Yellow Waters in Kakadu

I haven’t kept up with this blog. I know, I know. The reasons for writing it are numerous and varied. I know them all, but I have been procrastinating. Putting off writing and delaying with all the excuses under the sun. But…I’m back. This will be the perfect record of a perfect trip…and will get me writing again

The surrounding country of Kakadu (20,000 square kilometers) belongs to indigenous people.

If you respect country, it will look after you

We are the visitors.

Paul picked us up from the Crocodile Hotel at 5.15 am to take us to the Yellow Waters. I am not at my best at that hour of the morning, but I felt excited about the experience ahead and everyone else in our party felt the same. Just the thought of meandering along in our open boat watching the moon fade and sunlight slowly gild the water was enough to keep me going.

We have had glorious sunny days but cyclone Trevor caused the rain to bucket down over Kakadu during the wet season and the usual gangplank for the Yellow Waters trip is underwater. To our delight our flat bottomed barge of a boat is now leaving early from Home billabong  upstream and will snake through a narrow water way to the yellow waters. We will drift past where we would usually board our boat and then continue on to explore this amazing place.

 

I am entranced, in heaven, as we set off and glide along. The moon is low in the sky. We share the experience with other passengers but even the children are quiet as we explore this remarkable place.  That morning we observed so much variety. We experienced unusual birds, crocodiles and wetlands with floating buffalo grass and lily pad fields.

 

This body of water begins at Jim Jim falls. Yellow Waters got the name from the yellow Melaleuca trees.  (/ˌmɛləˈljuːkə/) is a genus of nearly 300 species of plants in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae, commonly known as paperbarks or honey-myrtles.Here, they stain these waters yellow. (I used to make bark paintings from the many and varied colours of the paperbark. Most are yellow but if I found a red bark it was highly prized and I always remembered that tree and would constantly return.) If you are born or die indigenous you are wrapped in paperbark and belong to country. It is a very spiritual tree. We travel through the Melaluca swamp, listen for whistling kites and look for white bellied sea eagles.

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There is a request not to lean out of the boat to take a picture as crocodiles can launch at least half of their body weight out of the water and may grab a hand…or more. in spite of constant warnings we travel through yellow billabong into the South Alligator River.

Kakadu is owned by the traditional owners but it administered and protected by the Federal government and protected under Parks and Wildlife Australia as a national park. The indigenous people see Kakadu as a supermarket and a clothing shop.  Dilly bags (a carry bag) are made from the pandanas palm which came from south east Asia 500 years ago.

Paul wheeled Alan up the ramp to an eggs, bacon, sausage and mushroom breakfast. Later, Paul went to the Bowali Visitors Centre (named after Bowali Creek) and asked for all wheelchair friendly sites.

My next blog will cover Litchfield Park, Kathryn Gorge and Mataranka

Magical Moments: Part One

It was a Magical Moment when I heard that Pickle to Pie is being republishing by Ilura Press on Amazon.com and they will have it as a print on demand book. It will be available in this form from their website and at bookdepository.com

My second book Something Missing is available at Fishpond.com.au with free delivery

                               

It was indeed a Magical Moment when Chloe Trindall from the Godfrey street Memoir Writing Group had a short story published in the Women Who Write Melbourne anthology A New Beginning

Women Who Write, Melbourne is a supportive networking group for Melbourne women writers. They are open to writers of all ages, levels of experience and all genres.
The Facebook page is for members to engage with one another, keep up to date with what’s happening in the group and the writing community.
Every month they hold meetings in the Melbourne CBD and post details on their  Facebook page as well as any additional events they organise.

 

I loved reading the excellent short stories by very talented authors. There is something for everyone in this anthology

The day of the book launch was portrayed as having the worst, most violent weather ever imagined and as I donned my ski jacket and armed myself with a scarf and brolly I wondered if I was crazy to catch the train and tram to Lu Lu’s cafe and gallery in North Melbourne for this book launch. But I was determined to go come hell or high water.

  

We had a wonderful time listening to extracts of prose and poetry. Unfortunately, because of the weather we all had to cram into the cafe section instead of being outside in one of the best courtyards in Melbourne

Why don’t you join this amazing group of writers on Facebook?

