life

Currently…

November 21, 2019

Wearing: togs togs togs, and a tan, and curly hair because it’s no good fighting the curl in humidity like this.

Reading: Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston. Absolute perfect beach read while on holiday. Diamond-sharp dialogue. I really hope we get to see this on screen.

Eating: GELATO – this is the absolute BEST if you’re in Noosa!

Watching: I impatiently await the return of the Marvelous Mrs Maisel.

Dreaming about: visiting the motherland Aoetearoa in a couple of months and getting to see my family, and eat all the ice cream, and absorb that perfect mix of sun & sea & light & bush & birdcall & soul & accent & attitude that makes up NZ.


writing

Infinite homework report

June 6, 2019
my desk, where the infinite homework happens

Oh hey, it’s been a minute.

So. It’s June, and I’m just about finished with the second draft of a YA sci fi novel. The story I never intended to write. And I still love it. And that feels like a really good sign.

Here’s the playlist I’ve been listening to during this rewrite.

The process of writing this story has been one of evolution. Each draft expanding on the last. The very first iteration was a 19k novella draft, written almost exactly a year ago, on a total whim. A story from the ether channeled through my fingers. It’s now about 65k, more complicated, more punchy, a little less festive-themed. I’ve never written anything in this accumulative way before. It really is true that every story is different!

I’m pretty happy with its bones, so fingers & toes crossed a good edit and polish will make it shiny & submittable, and I can send my little monster hunters out into the world. I’d hoped to be ready to pitch it in #PitMad tonight! But alas. I’ll have to catch the next one…


life

Currently…

February 3, 2019

Reading: The Gods of Vice, book 2 in the Vengeance Trilogy by Devin Madson (FANTASTIC self-published fantasy writer)

Writing: a sci fi YA novel (I think?) about a family of super-powered monster-hunting sisters. It started life as an adult novella. I’m not sure what the hell I’m doing you guys.

Wearing: very old, very comfortable shorts. I have literally owned these shorts for OVER HALF MY LIFE. I hope they never die.

Watching: Ozark season 1; Riverdale season 3; Orange is the New Black season 6.

Drinking: Grand Marnier on ice with a slice of orange

Listening to: this sly acoustic version of Medication by Garbage

life

Five things on a Friday

March 30, 2018

I recently discovered this video of a French woman instructing how to cleanse your face. It’s very soothing to watch. My poor face certainly does not receive this level of gentle attention. I am now inspired to, um, maybe buy a new facewash or something.

via Into The Gloss

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I loved this piece on Wakanda by Patrick Patterson.

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And Kazuo Ishiguro’s Nobel Prize lecture is such a fantastic read too, on diaspora and writing, the small and the quiet.

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These are the BEST earrings! Made right here in Melbourne in all-kinds-of -colourful resin, they look like CANDY. CANDY FOR YOUR EARS. Their Etsy shop is here.

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The Dawsons Creek 20 year reunion, for a little nostalgia. Katie Holmes is stunning, and expressive with her hands. Michelle Williams seems like The Loveliest Person.

life

Currently…

February 28, 2018

Reading: critique partner stories – this doesn’t leave room for any other reading, but benefits my brain in other ways.

Writing: the space opera with the end which is still missing in action.

Wearing: a t-shirt that is both stripy and printed with oranges. lavender nail polish. shorts. a frown.

Watching: the Bachelor. Oh yes, whatever, I know I’m going straight to the Bad Place. I follow up by watching/reading Sharleen’s recaps (here and here). Her astute & sympathetic insider’s eye has markedly increased my enjoyment of the show. I can see the joins! And have a lot of fun recognising them.

Playing: Stardew Valley and why oh why did I download this, I knew this would happen, somebody please take it off me, anybody, please.

Listening: to songs written by Linda Perry.

Eating: Rocky road. I’ve been experimenting in the kitchen WATCH OUT. Pistachios & ginger make nice additions. Broken up biscuits are a bit meh and aren’t worth it. I like a mix of dark & milk chocolate – Whittakers, of course, because I think we’ve talked about how Kiwi dairy makes the best chocolate. Oh, you need to ensure the chocolate is cooled before you add the marshmallows…

life

Happy new year

January 11, 2018
Sunset on Phu Quoc, Vietnam

So it’s 2018! Kicked off with a full(esque) moon, which I celebrated beneath on an island in Vietnam, drinking pina coladas on the porch  while my children slept inside being devoured by midges. Looked like they had chicken pox the next day. Good times.

Some amorphous goals that definitely aren’t all that SMART, just the way I like to do em:

  • Post to old blogface mcblogerston once a month.
  • Finish, tune & polish the space opera story *pats story* good story.
  • Then query the shit out of it.
  • Create beautiful surroundings (code for: attempt to finish decorating the house) (also: make my office a pretty & inspiring space to write in!)
  • Visit the motherland Aotearoa and fill up my kiwi tank before it runs empty.
  • Rock a personal style, maybe one that involves wearing more lipstick and bright dangly earrings, and definitely involves being ridiculously comfortable.
  • Take more photos. Snap away. Even shitty photos are better than none.

At this moment in 2018 I am:

Wearing – fave black shorts, stripy breton tee, bright pink tassel necklace, and lippie.

Listening to – Ruel and Odette, amazingly talented young Australians.

Reading – Dark Sky by Mike Brooks, second in the Keiko series.

Eating – Pineapple Lumps sent for Xmas by a dear friend.

Dreaming about – A beach holiday (in a resort with a kids club, natch) where I get to read all day long while drinking pina coladas.

Watching – RIVERDALE because I HEART IT. Gives good angst.

Crushing on – Jughead, maybe.

life

Five things on a Friday

July 14, 2017

1. This Ghostbusters Playmobil is awesome! I think my boys need it. Yep. They totally do. (As kids my siblings & I were NUTS about Playmobil and I hope to foster that same enthusiasm with my boys).

2. My precious: Andy Serkis reads Trump’s tweets as Gollum:

3. Got your tissues handy? Mandy Harvey’s performance on America’s Got Talent brings me tears every.time.I.watch.

4. The most bizzare yet hilarious financial advice ever. I mean obviously. Buy solid silver spoons. That is totes how you get out of $187000 of debt. (Possibly this woman is an incarnation of me from another dimension, since my life’s actual financial plan since 1999 has been Win The Lotto.)

5. Stranger Things season 2 is coming on October 27th:


life

Loving & loathing for May

May 3, 2017

The 2017 edition…

IN

Sheridan bed linen. Am forming a theory that this stuff is the bomb. It’s not cheap but the good news is they frequently have sales, and they have outlets too. Free shipping & you can use Afterpay to do installments too. It’s very VERY nice for sleeping in. They don’t do colourful funky prints or any of that jazz. But I guess that’s what throw pillows are for…

Heinz Seriously Good Original Mayonnaise. Dear reader, if you are enamoured of mayo like I am, please give this a go and dip your chips in it. Better that Best, I swear. Comes in handy squeeze bottle. Made in NZ, like all good things.

Moana. I LOVE this movie right now. This song –

– legit gives me goosebumps & frequently brings tears to my eyes. It’s crazy. I first watched it when I was sick, and I cried! It gives me all the feels.

OUT

My sweet tooth. Have you seen it? I appear to have lost it recently and I am missing it muchly. Is this what happens when you get old? Will it come back?

Gin & tonics. I’m sorry gin, but it’s time to break out the red wine… see you in spring.