Many years ago, I learned that the average full-time writer in Australia earns $12,000 per year (that is, considerably less than minimum wage). Here’s what I earned over the last three years: $20,000. -$10,000. $5000. Soooo…. this year was better than last year. Yay? The main reason I lost so much money last financial yearContinue reading “The income of the full-time author”
Category Archives: Advanced/Publication
IRON LIGHTS review
My fellow Odyssey Books author, Carmel Bendon, reviewed IRON LIGHTS for me on Goodreads. Here’s what she said: Iron Lights is the third book in Felicity Banks’ The Antipodean Queen trilogy and the next in the adventures of the series’ heroine, Emmeline Muchamore. Iron Lights, however, stands alone as a cohesive read and there isContinue reading “IRON LIGHTS review”
“Iron Lights” Book Launch
Book launches are like holidays*: You look forward to them like crazy, and then when they’re over you’re deeply relieved. Win-win? The first and third books of my steampunk trilogy were launched at the Canberra Writers Festival (2016 & 2018; the middle book was launched at Conflux 2017). In 2016 the venue was the NationalContinue reading ““Iron Lights” Book Launch”
Me, me, me!
The brilliant writer and photographer Cat Sparks was kind enough to photograph the IRON LIGHTS launch at Old Parliament House today. If you’ve heard her name linked to the Canberra Writers Festival before, it’s because she was on some of the panels. There are so many brilliant photos that I’ve decided to save this entryContinue reading “Me, me, me!”
Say what??
This weekend is the Canberra Writers Festival, and I have not one but TWO book launches. Saturday is the official launch of MURDER IN THE MAIL: A BLOODY BIRTHDAY (complete with a week-long art installation) at The Front cafe & gallery (Lyneham shops, 3:30-5pm). It’s not officially connected to the Canberra Writers Festival at all,Continue reading “Say what??”
Author Photo
Every so often I get asked for an author photo. Here are some that I use pretty often: Nice and steampunky, but WILDLY out of date. Amusing – captured just as the whistle blew, scaring the crap out of me. I’m actually (just barely) pregnant with Louisette in this photo. Generally author pics want toContinue reading “Author Photo”
TrailerFest 2018
Today I decided that my 2-3 (I honestly don’t know) YouTube accounts needed tidying up, so I started a fresh new channel (because that simplifies things, right?) using the MagicintheMailStories@gmail.com email account. As you may have guessed, I love doing my own book trailers. It’s so much fun! The channel is here (don’t click on that;Continue reading “TrailerFest 2018”
Reading My Reviews
It’s no secret that I read my reviews. I enjoy an enraged negative review, as a rule, and I pay attention if the same criticisms come up more than once. Tin Man Games has an app called “Choices that Matter” on iOS and Google Play, which is an interactive serial story app. I wrote aboutContinue reading “Reading My Reviews”
The Woman Tax
Last night I crashed my car, because I am a woman. On Tuesday last week another creative Australian woman, comedian Eurydice Dickson, was killed in a park as she walked home from a gig. Like me, she sometimes takes slight risks in order to live her life and have the career she has. Continue reading “The Woman Tax”
Murder for Kick(starter)
Last Saturday at midnight, my first ever Kickstarter Campaign ended, raising funds via pre-orders (and special rewards) for “Murder in the Mail: A Bloody Birthday”. Mistakes were made. One of my main mistakes was that, after looking at the Australia Post web site, I thought an A4 envelope thinner than 2cm would cost $1. TurnsContinue reading “Murder for Kick(starter)”
What I earned this year
Full-time writers in Australia have an average income of around $12,000 (I know, yikes). In Canberra, which has a lot of good public service jobs, the average income is around $52,000. I just did my taxes, and worked out that I earned just under $20,000 last financial year while working full-time. 100% of that cameContinue reading “What I earned this year”
Like Mother, Like Daughter
One of the gifts my parents gave me was the belief that writing is not a job, but a hobby. I didn’t write full-time until I was unable to do any other work (and I’m still not making minimum wage, even though I’m well above the average Australian full-time writer’s income of $12,000/year) I amContinue reading “Like Mother, Like Daughter”
Pictures worth thousands of words
I’m not a visual artist, and I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of influence I was allowed to have on my books covers (Odyssey Books has a top-notch cover game). It’s a good thing they go through a few drafts, too. Can you see what’s wrong with the first draft of SILVER AND STONE?Continue reading “Pictures worth thousands of words”
Conflux 13: Day 3 (& ChoiceScript)
Today, Sunday, was my Big Day. Not only did I have a Book Launch at 2pm… …but I also ran a three-hour interactive fiction workshop in the morning. Which was seriously awesome. (So was the Book Launch. If you haven’t seen the trailer, it’s here.) The workshop was very biased, naturally, since it is allContinue reading “Conflux 13: Day 3 (& ChoiceScript)”
News about “Choices That Matter” story app.
Eep, I really haven’t written for a while. In my defence, I am in a whirlwind of writing as I finish “Choices: And Their Souls Were Eaten”, write the sequel to “Heart of Brass” (it’ll be a trilogy by the end of next year), and research and write [redacted] for [redacted], which is terribly exciting.Continue reading “News about “Choices That Matter” story app.”
“Stormhunter” flounders as Satalyte falls to Earth
Most small publishers stop running within two years. Which is not surprising, when you consider that the large publishers make a loss on the vast majority of the books they produce. It’s the occasional bestseller keeping everyone afloat. People just don’t read enough books. With that reality, small publishers deserve more credit rather than less.Continue reading ““Stormhunter” flounders as Satalyte falls to Earth”
Little Miss Helpful
For those who aren’t up to date on their classic picture books, “Little Miss Helpful” is about a person who’s always trying to help people and ultimately makes their lives much, much worse. One of her friends is sick and trying to rest, so she shows up to help. She wakes him up over andContinue reading “Little Miss Helpful”
Procrastination Technique #452: Reviews
I’ve written about reviews before, and I’m always fascinated, whether the review is positive or. . . not so much. The Tin Man Games app “Choices: And The Sun Went Out” (including the second story, my steampunk fantasy, “Choices: And Their Souls Were Eaten”) has just under a hundred reviews (mostly just stars) on itunesContinue reading “Procrastination Technique #452: Reviews”
Getting into the reader’s mind
NB There are structural spoilers ahead for “Choices: And Their Souls Were Eaten”, and more mid-level spoilers in the comments. Regular readers will know that I live and breathe “Choices: And The Sun Went Out”, a serial interactive story produced by Tin Man Games. (It’s a massive story app available on Android or itunes, withContinue reading “Getting into the reader’s mind”
Weak Words
I haven’t posted any writing advice in a while, possibly because a lot of my work is out there now and anything I say is likely to be hypocritical and I’m scared of people pointing that out. But here is a great, simple, well-explained infographic on words that should be dragged out and shot. TakeContinue reading “Weak Words”