By The Intern. The article is here. Top Ten Reasons You Should Rewrite That Scene When you’re revising a novel, it’s easy to lose objectivitybecome so delusional you can’t tell if you’ve just created a stinking mountain of goat poop or written the next Grapes of Wrath. Each scene starts to read like aContinue reading “Ten Reasons to Rewrite that Scene”
Author Archives: Felicity Banks Books
Guess who just walked in?
She was very hungry (but not thirsty), and slightly damp. Wiser? Well, we’ll see. . .
“Grimsdon” by Debora Abela
Generally when I go to a writing con, I try to read as many of the participants’ books as possible before I go. I didn’t read any of Debora Abela‘s books pre-con, because she’s best known for “Max Remy Super-Spy”, which is too young even for me (my reading level is about 9 and upContinue reading ““Grimsdon” by Debora Abela”
Belucci’s Restaurant
It’s a pretty, pretty Italian place in Woden (Canberra). CJ and I ate there last week in an effort to entice my body to take on more food. It worked well at the time. I love all the wood, glass, and brick – with highlights of marble and steel. One of our friends did theContinue reading “Belucci’s Restaurant”
The fears
These are/were my fears, in roughly chronological order: 1. Infertility. Well THAT’S no longer an issue 🙂 I did gain 7 kilos from the mere thought, all the same (handily, I’m so sick I’m losing weight faster than a crash diet. . . yay?) 2. Miscarriage. Not a big issue – plus, again, the intenseContinue reading “The fears”
Sandcastle
From my not-so-secret vault of spare awesomeness: This type of sandcastle requires a meeting of sand, water and something solid. You make it by scooping up very wet sand and drizzling it onto a solid surface. My mum taught me how. The beach is Bar Beach (I think) at Merimbula in January this year.
“Send sleep, vodka, and bacon. . .” (PG)
Chuck Wendig did another brilliant post on his new baby, and I couldn’t resist reposting it below (remember, his blog is often MA). The original is here. *PSSSHHcracklehisss* “– you hear me? The stuff’s everywhere — black tar — came pouring out of diapers — could lay shingles with this stuff OH GOD HERE COMESContinue reading ““Send sleep, vodka, and bacon. . .” (PG)”
This amused me
De Grandpre-de Pique (1808) Monsieurs de Grandpre and de Pique discovered that their mistresses were actually singular, a Mademoiselle Tirevit cheating with both of them. Rather than kicking her to le curb they decided that honor – and sanity – both needed to be shot at. FROM THE SKY. They ascended to 2,000 feet inContinue reading “This amused me”
Ten Things Teen Writers Should Know
John Scalzi (NYT bestselling author) writes a good blog, with occasional writing advice. This is one of my favourites articles (you’ll have to click through to see the picture of young John Scalzi. Hm. It keeps crashing my computer when I try to cut and paste a section. Here’s the address again anyways: http://whatever.scalzi.com/2006/04/27/10-things-teenage-writers-should-know-about-writing/ AndContinue reading “Ten Things Teen Writers Should Know”
Throw Up
There’s a great deal of difference between a pregnant woman who claims she’s “really very, very sick” and hasn’t tried a single medication – and a pregnant woman who is on the strongest possible nausea meds and still throws up just because she walks past some food. To all the medical personnel who gave meContinue reading “Throw Up”
A sixth birthday party
A couple of weeks ago, my nephew turned six. I enjoyed it roughly as much as he did. Here is his cake (and a toy he described blithely as a “turtle sharpener”, which for some reason made me think it sharpened knives. Those are pencil holes in its back, however): The bottom layer isContinue reading “A sixth birthday party”
Captain Maxolon saves the day (ish)
Dear rest of the world (USA, I’m looking at you): Public health care is the best idea ever. Yesterday CJ and I spent seven hours at hospital (in the past, I’ve waited longer than that in the waiting room, which is the down side of a triage system – the sicker people get treated firstContinue reading “Captain Maxolon saves the day (ish)”
Alternative Medicine
My so-called “morning” sickness has lasted all day, every day since last Tuesday evening. Yesterday I hit the wall. I reached the point where I didn’t want to eat or drink ever again (even water makes me sicker) – so I went to the doctor. She told me to buy some morning sickness pills (whichContinue reading “Alternative Medicine”
Someone else’s baby
Chuck Wendig is a naughty, funny, dirty man. He writes very well (at about an MA standard). On Friday, his son was born. He blogged about it here. This entry is PG. Transmissions from baby-town “I think something is happening,” my wife says. She says this to wake me. At 1:30 in the morning. TheContinue reading “Someone else’s baby”
Ingenious Steam Machines
Hot air balloons were invented in the late 1700s – well before the Victorian era. Almost from the beginning, people attempted to give them the ability to steer – but it was only when diesel engines (half the weight of steam engines, because the process of creating power is more direct) were invented that airshipsContinue reading “Ingenious Steam Machines”
Is your writing good?
Literary agent and all-around nice lady Rachelle Gardner blogged an article today that asked the question, “How can you tell if your writing is any good?” Here is the link to that article. How do you learn to write? We talk so much about the business of publishing on this blog, but it always hasContinue reading “Is your writing good?”
Make your doctor happy
Maybe it’s just the hormones talking, but I love my doctor. Yep, it’s the hormones. My doctor has a tactlessness about her which is quite terrifying to a pregnant lady. For example, she doesn’t open with, “The test results were normal” – she opens with, “I’d like to do more tests.” But now I knowContinue reading “Make your doctor happy”
Celebrate the season you’re in
Here, as I overcompensate for yesterday’s long entry, is a picture of an autumn tree:
I’m pregnant
The rumours are true. Every Wednesday from now on will be about the baby (aka Mini-Me) until he/she is old enough to need some privacy (it’s quite likely I’ll mention breasts, breastfeeding, and maybe periods – but that’s as gross/adult as it will get). I’ve also prepped literally dozens of blog entries in advance –Continue reading “I’m pregnant”
Bungendore Antique Shop
Bungendore is a small town, and a classy one, so I’m betting they have several antique shops. This one is a half-acre in size. It seems small, and then you go through a door to the back – and there’s more. Then you go through another door, and another, and another. It’s a little like theContinue reading “Bungendore Antique Shop”