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Children’s Picture Books

Posted in Books, Children's stories, Poetry, Short Stories, WA Writers, Writing, tagged 12 x 12 Challenge, Frances Macaulay Forde, Julie Hedland on July 31, 2014| 5 Comments »

Halfway through and I’m frantically trying to finish a manuscript to send to an agent through my 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge with Julie Hedland.

I have so many manuscripts saved, waiting patiently for my attention and felt disappointed I couldn’t muster up the time to do so.

This challenge has made me re-look at them, so I have picked two; “Suzette the Snake” (based on a poem) or “New” (based on a short story) and have been vacillating between them all week. Although many others call to me and I keep getting new ideas, I want to just stick to getting something done with these two.

The opportunity to submit to an agent (each month) offered as a GOLDen Book Member is invaluable. Although I know, as an Aussie participating in an American challenge I’m somewhat on the back foot, I wanted to push myself. And rejection is empowering, isn’t it?

Support from other members in the Forum, on the Facebook Group page etc is both encouraging and inspiring when a member announces their successful signing or future publications.

So, I’m just focused on revamping my work, getting it ready for submission and actually experiencing being a member of the 12 x 12 group of Children’s Picture Book Writers.

#FrancesMacaulayForde #JulieHedland #12x12Challenge2014 #12×12 #Children’sBooks #PictureBooks #Illustrated #SCWBI

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Quote of the Day: Anais Nin

Posted in nature, Poetry, WA Writers, tagged Frances Macaulay Forde, poetry, TastingLifeTwice, Toodyay on July 25, 2014| 2 Comments »

‘We write to taste life twice, in the moment and in retrospect.’
Anais Nin

A Facebook friend (thanks Jennifer Mars) reminded me of this favorite quote, so I thought I’d share an unpublished example from a book I’m working on called “Tasting Life Twice”.

Yellow Days

Driving through Toodyay in late August

before Spring arrives officially

yellow makes me smile

Broome just opening

dotted with hives

flavouring the honey

and signs: ‘Beware Bees’

Field undulating through hills

no straight lines

sewn to follow dips

valleys and creeks

and around trees

Canola makes me smile

field waiting to be seeded

purple spikes take advantage

of a clear run to the sun

Far hills painted Ochre

as we enter another Shire

splash of blue Leschenaultia

Some giant brush has been busy

Soon Spring will show

its finished painting

England’s fields are patchworks

Here in Western Australia

we let the land and trees

decide the design

#FrancesMacaulayForde #TastingLifeTwice

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Local Oscars

Posted in MOVIES, Perth City, Scripts, WA Writers, tagged Frances Macaulay Forde, FTI Perth, FTI-WASA's, IF Magazine, The West Australian Newspaper, WA Screen Awards on July 15, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Wonderful to see how well supported our local industry is with beautiful awards and appropriate ceremony at the Heath Ledger Theatre, the perfect setting.

Sincere congratulations and well done to all involved from the winners and nominees to the hard-working organizers at the relocated FTI. Quoting from FTI’s Facebook Page today:

“Over 500 filmmakers, celebrities, media and screen industry representatives turned out to celebrate the very best in Western Australian screen production at the 26^th annual WA Screen Awards at the
Heath Ledger Theatre in Perth last night, Monday 14 July 2014, hosted by comedian Claire Hooper.

Presented by FTI, the WA Screen Awards (WASAs) is the premier celebration of West Australian screen culture, celebrating excellence and achievements in feature film, short film, web series, music videos, television production, documentary and games.” READ the full list and report:

The West Australian covered the evening: “Winton Film Tops Local Oscars”

Independent Film Magazine made comment: “The Turning Takes WASA’s Feature Prize”

The WA Screen Awards have turned a page. A revamped and renewed Film and Television Institute led by the very capable Paul and marketed so well by Michael.

The whole FTI team have obviously taken up the challenge and made our awards relevant again.

The WASA’s have grown up! Sincere congratulations again, to all the winners, nominees and hard-working-now-celebrating, FTI!

Sorry we missed the professional celebrations this year, we’ll definitely make a date for next!

Facebook was full of congratulations and comments lauding our local filmmakers. All very well deserved:

Stephen Van Mil WE WON!! Huge thanks to the master and commander himself John Collee – your inspiration and magnificent screenplay is what made Tango Underpants our happy feet…..! Tania Chambers Miranda Edmonds Emma BeeAgustina Costa Varsi Guy Gross Nadia MeneghelloKhrob Edmonds Estelle Buzzard Maya Alexandra Kavanagh Meg McPherson Denson Baker and all our incredible team – and thanks for the snap Nick Van Mil…!! — with Miranda Edmonds and Tania Chambers.

