Perth Words… exploring possibilities.

Being introduced at the Avon Valley Writers Festival, 2012.

Talk about booking well in advance: the West Australian branch of the Society of Women Writersasked me at the beginning of the year, to run a workshop ‘Writing for the Screen’in October.

I’m told they expect around 60 people to attend the General Meeting and stay for my presentation – so I’m looking forward to the challenge.  🙂

Well used to presenting to an audience either in person, on a stage or on screen, I’m not really worried about showing a short film made from my script then talking about my experience.

Some of the audience for my Avon Valley Writers Festival workshop having a go at a one pager, 2012.

The intention is to also get them to have a go at a one pager, then pick a couple to read out and critique. A similar workshop during the inaugural Avon…

One of the best things that ever happened in Ireland was the introduction of the plastic bag ‘tax’ a few years ago.  I’m writing about this now as a similar tax has come into operation in England this week.

Here in Ireland, we’ve pretty much got rid of the blight of plastic bags being blown all over the countryside and finding themselves knotted around branches, stuck in stone walls, floating down rivers and being washed up all along our lovely coastline.

Plastic bags have a value now and having a value is something that is hugely important in all walks of life.

Lost and Lovely

I’m not sure why but I can’t seem to see old boots that are washed up on the beach as eyesores like those flapping white plastic bags. Old boots have a style all of their own. They also pose questions about the feet they once…

Rosa ‘Remember Me.’

Some of the most precious memories I have relate to first meetings with people who have been incredibly significant in my life. It always seems like an added bonus to have vivid recall of the very first moment of meeting the eyes of such a person, seeing their smile or feeling their touch.

How can we ever know that a person will go on to play a key role in our lives? I don’t have any scientific answers for this but I’ve certainly had some first meetings that have pierced my soul and have seemed determined to carve themselves on my memory.

Because of my fascination with first moments, I’ve long loved this poem:

I Wish I Could Remember that First Day

Christina Rossetti

Fight for Rhinos spends all monetary donations on our conservation projects. But there is a definite need for other items and services:

• a new color printer
• printing services (flyers, posters, etc.)
•  t-shirt donations (for printing)
• US screenprinting services
• US volunteer grant-writers
• volunteers

If you are able to assist us in any way with our wishlist, or have any questions, please email us directly at fightforrhinos@gmail.com

Remember we are a registered non-profit and items donated may be tax-deductible.

This coming weekend, I will be off to Western Australia for an AWESOME time, thanks to an invitation from Writing WA.

A few months back, National Arts Council contacted me to say that Writing WA had requested for me to attend their AWESOME International Arts Festival for Bright Young Things as their Singapore guest author. Was I interested?

“Awesome!”I cried and immediately burst out into the Lego Movie Song. Okay, I didn’t sing that out loud but the song is seriously stuck in my head.

I’m looking forward to my week of giving book talks and readings at the AWESOME Festival, recognised as one of the top 25 events in the world for young people.

I also hope that the blue skies and fresh air will spark some good writing moments in this hazy writing year, where  community commitments have taken priority.

Getting ready to Fly Over to Down Under…