I would like to introduce Jennifer Lewis to you.

She was recently involved with writing a number of guides for those looking for help when they know someone who’s struggling with addiction on behalf of the Coalition Against Drug Abuse. One of the most inspiring things that came up was how the arts – everything from exploring poetry to painting and pottery – had shaped people’s lives and offered many an important tool to aid their recovery.

Jennifer has written for us today, I hope you enjoy her post…..

How Authors and Artists Inspire Those Battling Addiction

If you watch movies or keep up with TV shows, it will shortly come to your notice that addicts are only ever depicted in one of two ways. They are either monsters who purposefully ruin their lives and the lives of other people around them, or they are incredibly repentant and remorseful. The truth of course, is far more complicated than this, and if you are someone who is dealing with addiction, chances are good that you need a more nuanced portrayal. This is where books and art can come in. Artists and authors that take on the issues of addiction can offer more fascinating insight into the factors and the reality of the condition.

Drinking: A Love Story- Caroline Knapp

This autobiographical work documents the author’s journey from her teen years well into her adult hood. From the time she was young, she turned to alcohol as her solace, and even when her life was crumbling around her, she refused to admit that she had a problem. It wasn’t until Knapp was 36 that she checked herself into a rehabilitation program, and after years with Alcoholics Anonymous, she went on to a prestigious career as a journalist.

Serenity: It’s a Good Deal- Bill Hanks

Hanks, like Knapp, is also a graduate of a 12-step program, and his problems include both drug and alcohol. This is definitely a narrative about recovery, and as Hanks points out, it is not always an easy journey. Deciding to get better is only the first step, and though it is the most important, that does not mean that the other steps are easy at all. He talks a great deal about finding peace in the journey to recovery, and also about learning more about the person that you are. 

Dry- Augusten Burroughs

Many times, addicts are completely indistinguishable from other people. Burroghs himself remarks on how very normal he looked, even when he was drinking several drinks for every one his drinking partners took and staying out all night. He talks about how he kept his life from falling apart while he was addicted, and how eventually, those measures failed to hold up. His memoir of recovery is one that is quite wry, and it also explores the idea of how to stay off harmful substances once you are back in the very environment that encouraged them in the first place. 

Beauty Queen- Linda Govich

Beauty Queen is not a memoir, but instead it is a work of fiction that is heavily inspired by real life. In this work, Samantha is a teenager whose concerns start out as being very standard. However, within a very short amount of time, her life has spiraled out of control, leading to heroin addiction. This rather harrowing story is told entirely in journal entries, and it is very easy to sympathize with Samantha as she deals not only with addiction, but with her family and friends. The narrative also deals with addiction as an inheritance, as her own mother is an alcoholic.

Creating Art and Writing

If addiction to drugs and alcohol is considered a destructive act, it makes a certain amount of sense that the way to counter it is with something creative instead. Many people find that their lives feel empty without the drugs that once kept them afloat, and they can find solace in the idea of putting something out there instead. If you find that you need a way to speak to the world, you will discover that art and writing is something that can help you. As you seek to guide others, you will find that you can learn more about yourself. Writing your thoughts down or learning about art journaling can help you create something that is more impressive than what you had before. Consider where your own journey to addiction is taking you, and consider the words and images of people who have been there before. This is something that many people who are recovering from addiction need; they need to realize that they are not alone, and that they are not an exceptional case. Understanding more about the various narratives of addiction can help you learn more about your own condition and those of the people around you.

Thank you very much Jen, have a great week.

Jacque

As I said in my last blog post I generally am lucky enough to be thoroughly entertained on my long train journeys. This last one was no exception.

The Sunlander is one of two trains that do the Cairns – Brisbane  run, it is the older train but comfortable with generous seating, a bar/café car and a restaurant car, everything one needs for a 24hr trip.

I waited at the station for an 11am departure, luggage brimming with ‘stuff’ to entertain myself. I was on my way to Bundaberg to attend ‘WriteFest’ for the weekend.  My trip was to be 20 hours.

The train arrived on time to load the passengers BUT didn’t leave my station for over an hour as the driver had somehow injured himself and they had to find a new one.

