Jane Routley's Blog, page 3
May 3, 2016
Interview with Glenda Larke
This fortnight’s interviewee, Aurealis Award winner Glenda Larke brings her lifetime experiences of living in exotic places to the creation of wonderful fantasy worlds.
Congratulations on winning the inaugural Sara Douglass Series Award for the best Australian speculative fiction series completed between 2011 and 2014 with your Stormlord trilogy – The Last Stormlord, Stormlord Rising and The Stormlords Exile. https://aurealisawards.org/2016/03/25...
Could you tell us something about the Stormlord Trilogy?
The first book, The Last Stormlord, introduces a world where it never rains, at least not naturally. Stormlords — men or women with power over water — use their magical control to bring water to the desert land. Unfortunately, the Stormlords have been dying off and water allowances are being reduced, prompting unrest and rebellion. As the land is torn apart by war, the unscrupulous attempt to control the only two young people who might one day just have enough power to provide solutions. The story continues in Stormlord Rising and concludes in The Stormlord’s Exile. Along the way, there’s love, battles, bravery, betrayal, tragedy, compromise, and ingenious use of water magic…
Can you pin-point an initial inspiration for the books? Reviewer Jason Nahrung suggested your experience of living in arid climates like WA and Tunisia may have influenced your use of the theme of water in these books.
As a kid, I remember a West Australian summer on our farm when a rat fell into the rainwater tank. That was our only drinking water. We had to drain the tank and rely on the generosity of neighbours while we waited for rain — so I’ve always known how precious water is.
We lived in Tunis in North Africa for two years. When the wind blew from the south, there would be sand heaped against the outer walls of our house — sand from the Sahara. I visited a town in Algeria where, when it rains, they distribute rainwater from the wadi when it flows according to how many people in each household. We were there on the first wet day they had that year; it was in December. Now we live near Perth W.A., where the waterflow into the dams that serve the city has decreased from an average of about 400 gigalitres a year prior to 1975, to last year’s 12 gigalitres.
We take two minute showers now, and don’t plant a lawn.
All that is what inspired me to write the Watergivers trilogy. It wasn’t difficult to think of a scenario. Control of water has already been a weapon of war; the dictator Sadam Hussein quashed criticism and destroyed the culture and livelihoods of the Marsh Arabs in Iraq by draining their marshes. Control of water is already an economic weapon. Who has the right to water in California: the cities or the farmers? Who can use the water of the Rio Grande: USA or Mexico? Israel controls much of Palestine’s access to the water of the Jordan River basin — imagine how well that works out!
I hope readers immerse themselves in the story and care about the characters. I hope they find the can’t put the books down because of the tale of adventure it tells. But I also hope that some readers think about the issues, issues which are already shaping the world we live in. Unfortunately we don’t have magic to fix things. We only have ourselves.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished another trilogy, The Forsaken Lands, based on the idea that if the Spice Islands of Asia had possessed magic when Europe tried to colonise them to control the spice trade, there may have been a different outcome. The first book is called The Lascar’s Dagger. (“Lascar” is a word given to Asian sailors who worked on European ships…) The trilogy has everything from pirates and sea battles to conniving queens, sorcerers — and a very sneaky dagger.
I’m working on a standalone fantasy now, as yet untitled, which might be the first in a series, if it’s successful. (My only other standalone was my very first published book, Havenstar.)
What’s your writing process for books? Do you throw a lot away? Do you write every day? Are you a planner or do you fly by the seat of the pants?
I am a very messy writer. I did try meticulous planning once, but by the time I arrived at Chapter 3, I was way off the plan. I kept on thinking of better directions for the plot to go in!
Before I begin a book, there are three things I must have: an understanding of what makes the main characters tick; the ending (although it may change); and a vague theme — i.e. something that keeps the plot from running away in too many directions. I usually have a strong visual impression of some of the early scenes. But apart from that, I’m an explorer without a map, and yes, sometimes I get lost, I have to backtrack, or throw away the useless diversions. I rewrite a lot. (I always smile when neophyte writers ask, “How many times do you re-write? Two? Three?” The real answer to that is: “However many it takes.” Some parts will be perfect as soon as I write them; other parts might have 30 rewrites.)
As for how often I write: that too depends. Most of my books were written in between a day job and family commitments. I worked on a project basis, so when my day job was tough, writing was laid aside, sometimes for weeks. When job and publishing commitments clashed, things could get interesting. I remember reading the proofs of a novel at night in a pup tent in the rainforest during a tropical rainstorm — by candlelight. I wrote part of one of the Stormlord books chugging along on the deck of a slow fishing boat on the Kinabatangan River.