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Antony Webb

Congrats to team The Fan. We won best music, best director and best film! ‪#‎wasa26‬

David Le May

Big Congrats to winners of the WASA’s this year and very chuffed to win Best Cinematography Long form for ABC series “who’s been sleeping in my house?” Driving in the UK phone bleeped and said Go WASA YAY! thanks Court McAllister had to pull over and find out more! a very special thanks too to Series producer Daniel Brown being supportive over the 8 years I’ve known him and allowing me to go wacky with some of the photography! Thanks Joined up films!

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Film & Television Institute

Tune into RTRFM 92.1 at 11.10am to hear our two BEST DIRECTORS Nicholas Dunlop (Best Direction Long Form for Comic Book Heroes) and Antony Webb (Best Direction Short Form for The Fan) give the full lowdown on last night’s 26th annual WA Screen Awards. ‪#‎thefan‬‪#‎comicbookheroes‬

Stephen Van Mil shared Tango Underpants‘s photo.

WINNERS!!!!!

Tango Underpants

Tango Underpants has just won the Australian Writers Guild Award for Best Short Form Script!!!

Antony Webb

So this happened tonight

Lucy Byrne with Antony Webb and Vivienne Marshall

Congrats to all who won awards at the WASAs tonight. Ypu are all flipping awesome!

#FrancesMacaulayForde #FTI-WASA’s #WALocalOscars

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“E-Males”

Posted in Books, KINDLE Books, Love, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Romance, Short Stories, WA Writers, tagged E-Males, Frances Macaulay Forde, KINDLE BOOKS, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Meeting Mr X, new writing, romance, short stories, Western Australia on June 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Book 2 in my Short Stories series is “E-Males” Meet ‘Anna Karenina’ of the Australian suburbs:

After seven years of marriage, Michelle began to question her love ~ not her husband Barry’s ~ his adoration was as solid and steady as a rock. No, she questioned her state.

Was this all she could expect? She yearned for more ~ or perhaps a different ethereal mist of feeling which engulfs like a warm blanket of bright colours, flapping every now and then in the breeze of life.

“Damn those blasted fairy tales! Where’s my prince? Why doesn’t Barry come home in the middle of the day and whisk me off to Paris for coffee?”

She day-dreams he’s sitting in his high rise office, gazing out across the Swan River, thinking of her in a flowing white peignoir, hair carefully styled, just risen from their marriage bed to meet her love.

Full lips ready to receive his kiss, his embrace strong but gentle he smiles down at her, with one arm to support her swooning, body trembling with unspoken ardor.

If you’d care to read the rest, you’re welcome to buy or lend a KINDLE copy of “E-Males” or Book 1: “Meeting Mr X” directly from Amazon.

(Hope you do…)

#FrancesMacaulayForde #McAlpineBellPublishing #MeetingMrX #KINDLEbooks #E-Males”

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“Meeting Mr X.”

Posted in Books, KINDLE Books, Love, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Romance, Short Stories, WA Writers, tagged AMAZON.com, Frances Macaulay Forde, KDP Publishing, KINDLE BOOKS, McAlpineBellPublishing, Meeting Mr X, WA Writers on June 25, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Book 1 in my Short Stories series is “Meeting Mr X” ‘Middlemarch’ re-imagined as an Australian Suburban story…

Ms Brown certainly lived up to her name in an unremarkable brown brick, unappealing brown-roofed house, amongst similar unprepossessing dwellings, surrounded by shrubbery rooted in brown mulch, found in a commonly named street that looked like many suburban others, indistinguishable from her neighbors.

Consequently, she lived a quiet life not wishing to stand out like the man she observed from her back patio whom she had named Mr. X.

Because her land sloped down the hill from the back, she often watched those in other similarly quiet, ordered avenues nearby. Mr X lived across the street behind her block, down the hill – the front of his house facing her backyard.

Music blared, lights blazed and many people visited making Ms Brown wonder if he was one of those drug dealers or even a manufacturer, referred to in the local papers.

She repeatedly heard doors banging, the screech of tyres on tarmac or horns blasted in farewell. These inconsiderate ruffians frequently left the house which Mr. X occupied at all hours of the day and night, disturbing those who may be sleeping or, like herself, wishing for quietude.

If you’d care to read the rest, you’re welcome to lend or buy a KINDLE copy of “Meeting Mr X.” directly from Amazon.

(Hope you do…)

#FrancesMacaulayForde #McAlpineBellPublishing #MeetingMrX #KINDLEbooks

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The Return of Rainbows.

