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After Scott put up
this post about his appearances for the rest of this year, I realised I should do likewise because most of those places he is, I will be also. An eerie coincidence, I know.
Most of the events are in Australia. Sorry, rest of the world, who may have some interest in saying hello. We'll always have
Twitter.
Conflux
Canberra, ACT
April 26-28
I'll be interviewing the brilliant and wonderful ...
Posted by Justine at 11:34, April 25th, 2013 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
In early March I will be at the
Adelaide Writers Week. Which is the oldest and most prestigey ((Yes, that's a real word. Shut up!)) writers festival in all of Australia.
I've never been before. Indeed, I've never done any events in Adelaide unless you count going to a friend's wedding. ((Which, no, I don't. It was a lot of fun, but. I love weddings! So much love! So many wonderful speeches about love! So many opportunities for it to all go horribly wrong! Especially at doomed weddings between those Who Should Not Marry. Someday I'm going to write a Doomed Wedding book. Though to be clear: the Adelaide wedding was not doomed. Um, I think I'm digressing.))
Here ...
Posted by Justine at 13:26, February 3rd, 2013 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia, Travelling, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
In just a few days me and the old man, Scott Westerfeld, will be in Brasil. First Sao Paolo and then Rio. And, yes, we will be doing events. Scott's there to promote the first volume of his Leviatã trilogy being published in Brasil and I'm there for the newly published there, Zumbis x Unicornios. We are both published by
Galera Record.
Neither of us has ever been to Brasil before. Our only previous visit to South America was to Buenos Aires, Argentina
lo those many years ago. So, yes, we have excitement. Muito!
Here are the details for all you folks in Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro:
Programação Scott Westerfeld - lançamento Leviatã
24 de novembro
16h – Apresentação de Scott ...
Posted by Justine at 1:36, November 19th, 2012 under Scott's books, Travelling, Zombies v Unicorns |
Since a few of you expressed mild interest in the speech I gave at
Sirens in October last year I thought I would share it with you. The theme was monsters and my speech involved me showing many monstrous images. Yes, that's my disclaimer, I wrote this to be spoken to a real life audience with funny pictures and the funny may not work so well without the kind and appreciative live audience. Or something. *cough*
Here it is:
Monsters I Have Loved
Ideas = Brain Monkeys According to Maureen Johnson
Like every other writer ever I get asked “where do you get your ideas” a lot. Today I thought instead of answering that question in the ...
Posted by Justine at 7:02, May 31st, 2012 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Fans & readers, Feminism, Ideas, Ironical (This is Writ), Listening, New York City/USA, Praising, Ranting, Reading, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Travelling, Viewing, Writing life, Writing process |
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/Internetty Stuff, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
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 |
This is
my annual post where I sum up what happened in my professional life in that year and look ahead to what's going to happen in 2010. Basically I do this so I can have a handy record that I can get to in seconds. (Hence the "last day of the year" tag.) Do feel free to skip it. ((Cause it will be boring. Don't say you weren't warned.))
This year, though, was less happy than any of the previous years I've summed up here. Thus my summary is brief. I want to get past 2009 and on to the fun of 2010 as fast as I can.
Books out: Liar (hc in US & tpb in Oz), HTDYF (in ...
Posted by Justine at 0:59, December 31st, 2009 under 1930s NYC novel, Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Last Day of the Year, Liar, Magic or Madness trilogy, Travelling, Unicorns, Zombies, Zombies v Unicorns |
I have fallen in love with yet another city. Istanbul is glorious. We have met with our lovely agent here, Asli Ermiş, who took us to meet our publishers, Omer Yenici at
Epsilon (who will be publishing Leviathan) and Ilgin Toydemir at
Artemis (who will be publishing Liar and already publish Midnighters). They in turn took us out for fabulous lunches.
In Istanbul we have eaten.
A lot.
First course at
Borsa restaurant.
A baklava shop, which sells many sweet and wondrous things. Yes, we bought and we ate.
The Egyptian spice market....
Posted by Justine at 5:54, December 11th, 2009 under Excuses, Food, Praising, Publishing business, Travelling |
Or getting in a plane again. This time to Istanbul, which is a city I've never been before. Am I excited? Yes, I am. But it does mean that blogging may not be as every single day as I like it to be. Might be a couple of weeks before normal service resumes. On the other hand, there may be kickarse wireless in the hotel and I'll blog like a demon. Just to keep you on your toes.
Have fun in my absence---I know it will be hard---and patient with my slow response to emails and questions etc. If you do have any quessies for me the best way to get a response is to go to the
FAQs and ...
Posted by Justine at 0:24, December 4th, 2009 under Admin, Reading, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 20:17, March 10th, 2009 under Travelling |
So, this is very weird but I've had three people write to ask if it's true that I changed hotels in Perth in order to watch the South Africa v Australia test.
