K.S. Nikakis's Blog, page 10
October 13, 2013
GenreCon has landed
Well, I went off to sunny Brisbane to GenreCon and had a great weekend. Where to start?
Firstly, as I've blogged before, I nearly didn't register as I recall the inaugural GenreCon as being more Romance, Crime, Horror and Sci Fi than fantasy. I'm not sure there was more fantasy this time around but the panels were excellent and relevant to all the genres. The formal program started on Saturday at 9 with presentations from Anne Gracie, Kathryn Fox and John Birmingham. As an educator, I know when people haven't prepared and are trying to wing it, and these presenters were superbly prepared.
Entertaining, informed and informing, and full of passion and humour. It was a great start and an indication of the terrific things that followed.
Firstly, as I've blogged before, I nearly didn't register as I recall the inaugural GenreCon as being more Romance, Crime, Horror and Sci Fi than fantasy. I'm not sure there was more fantasy this time around but the panels were excellent and relevant to all the genres. The formal program started on Saturday at 9 with presentations from Anne Gracie, Kathryn Fox and John Birmingham. As an educator, I know when people haven't prepared and are trying to wing it, and these presenters were superbly prepared.
Entertaining, informed and informing, and full of passion and humour. It was a great start and an indication of the terrific things that followed.
October 7, 2013
GenreCon coming up
Off to GenreCon in Brisbane this weekend. Looking forward to mixing with people who see nothing odd about inhabiting other worlds--at least some of the time. I always bring something useful away from conferences so am intending to be a real sponge and enjoy myself.
I'm also in the early stages of writing an academic paper on text as aesthetic artefact. The research is doing me good too. Lots of questions about how language and narrative work; what constitutes beauty, author intent and so. Interspersed with this research, I'm mowing grass for hours and shifting mulch. The garden as a motif is starting to occupy my thoughts, but it doesn't fit with what I'm currently writing.
I'm also in the early stages of writing an academic paper on text as aesthetic artefact. The research is doing me good too. Lots of questions about how language and narrative work; what constitutes beauty, author intent and so. Interspersed with this research, I'm mowing grass for hours and shifting mulch. The garden as a motif is starting to occupy my thoughts, but it doesn't fit with what I'm currently writing.
September 29, 2013
52 galleries in Broken Hill
I've just spent time in Bathurst because my other half is doing his Ph.D with Charles Sturt University. As I did my Grad Dip in Literacy and my M.Ed with them, I guess I count as an alumni.
After his three day seminar, we decided to 'nick across' to Broken Hill (900 kms +) one of our favorite haunts, though I admit to not having been there in summer. As we drove out of Bathurst (a pretty regional town)my spirits rose. The openness of the country is like soul food, and I'm not quite sure why. The light is certainly different, but the earth is not the rust/blood red of the centre that I also love.
Yet it does feed your spirit, so important. As a writer, you need to take in sustenance and sometimes that means just sitting in a car, being still, and looking. I'm not sure how many writers Broken Hill has but they have 52 galleries so the place certainly does inspire creatives. As usual we carried back to Melbourne a painting and other art works.
The painting is going in my office and I know will continue to 'feed me' even while I deal with the less creative parts of my job.
After his three day seminar, we decided to 'nick across' to Broken Hill (900 kms +) one of our favorite haunts, though I admit to not having been there in summer. As we drove out of Bathurst (a pretty regional town)my spirits rose. The openness of the country is like soul food, and I'm not quite sure why. The light is certainly different, but the earth is not the rust/blood red of the centre that I also love.
Yet it does feed your spirit, so important. As a writer, you need to take in sustenance and sometimes that means just sitting in a car, being still, and looking. I'm not sure how many writers Broken Hill has but they have 52 galleries so the place certainly does inspire creatives. As usual we carried back to Melbourne a painting and other art works.
The painting is going in my office and I know will continue to 'feed me' even while I deal with the less creative parts of my job.
August 29, 2013
Welcome back the world
Hadn't realised how reliant I had got on the internet until it went AWOL for months. A new modem and I can actually get on. So I have been editing, editing editing which means my Hunter Duology is getting closer to being launched. Heart Hunter and Rain Hunter are about a young hunter is given an impossible task by her people's shamanic leader. The trouble is, the leader is her ex best friend and has just married the man the hunter desires. Set in the pristine mountain world of Berian-tur, it explores shamanic and rational knowing, and different ways of living. And of course, like all my books, there is romance.
