Inspiring women

Copyedit

josephinetalepeddler 11 Comments
Even a confirmed Winter lover as myself has to admit I’m enjoying the Spring weather and light in Sydney at the moment. Here is where I am every day in my writing shed.
 
Yes, we finally have the wall paper up and I love being in there amongst the birds and butterflies. It’s just lovely to work in the garden next to our big old tea-tree and palms and feel as though I’m amongst pink birds and butterflies. Birds and butterflies represent the soul to me and so it’s a great paper for a creative writing shed where we do our soul work. Just this morning, the most beautiful bird with a yellow breast came right to the window to peep at me. It’s magical in my shed! 
 
Over the next month or so we shall be doing more work on the shed to try to create a lovely as space as possible for both our books. My husband is also a writer and so we have to share which we’re good at. Luckily, he is used to my girliness and has long given up fighting I think he was just relieved the paper is duck-egg blue and not pink!  I’m looking forward to installing the fairy lights, adding some pretties and growing some roses out the front but first of all I have to cull all the paperwork we’ve collected over the years between us! And at the moment, I’m head down on my copyedit for Pan Macmillan and so things may be quiet on the blog for a couple of week to ensure I reach my deadline in time. All my editors from Pan Macmillan have been so brilliant and it’s a joy to work with them. Because I was nearly 60 000 words into my Currawong book it was a wrench to return to Poet’s Cottage again but I’m loving revisiting the characters and hopefully adding a bit more to the MS as this is one of the last chances I get before publication.
 
And I’ve been so busy lately doing loads of arty things. We saw the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition on drawing at the AGNSW which I loved. Both David and myself have a big soft for the PRB and it was a treat to see a few of Elizabeth Siddal’s works in this show.
 
I saw Jane Eyre at the cinema with my friend Artschool Annie. How brilliant was Mia Wasikowska as Jane? Divine casting and I loved this movie version so much I’m going to try to see it twice.
 
The Tasmanian-looking landscape really made me long for my home state, Thornfield, is my idea of the perfect house and unlike my pervious post on Underbelly Razor, this is a house that actually looks lived in and of the time.
 
 I also really enjoyed.Michael Fassbender as Rochester. A really sublime movie.  I think Jane Eyre is such an inspiration for her nobleness, stoic determination and strength. 
I hope my daughter loves this book as much as her parents as I think Jane’s a great role-model for young women in today’s climate with the sexualisation of females. Jane doesn’t use her looks to get ahead in life. And Rochester still prefers her to the prettier Blanche Ingram. It’s a tale of hope and as Spring is a season of hope it’s a perfect time to catch this movie.
 
I also saw Lakme at the Sydney Opera house with the amazing Emma Mathews. This opera was a treat with the divine Emma singing the Duet of the Flowers.
 
And David and I saw The Mousetrap at this incredible theatre, The Genesian in the heart of Sydney. We originally saw The Mousetrap in the West End in London which was a dream come true for me. But even though this was an amateur production, it was really enjoyable and well done.
 
This weekend, I have my agent, Selwa Anthony’s annual bash which is always a very grand and inspiring affair. During the day there are author and publishing  talks and at night a formal dinner and award ceremony.  We are looking forward to attending the Sassies and hopefully, I’ll have time to pop back and do a post about it when I reach my deadline.
 
Enjoy September and I hope that butterflies and pink birds are fluttering in your soul. Keep Inspired and Keep creative.
And because it’s Spring. Here’s a couple of images from the latest issue of Country Style.
 
 
 I always love their Spring Issues.  
    

THE WATER FROM YOUR TAP

josephinetalepeddler 3 Comments

Some days and weeks are crap, let’s face it. This week I’ve ripped a muscle in my left shoulder from sitting with poor posture on my bed using the computer so I’m in constant pain. Not a good trick to use the computer in such a position and now I’m paying for it. 

My six-year-old daughter has decided it’s a good trick to wake us between 3 and 4 am, singing out for us to come and get her from her bedroom so she can sleep with us. I don’t think I’ve had a full night’s sleep since she’s been born.

