Varuna Writers House … a national treasure?

Varuna is Australia’s national residential writers’ house. And what a treasure of a place it is!

Varuna House, Katoomba

Not only is it in the  historic, former home of the famous Australian writers, Eleanor Dark and Dr Eric Dark, it’s situated in the beautiful mountain city of Katoomba in the Blue Mountains.

Over the years, Varuna has attracted and inspired new Australian writing and provided support for a thriving writing community.

Writers are able to enjoy “residential space with an extensive library, professional development opportunities and pathways to publication via selective programs and innovative partnerships”.

I count myself fortunate that, several years ago I ended up for a Creative Directors Masterclass week, under the direction of Peter Bishop, working on my manuscript. Peter was brilliant – his insightful comments and useful suggestions opened my eyes to the untapped possibilities of my little story.

Another excellent part for me was being in a writing house – no outside distractions (unless you wanted to walk into Katoomba to sample the delights of that beautiful town), no phones, no TV, just six guests writing away to their hearts’ content,  joining Peter and the other writers every day for drinks, nibbles and discussions about our works-in-progress, then sitting down for a delicious meal cooked by the fabulous Sheila Atkinson. Brilliant! 

One of Varuna’s programs this year is the WRITER-A-DAY PROJECT, funded by the Australia Council.

“As part of our 20th anniversary celebration, we have received funding from the Australia Council to produce a Writer-a-Day “app” which will operate on iPhones, iPads, Android phones and computers. It will be available via Varuna and the iTunes store in early 2012.

The “app” will provide the opportunity to listen to a recording of a different Varuna writer every day of the year. It will be as if 365 different Australian writers will have personally made contact with you to share their work.

To appropriate the slogans of the Sydney Writers’ Festival and TED talks, we see this “app” as providing “words to live by” and “ideas worth spreading”.

Because the “app” will receive international exposure we are hoping that it will act as a “stylefile” and increase audiences and publication possibilities for your work. We see the “app” as an intimate and personal way of connecting Australia’s writing community and connecting readers to writers on a more personal level.

Here is my contribution to the App. – a reading from my junior novel, FANGUS FEARBOTTOM. Since the reading, I’ve completed the story and will soon submit it to publishers. Hope you enjoy the first 2.5 minutes of the story. 

Many of Varuna’s ‘clientele’ become members of the ALUMNI and we’re pleased and proud to support the endeavours of the House and its organisers.

Write Garbage – Edit Brilliantly

As Ferenc Molnár, Hungarian/American playwright, director, novelist, short-story writer and journalist said,

It is perfectly okay to write garbage–as long as you edit brilliantly.

Ferenc Molnár with Ingrid Bergman and Burgess Meredith at a 1940 rehearsal of “Liliom” in New York.

It’s a great quote – Ferenc knew what he was talking about. If you allow yourself the freedom to write garbage in your first draft, you’ve got the base steel down in words to sharpen and polish to perfection.

Easier said than done, of course. Maybe you’re a bit of a control freak (like me – or maybe that’s my Leo streak) who has to ‘work at’ releasing the flow of creativity – my silver-winged bird. But once that bird’s flying, writing is the best feeling in the world.

Equally important is the second part – editing brilliantly!

I’ll let you into a little secret. I used to send out manuscripts before they were ready – add impatience to my list of ‘bad habits to improve’!

But I bet I’m not on my Pat Malone here … go on, put your hand up, who’s ever sent off a half-baked manuscript? One that is rejected with a very nice letter talking about all the things the publisher likes about the story, but it’s just not ….mmm, right for them.

Not that I’m saying one does this knowingly – we’re not that silly are we?

More than likely you’re too close to your work – to those many thousands of words, to that brilliant character you love so much, to a plot that races around your brain while you’re meant to be listening to your partner explain how to burn a CD. (Him: But I already showed you what to do. Five times!)

That’s a normal part of the process of creating. Not a lot you can do about that, except get your good and honest writing buddies to check your story every now and then. They’ll see what you’re missing.

