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The Zombies Versus Unicorns debates have spread around the world! This Thursday, March 31, at 6PM we will be having one at
Kinokuniya Bookstore here in Sydney, Australia.
Join us at Kinokuniya as Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld (Team Zombie) face off Margo Lanagan and Garth Nix (Team Unicorn) to determine who reigns supreme, the zombie or the unicorn? This is an event not to be missed!
Edited by Holly Black (Team Unicorn) and Justine Larbalestier (Team Zombie), Zombies Vs Unicorns is a unique short story feud that pits horned beasts against the shuffling undead.
Contributors to this unique collection include bestselling teen and YA authors Garth ...
Posted by Justine at 8:56, March 29th, 2011 under Sydney/Australia, Zombies v Unicorns |
You're going to have to excuse this post (and the crappy photo) but I can't help myself. A package just arrived from my wonderful Australian publisher, Allen & Unwin. It made me scream. In a good way.
This is what was in it:
That's the official
Children's Book Council of Australia short-listed book sticker and it's on Liar! And it's not a joke or an accident!
*Faints*
Um,
I may have mentioned that the CBCA awards have always been a huge deal for me. Ever since I was a tiny person. This really is a dream come true.
And on that cliched note ((Hey, they're cliches for a reason.)) I am off to ...
Posted by Justine at 12:15, April 20th, 2010 under Liar, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory, Young Adult literature |
Due to
boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much for awhile. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Margo Lanagan is probably the award winningest Australian YA writer of all time. She deserves every single one. When I'm asked who I think the best living YA writer is, which is a really dreadful question given how many wonderful ones there are and how I ...
Posted by Justine at 12:04, April 19th, 2010 under Guest post, Sydney/Australia, Writing life, Writing process |
I have been very pleased that so many of you are concerned that our Sydney garden will suffer in our absence. Thanks for writing and let me know! Nice to know I am not alone in loving that garden. Oh, how I misses it . . .
To reassure you: the garden has an automatic irrigation system. On top of that my parents and my sister are keeping a close eye on it and handwatering any of the plants that seem in need. They're also killing any caterpillars or other evil beasties they come across. Do I not have the best family ever?
Here is the last photo I took of my beloved garden:...
Posted by Justine at 9:27, April 16th, 2010 under Garden, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Due to
boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much for awhile. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Jaclyn Moriarty is a wonderful Sydney writer who used to be a lawyer and is responsible for some of my favourite Aussie novels of the last few years, especially The Betrayal of Bindy McKenzie and Dreaming of Amelia. But, trust me, all her books are amazing. Be ...
Posted by Justine at 14:54, April 15th, 2010 under Bloggery, Guest post, Sydney/Australia |
Right now I am at Auckland airport and it is nothing like Sydney airport. For starters there are All-Blacks jerseys everywhere and people are laughing at my accent and not Scott's. It's Bizarro-world!
Now a serious question for my USian readers. Do you guys have any theories as to why so many of the USian blog reviewers of Karen Healey's Guardian of the Dead are under the impression that her extremely New Zealand book is set in Australia? Many NZ cities are named, such as Christchurch, where it is largely set. The South & North Islands are frequently mentioned as are many other very very very Kiwi things and people. No mention is made of Australia.
What gives? Are you taught ...
Posted by Justine at 0:47, April 6th, 2010 under Bloggery, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
For those of you who've been asking ((And for me to gaze at longingly when I'm far from here.)) here's
more photos of the
garden.
First up here's one of our lovely
Eucalyptus ficifolia or flowering gum. They're incredibly common here in Sydney. I swear almost every street in Surry Hills is lined with ficifolia. I miss them like crazy when I'm in NYC. Hence the need to have some on the deck:
Isn't that adorable? Baby ficifolia reminds me of a puppy dog whose feet are way bigger than the rest of it. Only it's the leaves that are outsized compared to the currently spindly trunk and ...
Posted by Justine at 17:36, March 24th, 2010 under Garden, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
Scott is in mourning because
mango season is over. I share his pain and yet . . . mangosteen season just started!
My heart fills with joy:
ALL MINE.
Er, um, Scott can have one. If he's good.
Must go. Have a whole bowl of mangosteens to gobble.
Posted by Justine at 20:27, March 5th, 2010 under Food, Sydney/Australia |
Due to
boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much for awhile. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Ron Bradfield Jnr blogs as
Belongum. I discovered his wonderful blog via
Cellobella, another fabulous WA blogger, who I met at the Perth Writers Festival last year. See sometimes you can discover fabulous blogs via real life. Amazing, innit?
- - -
Ron Bradfield Jnr is ...
Posted by Justine at 23:59, March 2nd, 2010 under Guest post, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Words & Language |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Today's guest bloggers are two Allen & Unwin editors. Allen & Unwin publish me in my home country ((Which is why they say lovely things about my books.)) and I think they are absolutely wonderful. One of the two editors might even be my editor there. They are ...