The washing machine has broken. We have dental work to be done, medical appointments and I can’t keep track of all the things to do at my daughter’s school.

This morning I dropped a can of hairspray onto my antique china wash jug-set and smashed my pretty set in pieces. Lots of tears and the cranky pants went on.

Distracting myself from writing, I came across the following quote from the lovely Liz Earle.

‘Working with people in developing countries is a very humbling experience. You go into the heart of communities where they live with very little, where water coming out of a tap is a cause for celebration, yet they are unfailingly cheerful and completely free of all the hang-ups we seem to have enveloped ourselves with over here,’ she says.

I’ve long been a fan of her ethos when it comes to skincare and can’t recommend her cleanse and polish cleanser enough, but her quote about the attitude of people in developing countries gave me food for thought. I’ve observed the same thing in my travels through India and the Philippines, the innate joy of people there. I particularly like this photo of Liz Earle with her daughter above because I am also very fond of chickens and would love to one day have two chickens as pets. You can read more about Liz here. 

Wishing you a lovely week, wherever you are in the world, and the strength to deal with all those billions of frustrations in life to keep you chirpy and creative. And that you truly appreciate the water from your tap. 

liz and lily earle and chickens source 

 

Vale, Margaret Olley

josephinetalepeddler 6 Comments

 

 

When I was nursing around a hundred years ago we had a saying that death came in threes. This week three newsbreaking accounts of deaths have been rocking the Twitterverse – Norway, Amy Winehouse and just today I was saddened to read that Margaret Olley – much hailed and loved painter in Sydney – has died in her Paddington home.

Sydney has lost not only a great artist but one of its great bohemian ladies.

Vale, Margaret Olley.

all images via source

AFTER THE WINTER SOLSTICE

josephinetalepeddler 3 Comments

This is my favourite time of year as we enter into the dark cave, the belly of winter in Australia.

Garden Angel

 Except it’s never quite cold enough in Sydney. I’ve had a headache for two weeks now which I know is because I’m trying to juggle too many things alongside family illness.\

Smuchie outside the writing shedOur writing shed

 

 

My publishers and agent Selwa Anthony have started to discuss covers and author photos which is exciting, scary and very distracting!

I’m juggling two books and one short crime story. Yes, I’ve entered again for the annual Sisters In Crime Scarlet Stiletto Awards. This is the shortest space of time in which I’ve written a story for and I feel it probably doesn’t stand a chance as it has a very nasty bite in it. Ever hopeful, I shall submit this dark little tale because you just never know where your luck will flow.

On Saturday I spent a ridiculous amount of money to have my hair dyed to its natural state and I bought a most beautiful vintage-style dress (black with floral print) from a retro shop in King Street, which I have christened my Poets Cottage frock. 

Vivien Leigh

At night all I want to do is retire to bed early with a hot water bottle and pile of books.

More Vivien

At day, I’m often in my writing shed which you can see above. We’ve just ordered some lovely bird wallpaper for the shed. I shall post photos when it’s up. And yes, we are going to take down the Hills Hoist in front of it. I do like a Hills Hoist but I’ve yearned for a Granny line for years. 

June is coming to an end which is sad. June to me is the month of roses and love. It’s the anniversary of when I first met my writer partner, David Levell. I’m in love with everything rosy, including Jurliques Rose handcream which I’ve been slathering on my dry crocodile hands. That’s my June beauty tip.

And this morning whilst the city was waking, Daisy and I on our way to her natural therapist, Dr Peter Bablis, were peering through the windows of Channel 7’s Sunrise show to see live television at Martin Place and Daisy received a lovely smile and wave from the presenter, Mel.

What a pretty and personable person she comes across as.

J’adore winter. I wish it lasted for longer. 

images of vivien leigh source 

 

      

 

SNOWBALLS ON FIRE

josephinetalepeddler 4 Comments

The older I get, the greater power I seem to have to help the world; I am like a snowball — the further I am rolled the more I gain.

