Carole Wilkinson

Flash Back

Carole — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:37:21 +0000

One of my projects over the holidays was to scan some of the slides that we took in the 70s and 80s. I don’t know why everyone thought it was a good idea to take slides instead of photos. It means that you never look at them. Anyway it took quite a while, even though I was very selective (we have 900 slides!). But it was worth it to see all those images again. Some of my favourites are the ones we took on my first visit to China. It was a family holiday in 1987. That’s before I knew a word of Chinese, before I’d even thought about becoming a writer. Lili was six. I hennaed my hair. Only the Chinese government owned vehicles. Ordinary people couldn’t own cars. China was a very different place back then.

Merry Christmas

Carole — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 23:41:05 +0000

Some things get easier the more you do it. Writing novels isn’t one of them. Not for me anyway. However…somehow it gets done. Dragonkeeper 4 is finished. It has a title. And the most gorgeous cover. It is called Blood Brothers. I’ll get one last look at it in the new year before it goes to press, but basically it’s done. Sigh.

The turkey is brining, the pudding and mincepies are made, the presents are wrapped. I’m looking forward to a big family Christmas lunch tomorrow. Looking forward even more to after lunch, when I can finally relax and have a break for a few weeks.

Seasons Greetings to everyone.

‘Tis Almost the Season

Carole — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 11:47:28 +0000

So what does a writer do when they have a tight deadline and a book due by Christmas? They take the afternoon off and make Christmas puddings, of course!

Lili and I make puddings every year. It’s fun. I do the weighing, Lili likes to do the mixing…with her hands. It’s very gooey.

Unfortunately, while they are cooking (takes four hours), the writer then has to go back to work to make up the lost time. And you don’t get to eat the fruits of your labour for another six weeks!

Another Dragon Walk

Carole — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:51:55 +0000

I will be conducting a Dragon Walk in Melbourne on 20th Nov at 2pm, meeting at the State Library of Victoria. This is a Centre for Youth Literature event.

There are still a few places left. You must book through the Centre for Youth Literature. We’ll start in the forecourt of the State Library of Victoria and end up at the Chinese Museum and there will be many dragons in between.

What I did on the Weekend

Carole — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 08:12:37 +0000

Last Saturday was Moving Planet day, an international day of action in support of renewable energy. Events were held in 175 countries. Here in Melbourne people got together to make a human sign of someone riding a bike. I am sitting near the knee.

The event was coordinated by 350.org a group dedicated to spreading the word about the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The 350 refers to the goal of 350 parts per million of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, which scientists consider to be the safe limit. It is currently around 390 ppm, and increasing. If we don’t start reducing emissions now, we will get to a point where irreversible climate crisis will occur. You can read more about the science behind this here.

Melbourne's human sign

A Busy Time

Carole — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 04:24:06 +0000

Most of the time a writer just sits in a room and doesn’t talk to anyone, but there are certain times of the year when that all changes. Like now. Over the last couple of weeks I’ve spoken to hundreds of people. First it was Childrens Book Week, then Melbourne Writers Festival and Ballarat Writers Festival, and now its Literacy and Numeracy Week. I don’t know why they have to be all together!

Here are some photos. That’s me and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki at the MWF signing table. (He insisted that we blow a kiss to the camera!); a more sedate signing with Lili after our session together; and a cup of tea at the Chinese Museum after my last dragon walk; and at the Ballarat Writers Festival with authors Ananda Braxton-Smith and Corinne Fenton.

The dragon walks were a lot of fun and I met lots of lovely people. Now it’s back to writing by myself again.

Dragon Walk Map

Carole — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 07:18:05 +0000

For those who were at my Melbourne Writers Festival Walking with Dragons session this morning. Here is a link to the map of dragon locations. A plan of Saint Patrick’s Cathedral and where to find the dragons is here.

Upcoming Appearances

Carole — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 06:43:56 +0000

Like a lot of authors, I spend most of my working day in a room at home by myself, which is fine by me. August is a time when I venture out into the world and meet some of my readers, lots of them actually. I’m going to Adelaide to visit some schools for Book Week and then as soon as I get back home it’s the Melbourne Writers Festival and then within hours of finishing my last session there, I’m in Ballarat for the Ballarat Writers Festival.

I’m particularly excited about the MWF Dragon Walks, where I will be conducting walks around the city to visit some of Melbourne’s dragons and tell their stories. I’ve recently discovered new ones! I hope to see some of you over the next weeks. Here is my schedule:

Melbourne Writers Festival
Sat 27 Aug 11-12.30am
Melbourne’s Hidden Dragons
Walking tour of Melbourne’s dragons with me.
28 Aug 11-12.30am
Melbourne’s Hidden Dragons
Walking tour of Melbourne’s dragons with me.
Mon 29 Aug 10 am
Walking with Dragons
This is all about dragons too, but in a theatrette with pictures.!
Tues 30 Aug 11.15 am
Bringing History to Life
A panel discussion on writing about history with other authors Jane Caro and Mike Lefroy.
Tues 30 Aug 12.30 pm
In the Family
This is with my daughter Lili. We will be talking about what it’s like to have more than one writer in the family.
Sat 3 Sep 10 am
Melbourne’s Hidden Dragons
My final dragon walk.

Ballarat Writers Festival
Sat 3 Sep 2.15 pm
Out of this World: Magic and Imagination
A panel with other fantasy authors Kate Constable, Ebony McKenna, Leanne Hall and Karen Healy.

Chatting with Lili

Carole — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 08:39:25 +0000

Lili doesn’t live far away. If I want to talk to her, I could nip over to her place in 10 minutes. She could call me on the phone if she wants to speak to me. But when we are working, we tend to communicate using Skype. Not by face to face video, just typing. It’s handy when I’m trying to think of a word or there’s a book I want to borrow or else I’ve got some goss I want to share. Stuff like that. Sometimes it’s just because one of us is bored.

Anyway the reason I mention this is because one of our conversations is featured on the George Ivanoff’s blog Literary Clutter.

It Ain’t Heavy. It’s My Novel.

Carole — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 05:15:35 +0000

I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I’ve finished the zero draft* of my book. There’s still a lot of work to do, but the worst is over. I think of this early complete draft as being like a pencil sketch for a painting. Now, I know what the story is from beginning to end. Now, I get to rework it and, hopefully, make it better. This is the bit I like best.

*I thought I got this term from Scott Westerfeld, but after a quick Google, I think maybe it was Justine Larbalestier** who came up with it. Anyway she describes it very well here.

** I’ve just read Justine’s YA book Liar, which is fabulous.