Oh well not to worry, I have lots of things to do and lollies to eat. The muse was tickling me to write something…. Soon the train filled. A very interesting lady sat next to me and few hours into our trip, a voice came over the loud speaker to tell us we would have to leave the train during the night as there had been a derailment. They would have coaches waiting for us to deliver us to the other side and another train. Oh well not to worry, we were having a nice time. At 11.30pm we were put onto busses, very squashy, very cold busses; one passenger was left behind due to his drunken state.  

At 1.30am the busses pulled into a service station in the middle of no-where for a ‘comfort’ stop. Everyone had to leave the bus. It was cold and raining a little, we were tired but still jovial, luckily because there were only two toilets and 180 people.

 At 4am the busses finally made it to our destination and we could board the new train in our allocated seats. Two hours later after head counts and whatever we were finally back on our way by rail. The folks on the train were so pleased to be off the busses there wasn’t a cross word and there was free breakfast for all.

24 hours later, a few hours late, I could see Bundaberg across the bridge… the train stopped again.

Another announcement… an engineer was inspecting the bridge before they would allow the train to cross; they would get back to us. That was when there was a few cross words – not by me because I thought it was pretty funny, but, there were others who still had another eight hours of train travel left.

Don’t let my tale dissuade you. Even though the trip was marred by breaks and injuries it was still an enjoyable journey, the people I met were a great bunch. I must say I still recommend a trip on the Sunlander.

Tell you about WriteFest next….

All I can say is thank goodness I’m not flying. But then again, maybe I wouldn’t need to pack so many toys if I did.

‘What’s your problem?’ I hear you call.

I am leaving this morning to attend the Bundaberg Writers Festival ‘Writefest’ and I am getting there by train, that’s not a problem. I love my train rides and this is a goodie at 22 hours. But as I am traveling alone this time I am wondering what I should take to entertain myself along the way.

I am only taking hand luggage and so far I have packed … lollies, all good journeys involve sweets. I have also packed a big note book, I am hoping the muse attacks and I have to write. 6 pens [you never know when one will run out of ink, and the muse requires ‘just the right one’]. I have packed all of the drafts of all of the picture books I am working on as well as a rhyming dictionary [it’s a little bulky but I squeezed it into the space near my make-up]. The novel in progress so I can edit, a book ‘Corsets and Clockwork’ a collection of steampunk romances and my iPad containing a few books I wanted to read. One never knows what one will feel like reading.

Mind you, I may not need any of these things to be entertained. Every year, when I travel to ‘Writefest’ by train I am witness to some freaky events and meet some incredibly interesting characters.  So perhaps I can re-pack [again] and this time put in some clothes, it could be cold down there.

See you when I get back.

Jacque

*Actually, I arrived back a couple of hours ago to find this hadn’t uploaded. I have soooo much to tell you about the weekend but I will leave that for tomorrow.

[Yes there was freaky stuff on the train].

Hi everyone,

I recently took a little jaunt with a friend Diane, to find out what we did visit her blog… 

Very hot strong black coffee, Belgian chocolate torte, six sugars,and an energy drink.

Jacque

This morning I woke up and wanted to close my eyes again. Quite a few mornings have been like that lately and I think to myself… ‘Self, (and I know exactly who I am talking to) don’t make the bed straight away, because today when the family are off to .work and school you can climb back in for half an hour.’ As yet I’ve not managed to do that, I get busy and stay that way.

This past weekend my computer died Eeeeek, and yes, you know it – no back up. What an idiot! It was a reasonably new computer and I had been spending any spare time spring cleaning my older files to squeaky clean before the backup that never happened. In reality I only lost the recent work and the cleaner look, I still have the backup from six months earlier. I guess all is not lost but it still feels like it. Though it looks like I get a new shiny, sparkly machine with my warranty.

Our brains are like computers in this way, they also need to be backed up. This morning after getting out of bed and wanting to hop back in… then getting busy I thought of the perfect topic to discuss on today’s blog, it came to me fully formed all I had to do was write it down. ‘I’ll remember that I thought’ – no backup.

Guess what, this blog that I am writing now is NOT what I had planned to write at all, no where near it. I can’t tell you what it was going to be about because I CAN NOT remember, not a clue. All I can say it would have been awesome, I was really excited.

