The new kitten People always ask writers, "Where do you get your ideas?" (Okay, not many people have asked me that yet, but once I have more titles to my credit, they'll start asking.) Really good ideas for a book - the sort of premises Michael Chricton is famous for - don't come along every day. But bad ideas… Continue reading Where do you get your Ideas?
Category: books
QWF Gala
My writing blahs were blown away last week at the Quebec Writers' Federation Gala in Montreal. It was even bigger and better than I'd expected - definitely worth the drive. Mingling with other writers, celebrating local literature, consuming free wine and hors d'oeuvres... it was just what I needed to renew my interest in the written word. After the food… Continue reading QWF Gala
Fall Faves
Writing isn't going so well for me just now--I'm scattered among different projects and I keep going back and forth between two possible plot directions in my sequel to All Good Children. Not good. I don't like writing blind. I don't want to whine -- that's why I haven't blogged in a month -- so I'll write about other people's… Continue reading Fall Faves
Exercise and Anglerfish
I intended to exercise this morning but my pets conspired against me. I haven't exercised for twelve days due to a bout of bronichiitis that shows no sign of improvement. I fear that all my weight-lifting gains are fading fast. Compare me twelve days ago (left) to me now (right): Notice how the glow is gone? Being under the… Continue reading Exercise and Anglerfish
Feast and Famine
In 2008, after several years of writing for children, I had the good fortune to sell two manuscripts in the same year: a picture book to Kids Can Press in the spring; and a middle-grade novel to Orca Book Publishers in the fall. I did not understand the bleak book market at that time and I had no idea how… Continue reading Feast and Famine
Catherine Austen 