There’s also something else I’ve learnt, finally after twelve years of writing. It’s not complex, but not so simple to do. Practice makes it easier. It was author and editor, Penni Russon who opened my eyes. She said it to me (amongst other helpful hints in a similar vein of … Slash and burn, baby! Slash and burn!) after editing some of my latest manuscript. Her advice has been one of the most useful tips I’ve learned as a writer. Get rid of the stage directions! Yes, that’s it… GET RID OF THE STAGE DIRECTIONS.

'Singing the Wires' backdrop

Simple, eh? Stage directions in this case means describing every movement so that the reader is taken out of the moment – NOT GOOD! Why? Because you’re too busy trying to picture the action.

This is what happens when you’re writing the writer’s copy, when you need to aim for the reader’s copy.

Here’s what I mean… this is part of a chapter that underwent Penni’s knife.

And later, after my heavy edit…

Briny trotted along the pebbled track through the rainforest settlement. Down beside the creek, the clan’s houses of bark and mud bricks sheltered between the roots of large trees. Soft, melodic voices and cooking smells wafted through open windows, reminding her she’d missed lunch.

     As Briny neared Clawfoot Betelnut’s shelter, she became more watchful. Clawfoot’s naming vine entangled a Milkwood tree beside the house, screening most the windows, except for one at the front. From this window drifted a thin, green cloud of smoke and the sound of the healer’s chanting.

     What could the Clawfoot be brewing to produce that colour? Its stink was like the bitter tang of Betelnut with something sweet added to the mix. Briny shivered in mock horror and pulled a face. Thank the Five Stars, Blue Plum and Red Leaf’s house smelled of sandalwood and honey-tree blossoms.

Everything in this portion has a purpose, introducing significant information for later in the story and adding something about other characters. It’s the reader’s copy. (Won’t tempt fate by saying it’s ‘edited brilliantly’ – wait while I touch wood … my little bit of Celtic superstition).

This story has been a pleasure and a pain to edit, like them all. Now to tackle the opposite problem to submitting stories before they’re ready – not sending them at all!

If you have some great advice about how you decide if your manuscript is ready, share it with us.

Blog Tour: Australian author, Clancy Tucker

If you follow my blog, you’ll know I have a special place in my heart for our wide, brown land and for its many stories. This blog tour celebrates the launch of  Gunnedah Hero by Clancy Tucker. It’s his first novel and it’s set in the Australian outback. 

The story won the ’Highly Commended’ in the FAW Jim Hamilton Award – 2007 National Literary Awards. Now in print form, Clancy and his Gunnedah Hero have embarked on a cross-country blog tour.

Clancy Tucker has lived in four countries, and speaks three languages. He is now a full time writer, but has been a speechwriter, public servant, farmer, and small business operator. He has taught students in the U3A, worked with street kids and draws on life’s experiences to write entertaining stories for kids.

ABOUT THE BOOK:  Fourteen-year-old Gunnedah Gunnie Danson is despondent because he has an assignment on the drought. As a Townie he knows nothing about the effects of this blight on the rural industry; but that is about to change. When he returns home from school, he receives a surprise gift that will change his life forever.

His late grandfather has left him a box containing a manuscript. It was written by Gunnie’s great-great-grandfather, Smokey Gun Danson after his journey up the long paddock as a fourteen-year-old drover - during a harsh drought in 1910. At the back of the manuscript is an envelope. It’s NOT to be opened until Gunnie has read the entire story. 

Gunnie spends the weekend at Wiralee Station, a cattle station that’s been in the family since 1848. There, he reads the awesome manuscript and learns of Smokey’s adventurous journey. But, while he is at Wiralee, he learns more than he bargained for. The family cattle station is again under threat, but this time for a different reason. Will the contents of the mysterious envelope save it?

 Welcome to my blog, Clancy! You’ve described Gunnedah Hero as a combination of modern and historical fiction. Tell us how the ideas for the story came about.

Having a great appreciation for Australian history, I wanted to write a story that would not only be adventurous and factual, but also one that described the harshness of the Australian bush, and the spirit of our pioneers.