Yes, it's true. The Duxton did not have Fox 3, the Hyatt did. What else could I have done?
Posted by Justine at 21:23, March 1st, 2009 under Book tour, Cricket, Sport, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 4:20, March 1st, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 20:46, February 25th, 2009 under Book tour, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 6:54, February 24th, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Praising, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
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 0:02, December 23rd, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Sport, Travelling, Unicorns, Young Adult literature, Zombies |
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/Internetty Stuff, Listening, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
This made my day:
Get it? E. Kristin Anderson, who works at the fabulous
Book People in Austin, is a
parking fairy. Just like the one Charlie has in How To Ditch Your Fairy. Only, you know, not invisible. Isn't that superb?
Coincidently, me and Scott will be hanging out at
Book People on
19 November at 7:30PM. Can't wait!
Happy Halloween!
Posted by Justine at 20:41, October 31st, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 29th, 2008 under How To Ditch Your Fairy, Praising, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 24th, 2008 under Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling, Vainglory, Young Adult literature |
I have neglected to let all you fabulous Canadians know that I will be in Canada next week. Toronto to be precise and, yes, there will be an appearance. Me and Scott will be here next Monday:
Monday, 27 October, 7:00PM-8:00PM
Indigo Bookstore
Yorkdale Mall
3401 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario
Here's hoping some of my Torontonian readers will be there. I promise to tell really gross vomit stories. Or, you know, not, if that grosses you out.
They're really great vomit stories, but.
Posted by Justine at 0:21, October 20th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 30th, 2008 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Book challenges, Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Praising, Reading, Science, State of the World, Travelling, Young Adult literature, Zombies |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 29th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling, What's your fairy?, Young Adult literature |
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 |
I just read a book that's been getting rapturous reviews. It is every bit as beautifully written as advertised. There were whole paragraphs that were very WOW inducing. ((Imagine Stephanie Rice saying, "Wow!!!")) I loved parts of it and not just because they were about cricket. ((I just gave away what book I'm talking about, didn't I?)) But I did not enjoy this book.
I will break my usual procedure and name the book: Netherland by Joseph O'Neill. I'm naming it because it really is gorgeously written. Seriously, it's stunning. O'Neill deserves the reviews he's been getting. I think many people will love it. Hell, many people are loving it. I'm writing this to figure out why it didn't work for ...
Posted by Justine at 0:59, August 27th, 2008 under Ranting, Reading, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 19:25, August 10th, 2008 under Cricket, Liar, Sport, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 18:52, August 8th, 2008 under Liar, Travelling, Whingeing |
Scott and me has run away to finish our novels at an undisclosed location. Posting from behind the walls of our hidden bunker may be intermittent and on the shortish side. Book must be finished on the soonish.
In the meantime, it is
conclusive, "monster" and "white-ant" are verbs only in Australia. For confused non-Australians a white ant is a termite. Thus to white-ant someone is to undermine them: to bore away at their foundations, you know, like termites do. Is most useful verb.
Thanks for the Cadel Evans commiserations. Second two years running. Surely next year.
Yes, I is stoked that the Liberty are in the second place in the Eastern conference. Here's hoping we come out after the Olympics break ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, July 29th, 2008 under Basketball, Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Liar, Sport, Tour de France, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 14:18, July 2nd, 2008 under Praising, Publishing business, Reading, Sport, Travelling, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 22:35, May 29th, 2008 under Liar, New York City/USA, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 9:27, May 24th, 2008 under Liar, Praising, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, May 7th, 2008 under Travelling |
As usual I'm not going to mention the books that I didn't like because I don't want the authors to hunt me down and kill me. ((Or their family and agents.)) Writers are scary people.
I'm still on a bit of a crime binge. And have been reading a scary amount of adult books. Who'd've thunk there was some good books over on those shelves? Colour me, shocked.
So here are the novels:
The final book in
Denise Mina's Garrnethill trilogy, Resolution, was every bit as good as the other two. I have a major writing crush on Mina. She's amazing. I love the way she writes. I love it so much, in fact, that
I typed out an entire chapter ...
Posted by Justine at 0:18, May 6th, 2008 under Manga, Praising, Reading, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 0:11, May 1st, 2008 under New York City/USA, Reading, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
While we waited to board the mighty Queen Mary 2, we wandered around Southampton, stopping at Marks & Spencer for knickers, and into Forbidden Planet to stock up on manga for the voyage and (joy!) I signed their stock of the paperback editions of all three volumes of the Magic or Madness trilogy ((I love Forbidden Planet. They're the only English bookshop that stocks my books. Bless them! I also signed copies at their store in London.)).
We also goggled at the many Jane Austen plaques. Here, for my mother's delectation, is a sampling:
Most excellent. Hope you enjoy, Jan!
