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Writers’ Perks

Posted on by Clare

Some awesome Writers’ Perks have had me smiling recently. A writer’s life is not all “stare at the keyboard until blood spurts from your eyes”, to paraphrase Hemingway. Sometimes you get to meet readers and interact with real people!

Writers’ Perk #1

In October, I spoke with three groups of young artists about the magic of writing, creating rounded characters, and my book How to Survive Your Magical Family. Creation is its own kind of magic, right? Before you write the story or paint the picture, that little piece of wonder doesn’t exist.

This was part of the awesome painting competition organised by my local art school Art Academica. What fun!

Writers’ Perk #2

Also in October, I attended a book launch for Fleetwalker by Judith Michael. It was so much fun to meet other writers and Judith’s fans, friends and family. A great day was had by all!

fleetwalker cover
Fleetwalker, the long-awaited #3 in the GriffinSong trilogy

Writers’ Perks #3

And on the last Friday in October, I attended the Founders & Benefactors Dinner at St Hilda’s College at the University of Melbourne, along with my fellow writing team member Louise Zedda-Sampson. It was a fabulous night where we met some amazing people and made connections to will go a long way towards setting the tone for our big project: Communitas-the first 60 years of St Hilda’s.

Once We Flew: book review

Posted on by Clare
Cover of Once We Flew by Nikky Lee

Once We Flew by Nikky Lee* is an intriguing sci-fi novella that ponders how we, as humans, survive beyond our coping strategies. On the sand-ridden planet Savene, survivors of a colony-destined space mission struggle to cope in a world not completely suited to human life, and without the support of their failed technology.

The Plot

Our protagonists are not the first to investigate Savene as a home world. An alien race, visiting the planet long before the crash-landing of the humans, did what they could to life-form the place for future residents even as their own chance at survival disappeared.

The only problem is that their well-meaning alien safety methodology isn’t particularly suited to human life.

Marsa, one of the elders, is called from her chosen hermit-style life by Koby, the son of her old friend. A dying vision, gifted by the crystal ‘curse’ that affected both women, offers hope in the face of futility.

Marsa and Koby race across the sands to find a possible way forward for the entire space-ship-wrecked community.

My take

With a rare gift for narrative, Lee delivers a great deal in this slim, elegant novella. Her characters are instantly likeable, and the reader quickly gets onside with the older, disabled woman (Marsa) who leads the way for young, confused but brave teen Koby. It’s rather nice not to be looking to the east for a hero or a wizard on a white horse. These characters are much more relatable.

For me, this little gem is up there with The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers (and the others in the Wayfinders series.) In fact, I’d love Lee to craft some companion novellas to flesh out this world! Please?!

Just released, this is perfect for Christmas! Just saying …

And another thing…

*You might remember Nikky as one of the AWESOME authors who contributed to From the Waste Land! Her story there is amazing too!

Magic Cats rule October

Posted on by Clare
character cats drawn by Elena Buyanova

The magical cats are coming!

This October I’m collaborating with local art school Art Academica. We are running a competition for two groups of teenage artists. Their task: create a portrait of one of the characters in How to Survive Your Magical Family.

While most of the characters in How to Survive Your Magical Family are magical, it’s the cats who make the story purr.  One Art Academica’s talented teachers, Elena Buyan, prepared the feature image for the start of Term 4 classes.

Here it is again for your enjoyment. Who’s your favourite?

character cats drawn by Elena Buyanova
Magical Cats by artist Elena Buyan

Next Monday, I will have the great pleasure of speaking with the young artists in a Q&A session for each group. I’ve heard that many of them create their own stories. I can’t wait to hear what they might ask me. More importantly, I can’t wait to see their portraits of my fantasy creations. Especially Toby, Mia, and all the cats.

I’m going to ask their permission to share their works online. So keep watching this space. In between, enjoy these photos With me is Art Academica founder and director,  and all-round creative, Taya Danchenko.

artist and author
Here I am with Art Academica’s Taya Danchenko
artist and author read book
Artist Taya Danchenko and I have a look at the magic inside the book

New! A magical blend of art, literature, and imagination

Posted on by Clare
happy kittens

I have to share this amazing post! I’m very excited about this collaboration in October.

Keep an eye out because I’ll be posting pictures!

Exciting News from Art Academica! 🎨🌟

Term 4 is just around the corner, and we can’t contain our excitement! We’ve been working tirelessly to create something truly special for you, our amazing students and parents.

