Perth Words… exploring possibilities.

Name: Coulran

Age: 28 years old

Location: Mpumalanga, SA

I did my field rangers course at one of the best college in southern African, SOUTHERN AFRICAN WILDLIFE COLLEGE AND AFRICAN FIELD RANGERS TRAINING SERVICES,  I’m proud to have been a product of them thanks to the opportunity they offered me and other rangers, though it was not an easy road.

Coulran on duty

What has been your most rewarding and most difficult moment as a ranger?

The most rewarding moments as a anti poach ranger is when I spend more months without poaching within the reserve and believe me I wish I can spend my whole life without poaching activities. That motivates me as it shows that me and my colleagues we doing a marvelous job.

The difficult moments is when I wake up in the mornings and wear my uniforms with the thought that I may not make it back…

Book reviewer and freelance journalist Maureen Eppen highlights the importance of taking a professional approach to promoting your book.

If you want to be taken seriously as a published author, you should prepare a professional-looking, single-page Media Release to accompany your book when you send copies to book editors of newspapers and magazines or to writers of blogs about books.

It is a relatively straightforward document, but it’s surprising how often even the most highly regarded publishers and authors forget to include some of the key pieces of information that journalists or bloggers might need when writing about their book.

The most obvious details to include are – of course – the name of the book; the name of the author (your name); the name of the publisher; when it is being published (or was published); the formats in which it is available (such as Trade Paperback, Hardback, eBook etc)…

I would like to thank Rachael Johns for this insight into the non-writing life of a writer. I had the pleasure of meeting Rachael at one of my Stories on Stage events in 2013 and since then I’ve followed her career with great interest. Although she’s become known as a rural romance writer, she’s now making a foray into a bold new fiction style she calls contemporary life lit with her latest book, The Patterson Girls.  Voted one of Booktopia’s Top Ten Favourite Australian authors after the publication of her first book Jilted, Rachael is a mum of three small boys and has recently moved from a small town in Western Australia to Perth. Connect with Rachael at her website, on Twitter or on Facebook.

When I first started writing all those years ago (17 if we’re counting), I imagined that should I ever be lucky enough to be published…

“As an emerging filmmaker, it is vital to meet people in the industry, develop relationships and to see the standard of work being produced by people os a similar skill set.”

Next Gen is a unique monthly event for emerging West Australian filmmakers, providing a platform to screen shorts on the big scree, network and get involved in Q&A’s with special guest filmmakers.

Emerging filmmakers don’t often get to see their work on a big screen in front of an audience, unless selected in one of the few local film festivals. Next Gen has been created to address this and celebrate short form work produced by local emerging filmmakers. As the name implies, Next Gen is an initiative which aims to support and grow the next generation of filmmakers.

Held monthly at The Backlot Perth, emerging filmmakers will also be treated to a Q&A from successful filmmakers prior to each…

reluctant to abandon the stage
still twirling her faded green skirts
swirling warmth in the face of first frost
she resents the progression of time
a lady after my own aging heart

I first met Lori Grusin Degman though the 12 x 12 challenge.  My kids and I read and fell in love with her books, and I was thrilled to meet Lori in person at the New Jersey SCBWI conference.  She is warm and witty and the best kind of writer friend and I’m excited to interview her on Writer’s Rumpus!

Kirsti Call: When did you start writing children’s books, and why?    

Lori Degman: When my sons were young, I read to them all the time and saw how much they enjoyed hearing the stories, particularly the rhyming, funny picture books. I really wanted to write stories that would make my kids and other kids laugh, so I took a night class on how to write and publish picture books for children. I submitted manuscripts for a few years and amassed a pile of rejections. Then, I went…