Unemployed Again! Can't wait.

A long time has passed since I posted on my poor little blog. If I want fame and fortune I shall have to work harder at it.

The good news is that my contract at uni is coming to an end and it doesn't look as though there will be anything more from then. This is a good thing because it has made me very, very, lazy. I am returning to self employment.

I shall be rebuilding my music studio: flute, recorder, clarinet and saxophone. this means I will actually get to play music myself.

I will be bringing out more knitted toys designs, including the long awaited dragons and other mythical beasts.

I will be writing more books-non-fiction and some fiction, at last.
And I will be doing lots of drawing and painting and illustrating.

And then I will be happy again.

Oh, and I will make a big effort to keep my blog updated.

 

The End of July is Nigh

So much is happening I haven't had time to blog. The Doiley Birds are away for the weekend thank goodness. They are very sweet but quite demanding. I'm sorry I've been so slow with their caravan. I haven't said to them that I'm really reluctant to go and work in my studio because it is quite cold down there.

Anyway, they are packed off to Trish's for a fun weekend and hopefully will come back with lots of photos and stories.

I've been busy (so what's new?) mainly writing. I put in two manuscripts through the Queensland writers' centre: one for the Allen and unwin manuscript development prgramme and the other for Hatchette's ms programme. Fingers crossed. I've been thinking about writing my conference paper for 1 August. It is called 'Into the Woods'. If you think I have a thing about trees and forests you'd be dead right.

To cheer everyone up I'm posting some dragons. I haven't done a dragon for ages, maybe, while the girls are away...

Dragon Spawn- these are the size of a human baby

 A trio of mischief

 Double trouble

Play the blues

All of these were made for the Australian Craft Show back in 2000 maybe. I think it is time for another dragon session.

Work, work ,work- loving it

At last, lots of committments are out of the way and I can get down to real work. I've got a couple of book covers to do which is exciting but I can't say much more than that. It is so refreshing to get paid for drawing.

Yesterday I went to Stanthorpe with Carl to see Tom Spence's exhibition there. We know Tom from his time in Katoomba and the show was very inspiring. I wanted to get out a sketch book there and then. The trip from Armidale, up through Guyra, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and then to Stanthorpe was beautiful in that silvery grey winter bleak way. I didn't take the camera- big mistake.

Writing is rushing along: Gentlemen Rogues and Wicked Ladies, my first title for The History Press, UK is the dominant project this month. I love doing this kind of research.

I also have two fiction manuscripts I'm entering in development programmes and my PhD novel has started successfully (meaning it has the thumbs up from supervisors, colleagues and my agent).

Lots to keep me busy. Unfortunatley the Doiley Birds are a bit cross because I haven't got further with their caravan. I did explain that it isn't the best weather to be going on a road trip in Armidale but they said that would just make it more exciting. To make up for my slackness on the caravan front I'm taking them to Uralla to a very special shop to buy some supplies. I think they will be thrilled.

This picture is of Genevieve and Tilda's adventure in the forest. These two long time friends had to leave their home when they were thrown away in the skip by the new owner of their house. I must say that the photo looks worse than it really was and neither party was hurt.

PhD proposal successful

Yes! At last I've had word that my proposal to do a PhD at the University of New England (Australia) is successful. I have been waiting and waiting to see if I have to restructure my plans for the year. The doctorate will be in an area called Creative Practice and it differs from many PhDs in that you aren't limited to writing a thesis (though that does form a part of it). I am going to write a novel for young adults.

My career is forming beautifully. I began with designing and writing a knitting book, then another and now I have four of them under my belt and three non-fiction, text heavy books (meaning that they are more full of words than anything else).

Having finished the 80,000 word text for the first of these, Textiles: a history for Remember When, imprint of UK publisher Pen & Sword, I realised that I could do it. And that was when I began my plans for putting in the PhD proposal.

It is wonderful watching these dreams come true. It is not a miracle, it is not luck (though it helps to have a sprinkling), it all comes down to hard work and determination. I guess for me the biggest lucky break was making contact with Isabel Atherton of Creative Authors, UK www.creativeauthors.co.uk. She runs a boutique literacy agency and she liked my work (the knitted dolls).

From there it was a matter of building a friendship and a strong working relationship, trusting my agent and following her always excellent advice.

Now, my plans are to become a full time writer, illustrator, artist and toy maker (with my own toy shop called Granny Fi's Toy Cupboard). Let's hope money soon rains down on me to buy me the time to achieve these things.