Why did you choose to write about life in the outback?

As a former farmer, I have a great, personal appreciation and respect for those on the land. Farmers often do it tough, and I wanted to highlight exactly how tough it is for them to produce what many city folks take for granted. In short, meat, milk, and vegetables do not come from a factory or supermarket. Sadly, not enough is taught or learnt about our past; short as it is.

Writers are sometimes influenced by things that happen in their own lives, does the life of your main character parallel with yours in any way?

Good question. Answer: Yes! Life is a collection of grand finals. Do you roll over when you are a goal down, with minutes to go? No way! You stand up, dust yourself off, and push on regardless. If you win, you grin.  If you lose, you suck it in and fight another day. That’s life, and that was how my character, Smokey ‘Gun’ Danson lived his.

 

Did you have to do much research for this book?

No! Ninety-eight percent of this book came from my head; based on real life experiences. The two percent of research related to ‘fractured wrists’ and ‘red-bellied black snakes’. I’m convinced that we all have a hard drive that collects heaps of information as we go through life. Writing is the catalyst that lets it free.

I know you’ve got lots of other blogs to visit, Clancy. Thank you for visiting my blog, and all the very best for your book.

*****

Praise for the book:
Doctor Judith O’Malley-Ford, MBBS (Qld), MPH, JP (Qual), FRACGP, Author of  The Australian Medical Dictionary.
‘Clancy, what a great book. So typically Australian, a great bush story, of mateship, overcoming hardship, courage, love, and triumph. Never a dull moment, and makes you want to read on with every chapter. Full of compassion, and warm hearted moments, the reader is not infrequently in tears filled with real emotion.’

*****

Molly Jane

 Where to buy the Book:

Paperback Price Slashed: From 14th to 31st January, the price of Gunnedah Hero paperback will be slashed to $25. Go to Morris Publishing Australia  and choose the Buy Now button under Discount copy text. The usual postage charge will apply.   Available as a paperback from Clancy Tucker.

eBook available from Smashwords and Google Books

GIVE-AWAY: As a part of this blog tour, Morris Publishing Australia and Clancy Tucker are giving three eBooks to readers of the blogs. You and your children will love this heart-warming story. Go to Morris Publishing Aust and use the form on the Contact Page. Fill in your first and last name, email address, and put Blog Competition and your preferred eBook format in the message. (Choose from ePub, PDF, Kindle) Please don’t worry if the message doesn’t disappear after you have sent it. It will disappear when you leave the page. The winners will be drawn on January 31st, 2012. All winners will be notified by email and their eBook will be attached. 

 Blog Tour:
January 14th http://www.kids-bookreview.com - Author Interview
January 15th http://authorjillsmith.wordpress.com - Book Review
January 16th: www.buzzwordsmagazine.blogspot.com - Article – Writing Historical Fiction
January 17th: http://carolwarner.wordpress.com/ - Author Interview
January 18th: http://elaineoustonauthor.com/ - Review
January 19th: www.buzzwordsmagazine.blogspot.com - Review
January 20th: https://www.facebook.com/aussiebookreviews - Review
January 23rd: http://www.morrispublishingaustralia.com/news-update-blog.html
January 24th: www.sherfordbear.co.uk - Review
January 25th: http://misshelenwrites.wordpress.com - Author Interview
January 25th: http://content.boomerangbooks.com.au/kids-book-capers-blog/ - Author interview
January 26th: Grand finale - http://www.blogbud.com/clancytucker - What’s next for Clancy

About a boy … literacy, a right not a privilege

* This article contains the names and images of deceased Indigenous people. I acknowledge that to some communities, it is distressing and offensive to show images of people who have died. I have weighed up my respect for this belief against the desire to highlight injustice and inhumanity. 

In this National Year of Reading, I want to tell you a story. It’s not one that I tell very often because there’s a scar on my heart from a tragedy on April Fool’s Day, almost twenty-two years ago.

It’s a story of despair and hope and tragedy. It’s a story of a young man who fought demons from the moment he was born. It’s the reason I will never turn away from taking out racists who step in my path – with pen and rapier sharp, restrained fury.

Once upon a time, I taught adult literacy in Boggo Road jail, Brisbane’s notorious prison before it closed down. Now it’s a museum, a redeveloped urban village with its own Sunday markets and young urbanites sipping coffee.

Back in the late 1980s, my class was a disparate group of Murri inmates, indigenous men from Brisbane and regional Queensland. I was an ex-early childhood teacher with updated training in teaching reading and writing to adults. I worked for TAFE and ended up in the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Educational Unit – hence the job in Boggo Road.

Boggo Road Jail, Brisbane. Photo:the De La Dream girls

I must’ve been brave in those days – or headstrong. Not only did I have no experience in dealing with cultural issues, I’d never worked in male only classes before, nor set foot inside a razor-wired prison.

Boggo Road hunched on a rise in the quiet suburb of Annerley, high-walled and with hidden atrocities. Between 1885 and 1913, forty-two inmates were hung on the jail’s gallows. There are tales of ghosts and unmarked graves beneath the bricks. Even in 1989, it had a fearsome reputation. Many of its more notorious inmates were household names – The Colossus of Boggo Road, armed robber and later Australian Wrestling champion, Nathan Jones; James Finch and Andrew Stuart, the “Whiskey Au-Go-Go” murderers, amongst others. I never came in contact with them. My brief was to lift literacy rates amongst the Murri prisoners.

The first day I walked through those gates, a warder took me to the Education Room – a loose term, as many of the prison guards believed punishment did not include education. But Keith Hamburger, Director-general of Corrective Services, an enlightened reformer had been in charge for a few years. Aboriginal prisoners were encouraged to do cultural studies, art and literacy.

     That morning, twenty-six big, black men filed into the room and one asked, ‘Where’s ‘Melanie’? (my vivacious, popular predecessor). I told them she’d left. They voiced their discontent and I knew I had to take a stand or all was lost. So I smiled and said, ‘I bet you were disappointed when the teacher before Melanie left, but you got used to Mel. I’m here now, and I reckon you’ll be saying the same things to the teacher who’ll come after me!’  They laughed and we were okay.

     Teaching literacy is a delicate business – how do you follow the curriculum and teach what one needs to know to survive in a print-based world, but still bring in teaching the sort of reading and writing that will open up the mind and the heart.

     I held a morning class every week for almost a year. Sometimes, I was kept waiting at the main gates for several hours, but they didn’t know how stubborn I could be. Sometimes, the reasons were legitimate, like riots or shut-downs, or visiting social workers, or a death in the prison. But sometimes, I knew it was out of spite by a group of anti-education officers.

     The classes ranged from two students to twenty. I never knew what to expect. The Murri prisoners were linked by their brotherhood in Boggo – much more than the white prisoners. There was always a warder, sitting at a desk, keeping an eye on things. The large, steely eyed Moira was one of them. Scary woman. But I never felt threatened by those ‘black brothers’ of mine in Boggo Jail.

     I can’t claim to be the world’s best literacy teacher – if I find curriculum boring, I figure a student will feel the same, and I break rules. Hence, a lot of time was spent on poetry writing and song lyrics (their request), and life-story writing (my request). We tackled the filling in forms bit  together – yes, I was a literacy teacher challenged by official forms. And they had lots of those!

     One student, a dark-eyed boy named Russell, took to poetry like  fish to water. His verse spoke of anger, politics, land rights and desperation. He’d been in and out of foster homes since he was three and in and out of jail since he was eighteen. But in prison, he learned to paint and to dance story, to express himself through written words and best of all, he discovered the cultural classes.

When the Government began to decentralise prisons, many Murri inmates of Boggo Road were sent north to the Mareeba prison and to the notorious Etna Creek prison, near Rockhampton. There’s a saying … the further north you go, the more racists you’ll meet. (I don’t hold to it, but I do have extended family up north who fit the bill).

Russell wrote to me from Etna Creek. He was pleased when he’d heard that many of his own Bidjara people were still in their tribal area near Carnarvon Gorge. He was keen to talk to them in language when he finished his sentence in a few months time. He was excited that Ross and I would visit Carnarvon with him and he’d ask the old people if that was okay. He wanted to come back to Brisbane to finish his time, and then go back to school somehow.

Russell’s final  letter began with the words … “To start things off, I’ve been in a bit of trouble up here.”  The trouble involved a fight with prison wardens and Russell ended up in solitary. Rumour was that Russell was defending his cousin. I wrote back, warning him to lay low and don’t bite back at the guards.

In the early hours of April 1, 1990, Russell died in the detention unit at Rocky jail. Police said it appeared he hanged himself. The Aboriginal community believed otherwise.

Hours after Russell died, another young man was found hanging with his wrists slashed. In his report, a Rockhampton newspaper reporter added his newly composed song dedicated to Russell and to black deaths in custody.

It ends with the words, How many more blacks must die before the white man will understand, that all he wanted was to be left along and given a second chance, to be back with family and friends when his time was due, but it makes me feel so sad inside ’cause it could have been me or you. Robert H’s sentence had just been increased by three months because he destroyed a blanket in his earlier suicide attempt at Blackall watchhouse.

The Aboriginal legal services spokesman said Aboriginal prisoners had complained of harassment and unfair disciplinary treatment by jail officers. The Corrective Services Minister at the time, Glen Milliner, rejected his statement, saying, “I’m annoyed that they are using these deaths to go public on this thing”.

My last letter to Russell turned up at my home the day of his memorial service. Unopened, with address unknown on the front. I’d misspelled the jail’s name. You would’ve thought someone in the system in Rockhampton knew there is only one jail in the district. My letter of hope for the future may not have helped Russell, but I bear the regret still.

This is one of Russell’s free verse writing, after he edited it in class for spelling errors.

How many enemies before we can find a friend? How many nights before we can see the day? How many must suffer before we can be free? How many years before we can find a day? How many people must die before there are none? This is how I feel inside me and it comes from my heart for my people. Russell J L October 1989

DEATHS IN CUSTODY in AUSTRALIA – RESEARCH PAPERS 1980-1989

Twenty years after the ROYAL COMMISSION INTO ABORIGINAL DEATHS IN CUSTODY, Crikey.com asks Why are the fatalities still rising?

© Sheryl Gwyther 2012

‘Secrets of Eromanga’ slips into the digital age

Who’d have thought it? Yes, my first novel has become an ebook and available in Australia and the United Kingdom, and into the U.S. eventually. SECRETS OF EROMANGA ebook

The publisher, Hachette Australia Children’s Books have been choosing and gradually sending their ‘older’ books into a new age of readership. Secrets of Eromanga is still in print in Australia, but it’s great to know that the novel will have a new life in the future as well.

A Eureka moment on the fossil dig.

This junior fiction adventure is a story close to my heart. I had the astonishing and wonderful experience of volunteering on a fossil dig for the biggest dinosaur found in Australia as I was writing the book. So, it became a vital part of my research.

I knew a little bit about Aussie dinosaurs before I wrote the book, and came out at the other end of my hands-on experience with a much greater appreciation and enthusiasm about these amazing creatures who lumbered, sprinted, walked, slid, swam and flew across our land 95 million years ago. 

End of day on the Elliot fossil dig

It’s also the story of a young girl’s courage against adversity, and her enthusiasm for fossil hunting – that amazing, unforgettable experience of peeling back the layers of time and earth to find buried treasure.

Try a little dig experience yourself sometime – out at the Elliot Dinosaur dig in western Queensland. Or visit the new (opening in April) Australian Age of Dinosaurs, a new museum/laboratory on a mesa outside Winton, solely devoted to the region’s dinosaurs. If you go there, look for my name on a plaque as one of the Founding Members.

Aussie Dinosaurs Rule!

Mesa country outside Winton - beautiful, wild landscape