How do you go with social media? What do you do to increase interest in your work and how much time do you spend on it? Any tips?
Social media devours much more of my time than it should! I have no idea whether it’s terribly helpful with regards to selling books, although I try to keep people informed of what I’m up to. It’s so hard to assess what generates sales, and anyway, nowadays there is so much noise out there on social media that the occasional peep from an individual author just gets lost in the roar.
For me, I think social media is more important as a means of information and help (e.g. from fellow authors) to me. I value my online friendships because I find people can be so supportive and inspiring, even if we’ve never met. This is especially true of the Australian spec fic scene — readers, writers, industry professionals, convention organisers, etc — fabulous folk. Without them, I might have given up years ago.
You worked as a field ornithologist in Malaysia. Did this career have any influence on your writing?
Absolutely. Birds had a big part to play in The Isles of Glory books, and also in The Dagger’s Path. I think those avifaunal story lines succeeded only because I know my wild birds…
As well as that, when I worked in the field on bird conservation, I saw wonderful places — islands, cliffs, swamps, rainforests, mountains, lakes, rivers — scenes that inspired parts of different books.
What 3 artworks (books, music, visual arts, films) have most inspired you?
It’s always been books, books, books with me (although I love classical music, especially 18th and 19th century symphonies, which I play while writing. I once lived just beside a path called Beethovengang…)
It’s hard to pinpoint special books out of the thousands. Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising was probably one of the first to set on a path to writing fantasy, although I actually decided I was going to be a writer when I was about eight and still into Enid Blyton’s Famous Five! Oh, and Lord Juster’s present to the King in “The Fall of the Dagger” was inspired by the Burghley Nef saltcellar of 1527, which you can see in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
If you want to know more about Glenda try:
http://glendalarke.com
http://glendalarke.blogspot.com
Twitter: @glendalarke
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/105625...
Congratulations on winning the inaugural Sara Douglass Series Award for the best Australian speculative fiction series completed between 2011 and 2014 with your Stormlord trilogy – The Last Stormlord, Stormlord Rising and The Stormlords Exile. https://aurealisawards.org/2016/03/25...
Could you tell us something about the Stormlord Trilogy?
The first book, The Last Stormlord, introduces a world where it never rains, at least not naturally. Stormlords — men or women with power over water — use their magical control to bring water to the desert land. Unfortunately, the Stormlords have been dying off and water allowances are being reduced, prompting unrest and rebellion. As the land is torn apart by war, the unscrupulous attempt to control the only two young people who might one day just have enough power to provide solutions. The story continues in Stormlord Rising and concludes in The Stormlord’s Exile. Along the way, there’s love, battles, bravery, betrayal, tragedy, compromise, and ingenious use of water magic…
Can you pin-point an initial inspiration for the books? Reviewer Jason Nahrung suggested your experience of living in arid climates like WA and Tunisia may have influenced your use of the theme of water in these books.
As a kid, I remember a West Australian summer on our farm when a rat fell into the rainwater tank. That was our only drinking water. We had to drain the tank and rely on the generosity of neighbours while we waited for rain — so I’ve always known how precious water is.
We lived in Tunis in North Africa for two years. When the wind blew from the south, there would be sand heaped against the outer walls of our house — sand from the Sahara. I visited a town in Algeria where, when it rains, they distribute rainwater from the wadi when it flows according to how many people in each household. We were there on the first wet day they had that year; it was in December. Now we live near Perth W.A., where the waterflow into the dams that serve the city has decreased from an average of about 400 gigalitres a year prior to 1975, to last year’s 12 gigalitres.
We take two minute showers now, and don’t plant a lawn.
All that is what inspired me to write the Watergivers trilogy. It wasn’t difficult to think of a scenario. Control of water has already been a weapon of war; the dictator Sadam Hussein quashed criticism and destroyed the culture and livelihoods of the Marsh Arabs in Iraq by draining their marshes. Control of water is already an economic weapon. Who has the right to water in California: the cities or the farmers? Who can use the water of the Rio Grande: USA or Mexico? Israel controls much of Palestine’s access to the water of the Jordan River basin — imagine how well that works out!