Brains, computers, they both need backing up. Maybe I will think of the blog again tomorrow when I wake up… or maybe I can cash in on a brain warranty and get a new one of those as well.

Back up people, back up.

When is it the right time to upset someone?

There are books and blog posts published that can only be described as inflammatory bordering on defamatory, do the authors want notoriety or are they simply ignorant to the feelings of other people. As I write this I am thinking of a recently published book titled “The Italian Girl” or something similar – don’t buy it.

The author lives in Melbourne and the story (set in the small north Queensland town I live in) is a memoir based novel about her family. A couple of my friends have read the book and are seething. This young woman has slandered a local well known family, revealing less than flattering skeletons from their closet, and the one and only delicatessen in town is now the subject of much suspicion and intrigue – how could she do this to people who are her extended family?

Writers are always reminded to “Write what you know”.

That bit of advice is timely if you are writing non-fiction. Knowing what you are spouting about is essential, how embarrassing could it be for a publisher (if your book got published) to be informed that the book they published “Sixteen Delectable Knitted Coat Hanger Cover Patterns”  by Joe Blogs, was in fact a book of patterns that would clothe two octopuses – Ooooh what a blunder.

Image courtesy of chocolatemintinajar.com
(These are beautiful by the way)

On the other hand, fiction as fantastical as it may be is also anchored in truths. Isn’t it wonderful when you recognise a place or are inspired to research something after reading about it within a novel? I read quite a bit of Wordsworth and Edgar Allan Poe after reading Jasper Fforde’s “The Eyre Affair”. (A book I highly recommend). Along with wonderfully written and researched fiction there is the OTHER kind… the book you want to throw at the wall, not because the characters have upset you but because the author was too lazy to fact check and their lack of commitment has you doubting yours to finish the book.

But what about memoirs? And novels that are glorified memoirs?  Where is the line drawn between flat out fact and embellished memories? And when should the author keep some information secret? I would love to hear your views on this.

Cheers

Jacque

Ooops, I am late with my blog post. One of my New Year’s promises was to blog every fortnight – sorry I am one week and three days overdue.

I guess that is not too late, some food wouldn’t even spoil in that time.

I have been busy as usual, the 12 x 12 I have mentioned in previous posts is wonderful. So far for the month of January I wrote not one story draft as challenged but three and have reviewed two others. I have managed to submit a query (with manuscript) to an agent in New York and received wonderful feedback within two and a half hours of my pressing send. The 12 x 12 forum is made up of some seriously talented people, I have not stopped learning. Mind you I am having great difficulty with my feet (poetry lingo), the feet are doing my head in.

I have also been keeping myself busy in my studio. I have turned a corner or crested the hill with my Archibald entry portrait of Peter Russell-Clarke. It hasn’t been easy. I confess I have found painting Peter a little more difficult as he himself is an artist and I kept thinking ‘What would he say about this’. I finally decided not to worry about him to just paint and see what happens. I like to paint the person within rather than just what we (or the camera) see. For Peter, I decided to go loose, using my two and a half foot long brush has been liberating but a challenge. But eventually after I stopped stressing and decided to have a good time vwalla… a painting of Peter. It is still unfinished but so far I am happy with it.

Have a great fortnight everyone I am going to try to tackle the feet again.

Jacque

As the title says ‘So far so good’. If you read my last blog you will know just how busy I will be this year and so far I am under control and getting things done… Phew.

It is day sixteen of the 12 x 12 and if you are interested in writing picture books there is still time to enrol. I am having a ball and learning things that will be and already are very helpful. I have met some really interesting and knowledgeable people, I am really impressed. If only all of the groups I pay membership to inspired me to work as hard. Actually that last statement isn’t fair, with all group memberships or club memberships you get out of it what you put in, so far I am putting effort into 12 x 12 and am reaping the benefits.

I have worked on three picture book manuscripts and had two of them critiqued and worked over as well as writing pitches for two books with assistance – happy days.

