Perth Words… exploring possibilities.

In addition to assisting Ol Pejeta and the Black Mambas, we are currently raising funds to support an anti-poaching unit in southern Kruger National Park. This APU has lost rhinos in recent months, and are in need of additional training to track poachers.

By providing them with training of human tracking, this will enhance their skills, cut down the chances of poaching, and further equip them in protecting wildlife in the area.

By purchasing an ornament, a piece of art or making a donation, you will provide necessary support for our project.

Ranger in Kruger National Park. photo: Marco Longari

I’d love to know to what extent blogging runs in families. I know about 3 pairs of sisters who blog, 3 mothers and sons; 2 mothers and daughters and I think that’s it.

Maybe it’s just that I’m not moving in the right circles to find the families, or maybe I know them individually and haven’t put one and one or two and two together ( that always reminds of the card game ‘Fish in the Pond.’ Do you remember it? )

There is the little matter that there can be a sense that there is only room for one blogger in a family ~ a bit like one photographer.

I think my late mother would probably have got into blogging if it had been around in her day. She wrote a lot for publication and broadcasting and loved being part of a ‘community of writers.’ I often think of…

Worrying has to be one of the essential parts of a writer’s DNA. There are so many things to be concerned about! However, the reality is so many things are out of a writer’s control–especially during the writing process. Here are my top 5 things writers should learn to stop worrying about. Save all that energy for what matters: writing the best book you can.

1. Timelines

Writers make promises to themselves and to other people. Some people call this goal setting. This is a reasonable thing to do, provided you’re being realistic. However, there are other timelines that you can’t worry about because sometimes things get pushed back in publishing: an offer that’s “supposed” to come in, a delivery date that’s no longer attainable, a publication date that gets moved up or way back and many more. Focus on what you can control and let the rest go. Use…

Three ways to help!

1. Purchase a greater one-horn rhino ornament

2. Purchase a piece of art-on sale for the holidays!

3. When you shop Amazon, mention Fight for Rhinos, and they will contribute to our conservation projects. No added cost or work from you!

ALL proceeds from your donations go directly toward our rhino conservation projects; currently including Ol Pejeta Conservancy, the Black Mambas APU, and our ongoing campaign to help APUs with a variety of needs to combat poaching.

Remember me when I am gone away

Gone far away into the silent land;

(Christina Rossetti)

There are many milestones associated with losing elderly parents and the last few days have brought one to the fore for me. It involves the death of a woman who knew my parents for a lot longer than I did.

She knew my father from when he first came to Waterford in 1943. She was a few years younger than him but they shared a great love of sport and he got to know her parents, sibs, boyfriends, her eventual husband and kids. He often spoke of how, by chance, he happened to be with her the night her mother died and how ‘being a shoulder to cry on’ had been very significant in sealing  their friendship for life.

This woman was really warm and friendly and was very welcoming to my mother when…

Okay, now this could be good.

Not because of James Franco, who often chooses lazy projects and sleepwalks through a lot of roles, but who can be impressive when he wants to be.

Not because of Calvary‘s Marie-Josée Croze.

Not because of Rachel McAdams, who along with Colin Farrell managed to avoid the critical panning of True Detective.

Not even because of Charlotte Gainsbourg, who’s become one of the most fearless of screen actors.

No.

The trailer looks promising, and the story is intriguing:

While driving aimlessly after a quarrel with his girlfriend, a writer accidentally runs over and kills a child. The accident and its aftermath deeply traumatizes him. Over the next 12 years, he struggles to make sense of what happened and continue on with life, but when he looks in the mirror, he sees a murderer.

But the real reason why…