Archives
Posted by Justine at 3:11, January 8th, 2009 under Cricket, Sport, Sydney/Australia |
Yup, it's my annual what-I-did-this-year skiting post. I write these mostly for myself so I can easily keep track. Hence the
last day of the year category. Thus you are absolutely free to skip it. ((I would if I were you.))
This year was exceptional. I'm still pinching myself. My first Bloomsbury USA book, How To Ditch Your Fairy, was published and seems to be doing well. I was sent on my first book tour, which was fabulous. It's insane how much fun I had and how many fabulous schools, book shops and libraries I visited in California, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Thank you to everyone who came to see me while I was on the ...
Posted by Justine at 0:20, December 31st, 2008 under Book tour, First Kiss, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Last Day of the Year, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Next novel, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 0:12, December 30th, 2008 under Cricket, Sport, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, December 28th, 2008 under Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
Posted by Justine at 18:47, December 25th, 2008 under Cricket, Food, Praising, Sport, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:03, December 21st, 2008 under Cricket, Food, Sydney/Australia |
Diana Peterfreund and
Carrie Ryan saved me from writing a post I'd been sort of planning for awhile---on the various lame ways people dismiss YA---but which I kind of couldn't be arsed actually writing. So bless them both!
I've come across this example all too often:
“XYZ is pretty good, for a book for children, but I doubt the author will be allowed to take it to the next level, because children’s books rarely do that.” (The “that” in question, by the way, is a rebellion against the powers-that-be by the teen main characters, which is so common in YA fantasy and SF books that it’s practically a cliche.)
Succinctly put, Diana!
Though mostly what I get from adult writers and ...
Posted by Justine at 4:49, December 20th, 2008 under Bloggery, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 20:46, December 19th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 17:11, December 15th, 2008 under Praising, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 20:28, December 12th, 2008 under Food, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 14:35, December 6th, 2008 under Admin, Bloggery, Excuses, Food, Frippery, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
I have decided that I will do all future signings my way and ignore Scott's advice entirely. The only people who can tell me to hurry up when signing is whoever is running it. So there, Scott!
I hasten to add that crazy long signings are not a regular occurrence for me. They pretty much only happen at places like
NCTE or
TLA or on school visits. If I had lines like Scott gets routinely I would probably study how he gets through a line speedily while also managing to chat to those he's signing for. He is a master. He does in fifteen seconds what takes me a minute. ((This could be because he's a USian and I'm ...
Posted by Justine at 17:28, November 26th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 13:05, November 16th, 2008 under Reading, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 9:40, November 14th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Reading, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, What's your fairy? |
Over at Daily Kos, Meteor Blades (via Scott) has an
article on accents in which he points out that, yes, everyone has one and quotes Geoffrey Nunberg
being smart on the same topic:
If authenticity is a matter of heeding your true inner voice, then it probably isn't surprising that people listen for signs of it in the way you speak. And our idea of an authentic accent reflects our idea of the authentic self. It's the natural speech you sucked up from the surroundings you grew up in, unfiltered and uncorrected. It's how you're supposed to sound when you're talking to yourself.
It's also a delusion. Or at least if your speech is like yourself, it's because both are ...
Posted by Justine at 11:46, November 1st, 2008 under Bloggery, Listening, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 25th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Next novel, Research, Science, Sydney/Australia |
One of the biggest culture shocks for me as an Australian living (some of the time) in the USA is
voting. Every election year I've been here there have been
voter intimidation and
fraud scandals. Maybe I missed it, but that does not happen at home. Not every single election.
Seems to me that the aim in the US is to make voting as difficult as possible. Why? I don't get it. I've had friends disallowed to vote because the official said they had the wrong ID. It didn't exactly match the name on the voter rolls. As in, their driver's license had their middle name spelled out in full, "Rachel", but the voter roll had just ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 22nd, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, Ranting, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Zombies |
Allen & Unwin, my Australian publisher, has a blog:
Alien Onion. (See if you can figure out why it is thus named.) And they has written a post
welcoming me. I is dead chuffed. Thank 'ee!
