#Audiomachine — An Unfinished Life

Music has always played a huge role in my writing, setting the mood and acting as a conduit for the emotions of the story, so it has to be something I can listen to for weeks and months at a time — literally, the same music, on repeat, for hours per day.

Felicia Farerre — a voice in a million

A few weeks back, I pointed you guys to some not-quite-released songs by my favourite composer, Jo Blankenburg. One of them was ‘Crater of Lost Souls’.

Well today, I have a treat for you. The glorious voice featured in ‘Crater of Lost…

Alan Rickman — 1946 to 2016

I’m in shock. Another ageless 69 year old gone, and this time it’s the brilliant man who played the Sheriff of Notingham in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves:

Floating #solar power plants!

I first read about floating solar power plants in Quartz, and just had to share. Here are a couple of amazing video clips that prove this is not sci-fi!

Preserved #apricots and a #Wüsthof to grind

After the sadness of the Rickman and Bowie posts, I thought it would be nice to talk about joyful things for a change, and what could be more joyful than food and gadgets?

‘Ready Player One’ a #5star review

Before I begin, a warning to all non-gamers — tune out now.

Okay, for those of you left, let me begin by saying that ‘Ready Player One’, by Ernest Cline, is the first non-Indie novel I have read in a very long time. I broke my unwritten rule…

#Heavensward — 2 x 60 at last

Before anyone gets too excited -rolls eyes- none of my characters have hit level 60 in battling yet, but I am proud to announce that Takh broke the crafting barrier twice today — once on blacksmith and the second time on goldsmith:

Two #5star #reviews for two very different novels

I read all the time, but sometimes the quality of my reading material goes through a bit of a slump. Then, as if to make up for it, fate sends me two wonderful books in a row. The two wonderful books I’ll be talking about today are Pride’s…

Skippy the Islamist kangaroo?

Just had to share this!

Peter Broelman is an Aussie cartoonist with a wicked sense of humour.

I think even my international friends will get this one if I tell you that Eric Abetz is a minister in the current Liberal…

David Bowie, January 8, 1947 — January 10, 20162016

I grew up with Bowie’s music and my daughter’s favourite movie, for a very long time, was The Labrynth in which Bowie starred as the Goblin King.

A very talented man, gone too soon.

#Haiku help needed — update 24/1/2016

Thank you to all those who left comments and suggestions. Your help gave me a really valuable insight into haiku, at least in the English form, and why it’s so hard to write.

What would we do without the #internet?

Last night, The Offspring and I faced an evening of utter misery — no emails, no Wordpress, no jigsaw puzzles and no GAMING! -wail-

We did have our Kindles, and we did have the TV, but as the ratings season has not begun yet, there was…

Target Employee’s act of Kindness Will Inspire YOU to Practice Kindness

I’ve been following the Kindness Blog for a while now, but this story really struck a chord, perhaps because I will be old, and maybe a little eccentric one day too.