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Swimming in Puget Sound - Super 8 proves I did

Back in the day, you just couldn't beat the old Super 8 home movies. Dad was a great fan, taking the small, wind-up movie camera everywhere - including the deck of our home in Seattle, (Washington USA) to film the sunset...... so some home movies were more interesting than others.The movie camera went with us to Disneyland in 1962, thus  proving I was there. The grainy footage showed me about to lose my lunch whilst being flung about in the Flying Teacups, and rumbling down the Matterhorn.A...

On the subject of home

The subject of 'home', and all that means, is a great writing prompt and one that I often use in my life writing workshops.Home is not only a physical location, but it's a house, parents, family, friends, growing up, life experiences (good and bad) ... there's so much there.This week I helped a good friend move from the house she'd lived in for over 40 years. It was a special day because I'd helped her move in, all those years ago - almost to the day.After the house was empty of furniture and po...

A car called Chickadee

The first car I owned was a Datsun 510 called Chickadee, very much like the one in the photo here.I was 22 or so, had not long been in the USA and didn't know much about cars over there so was fortunate to have a friend who sourced Chickadee for me as a good, reliable, first vehicle.And it was by golly. We weathered some Seattle winters together, a grunty pair of snow tyres on the rear, ploughing our way up and down the hills and out south to where I was living.Then came our great journey. Chick...

You're never too old ...

This week we launched the facebook page for our band Stone Pony.To great fanfare, let me say. We've invited all of our friends to 'like' us and I hope you will visit and 'like' us too.This is the picture that features on our page. We were all wearing our seriously cool faces. Left to right is Ants (bass player), Jason (guitar), Jo (lead vocalist) me, and Reon (guitar). Our wonderful photographer, Megan Moss, took a bunch of photos of us a few weeks back. She had us do all sorts of pose...

What's your writing process?

"I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch, and with a cigarette and coffee handy. I’ve got to be puffing and sipping. As the afternoon wears on, I shift from coffee to mint tea to sherry to martinis."No, that's not me.That was how Truman Capote (pictured) wrote such well-known books as Breakfast at Tiffany's and In Cold Blood. Some days though I can see myself following his writing process - th...

Take Time to Paws

Little Boy is a creative cat indeed and he's just finished the final draft of his latest thriller book, Take Time to Paws. He's now having a well deserved rest and a few beers after all of his hard work.I've been proof reading it for him and I reckon it's pretty good.It has all the elements for a ripper of a story: good strong plot, engaging characters, appropriate setting (this one takes place on the French Riviera. Although LB has not been there, he is a great armchair traveler - it'...

So many talented writers ...

What a privilege it is to meet with fellow writers.I am in a very privileged position because I can do this at my workshops, and it is exciting and interesting to be in the same room with so much talent.I held another Writing Your Life Workshop last Saturday here at Whangaparaoa and met 19 wonderful writers, all keen to get going on their journal writing and life stories.Over the course of the day, we talked about the benefits of keeping a daily journal, and how this practice can build...

Making time to write

In my June newsletter (if you'd like to receive my monthly news CatScratch, please sign up here) I set my readers a challenge.Make a writing schedule for the week and stick to it.I challenged them to do it for a whole month and see how they got on.Now of course I wouldn't ask anyone to do something I wouldn't try myself, so here's how I did with my first week. I decided to schedule work on my next book, a memoir about my Mom who passed away in 2010, on Monday and Wednesday for one hour, fro...

Little Boy is poorly today

Poor Little Boy cat is feeling a bit crook. He's been throwing up his food - charming - and of course the urge comes upon him when he's sitting inside on the carpet. Fortunately the carpet is mostly the same colour so one might scarcely notice ... indeed, until one steps in it, as one did this morning whilst stumbling about in the winter dawn, barefoot. Very nice.It's rather concerning as L Boy is never sick like that. We've been to the vet and he now has some special Science Diet food, and naus...

Why old vinyl?