There's also a
preview of the Oz cover of How To Ditch Your Fairy. See if you can spot what's different to the US cover.
Do check out the rest of
their blog it's the most lively fun publisher's blog I've seen. With lots of excellent guests and pictures of cake. I think it will give you an inkling of why I am so ecstatic that Allen & Unwin is my new Australian home.
Posted by Justine at 10:49, October 18th, 2008 under Bloggery, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Praising, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 16th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Publishing business, Ranting, Reading, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
Many of you have been asking, "When is How To Ditch Your Fairy going to be published in Australia?" I apologise for not answering. For ages I did not know if it would be or not and then it sold and I was not allowed to tell you. But now I can!
How To Ditch Your Fairy will be published in Australia in late February by the fabulous
Allen & Unwin. That's right I am now published by the same house that publishes Ursula Dubosarsky, Margo Lanagan, Garth Nix, Penni Russon and Lili Wilkinson amongst many other fabulously wonderful Oz YA writers.
What's more A&U are not only publishing HTDYF, they're publishing the liar book too!
Keeping this news to myself has ...
Posted by Justine at 15:46, October 14th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory |
I stopped studying maths in Year 7. Before that I'd made a bit of an effort but in my first year of high school (in New South Wales high school starts in Year 7) I downed tools. I was bored, annoyed, and couldn't see the point so I quit. Technically I kept going to maths class---it was compulsory until the end of Year 10---but I failed each year and was never made to repeat. I didn't learn anything new after Year 6.
At the time I thought it was excellent that I could get away with it. In class I read novels under the desk. I never studied and finished my maths exams quicker than anyone else cause I guessed all ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 9th, 2008 under Basketball, Bloggery, Excuses, Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Praising, Science, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
I'm lying awake with a nasty case of bunker brain. Sleep eludes and weird thoughts intrude. I'm trying to combat them by
a) planning some fun ways to promote How To Ditch Your Fairy---so far the winning plan is to glue copies of the book to the backs of toilet doors---and,
b) trying to figure out how to describe the smell of flying foxes without using the words "musk" or "feral".
Also I'm wishing I could draw.
How about you?
Posted by Justine at 4:37, August 29th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia, Toilets, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 9:50, July 14th, 2008 under Publishing business, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:36, July 13th, 2008 under Publishing business, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 10:55, July 12th, 2008 under Publishing business, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
You know the homesickeness has gotten silly when you watch this lovely video what's been doing the rounds and making everyone smile and you burst into tears at the brief shot of Sydney . . .
Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from
Matthew Harding on
Vimeo.
Posted by Justine at 20:18, July 7th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Viewing |
Recently the
National Film and Sound Archive in Canberra launched
Sounds of Australia a collection of recordings to mark Australian history and culture. One of the most recent additions was "Most People I Know (Think that I'm Crazy)" by Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs.
Fair enough, thought I. That's a song I've heard a million billion kajillion times and think of as being very Aussie. I also thought it was one of our first hits overseas. However, my extremely accurate research indicates that that might not be so. I've been asking several of my USian friends if they know the song. So far none of them do. ((Except for Scott and I think he's tainted from having spent ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, June 26th, 2008 under Listening, Sydney/Australia |
Australia is now the
most obese nation in the world.
Posted by Justine at 11:50, June 20th, 2008 under State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
I have been conducting a series of scientific experiments on how to cure homesickness. Here is my latest finding:
LISTENING TO MUSIC FROM HOME DOES NOT WORK.
In fact, it makes it much much worse. I have been listening to Oz music for the last four hours. Some of it music I don't even like. So far I have cried 4.7 times.
I feel my findings are conclusive and I can now cease the experiment.
Next: The stabbing-your-hand-with-toothpicks cure.
Wish me luck.
Posted by Justine at 13:38, June 19th, 2008 under Listening, Sydney/Australia |
Tasmanian marsupial lives that is.
Scientists back home have discovered that marsupials really really really don't like dingo pee. They avoid it like the plague which means that farmers and the forestry industry can stop poisoning wildlife in order to protect crops. Spray the wee around and the critters stay away and the crops grow unmolested. Everybody wins.