If you are interested in finding out more about it visit 12 x12 and make sure you check out the videos from this year’s members (there is one from me).

cheers

Jacque

Wouldn’t it have been a bummer if we were unable to celebrate the coming of a new year because world had come to an end with the last day of the Mayan calendar.
I would have felt a touch ripped off, how about you?

I was happy it turned out not to be the apocalypse… but a new beginning. I had such an eventful year in 2012, I wanted it to keep going…with that as practice under my belt for 2013 I know this year is going to be full of creativity and success. I have a lot planned and will have to focus to accomplish all that I have set myself to do. It is only the 2nd of January and already I am a touch exhausted thinking about how organised I will have to be.

My fingers are crossed

I have two major exhibitions booked in, one of which is a solo exhibition to be at the Perc Tucker Regional Gallery in Townsville. The other is the Biennial in Innisfail, of which I usually have about eight pieces for. I need to have all of these pieces completed around the same time, (one exhibition is in October and the other is November… sounds so far away) that gives me approximately 40 weeks to have 20 paintings/sculptures/artist books finished + the artworks for the various galleries I supply around the country. Just to be busier I have joined the 12 x 12 with Julie Hedlund, this means I have 12 months to work on 12 Picture Book drafts. Writing and illustrating picture books is my dream so I plan to work hard on this project. To top off my year of creativity… the novel I keep telling you I am working on WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN. I have set up a novel working plan (on excel in my computer) to keep myself on track. Though I imagine I will find doing all of this difficult, as each thing, painting/children’s writing/ novel writing require separate headspaces. I have spent the past few days working in my studio to prepare my space and make it as work friendly as possible because I am going to be working very hard in 2013.

Wish me luck… maybe I should uncross my fingers so I can actually use my hands

Doh… I just remembered, I am painting a portrait for the Archibald too – that has to be finished late February. I had better get over to my art studio…

May everyone who reads this post have good health and surprise themselves with their achievements throughout 2013.

P.S. My 2012 Christmas cards to family and friends should be in the post by March sometime.

Jacque

I should give some thought to my New Years Resolutions as New Years Eve is only two sleeps away. The past few years I have made some good ones and stuck to them. Let me share some tricks I have found that help me keep those resolutions.

Are you planning on making a resolution?
Will you make sure it is achievable?

That’s the clue, making your resolution achievable. There is no point in declaring you will give up chocolate if it is the one thing you crave. Or never touching alcohol again and becoming a gym junkie if you hate exercise and live above a bar. Cutting back on some things and taking baby steps toward a healthier you may be a better resolution. When it comes to the resolutions involving smoking, food and exercise it is best to get some help to keep those ones. I did, a couple of years ago I wanted to give up certain food stuffs that I craved… so I hired a hypnotist, and it will be three years since I have had any… and I don’t miss them at all.

There is one resolution I made a few years ago that I continue each year as it rolls around (it was a good one). I made a promise to myself – because that is what a resolution is, isn’t it, a promise. I promised I would read at least one classic novel and one literary novel each year as well as the popular fiction I love.

That means only PROMISING to read two books, as the remainder of my reading is the popular fiction I love it doesn’t matter if I read one or fifteen of them. So far, I have discovered some amazing literary pieces that I adore – I actually thought they might be too high brow for me and I wouldn’t even understand them, but not at all, literary writers are artists painting with their words and I am often lost in them. Sadly I confess to being a little disappointed in some of the classics. But the resolution was designed to extend my writing… and it is.

This year I think I will continue that resolution and add to it.
I know I can’t add too much though as I am going to have an extremely busy year with two art exhibitions booked in I also have joined 12X12X13. The later is a challenge to work on 12 picture books over the 12 months of 2013 with a group organised by Tara Lazar she ran the PiBoIdMo I mentioned to you in a previous post. ( By the way the 30 ideas I was supposed to have turned into about 46) I also have my commitments to several community groups.

That is something else I have noticed, one needs to think of how busy they are before making these promises to themselves.

I can’t tell you how good I felt when at the end of each year I know I have kept my resolution and that means I have managed to keep at lest one promise. Two sleeps to think more about what I want to achieve this coming year… maybe I should promise to write on my blog once a fortnight. Yep, I think that is do-able.

I will keep my fingers crossed for you and your resolutions.

Jacque