I hope readers immerse themselves in the story and care about the characters. I hope they find the can’t put the books down because of the tale of adventure it tells. But I also hope that some readers think about the issues, issues which are already shaping the world we live in. Unfortunately we don’t have magic to fix things. We only have ourselves.
What are you working on now?
I’ve just finished another trilogy, The Forsaken Lands, based on the idea that if the Spice Islands of Asia had possessed magic when Europe tried to colonise them to control the spice trade, there may have been a different outcome. The first book is called The Lascar’s Dagger. (“Lascar” is a word given to Asian sailors who worked on European ships…) The trilogy has everything from pirates and sea battles to conniving queens, sorcerers — and a very sneaky dagger.
I’m working on a standalone fantasy now, as yet untitled, which might be the first in a series, if it’s successful. (My only other standalone was my very first published book, Havenstar.)
What’s your writing process for books? Do you throw a lot away? Do you write every day? Are you a planner or do you fly by the seat of the pants?
I am a very messy writer. I did try meticulous planning once, but by the time I arrived at Chapter 3, I was way off the plan. I kept on thinking of better directions for the plot to go in!
Before I begin a book, there are three things I must have: an understanding of what makes the main characters tick; the ending (although it may change); and a vague theme — i.e. something that keeps the plot from running away in too many directions. I usually have a strong visual impression of some of the early scenes. But apart from that, I’m an explorer without a map, and yes, sometimes I get lost, I have to backtrack, or throw away the useless diversions. I rewrite a lot. (I always smile when neophyte writers ask, “How many times do you re-write? Two? Three?” The real answer to that is: “However many it takes.” Some parts will be perfect as soon as I write them; other parts might have 30 rewrites.)
As for how often I write: that too depends. Most of my books were written in between a day job and family commitments. I worked on a project basis, so when my day job was tough, writing was laid aside, sometimes for weeks. When job and publishing commitments clashed, things could get interesting. I remember reading the proofs of a novel at night in a pup tent in the rainforest during a tropical rainstorm — by candlelight. I wrote part of one of the Stormlord books chugging along on the deck of a slow fishing boat on the Kinabatangan River.
How do you go with social media? What do you do to increase interest in your work and how much time do you spend on it? Any tips?
Social media devours much more of my time than it should! I have no idea whether it’s terribly helpful with regards to selling books, although I try to keep people informed of what I’m up to. It’s so hard to assess what generates sales, and anyway, nowadays there is so much noise out there on social media that the occasional peep from an individual author just gets lost in the roar.
For me, I think social media is more important as a means of information and help (e.g. from fellow authors) to me. I value my online friendships because I find people can be so supportive and inspiring, even if we’ve never met. This is especially true of the Australian spec fic scene — readers, writers, industry professionals, convention organisers, etc — fabulous folk. Without them, I might have given up years ago.
You worked as a field ornithologist in Malaysia. Did this career have any influence on your writing?
Absolutely. Birds had a big part to play in The Isles of Glory books, and also in The Dagger’s Path. I think those avifaunal story lines succeeded only because I know my wild birds…
As well as that, when I worked in the field on bird conservation, I saw wonderful places — islands, cliffs, swamps, rainforests, mountains, lakes, rivers — scenes that inspired parts of different books.
What 3 artworks (books, music, visual arts, films) have most inspired you?
It’s always been books, books, books with me (although I love classical music, especially 18th and 19th century symphonies, which I play while writing. I once lived just beside a path called Beethovengang…)
It’s hard to pinpoint special books out of the thousands. Susan Cooper’s The Dark is Rising was probably one of the first to set on a path to writing fantasy, although I actually decided I was going to be a writer when I was about eight and still into Enid Blyton’s Famous Five! Oh, and Lord Juster’s present to the King in “The Fall of the Dagger” was inspired by the Burghley Nef saltcellar of 1527, which you can see in the Victoria & Albert Museum in London.
If you want to know more about Glenda try:
http://glendalarke.com
http://glendalarke.blogspot.com
Twitter: @glendalarke
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/105625...
Difficult lives
Looking back over my blog posts, I’ve noticed the station stories are much darker these days. In the old days it used to be about getting cakes from men in wheelchairs.
This Thursday when I got to the junction they were running all the trains through Platform 4 until the ambulance came for the man who had passed out right on the edge of Platform 2. The police arrived and recognized him as someone they’d just booked for assault, which made the ambo’s a bit jumpy. But when he woke up he went away quietly enough, though with a police escort in the ambulance. The trains switched back to Platform 2
The saga of M and C continues. C has disappeared again and M has reported her missing to the police. He used my phone to call her father who denied knowledge of her whereabouts but said he’d look. M worries that she has gone back to her violent ex. I worry full stop. Who knows what goes on between a couple?