Covers are in process so I'm hoping to have launch news soon.
Covers are in process so I'm hoping to have launch news soon.
August 7, 2013
concurrent writing
I have always had bits of new books appearing in my head when I am a long way short of finishing a current work. In the past I've either done nothing about them or started up notes in little exercise books that now litter my desk. Lately I'm starting to create files with rough chapters in them coinciding with what's coming to me. It would be great to write 2 or 3 books simultaneously but I'm not sure I'm capable of doing so. I think I would end up with the same voice in all three works and would probably mix up the names. At the moment I have a stand alone hammering at me; bits of a new series; I am working on my first ebook duology and my angel series is languishing at 1 and 3/4 books or 3 and 3/4 books if I split them for epublications. Of course, getting bits of a story is by no means the whole lot - so heaps of work to do.
August 4, 2013
Writing for online
I am nearing the 6th or is it 7th edit of my duology which will be my first foray into online publishing. One of the things which makes me nervous is letting editing mistakes end up online, hence all the editing I am doing. With every run through I change things and if I go on long enough, I fear I might end up with version 1 - just joking.
The editing has improved the works immensely and like most editing, it is about cutting. Then again, I was once at a conference where an editor pleaded for writers to make their meaning clear and that advice really struck a chord.
I think I get hung up on concise sentences and forget the reader might do better with more explanation; after all, it is all about the reader understanding and enjoying the story.
The editing has improved the works immensely and like most editing, it is about cutting. Then again, I was once at a conference where an editor pleaded for writers to make their meaning clear and that advice really struck a chord.
I think I get hung up on concise sentences and forget the reader might do better with more explanation; after all, it is all about the reader understanding and enjoying the story.
June 30, 2013
good writing
I've just reviewed Alexia Casale's book The Bone Dragon for Aurealis online. Having the word dragon in a book title is a proven winner, and also popular in film according to my film buff daughter, but it does conjure up very specific pictures. I started reading with the expectation of a Medieval setting but the novel turned out to be magic realism--the dragon being the only fantastic element.
I like magic realism but I think the fantastic element has to be introduced fairly early or else it is a shock. It was a little bit late for me in this book, but the read is so powerful it didn't really matter.
Reading other people's work is important as a writer, but something I struggle to do. I review for Aurealis because it forces me to read, and having to review means I have to think about other works critically. This is very useful in editing your own work.
I like magic realism but I think the fantastic element has to be introduced fairly early or else it is a shock. It was a little bit late for me in this book, but the read is so powerful it didn't really matter.
Reading other people's work is important as a writer, but something I struggle to do. I review for Aurealis because it forces me to read, and having to review means I have to think about other works critically. This is very useful in editing your own work.
May 5, 2013
NatCon Canberra April
It is always great to attend science fiction and fantasy conventions, especially one such as Conflux that this year was also home to NatCon. The usual great writers were there but also folk able to discuss the state of international publishing. I also got the opportunity to pitch my books to 4 publishers.
Pitching is both necessary and scary but my strong advice is to take every opportunity to pitch your work as you can. John Marsden once commented that he was once asked what one of his books was about and had trouble describing it succinctly or interestingly.
Given the nature of self-publishing, promotion and marketing, pitching - which includes dazzling summaries, is a skill worth practising.
Pitching is both necessary and scary but my strong advice is to take every opportunity to pitch your work as you can. John Marsden once commented that he was once asked what one of his books was about and had trouble describing it succinctly or interestingly.
Given the nature of self-publishing, promotion and marketing, pitching - which includes dazzling summaries, is a skill worth practising.
March 27, 2013
the story of autumn
I have this wonderful beech tree outside my office window which is a luscious lime green but has just a few yellow leaves on it. It's a gusty day and every now and then a shower of butter-coloured leaves come down. It got me thinking about why I've never shifted north, despite Melbourne's miserable winters. I would miss autumn too much. I was also contemplating the right amount of 'scene setting' in a fantasy. At the moment in Angel Blood (book 2 of the angel trilogy I'm writing) I have virtually no description of place or weather. This is only first draft and I am still discovering the story but its always a vexed question about how much description to insert. Some editors and readers want lots; others are driven mad (and bored) by it. I'm inclined to agree with Garth Nix who says a created world should be discovered through the characters eyes, so I guess the right amount is what is relevant to the characters at them time.