Apparently it also makes a really lovely perfume. ((No, not really.))
Posted by Justine at 14:10, June 13th, 2008 under Science, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
There's controversy right now in US women's basketball because an American player, Becky Hammon, is going to play for Russia in the Olymics. The coach of the US Olympic squad, Anne Donovan, has called her a traitor. Others have
different views: like how can Becky be a traitor when she was never asked to try out for the US squad despite putting up MVP (most valuable player) numbers and being one of the best guards in the world?
Mechelle Voepel writes a
very smart and nuanced article about the furore:
It's all fascinating to me on a lot of levels because it has made me think about so many things: what the Olympics really are, the ways the world has ...
Posted by Justine at 12:32, June 7th, 2008 under Basketball, New York City/USA, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
NB: The following post is not intended to be taken seriously. I do not want to change the way anyone speaks. Please stop sending me ranty emails and comments lecturing me on my presumptiousness and lack of understanding of the diversities of the English language. Thank you. Note to self: never write about language differences again.
So I just listened to John Waters going off about people who pronounce "picture" "pitcher". That one does not bother me. But I cannot stand the way USians say "shone". Seriously, it makes my ears bleed.
I should confess that for years I thought it was just
Scott. He'd pronounce it all wrong when he was giving a reading and I'd be deeply embarrassed ...
Posted by Justine at 0:07, June 3rd, 2008 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia, Words & Language |
I have occasionally intimated that I am not a huge fan of vampires. This is not entirely true.
When I was little I was a huge Anne Rice fan and read Bram Stoker's Dracula many many times. I loved Lost Boys and Near Dark remains my favourite vampire movie. My love of Buffy the Vampire Slayer is
well documented and Suzy McKee Charnas's Vampire Tapestry is one of my favourite books of all time. ((If you haven't read it you really must!))
I'm just not a fan of the idea of dead people being sexy. This goes for zombies as well as vampires. Basically the older I get the more attached I am to life and the more unsexy death seems. ...
Posted by Justine at 19:27, June 2nd, 2008 under Reading, Sydney/Australia |
I think the title says it all. Rather than me bore you with a description of same how about you lot cheer me up? Links to amusing sites, comics, whatever. Suggest fun reading, viewing, listening. Share an amusing anecdote. Make me think about something other than my not being in Sydney.
Yours in whingerland,
Justine
Posted by Justine at 11:42, May 23rd, 2008 under Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Several peoples have writ me saying, "See you at
WisCon!" Alas and alack they will not. Scott's niece Renee is graduating and we will be there to cheer her on. Go, Renee!
This is the second year in a row we have not been. I does not like it. WisCon is my favourite con in the whole world filled with all my favourite peoples. I love it so much that for a while there I organised the academic track and then the readings. I feel like I am a WisCon hometown girl. And here I am missing it again. Wah. Bad enough that I haven't been to
my real home in a year.
Hope everyone has fun without me. Even ...
Posted by Justine at 16:12, May 22nd, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 12:33, May 19th, 2008 under Listening, Praising, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
When homesickness eats at me I listen to
podcasts. I listen to
news broadcasts,
talk shows, shows about
sport,
science,
design,
culture. I don't care just as long as I'm hearing voices from home.
One of the my favourites is
The Book Show ((Which I can't help thinking of by it's old name,"Books & Writing")). Ramona Koval's voice and sense of humour soothe me and the range of coverage is excellent: old books, new books, local books, o.s. books, books in translation, poetry, essays etc. etc. ((Though it'd be nice if there was more YA coverage. I keep waiting for the show devoted to all the Oz YA writers storming the world: ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, May 18th, 2008 under Listening, Praising, Reading, Sydney/Australia |
Don't ask.
Via
Cat Sparks.
Posted by Justine at 11:39, May 14th, 2008 under Sydney/Australia |
Cricket Buzz just named its
top 51 cricket blogs and I'm on the list!
Yay!