I like them both especially M who is outgoing and personable in a kind of larrikin way. He seems to have a tremendous urge to take care of people which is sad because I see in him a nurse or elderly care person wasted. I’m not sure how he comes to be living on the street and can’t find out without seeming to pry. Perhaps it’s the lunchtime bourbon and cokes. Certainly from the stories he tells me it seems that when he has had choices to make, he’s always made the wrong one.
Still this is a judgement free zone so I give him change for the phone and store his spare iced coffee in my fridge (the kind of thing lots of station staff do) At the moment I’m asking around to see if I can get him a new backpack because the straps on the old one which holds all his worldlies is broken. I have a strong sense that you should be the change you want to see, as the saying goes, but if I was a truly good person I'd invite him to live in my spare room. I want to be helpful but at the same time I’m worried - about not crossing boundaries and about whether I’m being a fool to trust M as much as I do. My bosses would certainly not be pleased if he set up house in my waiting room.
This Thursday when I got to the junction they were running all the trains through Platform 4 until the ambulance came for the man who had passed out right on the edge of Platform 2. The police arrived and recognized him as someone they’d just booked for assault, which made the ambo’s a bit jumpy. But when he woke up he went away quietly enough, though with a police escort in the ambulance. The trains switched back to Platform 2
The saga of M and C continues. C has disappeared again and M has reported her missing to the police. He used my phone to call her father who denied knowledge of her whereabouts but said he’d look. M worries that she has gone back to her violent ex. I worry full stop. Who knows what goes on between a couple?
I like them both especially M who is outgoing and personable in a kind of larrikin way. He seems to have a tremendous urge to take care of people which is sad because I see in him a nurse or elderly care person wasted. I’m not sure how he comes to be living on the street and can’t find out without seeming to pry. Perhaps it’s the lunchtime bourbon and cokes. Certainly from the stories he tells me it seems that when he has had choices to make, he’s always made the wrong one.
Still this is a judgement free zone so I give him change for the phone and store his spare iced coffee in my fridge (the kind of thing lots of station staff do) At the moment I’m asking around to see if I can get him a new backpack because the straps on the old one which holds all his worldlies is broken. I have a strong sense that you should be the change you want to see, as the saying goes, but if I was a truly good person I'd invite him to live in my spare room. I want to be helpful but at the same time I’m worried - about not crossing boundaries and about whether I’m being a fool to trust M as much as I do. My bosses would certainly not be pleased if he set up house in my waiting room.
April 24, 2016
A moment of stardom
This picture by chopalop comes from the Reddit, Melbourne subreddit
https://i.reddituploads.com/a39cba295...
On Tuesday a huge TV crew were at the junction filming scenes for a new Channel 10 series called The Wrong Girl starring Jessica Marais. They needed someone qualified to wrangle the escalators so I spent an hour and a half pushing the stop button every time the location man tapped me on the shoulder.
The patience of film people! They did the same 20 seconds of scene half a dozen times with the stunt double, a couple of times with the actress, and then they did it all again from a different vantage point. They had to stop, and I had to restart the escalators, every time a train came in. I never realized how many trains come in on Platform 1 before.
The customers were startled to reach the top of the escalators and find a middle-aged Metro employee hiding cross legged behind the railing, but my knees are shot and it was much easier to risk being trampled than get up and down. The film crew were lovely. They kept offering me cushions to sit on and bringing me tea.
Of course I forgot to take a picture but luckily someone going past in a train did and you can see Jessica Marais and her stunt double behind the extra in the purple top.
The location man assured me that my big moment was a pivotal scene and wouldn't wind up on the cutting room floor. When you see the escalator stop, you won't see me, but you'll know I'm there pressing that button! Watch out Jessica Marais! I'm on my way and I've got stars in my eyes.!!! :)
https://i.reddituploads.com/a39cba295...
On Tuesday a huge TV crew were at the junction filming scenes for a new Channel 10 series called The Wrong Girl starring Jessica Marais. They needed someone qualified to wrangle the escalators so I spent an hour and a half pushing the stop button every time the location man tapped me on the shoulder.
