddling about with edits on this wee baby, but to celebrate this lovely morsel of cover-nom-noms I thought I'd put up a wee extract. The book has moments from WW1 France (see teeny extract on Goodreads) and also from 1974 Skerries (Ireland). This extract finds us with the 1974 protagonist, Patrick, as he wakes in the middle of the night to find his twin brother Dom missing from their room*. Hope you like it.
BTW, in a twist of international quirkiness, this book will be called 'Only Living Souls' in AUS/NZ! Cant wait to see that cover!
Irish cover and title for September's YA ghost novel.
(*an early edition of this was posted on insideadog in 2009.)
January 31, 2011
Tell Elise Hurst How Amazing she is
The incredible Elise Hurst hasn't been able to draw for a while, I would like everyone to let her know JUST HOW AWESOME SHE IS!!!!!! SF Signal want folks to give thier opinions on the AUS Moorehawke covers. As you all know Elise drew these covers so please go give an opinion and let her know how amazing she is!
Elise's amazing artwork and my three fav covers.
January 24, 2011
OMG OMG OMG
Look what the beautiful and hyper-talented Elise Hurst just drew my attention to! The Russian version of The Poison Throne. How amazing do Elise's covers look here.? SO exotic and different and just wooooooooow. That was so worth waking out of my book coma for!
Russian The Poison Throne.
January 3, 2011
Sorry For The Silence
Apologies for the silence, friends. I am currently down the rabbit hole. Have no idea when I'll be back.
Down The Rabbit Hole