Posted in Books, KINDLE Books, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Poetry, WA Writers, Writing, tagged BOOK: Return of Rainbows, books, Frances Macaulay Forde, KINDLE BOOKS, McAlpine Bell Publishing, poetry, Poetry Chapbooks, poetry in Western Australia, WA Writers, writing on June 24, 2014| 2 Comments »

Still on the KINDLE kick, my latest upload (probably not available yet as still being processed) is another Poetry Chapbook ~ the third.

(I’ve just added two examples of poems from my ‘Love’ KINDLE uploaded over the weekend, just like I did for my ‘Rail Tales’ blog post.)

‘The Return of Rainbows’ was also conceived at University as a mature-age student bloodied by life’s battles and as always, finding succor in words.

My seemingly audacious presence provided lots of fodder to explore the constant challenges and effects of that experience on my life.

The Return of Rainbows

Driving down Alexander,

(early morning rush hour)

lecture on documentary film.

Eager for knowledge, I noted

low, broad bands of colour

spanning the sky above Uni.

Ignoring the grey clouds,

I welcomed the return

of rainbows to my life.

Instinct

There’s no place for love

at this time in my life.

I envy those who achieve

the balance of need.

Opportunities ignored

in the interest of safe-ness,

flying toward my ability’s

determined focus.

Children gone in their own

living-dreams direction,

lessons learnt and heeded.

My job’s complete.

Is this my way of avoiding

the ‘empty nest’ syndrome?

Gath’ring materials for comfort

as I settle into old age?

…

(I’m about to upload some short stories next.)

#ReturnOfRainbows #FrancesMacaulayForde #McAlpineBellPublishing

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Obsession

Posted in Books, Love, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Poetry, Rail Tales, WA Writers, Writing, tagged BOOK: Rail Tales, BOOK:Love, Frances Macaulay Forde, KINDLE BOOKS, McAlpine Bell Publishing on June 23, 2014| Leave a Comment »

I’ll admit it – I’m hooked on KINDLE at the moment. It is so easy to put writing you’ve wanted to share for years, up in a KINDLE book and let the world judge it.

I’ve signed up for the Lending Library as well, so people can just borrow the book for a short time, read it and hopefully purchase their own copy – or not.

I still get a fee… so if you feel like reading some short poems about falling in love at my age, I’ve just uploaded another chapbook called appropriately ‘Love’.

I’m also working on “The Return of Rainbows” poems written while a mature-age student at University and some short stories which I hope someone will enjoy.

When I’ve put those two new books up on KINDLE, I am going to attempt converting my children’s book “Santa’s Swim” on there too, so watch this space.

Meantime, buy or lend my latest KINDLE “Love” or “Rail Tales” but remember I have a few printed copies left, which you can purchase directly from me.

Before you…

… I slept in a bed

without creases

only pulled up

the sheet to straighten

smooth – no effort at all

ready for the next dreamtime

now I love my wrinkles…

ReUnion

stepping softly

you trod the path

to my front door

never rang the bell

played favourite songs

over and over until

senses on overload

surrounded by romance

you kissed me quick

heart pumped electric

singing over barriers

erected years ago

against pain and hurt

welcomed as veins

formed highways

joined the chorus

zinging with heat

barely contained

thrumming melody

words all ready

rhymed with roses

thorns ignored

fresh and bloody

us young again

#francesmacaulayforde #mcalpinebellpublishing #RailTalesBOOK #LoveBOOK

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Duelling Alison

Posted in Books, Children's stories, WA Writers, Writers, Writing, tagged Alison Lester, Children's Books, Duelling Illustrators, Frances Macaulay Forde, Illustrators, SCWBI West, WA Writers, West Australian Writers, Western Australia, writing on June 20, 2014| Leave a Comment »

Last week I attended a masterclass with illustrator Alison Lester. So inspiring I totally forgot to take photos to share the experience (sorry) but have a look at her website and the wonderful 25+ books Alison has been involved in either writing or illustrating.

I came home with two beautiful books signed by Alison to my grandies: Kissed by the Moon was recommended for my 19 month old by Alison and Imagine with a sparkly cover things to do while we read, for my 5 year old.

When I read each of these for the first time, I got shivers of sheer enjoyment from the beautiful illustrations and simple but so evocative wording – hard to do.

I confess, I was not aware of Alison before the class but I’m now a HUGE fan and intend to build a library of as many of her books as possible for my grandchildren.

I consider no other gift as valuable as the love of books and like my children, my grandchildren already have an excellent collection of (especially but not exclusively) Australian writers.

