Inspiration
Inspiration – the chameleon of every writer!
Although music was the first major positive influence in my life, as can be gleaned from my memoir, Connections, I think reading came a very close second and allowed me to escape into hitherto undiscovered worlds and dream on a grander scale. These enchantments here are just a few of my favourite things. I cannot imagine a life without the wonderful world of books in it.
This is some of my instrument collection. Although I’m a bit rusty on the guitar and should really practice more, I’m also trying to learn the banjo because I just love its happy sound. When the twang gets the better of me, however, I usually turn to the little critter in the corner. These string friends always provide a welcome break, and sometimes a dastardly distraction, from the WIP. It never ceases to surprise me just how many other distractions we writers can place in our own way!
While music and reading have always sustained me, my visits to the movies as I was growing up have also provided me with fascinating escapes and I think they initially sparked my interest in travel. I always believed that where I’d been born was merely an accident of geographic location and not the only world I should champion, so my travels have given me both the opportunity to explore that concept and the time and space in which to grow. When I started out, it was all about broadening the mind, learning about other cultures, and soaking in the extraordinary. Now, of course, I realise that it was all about building a person I could be proud of and, luckily, the journey has provided me with a very rich tapestry from which to draw.
As Douglas Adams once famously said: “I may not have gone where I intended to go, but I think I have ended up where I intended to be.”
Hah! You’ve got to love all those curve balls that life throws in your way, don’t you?
I love all of nature, but I especially love bamboo. The quiet strength that bamboo exudes, and all the different hues it can exhibit, is something I find particularly attractive. I captured this image at the Sunshine Coast in Queensland and the sound of the sea in the background gave it majesty.
In 2018, I attended a Masterclass in Writing. This course was run by Fiona McIntosh – an internationally best-selling author who took over the enterprise from Bryce Courtenay. Fiona, in her own unique and scintillating fashion, shared her expertise with all the participants and inspired me to continue on my own path. I will be eternally grateful for her lovely bubbly company and her insights.
In 2019, I was also lucky enough to participate in Fiona’s Masterclass Inaugural National Conference in the Clare Valley, South Australia.
It was chockful of exciting information from the publishing world, news, tools, and wonderful opportunities.
It was a delightfully rousing experience full of talented and generous writers and publishers.