Hmmm … I hear and read that bit of advice all the time.
Great advice it is too. Well … it is most likely great advice, especially for authors of non-fiction and perhaps people who lack self confidence in their own imagination and the ability to spin a good yarn.

I have an uncle you see, happens to be my favorite too; he is THE BEST joke teller in the world. At parties he is the one surrounded by an admiring audience, more popular than the woman with the silicone enhancements. He can also spin a wondrously wild story, have you believing in the authenticity, hanging on his every word waiting for … what I’m not sure, until, he looks into your eyes, takes pity and throws in a punch line – sometimes you just want to thump him. He can be so convincing.

As I type the word convincing I think CON – vincing. Then I think of Con-men, (now not thinking of my uncle), Con-men have to convince their prey with stories. I am quite sure they aren’t experts in half the things they convince people of. They blind people with bull***t, style and self-confidence.

Anyway, back to these wild stories. A little snippet of the correct information at the right moment can have the effect of painting the whole picture. Readers and listeners fill in the gaps with what they know or think they know with what they believe you know. Get it, got it, good.

The novel I am currently writing has a fire scene. Set in Hobart Tasmania in the fifties. Now I live a good 4000 km’s away, I wasn’t around in the fifties; I am also NOT a fireman. So how am I going to write this in a believable way you may ask? Research, and a little thing I call arseyness.

I have been to Hobart, several times in fact. Recently I contacted the Tasmanian Fire Dept Museum and corresponded with their historian. I sent him a list of questions (not too many as to deter him, and I was hoping they were not stupid questions either) … the answers I got back were simply marvelous. I had given him a vague address of this fire and queried the style of building as well as how the temperature may affect the flames. I gave him a list of things to be found in the burning building and asked how they too would affect the flames. He answered as though he were in my head and knew exactly what I needed. He even sent me a couple of photographs.

Now I am armed with a fist full of facts, my own memories, a notepad and pencil and a computer. We’ll just see how I do. Now I have to stop procrastinating and just write it.

Cheers

Jacque

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Failure is not all it seems.
It is something we all at some time or other fear.
If you look in the dictionary for the meaning of failure, it looks rather bleak. Not something we should perhaps welcome. Here are some of the meanings:

1. The condition or fact of not achieving the desired end.
2. The condition or fact of being insufficient or falling short.
3. A cessation of proper functioning or performance.
4. Nonperformance of what is requested or expected; omission.
5. The inability to pass a course, test, or assignment.

Don’t get depressed … it isn’t as bad as it sounds.

Personally, I like to look at it this way.

When trying to accomplish something new – a painting technique, baking a cake or attempting to swim the channel – and I don’t get the perfect result, I have in the eyes of many failed.

However, I see this ‘failure’ as a win … this ‘failure’ shows me my strengths and weaknesses. The strengths can be seen as muscles to be exercised and the weaknesses can be worked on until the next attempt. As long as the failure doesn’t kill anyone I guess we’re doing OK. (I won’t be sending off any space shuttles in the near future so we’re safe for a while)

Sir James Dyson failed 5,127 times before he succeeded with his now famous vacuum cleaner. JK Rowling found herself at rock bottom and claims ‘Rock bottom is where I built my strong foundation before I climbed back up’.

When it comes to my artistic endeavors I don’t mind the odd failure, sometimes mistakes are blessings in disguise. Many an original idea began its life as a mistake. They say you need 10,000 hours of practice to become established at what ever it is you do. I have been painting and drawing for over thirty years to become an overnight success.

The novel I am currently working on and the childrens’ books I write and illustrate have all been re-worked, re-written and revised until I am happy and then the ‘all seeing eyes’ get to have a look before I do anything public with them. I think there is as much perspiration as there is inspiration in those books …

So, to fail or not to fail … that is the question.

P.S. I just finished colouring my hair, and with this failure I have learned to NOT write my blog during processing time when I should be clock watching.