Twitter/Instagram @womenwritemelb

On Sunday it was the Christmas gathering of the Hysterical Melbourne Historical Writers

We met at the Vic restaurant under the spire of the Arts Centre. It was great to be able to swap stories and publishing experiences. Many thanks must go to Celia for organising these get-togethers.

Walking over the bridge near the Hamer Hall I was delighted to see the Christmas Tree in Federation Square.

Hamer Hall was also decorated in festive attire.

Godfrey Street Community House also had a Christmas get-together to thank Carol for years of tireless service. We will miss her so much but know it is time for her to be able to do the many things she wants to do. Many thanks Carol for all your kindness and support

Christmas is always a busy time spent catching up with family and friends and I love every minute of this silly season.

Writing Awards: Fingers Crossed

MadeGlobal Publishing entered Something Missing into the Nita B Kibble Award and I’ve entered the novel into the International Book Award. Now if only all the planets would align…Fingers crossed.

According to A Dictionary of Superstitions by Oxford University Press, to cross my fingers will prevent bad luck and I may therefore get what my heart desires.

Nita B Kibble Literary Award

Since the inception of the Kibble Literary Awards many Australian women writers have received prizes, each benefiting from Nita Dobbie’s foresight and vision. Perpetual Trustees have the responsibility to maintain the Trust into perpetuity. To ensure female authors continue to benefit from the prize, the awards are now offered on a biennial basis, and the next to be awarded in 2018. Works published after 4th December 2015 are eligible to apply. Something Missing was launched at Swinburne University on the 11th December 2015.

MadeGlobal sent four books and I had to supply proof of citizenship (birth certificate/passport) with the two cover letters and the completed application form.  I feel very positive about this one. I’m definitely an Australian author and this book is about two countries (Australia and America) two women and a life altering pen-friendship.

The International Book Awards

Sponsored by American Book Fest

Now celebrating the 9th annual award’s program, winning a 2018 International Book Award will, according to the blurb, give my book added “prestige, honor and tells prospective book buyers, librarians and media professionals to take the book seriously!”

If only :>).  

For this award I needed to send a copy of Something Missing, an entry fee (larger than expected because of the exchange rate ), a completed entry form, Promotional material (photos of myself and the cover of Something Missing, blurb, book tour questions and replies and a cover letter) With a bit of luck, this  story about two women and the similarities between the Australian Outback and the Arizona Desert, many Australian and American readers will enjoy reading about Maggie and Diane’s drama and friendship.

All I have to do now is sit back and wait, with my fingers crossed until the short lists are announced next year.

I’ve told everyone I have to wear black opal for good luck till then (p 294)

 

Meet And Greet Author Day

 

Wendy Dunn and I are the Australian author representatives of the MadeGlobal publishing family and had our own table complete with our books, bookmarks, and our Madeglobal giveaway pens. An incredibly talented author, Kathryn Gauci took this lovely photo of us. Also authoring at the event was Rachael Nightingale, Elizabeth Corbett. Barbara Denvil and many others

It was a fabulous opportunity, not only to promote and distribute our own books but to support and learn from other authors. We were looked after by the library staff from the moment we arrived and even had our own authors lounge with free tea and coffee.

The photo below was taken of me in front of a green screen and my book superimposed. Amazing. Many thanks to Wendy Dunn for sending it to me via email.

 

Best Tip of the day

A Sales point reader

Two authors had sales point readers plugged into their iphones. I was fascinated by how easy it was for a reader who wanted to buy a book but didn’t have the cash on them to simply swipe their credit card. This is something I’m definitely going to look into buying over the next couple of days.

Mill Park Library was an excellent opportunity to  meet, greet and share writing journeys with other authors. This iconic library building  at 394 Plenty Road Mill Park Victoria opened in 2002 at a cost of $8 million and was the first library in Victoria to be designed on the concept of a hybrid digital/print library.

The Debut Day is an opportunity for emerging local and debut authors to connect with new readers and with each other. Writing can be a lonely occupation and most authors relish chatting to others and sharing experiences. The library was set up EXPO style! Authors promoted their books, chatted with readers and amongst themselves and even sold copies on the day.

