Let’s Dance!

Several times a month, Ron and I follow our favourite cover band, The Bandits, to various venues in Sydney. We love to hear their wonderful renditions of many of the greatest hits of the sixties, seventies and eighties; tunes made famous by both top Australian and overseas artists.

Sometimes, the band leader, Paul, encourages the audience to sing along; though many, both on the dance floor and in the background, need no encouragement, at least to mime.

Waiting for the music to begin….

The Bandits Band

 

Music can weave a special magic. What else can create such dramatic shifts in mood?

Whether you’re there to dance or just to listen, it’s easy to get transported to another time, another place: back to one’s younger days!

Stop Press: I’m Author of the Week!

Stop press!

The remarkably talented and popular Australian writer, Tracey Alley, has bestowed upon me a delightful honour! She has chosen to make me ‘Author of  The Week’!

As a first-time recipient of such, I’m overwhelmed!

The author of many titles, and a marvelous human being, Tracey has presented this post in an outstandingly professional way. I strongly urge you to see it!

Here’s the link:

http://traceyalley.weebly.com/featured-author.html

And, while you’re there, why not take a look throughout her blog. It’s a joy!

Australia Day Blog Hop!

Hi! Welcome to my contribution for the

Australia Day Blog Hop!

Thanks to hosts  http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/sign-up-australia-day-book-giveaway-hop/ and http://confessionsfromromaholics.com/ !

Another link to Book’dout: http://bookdout.wordpress.com/

This Australia Day, let’s celebrate Australian literature: Australian writing. Let’s enhance our connection between our writers and readers: and show the world what we’ve done!

As my share of the Blog Hop, I am offering the chance to win one paperback copy of my second book:  proudly Australian in title, too.

Here it is: ‘A Taste  of Life and Love in Australia’.

‘A Taste of Life and Love in Australia’ is a collection of Short Stories and Vignettes set in modern times.  Mostly tales of romance, it has been rated by several reviewers. Here’s the link to that of Shelleyrae at Book’d out.  http://bookdout.wordpress.com/2012/07/26/review-a-taste-of-life-and-love-in-australia-by-margaret-lynette-sharp/#comments

I’m a self-published Australian author of six titles available through Amazon.  Currently,  four titles are available as Kindle editions.  My seventh book is nearing completion. All are edited by my husband, the creator of the Grand Organ in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House, Ronald Sharp.

Entries for the giveaway close at midnight, January 28, 2013 AEST.

Sorry: the giveaway is restricted to residents of Australia. To enter, please leave a comment, and indicate that you are eligible.

Of course, overseas readers are more than welcome to comment, too.

The winner will be announced on 4nd February.

Be sure to check out the links to other, fabulous blogs!

Enjoy the Blog Hop, and Good Luck!

The Next Big Thing

The delightful and talented Emily Wheeler has just honoured me.  I’ve been tagged;  tagged for The Next Big Thing! How lucky that I have a W.I.P. So, what do I do? Why, reveal some intriguing facts about my forthcoming title: AND nominate five other worthy writers.

1. What is the working title of your book?

Fortunately, that’s been decided. But, I would like to keep it under my hat! Suffice to say that those who read the forthcoming review of  my sixth title, ‘Long and Short Australian Stories’ by Shelleyrae at Book’d out will find it out. 🙂 A hint: it has musical connotations.

2. Where did the idea come from for your book?

Well, it’s a collection of Short Stories and vignettes: and I guess I just take little bits and pieces out of life as I’ve seen it, either through personal experience or through the eyes of others, and work out situations that could result.

3. What genre does it fall under?

I’ve already spilled the beans: it’s a collection of Short Stories and vignettes. While romance figures prominently, there are several human interest tales: all set in modern Australia.

4. What actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

Impossible to answer, since there are just so many people to portray!

5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

Given its nature, that one is unanswerable. All I can say is, these are studies of relationships.

6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?

Along with all its stablemates: 25 Stories of Life and Love in Australia :A Taste of Life and Love in Australia: The Essence of Life and Love in Australia: Reflections of Life and Love in Australia: 60 Questions, Insights and Reminiscences: and Long and Short Australian Stories: this volume will be self-published. We like the total control this brings.

7.How long did it take you to write the first draft of your book?

I can give only an approximate answer: that being about six months. Winter ills slowed me down!

8. What other books would you compare your story to within the genre?

A tough question! People tell me my books fall into a different category to most. All I can think of is that, in common with the tales of James Herriot, they are mostly vignettes, and are relatively clean.

9.Who or what inspired you to write this book?

After a short break form writing, I decided to give it another go: thinking that it would be worthwhile to put together another collection. Several readers: Jeanette in particular: encouraged me greatly. As always, my husband and editor Ron supported me. Where would I be without him?

10. What else about the book might pique the reader’s interest?

The diversity of the book, both in content and structure, adds to its appeal. Although most tales are written in the normal way, some are set out as letters: a process which may well excite the reader’s imagination quite strongly.

Bloggers I am tagging.

1. http://authorjennyschwartz.com/

2. http://jaynefordham.com/

3. http://loreleiorion.com/wordpress/

4. http://www.rachaeljohns.com/

5. http://traceyalley.weebly.com/index.html

They’re all awesome!

2012 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2012 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 3,000 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 5 years to get that many views.

Click here to see the complete report.

 

Thanks, everyone who looked at my posts: and an even bigger ‘Thanks’ to those who ‘liked’ or left comments! Much appreciated!

Here’s to an exciting year of blogging!

Roll on, 2013!

Happy New Year: Music to my Ears

New Year’s Eve 2012: what a night!

Many choose to see in the new year by dancing, and/or  listening to music. And what better way to be thus entertained than by one of Sydney best cover bands, The Bandits.

As the vocals dictate, lead singer Paul sometimes delegates his role to either Gary or Conrad:  all the while brilliantly supported by drummer Warwick. Their  engaging renditions of many immensely popular tunes  from the sixties to the eighties make for a night to remember.

From spirited performances of  ‘Dance the Night Away’, ‘Honey

The Bandits on New Year’s Eve

Don’t’, and ‘Rockin’ All Over the World’  to the gentler, midnight classic ‘Olde Lang Syne’, we in the audience are given the all-embracing balm of sounds we love to hear, so often stirring memories of our youth. For a moment, we are eighteen again!

As the hours continue to speed joyfully past, many of our day-to day cares have, as if by magic, been effortlessly whisked away; replaced by powerful enthusiasm for life: for music!

Happy New Year!

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Even Pipe Organs have Birthday Parties!

Even Pipe Organs have birthday parties!

On Tuesday, 4th December, a celebration was held to honour the 4oth anniversary of the Great Hall Organ in Sydney University.

In addition, on this same day the Chancell0r’s Trumpet was inaugurated. The Organ now has 54 stops, 79 ranks and 4005 pipes.

The well-known Sydney University Organist and Carillionist, Amy Johansen, expertly performed the recital, which featured a diversity of composers: from Bach to Charpentier to Ampt: and more.

Designed by Rudolf von Beckerath of Germany,  the organ was installed jointly by him and Ronald Sharp, my husband (and editor of my books).

The audience of 500 people applauded Ron in acknowledgement of his important contribution. A proud moment!

After the recital, Ron and I attended the reception, and we were introduced by Amy to the Governor of N.S.W. who is also the  Chancellor:

Beckerath-Sharp Organ

Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC  CVO.  Such a charming and elegant lady!

All in all, it was an evening to remember!

What I Love about Blogging

Backtrack two years, and I’d never even heard about blogging. At that point. I’d started writing my first book: a collection of Short Stories and vignettes, which ultimately became ’25 Stories of Life and Love in Australia’.   

Writing a book was one thing: blogging, quite another. And I had no idea that authors were expected to share their life with the rest of the world, by way of writing a blog.

But, once I’d tasted it, I began to relish blogging. It has so much going for it.

Blogging allows for immediate publication. There’s no need to wait: and many posts are so much better for being relevant to current circumstances. Flowers, seasons, new literary releases, current affairs: the list is endless.

More: results can be almost immediate. Within minutes, I’ve had positive feedback: thoughtful comments, or even a simple ‘like’ bring their reward.

Linked to this is the associations: even friendships: that can be engendered between bloggers and their readers. Meaningful conversations can be had,  and information transferred between blogger and commentator. What other medium allows for such easy and potentially valuable communication?

Sure, social networking sites also have this application, yet blogging seems to me to have greater potential. Don’t the other sites tend to have much scantier development of ideas?

Lastly, there’s the ever-present potential to be nominated out of the blue for  Blogging Awards. I’ve been nominated twice: The Versatile Blogger and The Sunshine Award. Fun!

If you’re thinking about starting your own blog: well, think no more.  Just do it!

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Who Says You Can’t Teach an Old Dog New Tricks?

Who says you can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Certainly, not me!

Advancing age is no embargo to new interests and discoveries. Take us, for example.

Being both on the wrong side of unspecified numbers has in no way dulled our appreciation and enjoyment of rock and roll dancing. Yes, you heard me: despite being steeped in classics, both Ron and I are now unashamedly devotees of this genre.

Those who are familiar with Ron will, of course, recognise him as the world-famous creator of the Grand Organ in the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall: and by extension, assume his soul is with yesterday’s musical masterpieces.
At this very moment, he is listening to new recordings of classics of another era: The Beatles. Tunes made famous by The Searchers, Herman’s Hermits, Roy Orbison, and Creedence Clearwater Revival now feature amongst his favourites: and mine!

Can’t teach an old dog new tricks? Gotta be joking!

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It’s Arrived: Love2read TV!

A couple of months ago, a fellow Friend of the National Year of Reading 2012 approached Ron and me about participating in a wonderful initiative: a collage of videos on the joys and wonders of reading.  His name is Timothy Chan.

Timothy has been highly instrumental in getting this project off the drawing-board and into reality. The first episodes are already being watched, and doubtless enjoyed, via the internet. Many more are already programmed.  Ron and I, ably assisted by our Maltese Chicki, are scheduled for the Authors Episode 3, to be released shortly.

Besides being a marvelous opportunity to meet our writers,  Love2read TV also presents its viewers with encounters from  folk of  all walks of life:  united by their unfailing  appreciation of the written word. Inspirational!

Have I whetted your interest? Then, why not put Google to work, and tune in to some real endorsements of the value of literature in all its forms.