Posted by Justine at 20:45, February 21st, 2010 under Guest post, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
I have known Lili Wilkinson for many years now. She's one of the most talented, driven, organised people I have ever met. I am in awe of her. (Yes, even when I'm asleep.) She has had many wonderful books published in Australia as well as the UK and ...
Posted by Justine at 0:26, February 19th, 2010 under Guest post, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
Due to boring circumstances beyond my control, I will not be online much in February. Fortunately I’ve been able to line up a number of stellar guests to fill in for me. Most are writers, but I also thought it would be fun to get some publishing types to explain what it is they do, teach you some more about the industry, and answer your questions, as well as one or two bloggers.
Today we have Randa Abdel-Fattah and not just because she's a Sydneysider like me. She's one of those amazing writers who manages to produce novels while holding down a demanding job and looking after her kids. (Little known fact: the majority of novelists have day jobs.) Enjoy!
- - ...
Posted by Justine at 0:23, February 16th, 2010 under Guest post, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
Off to the
Aurealis Awards in Brisbane. I am not taking my computer with me. Have fun, oh internets, while I'm gone.
I leave you with this gorgeous music:
"Djarimirri" by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.
If you don't own his album you might want to fix that.
Oops! Forgot to mention that I'll be part of a signing tomorrow:
Saturday, 23 Jan 2010,
Signing at Pulp Fiction Books
10.30-11.30AM:
Trudi Canavan and
Kaaron Warren
11.30-12.30AM:
Justine Larbalestier,
Scott Westerfeld,
Sean Williams
12.30-1.30PM:
Karen Miller and
Glenda Larke
2.30-3.30PM:
Pamela Freeman and
K J Taylor
Shop 28-29 Anzac Square Building Arcade
265-269 Edward Street ...
Posted by Justine at 19:02, January 21st, 2010 under Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Plans are under way for our fabluous roof garden. Thank you so much for
all your comments and suggestions they have been wonderfully useful.
I thought it would be fun to share with you its current state:
Yup, that's all we got a stray plant growing between the cracks on the balcony railing. The twenty cent piece and quarter are there for scale. It is teeny tiny.
Here is the bare, bare balcony, which we aim to transform:
I shall keep you posted with more pictures as the garden grows. It will be a slow process because we're having large wooden troughs made to house ...
Posted by Justine at 22:36, January 20th, 2010 under Garden, Sydney/Australia |
Our new digs has a large L-shaped balcony, which at the moment is completely naked. It cries out for plant life and I aim to supply it with all it desires. I've decided I want to go with Australian natives. Because, well, I love so many of them. However, my knowledge is a bit on the small side. I know what I like but I don't have much idea of what goes well in pots in direct sunlight. We face north-west and north-east and there is loads of sun.
Here's my list of Aussie plants I like the look and/or smell of:
Carpobrotus glaucescens (pigface)
Lilly pilly (
Syzygium luehmannii)
Banksia ericifolia (any banksia is good by me)
Acacia ...
Posted by Justine at 23:49, January 14th, 2010 under Garden, Sydney/Australia |
This year Scott and me hosted the family xmas at our new digs. This is the first time in my entire life it's been held anywhere but at my parents' place. Made me feel very grown up indeed.
Because of our recent Istanbul sojurn we went with a Turkish feast. Here's me and Scott putting the finishing touches on the main course patates bastisi (potato casserole) and çingene pilavi (gypsy salad) and part of the mezze (first course) haveuç köftesi (carrot rolls with apricots and pine nuts):
And here's the mezze spread on the table. The dishes are aci domates ezmesi (chilli tomato paste), yoghurt with garlic and lemon juice to go with ...
Posted by Justine at 20:36, December 25th, 2009 under Food, Sydney/Australia |
Breakfast is my favourite meal. (Other than lunch and dinner.)
Hope you're having as wonderful and relaxed a day as I am.
Posted by Justine at 0:00, December 20th, 2009 under Food, Sydney/Australia |
My wonderful publisher and editor at
Allen & Unwin, Jodie Webster, sent me this pic from her local bookshop in Melbourne, Fairfield Bookshop, (which you'll be shocked to hear is in Fairfield). I suspect it will be the only time that the pile of my books is bigger than Stephenie Meyer's! But, hey, I'll take it while it lasts. Maybe the proximity will rub off on my sales. I can hope, right?
In other news we almost had a NZ winner of the Liar sightings contest. She even had to make them open up a box to get her Liar sighting. Fortunately for my readers in NZ, it was
my sister, who's working in Wellington for ...