 Last year I was in Seattle, Wa. (USA) for a few weeks and caught up with two old friends who took me out to shop for vinyl in Tacoma Wa.We went to a part of town that had several shops specialising in old LPs and 45s. We trawled through the collections of dusty old albums and in one shop, my friend Paul pulled out a copy of Iron Butterfly's classic record Ball. Released in 1969, it followed up the 1968 release of In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida but had a different style and sound.  ...

When things go belly-up big time

I should have known things were going belly-up yesterday when we sat in the movie theatre for 30 minutes, waiting out a 'technical' difficulty ...Saturday morning, 1130am session at a small, boutique Auckland cinema, excited about seeing 'Hunt for the WIlderpeople' , there we sat, and sat, and sat ... pictures but no sound. My cinema companion was recovering from a head cold and associated hearing loss and she whispered to me, 'There's no sound. right?'No sound. Silent movie.It's extra...

Starting the day outside in May

I don't often sit outside first thing in the morning in May at my place. It's usually too chilly.With the onset of winter, the sun's daily trajectory lowers and the trees around my property block the warmth and light. Sitting out on the deck first thing can be cold and drippy as condensation patters down from the Clearlite roofing.But this morning, what a treat, sitting down out there with coffee, toast and a cushion, to enjoy the morning scene.  Little Boy cat was already settled in his ch...

That only happens to other people ...

You've heard about it.People will say, 'I did the silliest thing. I was putting something into the back seat, set my mobile phone and keys on top of the car, hopped in, drove off and forgot all about them.' And of course you go, 'Oh goodness, that's awful!' and inside your head, you think, 'That's the dumbest thing - I'd never do that.'I had firewood delivered this week. Whilst stacking it in the garage, I put my red sweatshirt, my cheque book wallet, my phone, and my car keys on top of the othe...

What are the Golden Pliers?

When I tell people I am writing stories about past winners of the Golden Pliers, there is usually a look of 'what's that?' on their faces.Last year I received a phone call from a man who asked if I would write a series of short stories about the past winners of the Golden Pliers. My response was exactly the same. 'What's that?' I asked and he went on to explain that it is a fencing competition.Once again my mind went to swords and people in white outfits prancing about and then I wondered why th...

Local writers tell their life stories ...

This time last Saturday I was getting ready to take a Journal and Life Writing Workshop here at our local library in Whangaparaoa.The room could accommodate up to 20 people and the Workshop was booked out. There was such interest from our local community in telling life story through journal writing that I have the potential to fill two more workshops with those who missed out on last Saturday's programme. If you're interested in attending a workshop, please contact me and I'll keep in...

A little cat waits ...

I saw Little Boy sitting outside this morning, waiting expectantly for something - probably food - and I thought, yes, I know that pose and that expression quite well.That's how I must look when I'm staring into space, sitting quietly, waiting for words to fall out of the air, or from the ceiling, or rise up off the floor.Getting started can be tricky. And there is nothing more daunting than the blank page glaring back at you like a white-out, or the computer screen continually going back t...

Start keeping a journal ... today!

My Journal and Life Writing workshop is fast approaching on 16 April and in preparation, I decided to look back through some of my very early journalling efforts to see how I got started.I was at high school .. it was 6 March 1974 when I took an exercise book, sat down that evening, and began writing.My reason for starting was as follows: "Yesterday I saw Susan writing a diary in her usual open manner, telling everyone what she was writing and how very private it was. Hmm. She was...

In flight beer with students

A colleague and I did some work down south this week and we flew back on Thursday evening from Dunedin.As we were waiting to board, the little lounge started filling up with students from Otago University, heading home to Auckland for the Easter break. Soon my colleague and I began to feel quite old, and that we were in some kind of cruisy, easy-going, sensory-overload-filled lecture room with vibrant chat all around. Students were leaning against walls, sitting in groups on the floor surro...

It's Saturday, so that's Blog Day

Saturday morning in Auckland, New Zealand - and it's the time when I have the time to sit down and do some of my own writing....