We are thrilled and privileged to announce a remarkable event in October at Art Academica. 📚✨ We will be hosting a special guest, none other than Clare Rhoden (@clarerhodenauthor), the author of the captivating book for teenagers, “How to Survive Your Magical Family“! 📖✨

“How to Survive Your Magical Family” is a new fantasy novel that’s been sweeping readers off their feet with its loveable characters, clever plot twists, and a world that wraps around you like a warm embrace. Published by Odyssey Books, where books are an adventure, this book is a must-read for young and old alike! 🌍📚

But that’s not all!

We have an exciting competition in store for all the students of our school, and we promise to reveal all the enchanting details very soon!

For our “Procreate. Character design” and “Creating a Strong Folio” students, the third week of the term is going to be extra special. They’ll have the unique opportunity to meet and chat with the author Clare Rhoden herself! 🖌️📝✨She will have a conversation with kids about what strategies she uses to build up interesting characters, where she finds inspiration and how to identify your reader. Kids will ask her any questions they have and we know they will have them because we know some of them already writing their first book.

We can hardly contain our excitement, and we hope you’re just as thrilled as we are for this incredible Term 4 journey at Art Academica.

Prepare for a magical blend of art, literature, and imagination like never before!
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#ArtAcademicaMagic #ClareRhoden #Term4ArtAdventures #MagicalJourney #bestartschoolforkids #art #artacademica #artclassesforadults #bestartschool #artclasses #artschool #parents #family #onlineartclasses #familyfun #artschoolforadults #artschoollife #artschoolforkids #bentleigheast #artschoolmelbourne #artcoursesonline #artschoolstudent
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Tim Major shares some Open Submissions for June and July 2023

Posted on by Clare

TIM SAYS: Here are the most interesting open submissions calls for SFF writers I’ve found this month. Good luck! Qualia NousThe first volume of this anthology series contained high-profile names and was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in an Anthology. This new volume looks set to be a bit deal, too. The editor […]

Open submission calls: June 2023 — Tim Major

How to Enjoy a Review!

Posted on by Clare
happy kittens

I’m very grateful to author Patricia Leslie for reading and reviewing How to Survive Your Magical Family. Yes, I did warn you I’d be sharing reviews 🙂

 

https://www.patricialeslie.net/single-post/book-review-how-to-survive-your-magical-family-by-clare-rhoden

A small extract from Patricia’s review:

 

I’d recommend How to survive your magical family for any reader young adult and up. No need to limit yourself if you’ve passed that age bracket. Clare Rhoden is an excellent author. Her storytelling will draw you in. An afternoon of entertaining reading pleasure awaits you.

Thank you so much Patricia!

Review Magic: How to Survive Your Magical Family

Posted on by Clare
cat dreaming of lucky owner

How to Survive Your Magical Family has been meeting reviewers, and I’m excited to share extracts from one of these with you. It’s Review Magic as far as I’m concerned!

girl reading book

Magpies Magazine: Talking About Books For Children

Volume 38, Number 1, March 2023

Reviewed by Marie Alafaci

Right from the opening line, How to Survive Your Magical Family is a delight. This novel for younger readers delivers magic, mystery and mayhem… plus credible characters, lots of humour and action aplenty.
Toby is the youngest of the Dartin family and has the least magic. His sister, Helen, has much more practical magical abilities, such as healing animals, ‘imagining a parking spot into existence’ and turning off the iron after she’s left home. All Toby can do is charm any cat that comes to him.

…
Told between Toby’s point of view and that of his best friend Mia, How to Survive Your Magical Family leaps between normal family dynamics and kidnapping, bribery and vengeance.

…
Rhoden has created a completely believable alternative world where magical people and ‘flats’ – those who can’t see magic – interact happily, mostly without the ‘flats’ knowing. But she has also created credible child characters, Toby and Mia, who show courage and
intelligence, and have real agency throughout, even in the most hopeless situations. It’s also refreshing that she shows them as young people clearly out of their depth at times, kids who need to rely on the adults in their lives (most of whom are loving and capable) to help them.

…
How to Survive Your Magical Family is great fun, and there are enough loose ends to mean that a sequel could be on the cards, to which I say, ‘Deal me in!’ A fabulous read. Highly recommended.

This Fresh Hell!

Posted on by Clare
This Fresh Hell cover

Announcing This Fresh Hell, a brand new horror anthology from the remarkable,  innovative Clan Destine Press. You can pre-order this beautifully horrible book  now (at a whopping 20% discount!). And yay! I have a story (or half of one) in this stunning collection of amazing tales.

From the blurb:

This Fresh Hell

A driver picks up a hitchhiker from the side of a road; a family moves in to a house that may be haunted; a visit to the cabin in the woods goes terribly wrong…
We all know how those stories end – OR DO WE? In This Fresh Hell, every story begins with a well-known horror trope but ends with a twist, bringing new life and unexpected resolutions to old ideas. Emerging and established authors from around the world reignite and subvert horror tropes in 19 wholly original, genre-bending stories.
Among these unexpected tales, a Slender Man offers help to a boy in trouble; a restorer develops an unusual bond with a cursed doll; a heartbroken influencer tests her mettle aboard a luxurious cruise from hell; a haunted house hesitates to terrify its new residents… Ranging from the chilling to the quirky, these are stories for dedicated horror fans as well as those dipping their toes into the genre for the first time.

 

And look at the wonderful cover by Claire L. Smith (@clairelsmxth on IG)

This Fresh Hell cover
This Fresh Hell cover design by Claire L Smith

In this fearsome fray you’ll find a story I co-authored with the dedicated, decorated, devoted writer Eugen Bacon.

Our story  PAPERWEIGHT is about a librarian, a cursed stone, a love-struck innocent (or not-so-innocent) and the fear of being buried alive…

This Fresh Hell presents stories by:

A.J. Vrana, Annie McCann, C. Vonzale Lewis, Candace Robinson, Chuck McKenzie, Claire L. Smith, Claire Low, Clare E. Rhoden, Elle Beaumont, Eugen Bacon, Gillian Polack, Greg Herren, Jason Franks, Katya de Becerra, L.J.M. Owen, Narrelle M. Harris, Raymond Gates, Sarah Glenn Marsh, Sarah Robinson-Hatch, Tansy Rayner Roberts.

I trust you’ll enjoy this marvellous collection. I can’t wait to get my hands on it and read all the other terrifying stories!

Book cover This Fresh Hell
You can pre-order your copy NOW using the link below.

THIS FRESH HELL Pre-orders:

Australia/International: www.clandestinepress.net/products/this-fresh-hell

USA/North America: https://improbablepress.com/products/this-fresh-hell

Australian novels of WWI: some recommendations

Posted on by Clare
April 25, Anzac Day text

Fifteen years ago, I started my PhD journey looking at Australian stories of World War I. I wanted to discover how Australian writers of WWI transformed their experiences into fiction. Arguably, I’ve read more of these books than anyone in the world. Here are my recommendations for Australian stories you might like to read, if you’re interested in Australian perspectives of war.

Some people said

THERE ARE NO AUSTRALIAN NOVELS OF WWI!

But there are, and I discovered that Australian stories are different from the famous WWI texts of the English-speaking world (but that would be another post!).

Here are my selected reading lists for Australian novels of WWI. Copy and paste a title into your library catalogue (or preferred retailer) and get reading. I need more people to talk about these with! So read on …

Books of the Time:

By Australian veterans (first published; most recently published):

Leonard Mann, Flesh in Armour (1932;2008)

J.P. McKinney, Crucible (1935; 2012)

Frederic Manning, The Middle Parts of Fortune (1929/30; 2012)

Ion Idriess, The Desert Column (1935; 2017)

G.D. Mitchell, Backs to the Wall (1937; 2007)

By non-combatants (first published; most recently published):

Mary Grant Bruce,  From Billabong to London (1914; 2019), Jim and Wally (1915; 2019), Captain Jim (1916; 2022), and Back to Billabong (1919; 2015).

Ethel Turner, The Cub: Six Months in his Life: a Story in War-Time (1915; 1958), Captain Cub (1917), Brigid and the Cub (1919).

2000s Australian WWI Novels:

A selection. There are more.

Ian Callinan, After the Monsoon (2004)

John Charalambous, An Accidental Soldier (2014)

Jackie French, A Rose for the Anzac Boys (2008)

Stephen Daisley, Traitor (2009)

David Metzenthen, Boys of Blood and Bone  (2003)

David Metzenthen, Black Water (2007)

Clare Rhoden, The Stars in the Night (2017)

Brenda Walker, The Wing of Night (2005)

Sheila Walker, The Ghost at the Wedding (2010)

Chris Womersley, Bereft (2010)

Peter Yeldham, Barbed Wire And Roses (2007)

 

Please let me know if/when you’ve read any of these. I’d love to discuss 🙂