The patience of film people! They did the same 20 seconds of scene half a dozen times with the stunt double, a couple of times with the actress, and then they did it all again from a different vantage point. They had to stop, and I had to restart the escalators, every time a train came in. I never realized how many trains come in on Platform 1 before.
The customers were startled to reach the top of the escalators and find a middle-aged Metro employee hiding cross legged behind the railing, but my knees are shot and it was much easier to risk being trampled than get up and down. The film crew were lovely. They kept offering me cushions to sit on and bringing me tea.
Of course I forgot to take a picture but luckily someone going past in a train did and you can see Jessica Marais and her stunt double behind the extra in the purple top.
The location man assured me that my big moment was a pivotal scene and wouldn't wind up on the cutting room floor. When you see the escalator stop, you won't see me, but you'll know I'm there pressing that button! Watch out Jessica Marais! I'm on my way and I've got stars in my eyes.!!! :)
April 16, 2016
50% OFF Book Sale
My Wonderful Publishers - Clan Destine Press are having a Foolish April Book Sale
Escape!
A good book can take you right out of here
into a multitude of worlds, both real and imagined...
Clan Destine Press wants to tempt you into some of those worlds with
a 50% OFF BOOK SALE!
We want to spark your imagination by applying that 50% SALE to ALL OUR BOOKS
CLICK THIS LINK TO EVERYTHING WE PUBLISH
http://www.clandestinepress.com.au/co...
Escape!
A good book can take you right out of here
into a multitude of worlds, both real and imagined...
Clan Destine Press wants to tempt you into some of those worlds with
a 50% OFF BOOK SALE!
We want to spark your imagination by applying that 50% SALE to ALL OUR BOOKS
CLICK THIS LINK TO EVERYTHING WE PUBLISH
http://www.clandestinepress.com.au/co...
April 8, 2016
Station Stories - Wouldn't a nice cup of tea be better?
This week’s star customers were the three teenagers I caught drawing with red pen on the poster cases. I was “somewhat peeved”. Does being nice to people when they first arrive count for nothing?!!
“Hey stop that! Someone’s going to have to clean that up. I yelled.(not to mention that I have to report it… in triplicate.)
“Oh sorry Miss” said the girl with the pen. And then she made it all worse by coming up to me with an incredibly cheeky grin on her face and saying, “I’m very, very sorry. I couldn’t help it. It’s been a stressful day.”
I was confounded by this.
“Um Fair enough!” I muttered. But the grin sent a bright red bullet of fury into my brain.
As she turned to go, I called out “Hey” and as she turned back to face me, I lifted up my mobile and clicked it at her.
By then I realized I’d done something rash. There were three of them and one was a very large lad. So I took myself off and locked myself in the office till the train came and took them away. As I closed the door behind me, I heard her friend say,
“Did she just take your picture?” so they knew what I’d done. Result! (pumps fist in air)
(I didn’t actually manage to take a picture – I’m a complete Klutz in these matters)
They haven’t been back.
But honestly. Since when has graffiting been a cure for stress. What happened to a good book, a nice cup of tea or a lie down?!!!!
Station Stories – where we ask all the hard existential questions.
“Hey stop that! Someone’s going to have to clean that up. I yelled.(not to mention that I have to report it… in triplicate.)
“Oh sorry Miss” said the girl with the pen. And then she made it all worse by coming up to me with an incredibly cheeky grin on her face and saying, “I’m very, very sorry. I couldn’t help it. It’s been a stressful day.”
I was confounded by this.
“Um Fair enough!” I muttered. But the grin sent a bright red bullet of fury into my brain.
As she turned to go, I called out “Hey” and as she turned back to face me, I lifted up my mobile and clicked it at her.
By then I realized I’d done something rash. There were three of them and one was a very large lad. So I took myself off and locked myself in the office till the train came and took them away. As I closed the door behind me, I heard her friend say,
“Did she just take your picture?” so they knew what I’d done. Result! (pumps fist in air)
(I didn’t actually manage to take a picture – I’m a complete Klutz in these matters)
They haven’t been back.
But honestly. Since when has graffiting been a cure for stress. What happened to a good book, a nice cup of tea or a lie down?!!!!
Station Stories – where we ask all the hard existential questions.
April 2, 2016
Sophie Masson - Interview
Prolific French-Australian author Sophie Masson has charmed both children and adults with her richly beautiful fantasy stories.
Check out my interview with her on my website at :
http://janeroutley.com/wp-admin/post....
Check out my interview with her on my website at :
http://janeroutley.com/wp-admin/post....
