Chat about whatever you like: the weather, good stuff, bad stuff, family or pets! Showing 12,401-12,450 of 26,036

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

I know, same here Phrynne! It's totally weird! I just read the Yarra has broken its banks in Melbourne O_o!!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

I expect we will get the grey skies tomorrow - and the Blue Mountains might get some snow.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Oh brrrr!!! :(

[Faye]

Just spoke to my mum checking to make sure all was ok at her end. She said the big branch of a gumtree next door came down on the neighbours car. Ouch. No one hurt though. I said for her to go inside and stay there.

[Sally906]

Forecast is 16 degrees overnight tonight here in Darwin. Hmmmm might be a hot chocolate night.

Grated chocolate - check
Milk - check
Cream - check

Yep might will head for the kitchen soon!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Michael wrote: "Wave breaks on the Mornington Pier



Been very windy and cold here. Had the day off, but unfortuently had to go out earlier to run a few errands. Lovely and warm inside. :)"

That's an excellent and awe inspiring photo Michael!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Sally906 wrote: "Forecast is 16 degrees overnight tonight here in Darwin. Hmmmm might be a hot chocolate night.

Grated chocolate - check
Milk - check
Cream - check

Yep might will head for the kitchen soon!"

Sounds delicious! Our TOP temperature didn't reach 16 here today Sally!

[Valerie]

LOL Sally! 5 deg overnight here. Surely you haven't forgotten the marshmallows!

[Sally906]

Valerie wrote: "LOL Sally! 5 deg overnight here. Surely you haven't forgotten the marshmallows!"

Goodness you're right....

[Sally906]

Sally906 wrote: "Valerie wrote: "LOL Sally! 5 deg overnight here. Surely you haven't forgotten the marshmallows!"

Goodness you're right...."

Marshmallows - check - LOL!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

This is very interesting - How Amazon and Goodreads are changing Literary Criticism

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/p...

[Valerie]

Yes Brenda that was interesting - I listened to that podcast yesterday about literary criticism. I thought it was so true that you can often get more out of a review by a member of the public than a newspaper review because they are more passionate, and are not rushing to read their pile of required reading.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Valerie wrote: "Yes Brenda that was interesting - I listened to that podcast yesterday about literary criticism. I thought it was so true that you can often get more out of a review by a member of the public than ..."

The newspaper/magazine reviews are often bland and emotionless...at least we put our feelings into our reviews so people GET it:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Michael wrote: "Very interesting Brenda. We are seeing that with so many fields these days with literature a good example. For years the only reviews we read were from paid professionals in magazines and papers an..."

Very true and well said!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Michael wrote: "The ones i read in the weekend paper Brenda are just reciting the blurb and adding a few lines of there own. Very humdrum and boring."

Yes I agree. They have limited space too so have to break it down; of course it will end up telling you very little about the actual feel of the story!

[Marina]

And with a limited pool of reviewers, I often find the kind of books they choose to review are not the kind I like to read anyway.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

For those of you who believe this is a terrible injustice, please sign the Amnesty international petition for the Freedom For Peter Greste and his colleagues


http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/acti...

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience than they ever got before....but which they so deserve.
We are now seeing more and more of our wonderfully talented Aussie Authors getting a better chance to shine through this medium, where as they had a lot of trouble breaking into the "all important" overseas market in the past.
So, Good One Goodreads and Aussie Readers Group!!

[Dale]

Michael wrote: "Wave breaks on the Mornington Pier



Been very windy and cold here. Had the day off, but unfortuently had to go out earlier to run a few errands. Lovely and warm inside. :)"

Great photo Michael.

[Dale]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience than they ever got before....but ..."

I'm sure you are right Julie. Good to see Aussie authors getting recognition.

[B the BookAddict]

Brenda wrote: "For those of you who believe this is a terrible injustice, please sign the Amnesty international petition for the Freedom For Peter Greste and his colleagues


http://www.amnesty.org.au/action/acti..."

Good on you, Brenda, for posting this. Amnesty International is a really important group, standing up for those convicted unfairly and often poorly treated.


Liam wrote: "Bette if you remain signed into Facebook and if your Facebook/Goodreads accounts are linked then it usually automatically signs in Goodreads.

I may have just bought hte new editions of 6 books tha..."

Thanks Liam, I am not a member of Facebook. Is it real problem to be signed in 24/7 even when your computer is signed off?

[B the BookAddict]

As to the raging weather, we had gale force winds and a bridge down here in Warrnambool. The waves were huge breaking over the beach wall, trees down, it's been quite scary here yesterday. My wee doggies dashed outside once for toilet amenities and retreated to their beanbag all day.

It was a good snuggling on the couch day with the heater on, which I did, watching the third series of Call The Midwife ( which made me cry in each episode).

[Angela]

Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I get two weeks off work. Yippee!! Although I am doing my yoga teacher training on the weekends and that is draining the life out of me....

I love Miranda Hart - I should get into Call the Midwife I think :)

[Michael]

Brenda wrote: "This is very interesting - How Amazon and Goodreads are changing Literary Criticism

http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/p......"

Interesting talk, however there is more to literary criticism than professional reviewing. There is still a need a need for real criticism and I would like to see more amateurs actually putting criticism into their reviews.

[Vicki]

I'm back! I missed you all. Please forgive me if I don't go back and read a month's worth of posts. I just hope I haven't missed anything important.

We've spent the last month holed up in a cottage in The Grampians with no internet and no phone. Unfortunately, the recent bushfires have devastated great swathes of the park. However the Australian bush is resilient if nothing else. (I've posted a photo of epicormic growth in the Favourite Photos thread.)