Now they have two more treasures.

Our very active and totally encouraging local Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators: SCWBI WEST volunteers, organised the Masterclass to be held on the same day as Duelling Illustrators.

No less than 6 illustrators took part, with three writers offering their unpublished manuscripts as the stimulus for furious flaying of arms around large sheets of paper.

An exciting and great fun, FREE event with standing room only. If you missed this one, don’t miss the next event which happens once a year at the State Library in the Perth Cultural Centre – one of my all time favorite places to be.

SCWBI West members stayed back “Behind Closed Doors – a view from the Publisher’s desk” with Cate Sutherland from Fremantle Press and Jane Godwin from Penguin Books.

Many lucky members left the next morning for a writers retreat held over last weekend on Rottnest Island, just 14 Km off the coast of Perth.

Can’t wait to read the wonderful books which result, as they do every year.

If you’re a West Australian writer or illustrator – or talented enough to do both, I highly recommend you join in the fun and nurturing at SCWBI West.

#SCWBIWest #AlisonLester #FrancesMacaulayForde #DuellingIllustrators

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My first KINDLE!

Posted in Books, KINDLE Books, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Perth City, Poetry, Short Stories, WA Writers, Writing, tagged Australian Poetry, Frances Macaulay Forde, KINDLE BOOKS, McAlpine Bell Publishing, Perth, Poem, poetry in Western Australia, Rail Rales, travelling by train, Western Australia, words, writer, writing on June 19, 2014| Leave a Comment »

KINDLE edition #francesmacaulayforde

Well, that’s it – I’ve just published my first KINDLE book on Amazon of a previously printed “Rail Tales ~ notes from the Currumbine Line” and naturally, had to buy the first copy.

“Poetry and stories written while travelling on the Currumbine Line between the City of Perth and the Northern Suburbs in Western Australia.”

It’s live and available right now so I’m pretty pleased. (It certainly wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be but I managed.)

Here’s another of my favorite short poems from the book:

Rail Trail

parallel bars ride the sand

silver bullet steered by hand

expressed in kilometre-d speed

human flotsam to concrete greed

…and a (very, very) short story I hope you’ll smile at, remembering I was riding the rails when I wrote it.

The Great Escape.

Head back, eyes closed. I savor the cool, quiet efficiency of train travel.

I’m alone on this journey. It is obviously not a popular time to commute.

Silence. Then a scuffle, a soft knock below me and to the left, makes me

open my eyes. There it is again. Are there mice on this train?

It sounds like old crackle-y paper. Rounded, moving haphazardly

in all directions.

I hope the security video can’t see me climb onto the seat.

Where is it? More importantly – what is it?

Feeling foolish, I gingerly step down. Then cautiously kneel and bend over,

eyes level to the carpet, bum up.

Oh, it’s O.K. Panic over. Breathe again.

It’s only an onion, enjoying the freedom of riding on the train.

Do you think it’s got a ticket?

#BOOKRailTales #FrancesMacaulayForde

#McAlpineBellPublishing

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“My Life as a Sari”

Posted in Art, Dance, Love, Perth City, Poetry, Theatre, WA Writers, Writing, tagged Frances Macaulay Forde, Fremantle Press, Indigo Journals, Jessica McCallum, Poem, Poem: My Life as a Sari, poems, poetry, poetry in Western Australia, Western Australia, words, writer, writing on May 29, 2014| 1 Comment »

I love how sometimes a poem ends up taking you to all sorts of places you don’t expect.

‘Dance’ by Jessica McCallum at His Majesty’s Theatre, 2009. #jessicamcallumartist

My poem “My Life as a Sari” has appeared alongside beautiful artworks.

POETRY POSTCARD available from Jessica McCallum

An excerpt published on a postcard.

#IndigoJournal

And published in the INDIGO JOURNAL of West Australian Writing, Vol 3 published by INDIGO books and received lovely comments.

Fremantle Press have recently become on-line partners with the original publishers of the journals and have always been tremendous supporters of those who write in Western Australia, quietly promoting and encouraging new, emerging and established writers by putting their money where their mouth is.

As a result of my inclusion in the journal, Fremantle Press also interviewed me about my writing and particularly, this poem.

My Life as a Sari

Securely tuck your fears under elastic

at the centre of your waist with your left hand,

and with your right, hold the remaining

metres of spun silk – your future, facing inside.

Measure the drop of the fall

and it’s finely stitched edge

for correct positioning against heels.

Wrap yourself in the gossamer fold,

swirling the diaphanous film behind

but stay level and wedge the top border