March 28, 2016
Narelle Harris - Interview
This week I'm interviewing Narrelle M.Harris over on my Blog. She will be launching her erotic Sherlock and Watson novel The Adventure of a Colonial Boy on March 30th
http://janeroutley.com/?page_id=6
http://janeroutley.com/?page_id=6
March 21, 2016
Touched by celebrity
Station Story
I always chat with any Scandinavians who come through the station after visiting the zoo. I have such happy memories of my 7 years living in Copenhagen. They are lovely countries and Social Democracies are my government of choice. Got talking to a couple of young Swedes the other day and they told me they were from Malmo - Home of Scandie Noir.
“Does it annoy you to have all those crime thrillers set in your city?” I asked.
“No in fact, my father’s apartment was used for a setting in The Bridge!” said one.
Turns out it was the home of the first victim in the latest (3rd) series.
OMG! I have been touched by celebrity! :)
I always chat with any Scandinavians who come through the station after visiting the zoo. I have such happy memories of my 7 years living in Copenhagen. They are lovely countries and Social Democracies are my government of choice. Got talking to a couple of young Swedes the other day and they told me they were from Malmo - Home of Scandie Noir.
“Does it annoy you to have all those crime thrillers set in your city?” I asked.
“No in fact, my father’s apartment was used for a setting in The Bridge!” said one.
Turns out it was the home of the first victim in the latest (3rd) series.
OMG! I have been touched by celebrity! :)
March 13, 2016
M and C- the story continues
I’ve written before about my homeless friends M and C, How they got themselves into a house and how then they broke up and C went off somewhere. I saw M a lot going past in the train after that and then for a while I didn’t.
Suddenly he started getting on at my station. He told me he’d found C - she was at her mother's in the country - but that he’d lost the house. He told me he’d been in jail for a few months. “I punched a guy who was fiddling with little kids,” he told me. "But I was good in jail and worked on a trade certificate. I’m a qualified plasterer.”
He’s quite a nice person -he always helps tourists with the ticket machines and timetables very kindly – but it’s also clear he’s got a short fuse and he does love his Wild Turkey and coke. He has a big scar across his head which implies maybe Acquired Brain Injury or is simply due to his epilepsy. For a couple of days he had work on a building site. Then he was back to begging. So one step forward two back.
Then a few days later I saw a familiar figure on the opposite platform. It was C. She waved at me. She looked good.
The next day M waved at me out of the train. "Great news. She’s back," he shouted.
They stopped by the station a couple of days later. They seemed pretty happy. Though C seems a bit reserved. They had a wizened little old man in tow. C introduced him as her father. "He’s staying with us for a bit," she said. Staying was a strange word to use. They were all off into the city to do some begging. If they didn’t make enough money for a room, well they had sleeping bags.
M and C make me aware of my own middle-classness – my assumptions about work, houses and stability. You can’t have a relative to stay with you unless you at least have a floor for them to sleep on, can you? They also make me realize you don’t have to travel to experience other ways of life. They are here in Melbourne, right under your nose.
Suddenly he started getting on at my station. He told me he’d found C - she was at her mother's in the country - but that he’d lost the house. He told me he’d been in jail for a few months. “I punched a guy who was fiddling with little kids,” he told me. "But I was good in jail and worked on a trade certificate. I’m a qualified plasterer.”
He’s quite a nice person -he always helps tourists with the ticket machines and timetables very kindly – but it’s also clear he’s got a short fuse and he does love his Wild Turkey and coke. He has a big scar across his head which implies maybe Acquired Brain Injury or is simply due to his epilepsy. For a couple of days he had work on a building site. Then he was back to begging. So one step forward two back.
Then a few days later I saw a familiar figure on the opposite platform. It was C. She waved at me. She looked good.
The next day M waved at me out of the train. "Great news. She’s back," he shouted.
They stopped by the station a couple of days later. They seemed pretty happy. Though C seems a bit reserved. They had a wizened little old man in tow. C introduced him as her father. "He’s staying with us for a bit," she said. Staying was a strange word to use. They were all off into the city to do some begging. If they didn’t make enough money for a room, well they had sleeping bags.
M and C make me aware of my own middle-classness – my assumptions about work, houses and stability. You can’t have a relative to stay with you unless you at least have a floor for them to sleep on, can you? They also make me realize you don’t have to travel to experience other ways of life. They are here in Melbourne, right under your nose.