And also---how embarrassing! I have been very remiss of late when it comes to cricket blogging. I mean I haven't mentioned the blessed sport since March and not written anything proper since January. Largely because (for reasons beyond my control) I have not been home since May of last year. ((Waaaaahhhh!!!!!)) Thus I have not been immersed in cricket culture and have not been keeping up with things such as the new
Twenty20 Indian Premier League. ((The link is to a NYT article explaining the League which will amuse those of us who know about cricket and hopefully be a clear-ish explanation for ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, May 12th, 2008 under Bloggery, Cricket, Liar Book, New York City/USA, Sport, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:11, May 1st, 2008 under New York City/USA, Reading, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
This is one of the biggest selling songs at home right now, despite only
being available for purchase online (but, sadly, only if you're in Australia):
For context the
apology by Kevin Rudd and Paul Keating's Redfern Spech:
Here is the original song by Kev Carmody and Paul Kelly:
I so wish I was back home . . .
Posted by Justine at 3:28, April 30th, 2008 under State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 13:39, April 15th, 2008 under Publishing business, Scott's books, Sydney/Australia, Travelling, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 16:12, March 26th, 2008 under Liar Book, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 22:39, March 15th, 2008 under Praising, Sydney/Australia, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 12:11, February 27th, 2008 under Science, Sydney/Australia |
Is like this: I have always wanted cowboy boots ever since I saw my first pair on the feet of indigenous stockmen in the Northern Territory of Australia. Those boots were beaten up and weathered like you wouldn't believe and I'd never seen such cool boots in my entire life. Want!
They were plain though. My fancy western boot lust didn't develop until I saw my first rodeo. It wasn't any of the performers who were wearing them but two women in the audience had on full cowgirl regalia and shiny, shiny boots. I am magpie. Shiny fills my heart with lust.
Over the years, I have tried on many pairs of fancy western boots and they have never been quite ...
Posted by Justine at 13:05, February 23rd, 2008 under Fashion, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
The speech that Kevin Rudd delivered at Parliament house yesterday was even more moving than I could have imagined. I cried. I never thought this would happen during my life time. I'm so full of hope for the future I feel like I could burst.
Here's the whole thing: the four minute apology and then the twenty minute speech. It's really worth watching all of it.
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Thanks to everyone who's written to me from home and elsewhere. It's wonderful to discover that yesterday's historic events had ...
Posted by Justine at 12:16, February 13th, 2008 under Praising, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Back home in Canberra the prime minister is making this historic apology on behalf of the Parliament and the Government of Australia:
Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history.
We reflect on their past mistreatment.
We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were
Stolen Generations---this blemished chapter in our nation's history.
The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia's history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future.
We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians.
We apologise especially for the ...
Posted by Justine at 17:00, February 12th, 2008 under Praising, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
John Scalzi has some
excellent advice for writers who are trying to make money out of said occupation. Go forth, read, take notes.
While I strongly agree with most of his advice, I have issues with two of his points:
3. Marry (or otherwise shack up with) someone sensible with money, who has a real job.
This is something that worked really well for John. I've met his wife, Krissy, and a more formidable, fun, amazing person I have yet to meet. And she knows from money. Seriously smart about it. I wish I had married Krissy.
But, really, this is Scalzi confusing his own excellent good luck with general advice for everyone. Not everyone's going to meet a Krissy. I ...
Posted by Justine at 14:03, February 11th, 2008 under New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia, Writing life |
Thanks to everyone for
all the photos. You are all the bestest and most wondrous people EVER! As Jeff Fenech would say, "I love youse all!"
It was kind of weird to see how many photos there are of me and Scott I never knew existed. Eerie even . . .
I would like to take this opportunity to publicly apologise to my sister,
Niki Bern, as well as my good friend,
Cat Sparks. I'm sorry I'm always so recalcitrant about having my photo taken. You were both right that some day I would be happy you both insist on documenting everything.
That said, I now no longer need to have my photo taken ever again. Hallelujah! I shall keep ...
Posted by Justine at 0:01, January 31st, 2008 under New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling, Viewing |
