Christmas day for Ma is one of relaxation and contemplation. She takes her craft books, her dog Bruce, a picnic lunch of tiny sesame seed dumplings and fairy pancakes, and sits on a plaid blanket under the trees. Red, white and pink camellias are in full bloom, hybrid azaleas open and close to Ma’s singing, hawks perch on the … Read More
Australian Explorers: what did they eat?
The early 1800’s was a time of exploration through wild Australia. One example was William Leichhardt, explorer and naturalist. He learned about edible bush plants from the aborigines and led several expeditions to central Australia. He trusted his aboriginal guides to find the food and was not disappointed. His survival depended on these guides. Examples of the wild foods … Read More
Men and Women of High Degree in Australia
The aborigine “dies” to his childhood and his previous ignorance. In his rise to an enlightened life of knowledge and power through harsh ritual, with its loneliness and trials, its death and revelations, its joy and its misery, he begins to see and to know. He finally understands his relationship to the life and the non-life around him. (Adapted and … Read More
What is an Australian Aboriginal Shaman?
For the next few weeks I will discuss shamans as they are perceived in Australian native culture – or used to be. For my books I needed to examine the culture in depth and became fascinated by the “woman or man of high degree” as the shaman is referred to. Shamanism is the world’s oldest tradition and still alive in … Read More
Where Did My Story Go?
Your bio is long and impressive but some of the links are not supported anymore and your work has disappeared into the deep black gulf of nothingness. What happened? What do you do when this occurs? I’d love to publish your ideas and experience with this. Send me your thoughts on this phenomena and how to avoid it, how to … Read More
MFA
In response to Charlotte Morganti’s topic: I received an MFA in fiction through http://www.nila.edu/mfa/ the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts on Whidbey Island. I am grateful to have gone through this process of honing one’s writing skills through fire. This is one tough program run by writers for writers and it is the only one of its kind in the … Read More
Thinking about an MFA? Look at Charlotte Morganti’s Blog today
http://morgantiwrites.com/2011/12/13/eight-reasons-to-consider-pursuing-an-mfa/
http://www.creativenonfiction.org/thejournal/submittocnf.htm Theme is Australia.
Theme is Australia. Good luck to you all.
Ellen Herbert’s post on critique groups
http://shelfstealers.com/watchellenherbertwrite/ Give Ellen some feedback on critique groups. What’s your experience with critique groups?