If you drink, then edit, your a bloody idiot.

Continuing with the theme of editing drafts, I bring you this slogan. Yes, clearly there's been some trial and error going on, and I'm learning stupendously along the way.
I figured other budding Aussie writers might get a laugh out of this, but if you're outside Australia the context might be lost. It's a spoof of an iconic Australian ad for TAC. The original text is "If you drink, then drive, you're a bloody idiot."
I put it on a variety of stuff like stickers, a key ring, mugs, and a mouse pad. I couldn't resist the coaster, to serve as a handy reminder one can see through the base of their Shaz Merlot glass. Or perhaps whisky - if you're the unfortunate soul lumped with editing my MS in future. Of course, the whisky might even come from me. :)

Click here to check them out... or just have a giggle.

Spotlight On: Dionne Lister, self-published author.

Author Dionne Lister is receiving fabulous reviews for her debut book, Shadows of The Realm. Her following of keen readers is growing strong! I hear she's already tapping away at the next instalment in her series, The Circle of Talia, and plans for the next iteration of her much-admired cover art is also under way.

Shadows of The Realm is a highly entertaining epic fantasy and a wonderful introduction to the multidimensional world of Talia. Its band of endearing characters crosses  all ages and species of creatures, and I had so much fun reading about their interconnected relationships and stories. I, like other Talia fans, am hanging [and begging] to see where Dionne takes us in her second book!

Dionne is not just an up-and-coming author to watch, she's a funny, down-to-earth person who loves to connect with her readers and provide inspiration for aspiring authors. In a recent post on her blog, titled:

What’s Worked in my Self-Publishing Journey so Far, she shares advice from her journey as a writer and self-publisher. Definitely worth a read, and I recommend following her blog. 

Dionne is also one half of the podcasting duo behind the popular Tweep Nation, along with Amber Norrgard. Tweep Nation hosts funny, casual and informative interviews with a range of authors and other special guests. I find myself entertained by her posts and podcasts as well as her books. 

So take a look at Shadows of The Realm, and also check out her book of suspenseful, wonderfully touching short stories, Dark Spaces, while you're at it. This anthology is quite a departure in genre to her fantasy series and is excellent just the same, giving us a hint at the range of this new author.

Congratulations, Dionne! Your success with these books is well deserved and an inspiration. :)

Fool's Gold.

A dear friend recently created some art for someone else's project. The brief for the art was nothing more than to emulate a style to provide the relevant atmosphere. But when I saw what she'd done, my fingers curled and I shook them to the sky.
"No!" I yelled. "They're too good! Hang on to them!"
I mean, they were really great pieces! My friend had nailed the style so well, and she'd added the heart and soul that she normally gives to her art. The result was powerful and beautiful. I jokingly told her that she could shift paths and continue creating in this style seriously. Well, I was half joking. More pressing to me was that I thought she was giving away these 'better' ideas instead of saving them for a more solid project of her own.

That was yesterday.

Today, I remembered something I told myself never to do. Never hold on to your best ideas as if they are the only ones you will ever have. Don't treat your great ideas of today as if the are the imagination's gold: rare and hard to come by. I told myself that if I start treating my creativity as a scarcity instead of an unlimited abundance in this way, then that's what it would become.

Sometimes it can be hard to remember it. For people going through a tough time with creative blocks, it can be difficult to have any faith in it. But by feeling that we are all - in our very existence - a constant channel of creativity means that we will create, share, give and let go, over and over again. We will have no choice but to put our great ideas out there for the simple and immediate purposes that they quite often sprout from. Because the future will hold barely enough time to express those great ideas to come.

All right. I have a friend to email. ;)