UGLY PLACES

Over at the Queensland Writers Centre's Empty Page Blog, they're "Loving the Ugly", which is not a court-ordered Community Service, but rather a peek into the private creative spaces of some Queensland writers as part of their rather wonderful Blog Tour. I agreed last month to unveil the ugly reality of my writing space, without quite realising that by the time it came to blog about it, I wouldn't actually be at home.

You, see, my ridiculously kind employers have agreed to give me a month off to finish the redrafting of my novel, which goes to print next year, but still has plenty of work to go on it yet. So I'm at my parents' place for a week, revisiting the old country, and allowing myself some uninterrupted writing time. So, suffice to say, you shan't be seeing pictures of my study back in Brisbane, but rather the picturesque writing space of a prodigal son.

This is where I started writing this morning ...

And this is where I'm writing this afternoon ...

Being home also rekindles early book memories, with an important portion of my childhood book collection still intact on a bookshelf...

And the same bookshelf holding a surprising reminder of why my novel is a mystery story ...

So not very ugly, but important pieces of why I write are buried here. And don't forget to head to The Empty Page Blog for more writing spaces by some great Queensland writers.

SPLOGGING

No post here today, but I've contributed my thoughts about the loyalties and realities of stocking small presses in bookshops over at the SPUNC (Small Press Underground Network Community) Splog. I hope it splaises some interesting splestions.