Gillian Polack's Blog, page 19
September 26, 2015
gillpolack @ 2015-09-26T18:44:00
I'm still slowly catching up with things. Refrain of 2015. I'm still slowly catching up with things. I never quite catch up before they move away.
Things slowly catch up with me. Amazon is now allowing pre-orders of The Time of the Ghosts. My third book for this year is nearing its release date. Inch by inch. And I'm getting closer to finishing the third book for next year, inch by inch.
If I can meet my deadlines, next year will be less fraught than this. If I don't, it will be more fraught. A simple enough equation.
If I keep on catching up, I can go to a meeting on Wednesday. If I don't, I can't.
This coming week is all about arithmetic.
Things slowly catch up with me. Amazon is now allowing pre-orders of The Time of the Ghosts. My third book for this year is nearing its release date. Inch by inch. And I'm getting closer to finishing the third book for next year, inch by inch.
If I can meet my deadlines, next year will be less fraught than this. If I don't, it will be more fraught. A simple enough equation.
If I keep on catching up, I can go to a meeting on Wednesday. If I don't, I can't.
This coming week is all about arithmetic.
September 24, 2015
How to avoid Gillian at Conflux
This is not a complete guide, for I don't know who is on panels with me. And I have illustrative food for my magic workshop, so some people might want to come just to see what I think of as 'illustrative food.' Here, then, is the basic guide to avoiding me the weekend after next. These are from the draft program. To avoid me completely, you might want to check this online version of the program closer to the event: http://conflux.org.au/program/
Friday 10.00 am
Workshop: Putting magic in your fiction
4 OCTOBER
Sunday 12 pm
Book Launch “The Time of the Ghosts” by Gillian Polack, published by Satalyte
Sunday 12.30 pm
Fan Auction
Sunday 1.30 pm
Panel: Using Grammar wot’s bad konstruktivlee
A discussion about when breaking the golden rules of grammar works and why.
Sunday 2.30 pm
Panel: What were we watching then?
Reminiscing about Classic TV shows of the 60’s
Sunday 4.30 pm
Guest Talk Gillian Polack “Building the world of your novel: how narratives help writers”
How writers shape the worlds they write in.
5 OCTOBER
Monday 10 am
Panel: Food in fiction
Food can be an important world building tool in fiction. Writers share their thoughts on writing about food in fiction, their favourite fictional food appearances and maybe a recipe or two.
Monday 2.30 pm
Panel: Finding Authenticity
Finding the authenticity sweet spot between not enough research and far too much. Panellists discuss how they go about researching a story. Where do they start? How do they know which information makes it onto the top 10% of the iceberg above the water? When do they sacrifice accuracy for the sake of the story? How do they find those populist touchstones that create a convincing world in their readers’ minds? And how do they use them without their work descending into stereotype?
Monday 3.30 pm
Panel: Real Vampires
Are real vampires horrifying? Do real vampires sparkle? Are real vampires sexy? Or are they merely blood sucking fiends best decorated with a stake in their chests? Drawing on the rich and varied literature, films and other media our panellists discuss what makes a ‘great’ vampire!
Friday 10.00 am
Workshop: Putting magic in your fiction
4 OCTOBER
Sunday 12 pm
Book Launch “The Time of the Ghosts” by Gillian Polack, published by Satalyte
Sunday 12.30 pm
Fan Auction
Sunday 1.30 pm
Panel: Using Grammar wot’s bad konstruktivlee
A discussion about when breaking the golden rules of grammar works and why.
Sunday 2.30 pm
Panel: What were we watching then?
Reminiscing about Classic TV shows of the 60’s
Sunday 4.30 pm
Guest Talk Gillian Polack “Building the world of your novel: how narratives help writers”
How writers shape the worlds they write in.
5 OCTOBER
Monday 10 am
Panel: Food in fiction
Food can be an important world building tool in fiction. Writers share their thoughts on writing about food in fiction, their favourite fictional food appearances and maybe a recipe or two.
Monday 2.30 pm
Panel: Finding Authenticity
Finding the authenticity sweet spot between not enough research and far too much. Panellists discuss how they go about researching a story. Where do they start? How do they know which information makes it onto the top 10% of the iceberg above the water? When do they sacrifice accuracy for the sake of the story? How do they find those populist touchstones that create a convincing world in their readers’ minds? And how do they use them without their work descending into stereotype?
