Ugly Critques

Living in the middle of nowhere, the best way for me to have my writing critiqued is to be part of an online critique group. I've had membership of a few and some unhelpful experiences.

As part of a speculative fiction group, someone told me my story "Soul Mates" which was eventually published in Black Magazine , could never happen because houses were inanimate objects and couldn't think or feel. Did I mention this was a SPECULATIVE fiction group. Had he not heard of - let's say Stephen King's "Christine"?

Another critiquer told me I was writing a story - therefore it had already happened - therefore I could not write it in present tense. I am still shaking my head over that one.

When I first started to seriously write, I discovered I knew nothing about commas. I did a lot of research on the Internet, thought I knew what I was doing, but thought my online critique group might point out to me where I was still getting commas wrong. I asked for specific feedback when I submitted my story - the answer from one helpful person. "Have a look on the Internet." I think that is when I left that group.

Happy, happy - I belong to a great group now, who would never be so patronising or unhelpful. I am a better writer for their honesty and experience. A fellow member, Nancy Kopp blogged about us and online critiques groups today.

Coraline Versus Up

At the heart of Coraline is truth – two truths. The type of truths that keeps all good fables resonating throughout the centuries.

Truth no 1: If you neglect your children, they will look elsewhere for love, and sometimes that love will be damaging. The battle back home again will be a challenge.

Truth no 2: The grass is never greener on the other side. I loved this story when I was a kid. Was it a cow or a sheep who keep going from paddock to paddock thinking the grass he saw was greener?

We had to travel all the way to Indooroopilly to see Coraline. It seemed to just come and go from our local cinemas before we had blinked. This movie is smart, quirky, dark and looks beautiful.

Up, on the other hand looks like every other Pixar animation since Toy Story had us all raving. Every kid and his dog went to see it in the holidays. I feel asleep. Slept away at least $2.00 of the movie. It’s not that it is bad necessarily, but you can only see so much animated slapstick before your children become teenagers.

Up will make money. Then, the next slick over promoted movie will come out and it will just be another DVD in every families' cupboard.

In years to come, those who remember Coraline will be consider it as a cut above the rest.

Wivenhoe Weed Fairies taking flight.

Breathe

This is the gum tree in my front yard. I walk past it every day. It has possums, bees, parrots and once an old grandaddy koala.

Whenever I look at this photo it reminds me to breathe.

Cinema Etiquette

As impressionable 14 year olds, our head mistress bundled us boarding school girls onto a bus for an hour long trip to visit the nearest cinema. She took us to see Ghandi.

The movie ended. We stood up. She admonished us. It was disrespectful to stand while the credits were rolling. We had never heard of such a thing. We all sat down again.

My head mistress, despite her uncanny habit of suspending me from school, was a woman I came to respect, and her respect for movie credits is something I still practice.

It seems to me, if someone makes and effort to make a movie, no matter how obscure their role (what is a best boy?) then the viewer should have the respect to pay attention for the entire length of the film, credits included.

It is not always comfortable. The usher wants us out so he can clean up, the children are over it and are embarrassed, but I feel righteous in my actions.

It is also a bit about train spotting too.

Rewards are at times surprising, most notable the alternate ending following the credits of 28 Days Later. It remains one of my most satisfying story viewing experiences – all because I stayed until the end of the credits.

Inglourious Basterds

Inglourious Basterds – no mistaking this is Tarantino. Irony, wit, imaginative dialogue, and let’s face it Violence with a capital V. I am not squeamish. I watched a surgeon cut up my daughter's mouth, but I covered my eyes in several of this movie's scenes. Well, you know covered and peaked.

Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction changed the tone of movies. The define their decade. Kill Bill did not thrill me, but in Inglourious Basterds, Tarantino has returned to the story telling that I think Kill Bill lacked.

The overhead shot of Shoshanna walking from her room and down the hall to David Bowie’s Cat People (Putting Out Fire) is a masterful combination of cinematography, plot and sound.

Rewrite history, why not? Who else would have the audacity?

Up the garden path

Tulips

Elegant and simple. Nothing at all like me, perhaps why I love them.

More and more flowers

There was a time when I aspired to be a florist!

Flower Festival Day 4

Carnival photo feast continues

The Carnival of Flowers is Sprung

Spring Celebrations

The Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers is 60 years old, Australia's longest running horticultural festival.

Night Watch

The 2004 Russian film, Night Watch doesn't lay anything out on a platter - it lets you be confused and then unravels the satisfyingly complex storyline in a visual feast. The mix of interesting cinematography, sets and animations buzzes with life.

This action fantasy tells a tale of good and evil, or specifically the Others, who posses special powers and must choose light or dark. But for me, the real theme of the movie is that life is shades of grey.