– Susan B. Anthony (1820 – 1906), American civil rights leader

I just love this quote from the fabulous Blog No Country for Young Women.
 
It made me think of some of the older women I think have just got better and better with age. Here’s a few of my favourites

Beatrice, Mirka, Agatha, Brigitte

 
And I couldn’t resist sneaking a Johnny Depp photo in as he’s also improved with age. 

King Snowball Johnny Depp

Who do you think is an older inspiration? 
Hats off to all smoking hot snowballs! 
beatrice wood image source 
mirka mora image source
agatha christie image source
brigitte bardot image source
johnny depp image source

Cloudstreet

josephinetalepeddler 2 Comments

I must be one of the few people in Australia that haven’t read Tim Winton’s Cloudstreet but I have it on my list to do so. But I’ve been loving the Foxtel series which is airing at the moment.

I originally watched it for Essie Davis because I was at Matriculation College in Hobart with her.

Essie Davis

 Essie was always super-talented and in the cool crowd. I was not ever part of the cool crowd and I’ve loved following her career for years. I must do a blog post on her one day as I think she’s stunning and wonderful and I love seeing Tasmanian girls make it world-wide.

Essie at Cloudstreet launch party with cast members

Even though Cloudstreet is filled with the sort of quirky characters I HATE in Australian shows (I have no idea of why Australians on screen have to be so quirky. Even if I have been described as quirky a few times I have nothing on Australian characters).

Quirkiness aside, there’s still so much of the characters that I can relate to or see in my grandparents or my parents. And the magical touches like the talking pig and the bird that excretes shillings are so lovely. But it’s the HOUSE I have fallen totally in love with and I know I’m not alone here.

This magnificent weatherboard dwelling is enough to convince even the most passionate of brick-lovers like myself that weatherboard is elegant and timeless. This ghostly house that whispers terrible secrets and harbours two families, the Pickles and the Lambs, is hauntingly beautiful in a shabby stunning way.

It’s truly fabulous Australian viewing – here’s a link to the main site if you would like more information. Now I shall finally have to read the book.

images source here

DAWN

josephinetalepeddler 9 Comments

What a wonderful life I’ve had! I only wish I’d realised it sooner.” Colette

This is a favourite quote that I’ve been using a lot this week. We’ve been enjoying exploring a pre-dawn Sydney to visit Daisy’s doctor before school.

 It’s an education to see Sydney’s inhabitants waking up.

The homeless people sleeping in train tunnels, fairy-lights in Hyde Park, joggers and office-cleaners.

 I have revisions to do for Poets Cottage and so I’m out of the 1940s where I had just got comfortable and back to a Tasmanian sea-fishing village in the 1930s.

 A great Newtown identity died this week. I’m going to miss Bob Gould.

I had discovered many treasures in his chaotic, messy shop over the last decade or so. As Chuck Mckenzie said on my Facebook, he reminded you at times of an oversized owl glowering away as you searched the huge towers of books. I also saw him as a cantankerous wizard from a Hogwarts library. A most fascinating man. I always found the perfect book for my research in his shops. I’d ask the book angels to guide me and somehow five or six books would find their way to me. Books long out of print, stories penned by ‘ordinary’ Australians giving the most terrific details of everyday life that I could use. Books that these days mightn’t have been published because they aren’t by a celebrity or a proven author. The last time I saw Mr Gould I had a pile of books for the 1940s Blue Mountains mystery book I’m working on. He looked through them, raised those eyebrows and said, ‘You have good taste in literature, young lady.’ I floated down the street afterwards, not just for the rare event of being called a young lady but my inner-geek was sated that Bob Gould said I had good taste in literature. Hats off to you, Bob Gould. With all the hoo-haa recently about publishing and technology, you were a blazing reminder of the magic, beauty and mystery that I love about bookstores and booksellers.

bob gould image source

colette image source

top hats and quote source