We all thoroughly enjoyed the day chatting to our readers, meeting each other and talking about our writing journeys. We all agree that the first draft is written from the heart. After that we revise, revise and revise. To all budding writers always remember…

 

The Trip of a Lifetime

We have just returned from the trip of a lifetime in the USA. Our son, Paul  and daughter-in-law, Marian arranged everything. All we had to do was front up and enjoy the experiences laid out before us…Driving from Yellowstone National Park, via the Grand Tetons snow capped mountains to the elk antler arches in the town of Jackson, followed by Lake Tahoe and Yosemite all the way down to Santa Monica Pier.

   

 

 

 

 

 

We experienced the fun of a Los Angeles baseball game, whale watching, and kayaking.

   

Walked in Yellowstone National Park  and marveled at geysers, fumaroles, hot springs & mud pools.

    

Observed baby bears, bison, wolves, otters &  elk.

     

 

We lived life to the full with snatches of these experiences captured in photos or scrawled into an exercise book always in my back pack.

 

 

Sometimes we need to leave our computers, blogs and everyday routine behind and live in the moment. And that’s my excuse for being absent from my blog. However, with help from Paul and Marian, via my ipad and emails I was still able to remain connected to others. Now I’m home I’ve had time to think  about why it meant so much to me,

It helped me to remain connected to friends and to my writing community.

Every writer at some stage needs inspiration, enlightenment and to feel connected to others writers. Now I’m back home, when I feel down in the dumps about my writing, burnt out and depleted, or my manuscript has been rejected yet again I always turn to my wordpress writing family for inspiration. It never fails.

To read the blogs of others revealing how they have struggled makes me feel I am not alone. Their solutions to their writing problems give me a good shake and sits me back in front of the computer again. If they can do it, I can. They inspire me. By the time I leave the computer I’m back in the saddle again. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Reinvigorated, I tap away and before long have at least two pages. Crisis over.

Recently I had such a glitch and decided to make a list of some of the things I have enjoyed reading.

Up the Creek with a Pen by Mairi Neil

ANZlitlovers Litblog by Lisa Hill

Planning to the ‘Nth’ by Coral Waight

All posts at Charles French Words Reading and Writing by frenchc55

Also
Why read other authors?
You know your a writer when…
Finding time to write
Why we write
What an editor will do to your manuscript
What to consider before giving your manuscript to an editor

And so many quotes from people living now and long gone. Quotes that inspire, persuade, demand and state the obvious.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the wordpress community, especially the bloggers I like and follow. You all help maintain and sustain the urge to write. Your thoughts, dreams and struggles can often motivate me to even post a comment.

What stopped this writer from writing?

Life in all its complexities.

The funeral of a friend, the blue screen of death on my beloved computer and the overwhelming urge to clean up years of clutter. All things that everyone experiences at some time or another. However, coming one on top of the other they were enough to make me stumble and forget to nurture myself. I fell off my trusty steed and needed to once again go confidently in the direction of my dreams.

This post is my way of getting back on the horse. To once again feel the wind in my face and the joy of writing.

When I sent Paul a photo of the blue message on my computer screen the text back read, ‘It doesn’t look good. I’ll call in after work’. It reminded me of years ago when he gave me my first computer. Several years later I rang him saying that the screen was blank etc. and asking what could I do. His reply was, ‘Have you got a shovel?’ ‘Yes’ Well dig a hole and bury it.’ I love his sense of humour. Repeating what he did then, he has once again replaced my laptop with this amazing new model plus a new matching printer. He also managed to save all my documents, files, folders and programs. I now have no excuse not to write.

I love to write anything and everything, across genres and back again. but most of all I find myself writing autobiographical stories based on life experiences.

Recently a friend sent me a lovely card containing reflections by Emily Mathews

‘Like leaves upon a summer breeze, hearts are stirred by memories-those happy-to-remember things. like childhood friends and old porch swings. Family stories told for ages, daydreams tucked between life’s pages. Teardrops spent and laughter shared. Questions asked, adventures dared. Memories stir the heart because there’s joy found in ‘the way it was’.

I believe everyone who wants to tell a story can if they start by writing down one story and then keep going. It sounds simple but it’s far from easy. Maybe record stories in an exercise book, or if , like me, you like writing on a computer, keep a simple private blog.

What I love is the sheer joy of writing. the intimate relationship between me and the page. I treasure my family and writing friends and through writing I hold communion with my deepest self.

Writing fills my heart, my pages and my life.