Cheers

Jacque

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This morning I travelled to Cairns to work in one of the community managed art galleries. It is a drive of about 160kms and because of morning traffic and road works I give myself 2 hours to get there. I enjoy the drive, I get great thinking time – I can work through plotting problems with my novel, discuss important family matters (yes, I talk to myself), practice singing (I’m incredibly bad), and chill out listening to the radio.

I love living in far northern Queensland for a variety of reasons, some I find difficult to put into words. Some are screamingly obvious; the beauty of the tropical north is one of those, and the diversity of the people who inhabit the region.

Another reason was pointed out by the radio announcer this morning. The usual road report is called in by a roving reporter who also hands out goodies to passing motorists after she gives her location. The young female ‘I had too much to drink last night but am trying my best to be businesslike this morning’ voice on the end of the telephone was telling listeners “Traffic’s moving slowly on the Western Arterial Road, there’s a flash for cash (speed camera), dark blue wagon on Sheraton Street outside Mike’s Tyre Shop, so beware coming in from the Northern Beaches, another is on Stratford Parade near the corner of Tully Street … Oh and by the way there’s a crocodile on Mulgrave Road and police are in attendance”.

Mulgrave Road for those whom are unfamiliar with Cairns is THE main road leading into and through the city. Six lanes of traffic, peak hour, buildings lining the road, and a prehistoric reptile can still find its way into the city. Apparently this crocodile wasn’t too big, not big enough to eat you but certainly big enough to bite off a limb or two, so I guess it could eat you … it would just be doing it slowly. I drove past the croc and his entourage and must admit I was a little surprised; there were no onlookers, traffic passed as normal; no craning necks except for mine … Cairns residents took a croc in their city as just another ho hum everyday happening. I love it. One night a taxi coming in from the airport ran over a large crocodile, boy his passengers would have a holiday story to tell.

So there you have it, another reason I love living here, the fabulous wildlife. We have wallabies bounding around our backyard (30 acres) everyday, snakes, unusual butterflies that can be found no-where else, rainforest birds, the occasional cassowary (as dangerous as a snake) and echidnas, we have even been fortunate enough to have a platypus in our creek. Thankfully we live too high on the mountain to attract crocodiles, although my son’s piano teacher had one in her back yard about a month ago. Better get back to my gallery duties.

Cheers

Jacque

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Inspire
Inspired, inspiring, inspires

1. To affect, guide, or arouse by divine influence.
2. To fill with enlivening or exalting emotion
3. To stimulate to action; motivate
4. To affect or touch
5. To draw forth; elicit or arouse
6. To be the cause or source of; bring about
7. To draw in (air) by inhaling.

I have been inspired lately … and not in the way I often find myself. Normally, I fall into category 1 or 2, inspired by something I see or hear and create art from this inspiration. But this time, I … believe it or not, have been inspired to clean – and I LOATH cleaning. Let’s explore my motivations. Hmmm. Well, we are now living in our new (unfinished) house having recently vacated my art studio after five years, eleven months and 3 days. WOOPEE, I have my space back. Now that’s a great motivator – the return of my own space.

So I guess we could say I was stimulated into action. Category 3. This action has taken a month, a month to remove my families belonging OUT of the studio and into the relevant new spaces that have been created. It has been a dirty job too. It is amazing how much rubbish, gecko poop, spider web and dust finds its way into a space over full with people and belongings.

Light at the end of the tunnel (perfect cliché). The studio is clean and almost organized … the new house also clean. It’s a great feeling, one of accomplishment mixed with a bright outlook for future artistic endeavors. If truth be told I have been working on my novel while cleaning … busy hands, busy brain. This afternoon I started reading an e-book called ‘The 11 Secrets to Getting Published’ by Mary DeMuth. I am only up to the second chapter but so far have found it quite enlightening. Some of the advice is already known to me but it is never a waste to be reminded. In fact, I have been inspired (Category 6) and have spent the afternoon revisiting my novel and checking it against Mary’s advice. Anyway I shall continue to read this book and get back to you in another blog with more information.

Cheers

Jacque

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