Posted by Justine at 0:00, April 29th, 2008 under Travelling |
Tomorrow I will be on a boat. Is
big boat.
Posted by Justine at 16:18, April 21st, 2008 under Travelling |
As detailed in
my previous post I have learnt much on this trip, but one thing remains a mystery:
How do women get around in high heels on cobble stone streets without destroying their ankles?
Every European city we've visited has had much cobble-stoneage and yet almost all the women are in high heels. It is bewildering. I have gone over on my ankles wearing
the most comfortable and supportive of footwear. No harm was done because my beloved boots have non-ankle-spraining super powers. Yay boots!
I saw one woman get her heel stuck between stones. She came to a sudden and whip-lash looking halt, before bouncing about, trying to extricate herself. She was promptly rescued by a kind gentleman ...
Posted by Justine at 13:02, April 17th, 2008 under Fashion, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 13:39, April 15th, 2008 under Publishing business, Scott's books, Sydney/Australia, Travelling, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Look what I saw in an actual bookshop, RavensBuch in Friedrichshafen! Isn't it gorgeous?:
Yup, it's the German version of Magic or Madness. It's even more beautiful in real life. Sigh. The book next to mine (the yellow one) is by John Marsden. Two Aussies together in Germany. I've been stunned by how many Aussie books I've been seeing in translation on our travels. Oodles of them by the likes of Trudi Canavan, Sara Douglass, Sonya Hartnett, John Marsden, Garth Nix, Marcus Zusak etc., etc. World domination!
Speaking of Germany. Random House Deutschland has just made an offer for How to Ditch Your Fairy. A very enthusiastic offer and they'll be publishing it in hardcover. I am very happy. I ...
Posted by Justine at 6:18, April 13th, 2008 under Magic or Madness trilogy, Travelling, Vainglory |
Posted by Justine at 14:18, April 11th, 2008 under Bloggery/Internetty Stuff, Cons & Other Gatherings, Publishing business, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 16:27, April 9th, 2008 under Magic or Madness trilogy, New York City/USA, Travelling |
We are in Bologna at the
Children's Book Fair. There are five of us in a tower flat. Me,
Scott,
Holly,
Cassie and
Maureen. We are the Tower Gang.
So far we have eaten really good food, gossiped and walked under many porticoes. Tomorrow the fair starts and we meet our non-English language publishers. And we eat more good food.
My life is so very hard.
Update: Fine. Here have some photos. Courtesy of Maureen, which is why she is not in them. I will remedy that later.
Posted by Justine at 12:25, March 30th, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 16:12, March 26th, 2008 under Liar, New York City/USA, Praising, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Rome was unbelievably wonderful especially the food. A friend of mine spent four months in Italy and gained around three kilos---I think I managed that in one week. Excellent!
I am at work on a post about the fabulous food we ate and a number of others---including another writing one ((See? I do listen to you. You ask that I blog it and blog it I will.))---but work on my next novel has got in the way of finishing them. Stupid novel! Not to mention the erraticness of our internet access. But, soon, my pretties, soon!
In the meantime I'm exhausted but happy: there's cricket on the tellie. All's right with the world. And even though England's doing kind of okay I ...
Posted by Justine at 19:11, March 24th, 2008 under Cricket, Excuses, Sport, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 5:57, March 21st, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, Travelling, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, March 17th, 2008 under Travelling |
I'm spending the weekend in upstate New York catching up with friends and researching snow for my next novel.
My research involved sitting in a rocking chair and staring out the window:
12:01PM
12:16PM
12:36PM (Can you see the red squirrel?)
1:33PM
Sadly, there is still not enough snow for snow shoeing, cross country skiing, or tobogganing. None of which I have ever done before even though my characters (pesky annoying things) have. But I have high hopes for tomorrow.
We went out for a walk. It were pretty and not scary cold (about 1C or 34F):
I was taught how to make snow balls, snow men, as well as snow angels. All of it fairly wet-making. But, I ...
Posted by Justine at 17:04, February 9th, 2008 under Research, Travelling |
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 |
I will confess that I was nervous about going to
High Voltage ConFusion. There were several reasons for this:
I'm afraid of cold places. And Detroit in winter is COLD. ((How cold? Minus a million cold! That's how cold. So cold that I'm back in NYC and it's freezing and it seems warm in comparison.))
I'd never been a guest of honour before and was worried I'd be crappy at it.
I was aware that most of the people at the con would not have heard of me or Scott and was worried that they would feel dudded of a proper author guest of honour what wrote adult sf and fantasy.
I need not have had any concerns at all. I was right ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, January 24th, 2008 under Basketball, Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Praising, Sport, Travelling, Vainglory, Viewing |
Posted by Justine at 10:50, January 23rd, 2008 under Cons & Other Gatherings, New York City/USA, Travelling, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life |
