The Nigella Effect

Hello, I posted this on my writing blog HERE along with my daughter's Princes and Pirate party but thought I would also post Nigella here.

Yesterday I took an impulsive break from my edit and attended the very packed Nigella Lawson book signing at David Jones.

When I say 'impulsive' I mean very last-minute decision to go. I literally shut the laptop and ran for the train wearing my comfortable writing clothes (read 'scruffy'). I arrived at David Jones just as the signing was starting and thought I had found the end of the queue until the frazzled-looking security guard kindly showed me the end of the queue was way, way, way, way, way back snaking around the shopfloor.



Ever the optimist, I jumped right on the end and began making new friends as we waited patiently in line for the domestic goddess herself.



It was a lot of fun to observe normally too-cool-for-school Sydneysiders going slightly crazy over Nigella. She is obviously well-loved in Sydney.



In our house alone, David loves her, as does my Daisy and I have all her cookbooks. Well, I have now that I bought Express yesterday. My middle-sister who has been going blind for years is also potty over Nigella and has been following her movements from her country house in Tasmania since she arrived. I think she admires her for her tenacity in tough times as well as her domestic artistry when it comes to the kitchen.



Amongst the madness and fun, the ever-game and smiling piano player played on in David Jones You can see a better post HERE where more shots were taken including of the smiley piano man .



A sales consultant had fainted. Whether from the excitement of Nigella or from the crowd, I'm not sure.

All good things come to those who wait. It was my turn to meet Nigella when the woman in charge realised I didn't have my book purchased for her to sign. Total chaos! I quickly had to buy one from a valiant sales consultant.



And in the above image you see Nigella smiling at a scruffy looking writer as I threw myself at her like an excited puppy-dog. Note that big smile even though she has been smiling and signing for close to an hour by this stage.



And for those who are curious of what she was really like, I can divulge she has beautiful, pale skin, intelligent, kind eyes, and a very down-to-earth and warm persona. I was thrilled. Too often, I've met famous people who disappoint in real life but Nigella is the genuine article. She may adopt a character for the screen but her charm was sparkling through as she interacted with the people who had queued patiently to have their moment with her.



As I left the store, I was intrigued to see the staff member still lying on the floor nearly an hour later obviously waiting for the ambulance. Hopefully that woman is okay.



I remember when I saw Jerry Hall in the street once. I do love the very Sassy Jerry Hall and I was so impressed by her strut and the way she worked the gawking crowd. There were a bunch of workmen to who she waved and they began singing out to her. She was incredible. Being a person who tends to prefer to observe others, I'm often impressed by those who court fame. That Jerry Hall moment worked its way into my book when my bohemian writer, Pearl in the 1930s thread, struts her way down the main street of my Tasmanian sea-fishing village. Pearl may be clothed in the fashion of the 1930s but I was also seeing Jerry Hall as I wrote, long blonde hair swaying, high heels clicking as she sashayed through a modern-day Sydney street.



Who would you wait in queue for to grab a moment with? When it comes to celebrities it's obvious I'd wait days for Johnny Depp, Tim Burton and Helena Bonham Carter.



But I was very glad I got a chance to finally meet the sensational Nigella!



Returning back to my edit, I submerged myself back into the world of Pencubitt in the 1930s and was surprised to have a call from the school. Was my daughter sick? No, she was waiting with the Office Reception as I had totally forgotten to collect her.



Such is the effect of the brush with fame for us mortals. I've never forgotten to collect my daughter and so that's what I call the Nigella Effect.

Magnificent, Marvellous, MIghty Monday and The Actress

Jacki Weaver has always been one of my favourite Australian actresses. I've seen her quite a few times on stage over the years - always charismatic, likeable and watchable. Animal Kingdom isn't my favourite Australian movie by a long shot, but Jacki is totally deserving of her nomination in this year's Academy Awards.

I admire Jacki for her resilience in Australia's dismal film and television industry. And I always love to see a woman in her sixties (who always seems eternally ageless because of her spirit) have her first real big break.

And on the topic of inspiring actresses, I am also in love with this image of Sandra Bullock (another very charismatic personality on screen) at the recent Golden Globes. She looks so cute with her fringe but that Jenny Packham dress is a dream. I'm smitten by the beautiful vintage pink shade. It looks as if little fairies sat up all night to stitch it.

Thanks to the Sassy Clare Press where I first spotted this image.

Have an inspiring week. xx

'You don't last in this industry for 48 years unless you quietly know your own worth. And unless you are determined to make sure it's seen.'

David Williamson on Jacki.
jacki weaver in 70's image source
jacki in animal kingdom image source
jacki in red image source

Happy New Year with Bogart, Bacall and Tracy Anderson

Happy New Year to all from a sweltering Sydney oven.
I'm wilting in the heat. I find this city unbearable at this time of year. If you're lucky enough to live near the water it would ease the pressure but the inner-city is an airless, dusty battery-hen cage.
Wishing you a joyous New Year and I'm looking forward to 2011.
Here is my comfort book.

 I re-read it over Christmas in two days. Despite knowing it so well, I couldn't put it down. Amazing how you get a slightly different angle with the characters every time. It has such a sinister, dark edge to it. Clever, wonderful Daphne.

And no surprises as to what I've been doing (see Tracey Anderson DVD). That's my big new year resolution. Writing is such a fattening job.

If you follow my Facebook, you'll see that I'm not a fan of the fireworks at this time of year. I've had a mini-rant there about the waste of money, cost to the environment and the damage to the harbour, not to mention how it frightens animals. I found several others who also hate the fireworks. How about you? Are you pro the big bangs or, like me, believe it's fiddling whilst Rome burns?

With all the Green perceptions globally and the fears for how fragile the planet is, I'm dismayed that firework displays are still so popular. I've been criticised in the past for my anti-fireworks stance and told that I don't like people to enjoy magic.

Personally, I find far more magic, splendour and meaning in a simple blade of grass than in millions of dollars polluting the night skies with transient explosions of coloured lights - but that's just me. I'm not even a fan of going out on New Year's Eve. The Scribe and I spent a cosy evening with a bottle of Grand Marnier and The Big Sleep. We still aren't sure what exactly happened in that confusing, twisty movie but Bacall and Bogart are magic.
Off to try to catch some of the tiny breeze in our courtyard. xx
bogart and bacall image via google images

Chit-chat Wednesday and Allison Dubois Talk to Me

Recently I went with a friend to see Allison Dubois (world-famous medium who inspired the hit TV show Medium) work her craft in front of a Sydney audience. We were VIP members which meant we got to meet Allison first, have a chat and she signed our books. We also chatted with other VIP members of the audience which was a hoot.

My friend and I were lucky enough to sit next to quite well-known Australian psychic, who went straight into an impromptu channelling session for both of us, pulling out a pack of Tarot cards shortly after we introduced ourselves. This psychic was a total character. Larger than life and very entertaining. (I was very happy with hearing a large sum of money was on its way as you can imagine.)

Then Allison Dubois entered and the mood swiftly changed.

She introduced herself in a very Sassy, way with 'don't ask, if you don't want to know because I'm good.'

My hand was in the air instantly. I wanted to know the works. Were my books going to sell well? How about the health problems of my father? Our house, were we going to move to the house of my dreams?
You know. All the questions you want reassurance to and would love to have answered.
Then Allison began asking who was present for murder or suicide and my hand started to sink back.
I shortly realised that out of nearly 200 people, some who had children die, some who came seeking answers to why loved partners killed themselves, some who wanted to contact deceased fathers. My questions on my book weren't going to cut the mustard.

There was an enormous need in the room and I can only say Allison did her best as a tiny-sized woman to fill it.

She sat with a pencil in one hand, a slight look of concentration on her face as a person (picked from the audience by her husband Joe) asked their question. Then Allison would contact the dead.

In the audience, we were left gasping and clapping many times at the accuracy of what Allison was getting through for people. Sometimes it was words that the dead person used to always say: 'You are my princess. You'll always be my princess.'

Sometimes it was definite instructions: ' you can stop wearing my shoes now’ to a young boy who had come about his father's suicide and was wearing his boots.

She replied to questions on whether a death had been suicide or murder and also the one murder case channelled a new possible lead for the person who had come seeking closure.

In the audience, we wept many times watching the living reach out to their dead. Yet there was also a mood of celebration as if there were spirits around overjoyed to have found a way to communicate.

The overwhelming theme of the night was Fathers. There were many daughters who had come seeking a message from their father. They were very poignant channelings. Allison herself has lost her father which she writes of so movingly in her books.

Yes, I'm a believer. I don't know exactly who Allison Dubois is talking to but I do know that she is receiving accurate information from somewhere.

It would be wonderful to think that the dead still have an interest in us and are around in us some form, although I don't know if it's quite the form that people think of.

Allison claims after death you revert to the person you were happiest as, and so people often present to her with perfect teeth and at an age they felt happy. Suicides revert to childhood a lot, which is interesting.

I've already spoken to my parents about getting a message through to me when Allison returns, if they happen to depart into the spirit worlds in the meantime.

And Allison is a very spunky, totally sparkly lady. The sort of person you feel you would like to go for a drink with and hang out for awhile. She wears killer shoes and seems to be a no-nonsense sort of person.

I liked her a lot. I was just a teensy bit nervous meeting her because I've heard she can see if you are about to die or have serious health problems. She didn't seem to react when I met her. Except she laughed a bit. I don't like to think too much on that one...

You can read more about the lovely, Ms Dubois here and her books are highly recommended.
allison dubois image source
medium image source
 

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and Kate Morton Never Gave Up

Kate Morton has been a huge international publishing success. Her books sold in the millions to 38 countries. Recently she was interviewed by Mariella Frostrup on one of my favourite shows, The UK Book Show with Nigella Lawson and another guest. She has struck publishing gold.

I've known Kate for years as we share the same agent the wonderful Selwa Anthony. Below is a photograph taken at the Sydney Launch of Kate's debut book, The Shifting Fog (released in the UK as The House At Riverton). This photo always makes me smile as it looks as if I"m trying to rub some of Kate's success off on me.

From left: Kate, me wearing the purple chook feather, Kate Forsyth (who has previously written an Inspiration post for Tale Peddler), and the very Sassy Leigh Redhead.

The reason why Kate is my pick for an Inspiration post is not her great success but rather her tenacity. She had previously written two books which were both turned down by publishers before she wrote The Shifting Fog.

I just love stories like this. I believe when it comes to writing, you have to have the hide of an elephant and be able to pick yourself up off the floor after many crushing disappointments.


We all know stories of people like JK Rowling, Louisa May Alcott (who had to work as a servant when Little Women was being floated around) or Stephen King (Carrie received 30 rejections before it went onto enormous success). The English crime writer John Creasey received 753 rejection slips and went on to publish over 500 books.

I know personally how tough it can get in the world of publishing. You can spend years investing all your being into one book that can go nowhere.

You can possess the talent, the discipline, the marketing appeal, the best ideas in the world in spades. But if you don't have tenacity and determination – well, publishing is a game of snakes and ladders, often with more snakes on the board than ladders.

You have to keep rolling that dice, stay pure to the work and never give in. If you need a dose of stamina power, here's a link to an article of some great souls who refused to give up.
Enjoy your week. Keep creative.

Flops are a part of life's menu

and I've never been a girl to miss out on any of the courses."

~ Rosalind Russell

image of Kate Morton Source

Chit-chat Wednesday and Foxglove Spires for sale!

Regular readers may remember how much I love the book Velvet Pears by Susan Southam. I posted about it HERE. The loveliness of Velvet Pears ensures I can't read too much of it in one sitting as I get so worked up. I feel a kindred spirit toward Susan, the author who transformed a simple weatherboard house into Foxglove Spires. And so I was gob-smacked when I saw Foxglove Spires is for sale. Although there were a couple of tiny hints in Velvet Pears that Susan might sell-up one day and move on, it's always sad to see a house that has been so loved and transformed lose its owners.

I hope somebody beautiful buys it.

Somebody who understands, as Susan did, that you have to be silent and allow the house and garden to dictate its needs to you. Somebody with the poetic vision and romantic heart of Susan Southam.

I'm a lover of bricks and stone but this weatherboard house with its fairy-tale garden would tempt me if I had the cash.

I'm flat-out with researching Australian artists in the 40's for my current book. A joyful research project if there ever was one. Such a fascinating time in Australian art culture with so many wonderful personalities.

Thanks for visiting me.
xx
image of Susan hanging washing source
images of foxglove spires source

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and Delvene and Strop

As a little girl growing up in Tasmania, I had two television crushes: Jack Wild who played Jimmy in H.R Pufnstuf - and John Cornell as "Strop". Lordy knows why, when I look back on old clips and photos of him leering away in his swimming cap. I thought he was cute, however, so there you go. And I preferred him to Paul Hogan, the star of the show.

In later years, I came to admire both John Cornell and his wife Delvene Delaney (who had guest roles as a bikini-girl in The Paul Hogan show).

They were the first sea-changers in Byron Bay and so they were ahead of their time. And I always admire people who turn their backs on celebrity to pursue gardening, which is what Delvene did.
I still think both John Cornell and Delvene look beautiful and so I found the October issue of The Australian Women's Weekly inspiring for the article on Delvene, who is now 59. Delvene represents a lot of things I love about the positive aspects of Australian women - their sassiness and a certain take-me-as-I-am attitude. And in my opinion, she's even more beautiful than in her ‘heyday'.
I recently celebrated a birthday and when a friend asked me if I minded ageing, I could only reply I honestly don't. It's far better than the alternative. I'm grateful to be given the chance to age.
Here's a little quote from the article from Delvene;
"True Beauty comes from inside, so I don't mind ageing, not at all. I don't look in the mirror and think, "Oh my God!" l look in the mirror and think, "that's interesting...oh, that's going to start happening now." That's okay - I love me. If you don't like the way I look. Look away.
When I look at my husband for example. I only look into his eyes. He's 70 next year, but he looks great. It was the same with my (late) mother. Did I look at her and see lines and wrinkles? No. I saw beauty. From October issue of Australian Women's Weekly.

Thanks for popping in to visit me. Wishing you a week filled with beauty and wisdom. xx
image source Delvene and John Cornell
image source bikini Delvene
image source Paul Hogan show

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and The Bromleys

Hello,

I'm on a research trip to the mountains. I don't have computer access or television there. So there's no distractions. It's bliss to write, dream and feel my characters begin to form. I can sense them gathering together for 'Currawong House'. The strike of matches, a prolonged and piercing scream. The smell of turps. But it's very early days and they're not revealing themselves fully yet. At times, they tease me with little hints that they are forming. I need to go to the mountains to wait - and listen.

On Saturday night I saw - compliments of Daily Imprint Blog - Songs for Sylvie at the Seymour Centre.
Torri Dixon-Whittle is one of those people who are so fab and so inspiring, you nearly have to lie down to absorb their fabness. She is the wife/muse of Australian artist David Bromley, whose paintings you can see above. I do love his nostalgic, slightly moody children.
Tori is also an artist - you can find out more about her from this interview at The Daily Imprint Blog, which if you're not following - then JUST DO IT! Nearly every day a lovely inspiring, fab arty person is interviewed by Natalie Walton. She has a varied bunch of totally cool and interesting people from Nikki Gemmell to India Hicks to Clare Press. And she has just started another Blog, Frontliners, which I love (as I'm a long-time Selby fan). Frontliners is a house Blog which features the houses of totally fab and cool-as-cats folk without their homes being too stylized for the shoot.

I can't leave you this week with more inspiration to savour than the Bromleys and Daily Imprint. Have a super fab week and I'll look forward to visiting you all when I return.
Thanks for popping in. xx
david bromley's art source
bromley family photo source
torri dixon-whittle image source

Chit-chat Wednesday and Belinda Alexandra and Miss Flower Potts

Belinda Alexandra is a very lovely person and writer. She's also represented by my agent and it was Belinda who first inspired the gratitude cuppa. Every afternoon, I take time out to sit in my garden and sip tea from a lovely tea cup, whilst I give thanks for everything in my life. I've come to really enjoy this ritual, as too often we're running around focused on the seeds rather than the harvest we've already reaped.

Times have changed. Once after signing a book contract I would have celebrated with a tattoo. I have two tattoos; one for my fantasy trilogy and one when my daughter was born. After signing for Poets Cottage and Currawong House last week at my agent's, I found myself not in a gritty tattoo parlour but in T2, which for tea addicts like myself is heaven. I bought Licorice Legs, Just Lavender and Just Rose. The Just Rose is divine. Roses in a cup.

I also bought three new friends to store my teas and Miss Flower Potts.

My normal tea pot is Miss Violet and we have enjoyed many cups together. But I am in love with Miss Flower Potts and her chirpy gypsy company. She reminds me of the folk singer Donovan.

And so with thanks to the lovely Belinda for her gratitude cuppa tip. I now have a new friend to enjoy my ritual with. And it's a far less painless way to celebrate than the tattooist's needle.

Thanks for popping in. xx

rose image source

belinda alexandra image source

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and BB, Prince Charles and IKEA

It's Brigitte Bardot's birthday on Tuesday. As regular readers will know, I adore BB and so Happy Birthday to this icon. She just gets better and better with age.

I'm also loving the 2011 IKEA catalogue. When you live in a small brick house, IKEA is a fantasy trip to heaven. Not only do you get to eat meatballs but I love their storage ideas. I can sit for hours pouring over their catalogues. I've been to Sweden once and the Scribe twice It's like a fairyland country to me.

And I'm totally rapt over The Delicious Miss Dahl cooking show which features Sophie's literary references. You have to love a cooking show where the presenter strolls through Highgate Cemetery, old bookshops and talks about the glamour of train stations.

And Prince Charles gets a nod this week for his gorgeous, candid remarks on a recent BBC documentary.

"...he describes speaking to shrubbery as something that keeps him "relatively sane". "I happily talk to the plants and the trees and listen to them. I think it's absolutely crucial, " he is reported to say. Underlining the importance of his garden, he adds. "Everything I've done here, it's almost like your children. Every tree has a meaning for me."

I hope you pop back on Wednesday as I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Miss Flower Potts.

And thank you so much for all your good wishes over my book deal. I'm still floating. Thank you. You're all wonderful and I appreciate you all. xx

images of Bardot source

image of Prince Charles source

Fabbo Friday and Fab Book, Ghosts and Lovely Bones

My bookclub The Magic Hat recently chose The Lovely Bones by Aliice Sebold

, which I'd been meaning to read for years. I found it very gruelling and distressing, which really surprised me. I've written quite a lot of dark crime over the years and researched from a lot of true crime and profiler books and I'm the sort of person who always looks for the predator whenever I'm out and about. The more you research the darkness that lurks, the more you know to be wary. Look for the exit. Lock the doors. Watch for the person wearing the wolf's fur on the inside.
Some of the Magic Hatters found it uplifting, but I felt emotionally flattened by it. Susie Salmon, the young protagonist, is killed in the beginning of the book by one of the most sinister predators I've read for awhile - her neighbour, Mr Harvey. This book has superb opening and closing lines. Susie then narrates her struggle in heaven as she watches her loved ones deal with their grief in different ways. It's beautifully written but terribly sad. I'm not a person who copes with endings and transitions very well. My mother sobs over total strangers saying goodbye to each other at the airport, so I'm genetically wired to not cope with any sort of adieu. I'm still weeping over my dog's death in March. And it's family legend how I'd cry and weep as a child over the old show Lassie, because Lassie looked so noble, his fur blowing backwards as Greensleeves played and we had to farewell him for another week. Heady emotional stuff.
The title The Lovely Bones is wonderful and the idea of the family unit being The Lovely Bones who holds the connections of the departed dead in place and continue to grow is luminous. Just not the easiest read. And I do have a problem with the plot development towards the end, when the girl's friend does what she does so Suzie can do what she does... (no spoilers, but if you've read it, then you'll know what I mean). Such a jarring, silly segment. But hats off to Alice Sebold for such a strong, poetic, moving novel which reminds us that for growth, the dead also have to release the living as well as the opposite way around.
Speaking of the dead, one of my very favourite Blog crushes is Art and Ghosts. I do love this girl's art which reminds me of the work of some of my favourite artists, Remedios Varo and Leonora Carrington. She also looks like Mo Hayder's younger sister and her entire Blog is lovely. Her whimsical short video grabs where she talks to friends are gorgeous. Her cat has eyes bigger than the moon and her world is whimsical, clever, floral - but sprinkled with shiny darkness.
Leading us into the weekend is a ghostly looking Johnny Depp. I suppose ghosts are the perennial outsiders and so here's Johnny as Edward Scissorhands.
Hats off to outsiders, ghosts and Lovely Bones.
Have a lovely weekend. I hope it is filled with family, health and friendly ghosts. Thanks for visiting me.
xx

all images from art and ghosts source

alice sebold image source

johnny depp image source

Magnificent, Marvellous, Mighty Monday and Sharks, Yellow Roses and Sophie Dahl

Hello,
I spent the weekend working on a crime short story for the annual Sisters In Crime competition. The sunshine was as glorious and light-filled in Sydney as my story was dark.
Here are some lovely things inspiring me as I start my week.
Vintage-style yellow Rose Wallpaper. This lovely paper was recently in the latest Australian Notebook magazine. I do love yellow roses. I've sent for samples of this one (Eglantine) as I'm planning on papering our laundry area and our outside writing shed (Sparrow Chateau). Regular readers will know we've built an outdoor writing shed in our small terrace backyard. Because I've been working on Poets Cottage, I haven't had a lot of time to decorate it. However, we are going to take down our old Hills Hoist line in the next couple of weeks and install an old-fashioned Granny line to open up the space before Sparrow Chateau, so watch this space. I've also ordered the pink and red floral Eglantine for our bedroom. I do love vintage style floral wallpaper. And this one is so beautiful: olde-worlde but with a modern twist and snap.
The Scribe never fails to inspire me. He recently returned from diving with the Great Whites for a story for his magazine. Here is about to enter the shark cage. He went down with the sharks not once but five times and in very choppy conditions as well. He was safe from the sharks (some who he said were bigger than cars). However, a tuna did take a bite out of his finger.
If you care to see a short footage of one of the sharks, it's on his Blog here.
And I can't wait for Sophie Dahl's Cooking show which is coming to Foxtel on September 20th. I think she is the prettiest woman alive, she has the greatest cheekbones. The show sounds wonderful with its literary references and nostalgic blend. I loved her book, Playing With The Grown-Ups.
I hope your week is filled with old worlde glamour, creative and thrilling adventures.
Thank you for visiting me. xx

wallpaper eglantine image source:

sophie dahl image source