Karen Comer

Collecting Stories

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July musings

July 19, 2019 by Karen Comer 4 Comments

It’s been a little while since I posted! Four of my family of five have been sick, and I went down sick with the kids a month ago. We also had a holiday in sunny Queensland during the school break (everyone was well), and then we were back home with a sick daughter. So I thought I’d do a little catch-up post.

  • Workshops – I’ve presented two workshops over the last fortnight – a school holiday writing one for kids and an editing one for a marketing team. The kids’ workshop was fabulous and fun – 20 kids drawing characters, planning their stories and reading them aloud. The editing workshop was also fun – well, for me anyway! I hope the marketing team enjoyed it. We had discussed tools for brainstorming, planning and writing blog posts in an earlier workshop, and so I spent time with each participant, editing their blog post.
  • Editing – I’ve been collaborating with a pair of talented new writers who are writing their first book – a cross between a self-help guide and story for 9-12 year-old girls. Their manuscript has gone backwards and forwards between us, polishing and developing the story each time. I’m looking forward to checking the final draft next week.
  • Holidays – of course, holidays are lovely. But as well as the things you do on holidays, it’s also the things you don’t do that really make it. Things like driving your kids to all the activities, cooking dinner every night, making sure the sports uniforms are clean, answering text messages about sharing lifts, vacuuming etc. So that left plenty of time to sleep, read, eat and drink well, laze at the pool, have lovely conversations with my family and walk on the beach.
  • Reading – I’ve read an eclectic mix, everything from middle-grade fiction to adult non-fiction and fiction. Loved Jaclyn Moriarty’s Gravity is the thing, Angie Thomas’ On the come up and Sharon Kernot’s The art of taxidermy. Fascinated by Martha Beck’s Leaving the saints, her account of leaving her Mormon community. Enchanted by Roger Housden’s Ten poems to change your life, a selection of life-changing poems with a commentary on each one. (Note to self – read more poetry, not just on holidays!)
  • New website – friends of mine, Michael Hanrahan and Anna Clemman, launched their new website, Publish Central, yesterday. It’s a one-stop shop for anyone who is thinking about self-publishing a non-fiction or business book. There’s plenty of free resources and lots of information about the process of writing and publishing a book. It’s definitely worth having a look and passing on the details to any friends or family members who are thinking of self-publishing.
  • Eating – I’m eating more vegetarian dishes since Miss 12 is eating less meat. My favourite quick lunches to eat at home are chargrilled broccoli with smashed chickpeas, spicy eggplant with soba noodles and sweet potato salad with lentils. And then there was the lovely Thai restaurant on holidays, plus the delicious pizza, plus the wine, plus the ice-cream after dinner. Lots of pluses on holidays!
  • An anecdote – Mr 10 usually asks me for a puppy story when I pick him up from school – he’s interested to know if our ten-month golden retriever, Cleo, has been up to any adventures. This week, I had set out with her for a walk but we just turned the corner when she started sniffing frantically in the nature strip. Before I could stop her, she had gulped a bit of milk chocolate, still in its shiny foil wrapper. As you may or may not know, dogs are not supposed to have chocolate and often end up having their stomachs pumped. I called the vet, and they seemed to take forever to confer while I waited on the phone. They decided that because the amount of chocolate was so small – mini Easter egg size – and Cleo was large enough, she would be ok. And she was ok – phew! (Cleo’s photo taken by Miss 12.)

Let me know what you’ve been reading or eating or whether your dogs have been eating chocolate.

Filed Under: Reading, Taking stock, Writing workshops Tagged With: adult fiction, adult non-fiction, book review, children writing, school holidays, writing workshops

Taking stock – October

October 20, 2015 by Karen Comer 8 Comments

Young woman sitting on rope above city and reading book

This is a list from Pip Lincolne’s blog, Meet me at Mike’s.

Making: chocolate brownies with grated sweet potato – shh, don’t tell the kids there’s vegetables in it!
Cooking: blueberry and quinoa salad
Drinking: lots of water in this hot weather
Reading: The Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell
Wanting: some more time
Looking: at house plans for our renovation
Playing: with animal cards from Woolies
Deciding: which dress to wear to a fancy lunch this week
Wishing: for more time – see above
Enjoying: lovely weather
Waiting: for a new craft book to arrive
Liking: walking every day
Wondering: how to fit everything in
Loving: my daydreaming Mr 6
Pondering: whether there’s time to clean the study tomorrow
Considering: the details for two writing workshops I’m presenting soon
Buying: lots of berries
Watching: the red roses in my garden
Hoping: Mr 11 makes it into a graded basketball team
Marvelling: that Miss 9 and I have the same size shoe!
Cringing: every time someone sniffs! (Use a tissue!)
Needing: an early night
Questioning: the wisdom of four afternoon/evenings of kid activities
Smelling: the red roses in my garden
Wearing: summer dresses
Following: the weather
Noticing: the leafy, green trees lining the streets
Knowing: how quickly the fridge is emptied on a weekly basis!
Thinking: about how much I want to fit into my days
Admiring: women who do manage to fit in a lot
Sorting: papers on my desk
Getting: prepared for NaNoWriMo – National Novel Writing Month
Bookmarking: Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Coveting: a pair of pink and tan sandals from Bared
Disliking: rude drivers
Opening: the doors to let in some fresh air
Giggling: at Miss 9 singing her heart out with her ipod
Feeling: positive about a productive writing day
Snacking: on homemade cheese and paprika biscuits
Helping: in Mr 6’s classroom for literacy
Hearing: Girl on fire by Alicia Keys – my 12 year-old protagonist’s theme song

Filed Under: Taking stock Tagged With: Taking stock

Taking stock – September

August 28, 2015 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

ID:71213308

This is a list to copy and join in from Pip Lincolne’s website

Making: a new website!
Cooking: rhubarb and orange cake
Drinking: chai latte
Reading: ‘The golden age’ by Joan London
Wanting: some more sleep
Looking: at our busy weekend schedule
Playing: guessing games with Mr 6
Deciding: which book to read next
Wishing: for more time
Enjoying: a quiet day
Waiting: for warmer weather
Liking: all the action around Book Week
Wondering: how noisy the school disco will be tonight!
Loving: a productive day
Pondering: what to serve with salmon tonight
Considering: some new recipes to try next week
Buying: not much!
Watching: the footy tomorrow night
Hoping: Essendon will win!
Marvelling: at how big-little Mr 6 is
Cringing: at supermarket conversations
Needing: more sleep
Questioning: how many sporting activities do we really need to do?
Smelling: lamb shank soup
Wearing: my cream poncho
Following: Allison Tait
Noticing: how little time there is until the school holidays
Knowing: I won’t finish everything I want to before then
Thinking: about my next book
Admiring: the dedication of Miss 8 to reading the Harry Potter series
Sorting: the washing
Getting: organised, somewhat!
Bookmarking: Natasha Lester
Coveting: my pillow
Disliking: the alarm
Opening: watercolour paint tubes
Giggling: at lunch with a friend
Feeling: hopeful
Snacking: on homemade hommus
Helping: Mr 11 with his homework
Hearing: the Australian Writers’ Centre podcast

Filed Under: Taking stock

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