Monday 3.30 pm
Panel: Real Vampires
Are real vampires horrifying? Do real vampires sparkle? Are real vampires sexy? Or are they merely blood sucking fiends best decorated with a stake in their chests? Drawing on the rich and varied literature, films and other media our panellists discuss what makes a ‘great’ vampire!
September 23, 2015
gillpolack @ 2015-09-24T15:40:00
So... Maybe I should stop wishing that Australia and fellow-Australians would be more supportive of my holy days. It's better that there is nothing on national news than that this happens, after all.
In other news, my article for Aurealis has past the edit stage, so its happening. Gradually, I cross things off my back list. Not faster than new things happen, but finishing and getting past edits is a nice feeling. Speaking of nice feelings, my book is at the printer. I've probably said this a hundred times since yesterday, but it never gets old.
Also (If I can find them - I put them somewhere safe) I have some photographs of places that I have used in my fiction. All signed. They are for people who buy books of mine at Conflux. There's a choice of pictures, so it might be a matter of people coming up to me and saying "I just bought this book of yours, what photos are you offering?" I have haunted morris dancers in a couple or a Japanese wayside shrine for The Art of Effective Dreaming and a medieval mikvah and Canberra pictures for The Time of the Ghosts. For Langue[dot]doc 1305 there's a pond on a pilgrim's route, there's the castle and the abbey from the novel, and, because it's my time travel novel, there's a picture of me with one of the Doctors Who. For Illuminations there's the Chantilly library. So that those who buy paper versions but who can't get to Conflux don't miss out, some readers will get photos-by-email. This isn't open til after Conflux, but I'm giving friends who read my blog an early heads-up. And talking about it did the trick: I have those missing pictures.
In other news, my article for Aurealis has past the edit stage, so its happening. Gradually, I cross things off my back list. Not faster than new things happen, but finishing and getting past edits is a nice feeling. Speaking of nice feelings, my book is at the printer. I've probably said this a hundred times since yesterday, but it never gets old.
Also (If I can find them - I put them somewhere safe) I have some photographs of places that I have used in my fiction. All signed. They are for people who buy books of mine at Conflux. There's a choice of pictures, so it might be a matter of people coming up to me and saying "I just bought this book of yours, what photos are you offering?" I have haunted morris dancers in a couple or a Japanese wayside shrine for The Art of Effective Dreaming and a medieval mikvah and Canberra pictures for The Time of the Ghosts. For Langue[dot]doc 1305 there's a pond on a pilgrim's route, there's the castle and the abbey from the novel, and, because it's my time travel novel, there's a picture of me with one of the Doctors Who. For Illuminations there's the Chantilly library. So that those who buy paper versions but who can't get to Conflux don't miss out, some readers will get photos-by-email. This isn't open til after Conflux, but I'm giving friends who read my blog an early heads-up. And talking about it did the trick: I have those missing pictures.
gillpolack @ 2015-09-24T11:42:00
Some very cool things are happening in the next month or so. A new book. Teaching writers in Eurobodalla (a particularly nice part of Australia, with an exciting mountain-crossing ride to get there).
Today I have 2 pieces of editing to finish by dinnertime. I'm glad it's editing and not writing today, for I am inarticulate. Some nights words escape through dreams and the next day lacks loquence.
Today I have 2 pieces of editing to finish by dinnertime. I'm glad it's editing and not writing today, for I am inarticulate. Some nights words escape through dreams and the next day lacks loquence.
gillpolack @ 2015-09-23T19:17:00
I'm safely over my day. I faced a vast number of emails and have already dealt with a dozen of them. I have another dozen to handle before tomorrow, and tow hours of other work. This is the life of a Gillian.
In better news, I've discovered that roast duck and cherry sauce (the latter form the local cherry farmer) match delightfully, especially then the duck is quickly heated up in a fry pan and was originally roasted with thyme and garlic shoots and finger lime and shallots. It was an excellent thing to break a fast with, for it was very filling and the sugar in the sauce gave me some instant energy. The frying deprived eh duck of its excess fat and made it crisp, so it was perfect.
There's heaps of small news in my life, but no big stuff. My aim for tonight is to get through all the amassed work of the last 24 hours so that I can return to my book and finish it and so that I can start writing posts for the various blogs. I have just a ton of work in my new year.
In better news, I have a special blog guest for you. Either later tonight or sometime tomorrow, Sean McMullen will be my guest on this blog. I'm not the only one with new books...