[Sharon]

Vicki wrote: "I'm back! I missed you all. Please forgive me if I don't go back and read a month's worth of posts. I just hope I haven't missed anything important.

We've spent the last month holed up in a cottag..."

Welcome back, Vicki. Glad you had a lovely break :) So did you find it difficult having no phone or internet for a month?

[Vicki]

Sharon wrote: "Welcome back, Vicki. Glad you had a lovely break :) So did you find it difficult having no phone or internet for a month? "

Thanks, Sharon. It was bliss. Of course, you can imagine what my inbox looked like by the time I arrived home. :)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience than they ever got before....but ..."

Our Aussie authors are definitely more "out there" than they were even 2 years ago Julie, and it's so good to see! We have an incredibly talented group of writers in Australia:)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience than they ever go..."

So I wonder why I cannot find a single copy of Present Darkness by Malla Nunn in any of my local bookshops? I just looked today. Maybe I had better check to see if there has been a delay in publication dates before I get cross:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Vicki wrote: "I'm back! I missed you all. Please forgive me if I don't go back and read a month's worth of posts. I just hope I haven't missed anything important.

We've spent the last month holed up in a cottag..."

Welcome back Vicki! We have missed you:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience th..."

I haven't seen it available yet either Phrynne. Let us know what you find out if you can:) Thanks!

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and wider audience th..."

I checked and it came out at the beginning of June so I ordered my copy from Book Depository. Silly to have to buy an Aussie book from England but it was the best price.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and w..."

I totally agree, but it seems to happen very often:(

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Phrynne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominent platform and w..."

And thank you (I think!) I have just ordered it from BD as well:)

[Phrynne, Series Queen!]

Brenda wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Phrynne wrote: "Brenda wrote: "☼♄Jülie wrote: "I believe Goodreads and especially this particular group is really doing it for our own Aussie Authors and giving them a more prominen..."

:)

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Ashleigh wrote: "What I find sad is Big W gets new releases before Dymocks, for any books sometimes, I'd much rather buy at a bookstore because where I live, my local Big W has limited choice. I'm much happier in t..."

Depends on your Big W Ashleigh. If you have book staff who are avid readers they will always help and recommend books. It's when they put young ones in who don't read that the problem occurs. (I worked in the book department in Big W until a few months ago, also one of our members on here is also in the book department of the same Big W and she is excellent for your book needs)

[Faye]

Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I get two weeks ..."

Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I get two weeks ..."
Oh wow a friend of mine was just telling me I should get "Call the Midwife", I have just hired it and am going to start from series one. I am on school holidays as well, so should be able to catch up with this series, I hear it is wonderful. Let me know what you think of it.

[Leonie]

Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I..."

'Call the Midwife' is an excellent program! I got hooked on watching it last year :)

[Sally906]

Vicki wrote: "I'm back! I missed you all. Please forgive me if I don't go back and read a month's worth of posts. I just hope I haven't missed anything important.

We've spent the last month holed up in a cottag..."
Welcome back Vicki
gosh that month went fast :). Did you get lots of books read?

[Carolyn]

Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I..."

The books are very good too :)

[Faye]

Carolyn wrote: "Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are ne..."
Oh I didn't know there was books of "Call the Midwife".I will have to get watching the DVD's though so we can compare notes.

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Ashleigh wrote: "My Big W never has staff in it, Brenda. They are only at the cash registers or in the DVD section"

Ashleigh wrote: "I live on the Central Coast, so Erina is my closest Big W"

Ashleigh wrote: "So the fact that my Big W has no book staff and a limited selection is why I don't like shopping for books there. Quite sad, really, I think, that a store selling books, even a department store has..."

Yes I've been in Erina Big W Ashleigh. I can't say I've noticed about staff as I haven't been looking, but it's a shame when that happens. The two Big Ws I frequent up here in Newcastle are always good with staff, so I'm not sure why they're so different!

[Brenda, Aussie Authors Queen]

Goodness knows! At least you have your Dymocks and QBD there for choices:) That's good! Their gain, Big Ws loss!

[B the BookAddict]

An interesting link about a new book by Pearl S. Buck; a posthumous novel. http://www.npr.org/2013/05/25/1863188...

[B the BookAddict]

Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are next week and I..."

I've watched all of Series 1 - 3 now and loved them all. Love the music, love Sister Monica Joan best, always cry with each episode - sometimes from sadness, sometimes from happiness. Thinking I might be becoming a bit of a sook.

[Carolyn]

Bette BookAddict wrote: "Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Lucky school holidays are ne..."

The series are based on the books. They're written by Jennifer Worth, nurse Jenny in the series and are a real snapshot of life in the 1950s amongst the working poor. Well worth reading, even after watching the series. :)

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Carolyn wrote: "Bette BookAddict wrote: "Faye wrote: "Angela wrote: "Oh Bette I hear you re: the weather! I live on the bay in South-East Melbourne and I could barely get into the car this morning. Horrendous! Luc..."

I haven't read the books but have watched the series religiously since day dot and love it. Fantastic actors, all of them.

[Faye]

Ok off to pick up DVD's "Call the Midwife" will start watching it today!

[Jülie ☼♄ ]

Faye wrote: "Ok off to pick up DVD's "Call the Midwife" will start watching it today!"

Lol :D

[Carolyn]

☼♄Jülie wrote: "Faye wrote: "Ok off to pick up DVD's "Call the Midwife" will start watching it today!"

Lol :D"

As Julie says, you'll love it! It's a great series.