My Favourite Jam. A true, Rare Aussie Delight.

 

Unique, Sweet Story Telling

I like all sorts of jam (conserve, preserve, jelly, spread, confiture). 

I grew up having it on sandwiches for lunch at school, on toast for breakfast and special occasions with scones and cream. But I have discovered a jam that is by far the most pleasing when I get a chance to enjoy it. Perhaps these few thoughts may be inspiration for you to look beyond your usual, safe jam. 

I hope to inspire adventure in your writing enjoyment.

This is my favourite jam.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients

•              700 g Fruit (revealed below)

•              700 g sugar

•              1 lemon or orange, juiced

•              ½ vanilla pod, cut in half lengthways

Instructions

1.            Start off by washing your fruit

2.            Put the washed whole fruit into a a non reactive stockpot with the lemon/orange juice and                   water. Bring slowly to a gentle simmer.

3.            Cook the fruit over medium heat for about 30 minutes until they change colour, release their                 juice and become very soft. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

4.            Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

5.            Once cool, squish the fruit with your fingers and remove the seeds from each fruit. Discard the             seeds and keep the fruit, skins and juice, adding them back to the non reactive pot.

                Weigh the fruit and add equal parts sugar.

                500g = 500g sugar etc.

6.            Add lemon juice and vanilla pod and heat the mixture over a moderate heat.

                Stir occasionally until the sugar dissolves.

                Bring to a light rolling boil and allow to simmer for an hour or until the mixture has slightly                     thickened.

 7.            Test the mixture by putting a small amount on a saucer and place in the freezer for a minute to                 see if it sets.

8.            During the last phase of jelly cooking, clean and boil your jars and lids ready for the jelly.                         They need a good rolling 10 minute boil and should be used hot when filling with the jelly.

9.            Once the mixture is ready, pour out into to jars.

                Put the lids on immediately and allow to cool before storing.

 

The Special Ingredient Revealed

•              The fruit : DAVIDSON PLUMS

 

Davidson Plum jam is a rare preserve as the fruit has traditionally only been found growing on native trees endemic to limited rainforest micro-climate environments of Queensland and the  North Eastern part of New South Wales. This beautiful palm shaped tree has graceful fronds with fine hairy stems and on the underside of leaves. It produces clusters of large dark blue to black brilliant coloured fruit that resemble plums 4-5cm in diameter. It is one of the thousands of native edible plants, yet not many people know this. It was enjoyed by Aboriginal people and is now popular with chefs around the country – particularly for jams, sauces, chutneys and even wine. The dark red flesh contains two unusual flat seeds and has a wonderfully acidic plum flavour. The skin is thin but on the tougher, leathery side, and is covered with very fine hairs.  It might resemble the shape of the European plum, but they are not closely related and the native plum is far more sour than the fruit we are used to.

 There are three identified species of Davidson Plums (Davidsonia)  Davidsonia jerseyana, Davidsonia johnsonii and Davidsonia pruriens. All three trees are slender, but D. pruriens, also known as Ooray or Queensland Davidson’s plum, is tallest, growing up to 12 metres high. There are a few small-scale plantations producing the fruit in New South Wales and Queensland.  D. jerseyana, native to lowland subtropical NSW, is considered endangered in the wild, but is widely cultivated. It reaches five metres high. D. johnsonii is a small tree with a spreading canopy and smooth leaves, also considered an endangered species in the wild.

Health Benefits

In 2009 the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) – now AgriFutures Australia released  the a report on the evaluation of health benefits of Australian native foods. This report makes for compelling reading when considering the health benefits of the OORAY fruit (Davidsonia pruriens).The report states:

“Native species evaluated in this study exhibited superior antioxidant capacity as compared to the Blueberry standard, renowned worldwide as the ‘health-promoting fruit.’ In comparison to commonly consumed fruits that comprise predominantly hydrophilic antioxidants, native foods contained antioxidant activity in both hydrophilic and lipophilic fractions. This suggests more comprehensive protection from oxidative stress, and possibly more pronounced health benefits.”