In better news, I've discovered that roast duck and cherry sauce (the latter form the local cherry farmer) match delightfully, especially then the duck is quickly heated up in a fry pan and was originally roasted with thyme and garlic shoots and finger lime and shallots. It was an excellent thing to break a fast with, for it was very filling and the sugar in the sauce gave me some instant energy. The frying deprived eh duck of its excess fat and made it crisp, so it was perfect.
There's heaps of small news in my life, but no big stuff. My aim for tonight is to get through all the amassed work of the last 24 hours so that I can return to my book and finish it and so that I can start writing posts for the various blogs. I have just a ton of work in my new year.
In better news, I have a special blog guest for you. Either later tonight or sometime tomorrow, Sean McMullen will be my guest on this blog. I'm not the only one with new books...
September 21, 2015
gillpolack @ 2015-09-22T11:29:00
More music to get me in the mood. See you on the other side!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFxv_gI70ZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nsta-pykaE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQ0OkcLKuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SjVRAIDbz4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFxv_gI70ZU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Nsta-pykaE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hQ0OkcLKuE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SjVRAIDbz4
gillpolack @ 2015-09-22T10:36:00
I'm gearing up for tomorrow. If anyone rings me during the holy day, I intend t ask "Is this an emergency?" If they say that yes, it is, I will ask if it's life or death, or if it can wait a day. If it isn't life or death and if it can wait a day, I will say "Can you please ring back on Thursday." If anyone wants to deal with phone stuff then, I want to say "Give me your number, so that I can ring you during your Christmas dinner." Except I shan't. I will simply be broken record and say "Ring me back on Thursday." By this you know that people ring for non-essential items because they forget I've said that the phone is only for emergencies from 4 pm of the festival until 2 hours after the festival ends, and that unplugging the phone at the wall is not wise because the tie I did that there was a genuine emergency.
I have just six hours of work to finish before I go offline for the duration. No coffee with friends for me today after all. This is because someone took up that spare time with a flurry of panicked emails yesterday. They weren't urgent, but she thought they were and so my recreation time is gone. I've moved my messages to Friday (which has nothing to do with flurries of panicked emails) to make sure I get everything done today. (And for anyone who wanted coffee with me today, I'm sorry - I did tell her I was busy and etc, but she didn't want to wait until I came out the far side of Yom Kippur.)
One thing I'm looking forward to this Yom Kippur is having an actual day of rest. Proper time out is at a premium right now.
To everyone who observes, Well over the Fast. Australians who fast, please note that my weather sense says that this could be quite a difficult fast for the whole SE ie we're likely to have a dehydrating day. The Bureau of Meteorology says that it will be cool, which is a good thing. Either way, take care, please.
I think I've fitted in 3 years since last Yom Kippur. I shall go finish my work so that I have that sense of completion that one gets when the end of the new year period is complete. That way I get a brand new three year period starting tomorrow night, to be squeezed into a mere twelve months.
What I will be singing tonight (without orchestra etc): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSMVPJg35A
I have just six hours of work to finish before I go offline for the duration. No coffee with friends for me today after all. This is because someone took up that spare time with a flurry of panicked emails yesterday. They weren't urgent, but she thought they were and so my recreation time is gone. I've moved my messages to Friday (which has nothing to do with flurries of panicked emails) to make sure I get everything done today. (And for anyone who wanted coffee with me today, I'm sorry - I did tell her I was busy and etc, but she didn't want to wait until I came out the far side of Yom Kippur.)
One thing I'm looking forward to this Yom Kippur is having an actual day of rest. Proper time out is at a premium right now.
To everyone who observes, Well over the Fast. Australians who fast, please note that my weather sense says that this could be quite a difficult fast for the whole SE ie we're likely to have a dehydrating day. The Bureau of Meteorology says that it will be cool, which is a good thing. Either way, take care, please.
I think I've fitted in 3 years since last Yom Kippur. I shall go finish my work so that I have that sense of completion that one gets when the end of the new year period is complete. That way I get a brand new three year period starting tomorrow night, to be squeezed into a mere twelve months.
What I will be singing tonight (without orchestra etc): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfSMVPJg35A
September 20, 2015
gillpolack @ 2015-09-21T16:52:00
Today is improving. I am eating liqueur cherries and looking at the e-versions of The Time of the Ghosts. I am allowed to send out a certain number as review copies, so if you or someone you know was thinking of contacting Satalyte and asking for a review copy, you can get it straight from me, if you prefer.