Posted by Justine at 10:13, September 27th, 2009 under Liar, Sydney/Australia |
Yesterday I shared the US trailer for Liar, today it's time for the Australian Liar trailer:
Whatcha reckon? It's difficult for me to say seeing as how that's my words and my voice, and me and Scott shot some of the footage. I can say that I think the team at
Allen & Unwin did an awesome job editing it all together. They've managed to make me sound smarter and more coherent than I actually am. Thank you.
Oh, and good news for those of you in Australia and New Zealand. I've been told that Liar's official release day is 28 September but it will probably start ...
Posted by Justine at 1:53, September 17th, 2009 under Liar, Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
Most aspiring writers ask the right questions. I worry that
my last post, which is an
echo of
many earlier posts, gives a different impression, so I feel the need to say it loud and clear: the vast majority of aspiring writers who contact me ask smart, sensible, interesting questions. It's really only the ones who are more in love with the idea of being a writer than with actually, you know, writing who ask the wrong questions. Mercifully, they are massively outnumbered by the people who love writing.
During my events at the
Melbourne Writers Festival I wasn't asked any wrong questions. My audiences were smart and full of excellent questions. The encounter ...
Posted by Justine at 6:42, August 28th, 2009 under Fans & readers, Reading, Sydney/Australia, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Yes, I seem
to have become one of those birdwatching types. What of it?
rainbow lorikeets
sulphur crested cockatoos
crows
flying foxes
magpies
myna birds (alas)
spotted turtledove
pied currawong
noisy miner
white ibis
ducks (!)
pigeons
sea gulls
And a tiny little wee birdie smaller than the palm of my hand that I haven't been able to identify. Zips by too fast for me to even figure out what colour it is. I'd love to hear any suggestions as to what it might be. I am new to this birdwatching caper.
Here's this morning's sunrise:
First bird I heard this morning: rainbow lorikeet. They really do have the happiest-making calls.
Posted by Justine at 20:27, August 19th, 2009 under Praising, Sydney/Australia |
Next week I'll be doing four events at the
Melbourne Writers Festival. None of my events are free, alas. Sorry about that! I will work extra hard on these panels to make up for it. ((Not that I don't give my all for free events!))
My Sunday event is part of the adults programming and thus is
a bit pricey. You can
book your ticket here. However, my other events are part of the under 18 programming and thus are only $6. You can
book the U-18 events here.
Event 1
Day: Sunday
Date: 23/08/2009
Time: 4:00 PM
Venue: ACMI 1
Event Name:
Taking Over the Grown-Ups Table
Panelists: Isobelle Carmody, Scott Westerfeld, Justine Larbalestier
Chair: Agnes Nieuwenhuizen
Official Description: Join Justine Larbalestier, ...
Posted by Justine at 18:18, August 18th, 2009 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Magic or Madness trilogy, Sydney/Australia |
Our study is being painted so we had to move the furniture out. This particular couch is a millions years old chesterfield that used to belong to my parents. I grew up with this couch. Curled up on it to read, tormented my sister on it, watched tellie from it, and apparently played jacks on it.
Here's what fell out when we moved it:
I'd forgotten I ever played jacks. Now I'm remembering being a wee bit obsessed with the game. But a Marlon Brando in The Wild One badge? Really?
Update: The hair bobble was my sister's. Sorry,
Niki for forgetting to mention that.
Posted by Justine at 19:18, August 13th, 2009 under Frippery, Sydney/Australia |
Sydney winters are not particularly harsh. But in the spirit of doing things properly, we do what we can to make them seem colder. Hence the lack of heating to be found in so many Sydney homes.
Last night I was toasty warm in bed but my nose was ice cold and getting up to go to the loo was an ordeal. The temperature? 10C or 50F. Go ahead, laugh. But in a flat that's got no heating and more importantly that's been designed to stay cool, that's cold. My nose turned red. It could have fallen off!
I could solve this problem by getting a gas heater but perversely I enjoy it. The days are warm, the nights are cold. ...
Posted by Justine at 5:03, July 30th, 2009 under Frippery, Sydney/Australia |
I always forget how gorgeous Sydney is.
Having highs in the late teens/ early twenties celsius in the middle of winter is how it should be.
Saw my first flock of rainbow lorikeets at 8AM walking up the hill around the corner from the flat. I'm home, I thought.
Sometimes NYC being a very long way away is a truly marvellous thing. I feel my head clearing by the second.
There were mangosteens at the local grocery. If that's not a sign of goodness I don't know what is.
Posted by Justine at 1:51, July 29th, 2009 under Praising, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 8:27, June 10th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, New York City/USA, Praising, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 12:37, May 25th, 2009 under Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 14:43, April 11th, 2009 under State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 11:00, April 3rd, 2009 under Liar, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia, Titles & names |
Here's a photo of the view from our new Sydney digs at night. Twas taken by Stephen Dunbar on the 6th of March:
And here's the same view taken during Earth Hour by my dad:
I wish I'd been home to see it.