We saw this movie when it came out. There were exactly three people in the theatre. I picked up the DVD pretty cheap, but it is worth every cent. It is a keeper that can be watched over again. The DVD has been dubbed so you don't have to read the subtitles and miss the gorgeousness of the visuals.

Why we love the internet.

This is why I love the internet.

At 7am on Sunday morning, whilst still in my pajamas, I can:

- Buy my mother her birthday present

- Buy my favourite Gum Leaf Essential Oils.

Breastfeeding - fiendish or miraclous?

There are three good things I have done for my kids: read to them, talk and listen to them, and breastfeed them.

According to the Courier Mail, a newspoll survey found up to 30% of people think breastfeeding should not be done in public.

Let’s put this in perspective. It is fine to drink and get drunk in public; people do it in pubs every night. We can see nudity and sex on television. People barely bat an eyelid at swearing.

The Valley on a Saturday is a flesh feast, bum cheeks, breasts beaming in the street lights.

And yet, the very best start I can give my baby in life – one that will protect him from illness, increase his intelligence, speech and eyesight and is free and environmentally friendly – is inappropriate for the public.

I was discreet, but I never hid while breast feeding in public. One of the saddest things I ever saw was a mother breastfeeding in the corner of a room while her husband held a cloth up in front of her. I wonder was it his problem or hers?

Breast milk and breastfeeding is a natural miracle. Any support a woman gets to continue breastfeeding is an investment in the future of her child. Criticism is tantamount to child abuse.

There, you did not know I was a ranter did you?

Another View

Shadows and shine: a different angle on the Sydney Opera House.

Ok, so we went to Sydney. This is what we saw.

We stayed at the Raddison on Liverpool St (nice sheets), the balcony smells like the restaurant 8 floors below, the monorail is a stones throw away. There are lives played out across the street. Each window like a TV screen of people watching their TV. We arrive late on Thursday night but the air is full of the static electricity of so many lives in one place, feet constantly moving on the footpath, and constant noise.

There are two Sydney icons to be ticked off. We climbed one of them. This 77 year of bridge with rust like wrinkles shaped this city and still does. The buttresses on either end of the bridge serve no purpose at all other than aesthetic. Each tile was hand carved, the larger ones at the base took one man a week. Hey, this was the depression right?

Icon number 2. The thing about the Sydney Opera House is there are so many ways to see her. From every angle she is something different. In every light she is something different. Just like a well rounded woman.

The Rocks are both sad and fascinating. Sad because it has been made sterile by galleries, cafes and tourists, fascinating because the real gritty history that claws from behind the walls. These bricks all look different - each convict used the them to graffiti their mark.

Of course there was more, dirty hot double decker trains, friends and stalkers, the All Blacks in a dramatic win, good food, ordinary food, ferry rides and lots and lots of walking...

Sweet Jasmine

For many, August may signal the Ekka and westerly winds, but for me, August is the scent of Jasmine.

Pink Jasmine smells like heaven. Better than chocolate cake, better than Calvin Klein’s Obsession. Pick the flowers before they have opened and fill your house with sweetness.

Jasmine is tropical and sub-tropical plant and well suited to our sub-tropical Queensland. There are several varieties of Jasmine, coming from different parts of the world. They can be deciduous or evergreen shrubs or climbing plants. They produce yellow or white flowers, whose best quality is their fragrance.

Commonly seen in South East Queensland are the Pink Jasmine and the Star Jasmine.

The Pink Jasmine, also sometimes known as White Jasmine, is native to China. It is a fast growing evergreen, needing a strong trellis or fence to ramble over. It is called Pink Jasmine because of the colour of the buds that open to star shaped white flowers.

For South East Queensland, it is a low care plant. Once established it does not need excessive water, and only needs a good trim after flowering. In cold areas it will flower much longer, and it has become invasive in southern parts of Australia. It also causes allergies in some people.

Star Jasmine, on the other hand, it a woodier plant, with (I believe) less sweet flowers. Technically it is not a Jasmine, but we won’t get technical here!

This plant grows more slowly and can be shaped as topiary or against a wall. Unlike the Pink Jasmine it will cover the whole of a fence or wall, rather than just growing along the top. It can also be used as a ground cover, even in the shade (but don’t expect too many flowers). It requires more pruning to keep it shaped. Flowers will only form on new growth.

Both of these plants can be grown from cuttings. Grow, smell and enjoy.

I'm excited

Hint fiction is sweeping through the world - hopefully with the staying power of Energizer batteries rather than a Rubik Cube fad.

Submission guidelines for "the" Norton publication on Robert Swartwood's blog.