I'm interested to see how people review this one, given the primary roles that women over 60 play throughout. I haven't made them young men in disguise: I spent a long time consulting with women from the two main age groups represented and the whole novel is shaped the way their lives would interface with a reality such as this.
That reminds me, I'm giving a workshop on magic systems (use of historical ones in spec fic) and need to copy my Ptolemaic overlay of Canberra to show one way it can be done. I wrote this whole novel using that map.
One reason I'm feeling less stressed is that I've moved all my messages to Friday, when I'm seeing the chiropractor. This gives me 2-3 more hours in my Monday and Tuesday. Also, I've finished all but two tasks. I just need the afternoon weather shift to calm down and then I can sort the next one. Another reason is that I'm only 20 emails behind. I've sorted over a hundred of the things this afternoon. By tomorrow I won't lose critical ones and, in fact, will be all caught up with everything that jumped up and said "Do me!" last week. This and liqueur cherries are a potent combination.
I'm interested to see how people review this one, given the primary roles that women over 60 play throughout. I haven't made them young men in disguise: I spent a long time consulting with women from the two main age groups represented and the whole novel is shaped the way their lives would interface with a reality such as this.
That reminds me, I'm giving a workshop on magic systems (use of historical ones in spec fic) and need to copy my Ptolemaic overlay of Canberra to show one way it can be done. I wrote this whole novel using that map.
One reason I'm feeling less stressed is that I've moved all my messages to Friday, when I'm seeing the chiropractor. This gives me 2-3 more hours in my Monday and Tuesday. Also, I've finished all but two tasks. I just need the afternoon weather shift to calm down and then I can sort the next one. Another reason is that I'm only 20 emails behind. I've sorted over a hundred of the things this afternoon. By tomorrow I won't lose critical ones and, in fact, will be all caught up with everything that jumped up and said "Do me!" last week. This and liqueur cherries are a potent combination.
gillpolack @ 2015-09-21T13:12:00
I'm dealing with emotional fallout from others this week, mostly passive, but still fallout. When I'm busy, I do updates on my blog. I have for years. It's how I deal with impossible times. It means everyone knows what's happening but that I don't have to spend energy and time I don't have sending out many messages and engaging in small talk. These last two weeks doing that has meant I got a few hours sleep a night. Once a week I seem to get seven hours - this is an extraordinarily busy year.
Two people are actively sulking over the fact that I don't email them personally with everything about my life, and others have gone suspiciously silent. Every now and again they emerge from the darkness with a "You don't tell me!" and then they subside again. These are the same people who hold dinners and forget to invite me or think I might not be interested and so don't ask, and who are very enthusiastic about doing a whole raft of things and not letting me know. When they sulk about not personally being invited to my place for an At Home, I want to curl up and whimper.
That's the bad news. It's not uncommon, to have friends who are not as close as we all thought and who put their immediate ego needs above others' capacity to do everyday things. I hate it right now because they're all people who have specifically asked how they can help and then tried to either take over or have shifted away. They're being dishonest with me and dishonest with themselves. I also really object to 6 emails from each of them being considered more important than any other emails in my life.
Last Monday was all about work people pushing boundaries. Since then it's been about friends doing the same.
In much better news, I only have four tasks (two substantial) to finish by tomorrow lunchtime. This means I will finish them in time for Yom Kippur.
Iin seasonal news, I will not be online for Yom Kippur except for emergencies. If it is not that I don't love people (which is what triggered the post - a sulk about me not caring enough) it is that it's Yom Kippur. I'm doing a really bad job of the sorrow and apologies this year - I really need a week where I sleep soundly every night - that'd solve a lot of my problems. The only way I'm going to get that is by having less stress. Can't do much about the friends, but I can at least meet my deadlines and catch up with the work emails that got derailed by the flurry of messages from friends who are discomfited by my lack of time and energy.
My spoons today were 0 early on and getting out of bed didn't happen initially, but I've done all the right things and I now have one. In other words, I'm not working on empty, but very close.
Two people are actively sulking over the fact that I don't email them personally with everything about my life, and others have gone suspiciously silent. Every now and again they emerge from the darkness with a "You don't tell me!" and then they subside again. These are the same people who hold dinners and forget to invite me or think I might not be interested and so don't ask, and who are very enthusiastic about doing a whole raft of things and not letting me know. When they sulk about not personally being invited to my place for an At Home, I want to curl up and whimper.