Posted by Justine at 0:13, March 29th, 2009 under Sydney/Australia |
Some of you have been writing to ask me what I think of the
Australian Productivity Commission's draft report. I've been trying very hard to put my thoughts into words, but frankly I'm too depressed and angry. But now Michael Heyward of Text has a
most excellent opinion piece in The Age:
THERE'S a lot at stake in the world of books and writing and publishing. Our industry is blossoming. We're selling great books at home and exporting our writers in unprecedented numbers. We have a superb retail environment, with a dynamic independent sector, and a competitive printing industry that generates significant numbers of skilled jobs. There's never been a better time to be a writer or publisher ...
Posted by Justine at 0:44, March 27th, 2009 under Publishing business, Ranting, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
I wonder why it is that women in sports get so little attention. Unless they're tennis or golf players and pretty. Or winning gold medals during the Olympics.
I've been following the
women's world cup online, but apparently I don't have much company online or offline where
very few folks have been going to their games. I don't get it. The NZ v Pakistan game sounds like it was amazing. Wish I'd been home to see it. ((Here's hoping the Kiwis can crush the Poms in the final. Guess, I'll find out when I wake up.)) Games were $5 each or $35 for a pass to see all of them. Standards were high yet attendance was crap.
And then there's ...
Posted by Justine at 0:44, March 21st, 2009 under Basketball, Cricket, New York City/USA, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 6:41, March 9th, 2009 under Praising, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 1:28, March 8th, 2009 under Cricket, Liar, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 2:01, March 4th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 6:54, February 24th, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Praising, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 3:44, February 23rd, 2009 under Book tour, Fashion, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 2:45, February 22nd, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 7:27, February 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Listening, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Brekkie and lunch in Sydney and now dinner in Melbourne. What a jetsetter I am!
Why, yes, it's less than an hour flight time from Sydney to Melbourne, what of it?
It's thirteen hours on a bus, but. I have it on good authority from
Mr Paul Kelly.
Posted by Justine at 3:34, February 20th, 2009 under Frippery, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 7:15, February 19th, 2009 under Praising, Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
Posted by Justine at 0:11, February 19th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory |
Posted by Justine at 0:05, February 13th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Writing life, Writing process |
Posted by Justine at 2:18, February 10th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Liar, Praising, Science, Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
To all the people writing to ask me if I'm okay: Sydney is a long, long, long way from the worst of the bushfires. Me and mine are fine.
What's happened in
Victoria is horrific. So far more than 173 people have died. As I mentioned in
this earlier post you can help. The Oz Red Cross is taking
donations here.
Posted by Justine at 17:09, February 9th, 2009 under State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 16:04, February 8th, 2009 under State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 21:53, February 6th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia |
One of the most pleasing things about finally have our own digs in Sydney was getting all our stuff out of storage. Including my nana's china:
Look we has TWO whole shelves of it!
I remember her saying that it was one of the first presents she bought herself when she came to Australia in 1939. Scott and me use it as our everyday crockery. No point in it sitting on the shelf collecting dust, right? And I love the sense of continuity that so many people have used these plates and cups and platters over the last 70 years. Pretty cool, huh?
Here, have a closer look:
I suspect it was very common in the late 1930s and early ...
Posted by Justine at 2:37, February 5th, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Sydney/Australia |
While I was eating my breakfast of mango, passionfruit, banana, sheep milk's yoghurt and granola and looking out at the view of the city, a flock of rainbow lorikeets went screaming past, their red, green and blue feathers illuminated by the sun and I thought about my dear, dear friends---especially poor Maureen Johnson, little Libba Bray, and wee Robin Wasserman---back in New York City, who, judging by their frequent sad missives to me and Scott, are cold right now. Cold and miserable and they've completely forgotten what the sun looks like.
I decided that it is my duty here in sunny gorgeous Sydney to cheer them up. First, I thought of describing a day in the life of Justine in Sydney ...
Posted by Justine at 0:02, February 4th, 2009 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
How To Ditch Your Fairy will be published in its shiny new paperback Australian edition next month.
So. Very. Soon.
If you go over to the Allen & Unwin Alien Onion blog
you'll see what it looks like.
And guess what? I'll be doing a wee bit of a mini Oz book tour. I'm dead excited.
Two of my events are in Melbourne, including the actual book launch:
22 Feb 2009, 2:00PM - 3:30PM
Me and Simmone Howell in conversation + cake
State Library of Victoria - Conference Centre
328 Swanston Street
(Entrance 3 on La Trobe Street)
Melbourne, Victoria
Go here to book
24 Feb 2009, 6:30PM
Australian launch of How To Ditch Your Fairy
My book will be introduced by the lovely
Lili Wilkinson!
Readings Carlton
309 ...
Posted by Justine at 1:43, January 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia |
