

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!
Tags: books, emily wheeler, entertainment, literature, new titles, The Next Big Thing, writing
What I Love about Blogging
11 NovBacktrack 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!
Copyright ©
Tags: 25 Stories of Life and Love in Australia, awards, blogging, blogs, entertainment, meaningful conversations, social networking sites, Sunshine Award, thoughtful comments, what I love about blogging