That's the bad news. It's not uncommon, to have friends who are not as close as we all thought and who put their immediate ego needs above others' capacity to do everyday things. I hate it right now because they're all people who have specifically asked how they can help and then tried to either take over or have shifted away. They're being dishonest with me and dishonest with themselves. I also really object to 6 emails from each of them being considered more important than any other emails in my life.
Last Monday was all about work people pushing boundaries. Since then it's been about friends doing the same.
In much better news, I only have four tasks (two substantial) to finish by tomorrow lunchtime. This means I will finish them in time for Yom Kippur.
Iin seasonal news, I will not be online for Yom Kippur except for emergencies. If it is not that I don't love people (which is what triggered the post - a sulk about me not caring enough) it is that it's Yom Kippur. I'm doing a really bad job of the sorrow and apologies this year - I really need a week where I sleep soundly every night - that'd solve a lot of my problems. The only way I'm going to get that is by having less stress. Can't do much about the friends, but I can at least meet my deadlines and catch up with the work emails that got derailed by the flurry of messages from friends who are discomfited by my lack of time and energy.
My spoons today were 0 early on and getting out of bed didn't happen initially, but I've done all the right things and I now have one. In other words, I'm not working on empty, but very close.
gillpolack @ 2015-09-20T23:16:00
I'm done with the novel. Now I have to think about getting the word out. I'm willing to blog and be interviewed, but time to set up a blogtour is an issue. I have another book to finish and I have another blogtour to do (for the Beast - it gets its US release in October) and now I totally understand why one should only release one book a year and have a big publisher with an old-fashioned PR department. If anyone would like me to visit their blog I will say yes with much joy. I will forward requests for review copies to my publisher, also with joy.
I can't do the planning and pushing that this book deserves, though. Life is running interference, as you know. I shall say 'yes' to any opportunities that come its way. There will be a launch at Conflux and a specific Canberra event at Harry Hartog. What I'm hoping for is that people want me to talk about it on the web. A couple of people do, which is a good start.
Of the three books this year, I like it most. I don't completely like everything about it (I never do with my novels, which is one of the reasons I had so many hidden away) but this one comes closest. I had a ghost moment in my life a few years ago (some of you will remember it) and I had my theory that elderly women were wonderfully positioned for superherodom and that gave me some lovely themes. I always play with cultural baggage from different angles and I've wanted to paint a palimpsest Canberra for years, and it all came together much better than I expected. This means I'll probably get into trouble over it...
For my next trick, I've a bunch of much smaller tasks to finish still (by Tuesday lunchtime) and then I'm back to writing and editing the academic thingie. With this one, I'm at the stage where I hate it. But it's been contracted and a bunch of people want to read the study, so I will just keep plugging and get it in and get it done.
I have no idea what my finances for next year look like yet. I normally do by this time, but right now, it's all a mystery. I know what my work is like. I have three more books coming out... Next year will be almost an end of the backlog, though. This means I'm halfway through ushering fifteen years of work into print in three years. It's a strange feeling.
For my next trick, I shall edit an article and draft another and then I'm allowed to sleep.
I can't do the planning and pushing that this book deserves, though. Life is running interference, as you know. I shall say 'yes' to any opportunities that come its way. There will be a launch at Conflux and a specific Canberra event at Harry Hartog. What I'm hoping for is that people want me to talk about it on the web. A couple of people do, which is a good start.
Of the three books this year, I like it most. I don't completely like everything about it (I never do with my novels, which is one of the reasons I had so many hidden away) but this one comes closest. I had a ghost moment in my life a few years ago (some of you will remember it) and I had my theory that elderly women were wonderfully positioned for superherodom and that gave me some lovely themes. I always play with cultural baggage from different angles and I've wanted to paint a palimpsest Canberra for years, and it all came together much better than I expected. This means I'll probably get into trouble over it...
For my next trick, I've a bunch of much smaller tasks to finish still (by Tuesday lunchtime) and then I'm back to writing and editing the academic thingie. With this one, I'm at the stage where I hate it. But it's been contracted and a bunch of people want to read the study, so I will just keep plugging and get it in and get it done.
I have no idea what my finances for next year look like yet. I normally do by this time, but right now, it's all a mystery. I know what my work is like. I have three more books coming out... Next year will be almost an end of the backlog, though. This means I'm halfway through ushering fifteen years of work into print in three years. It's a strange feeling.
For my next trick, I shall edit an article and draft another and then I'm allowed to sleep.