In 2012 RIRDC  released a further report on the evaluation of the The Potential Physiological Activities of Selected Australian Herbs and Fruits. This report contains a substantial amount of information regarding possible health benefits of OORAY. One of the impressive things going for the Davidson’s plum is its nutrients. It has more antioxidants than the blueberry, which is known worldwide for health benefits. It also contains potassium, lutein (a compound important for eye health), vitamin E, folate, zinc, magnesium and calcium. It is best to eat the skin as well as the flesh of the fruit as the skin contains most of the nutrients.

Another benefit of Davidson’s plum is its intense colouring which can act as a natural food colour.Meanwhile, research is being done into its preservative properties. When tested on some meats, a product made from Davidson’s plum extended the shelf life of the meat by 21 days in chilled conditions.

Davidson’s Plum is not recommended for eating fresh but is excellent stewed, or preserved or made into jam using recipes for European plums.  Some say you should double the amount of sugar that you would use in such a recipe. The flesh can be used in savoury dishes as well.

A personal friend of mine grows the fruit on his conservation and environmentally sustainable property in the hinterland of the Sunshine Coast. His produce has been used extensively by a native bushfoods Aboriginal owned business founded from a love of quality Native foods. Their native bushfoods products are grown and handmade in South East Queensland. They are available in restaurants, online, across the shelf and even featured in museums. This company notes that “Davidson Plum Jam is great used as conventional jam, or with crackers and cheese”. Interestingly they add that it is also “perfect to add on a piece of meat”. Their collaboration is making a sour, hard to attain bush food into a sweet, accessible reality for others. 

I hope my writing has similar outcomes. 

 

Unique, Sweet Story Telling

 

There are a few interesting aspects to my favourite Jam that intersect with my writing journey. Maybe these points are an inspiration for you too ?

It is rare. I hope my writing is attractive for others who are after some rare, meaningful and inspirational treats.

It is Unique. I enjoy challenging myself as an author and researching and trying new forms of writing expression and practice. For example narrative structures come in many forms, and unique ones might have more than one main character, a delayed inciting incident, and a nonlinear storyline that challenges readers. I am also trying my hand at a "tragedy" set in an alternate history cybernetic 1980's.

It has potential health benefits. In the back of my mind whenever I am writing is a sense of missional call: I hope my writing makes a positive change in the world.

It is a unique collaborative blend of indigenous wild knowledge and introduced food culture. I enjoy delving into stories that express cultural meaning and humble learnings that have been guided by impartation from valued mentors and cultural elders. I aim to embrace and highlight Australian distinctives in my writing style, characters, settings and themes.

It is a very sour raw fruit that when processed makes for it’s appeal as a notable confiture. Writing sometimes is hard work and even a challenging process but it is made sweet by our persistent testing of our recipes.

It is a pleasant surprise when enjoyed for the first time. Give new things a go

I have enjoyed (on damper) with a strong coffee, making the experience even more delectable. I love writing in inspirational places (with good coffee and good people)

I have not made it yet. I hope I can make a jam that I do justice to and continue to publish as my ‘opus’.

I have tasted and tried those made by others. I know I enjoy this jam because others have made it and I know I can too.

I am looking forward to making my own. 

 

 

I have discovered a jam that is by far the most pleasing when I get a chance to enjoy it. Perhaps these few thoughts may be inspiration for you to look beyond your usual, safe jam. Perhaps these few thoughts have inspired you to be adventurous in your writing enjoyment.

What is the unique, special, “tasty” ingredient in your writing?

Or what ingredient are you keen to explore ?

Why don't you try a new jam!

 

May the fruit of all your labours be sweet :) 

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Glowinski L. (2008) The complete book of fruit growing in Australia. Hachette Australia.

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) 2009 Report on The Evaluation of the Health Benefits of Australian Foods

Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC)  2012  The Potential Physiological Activities of Selected Australian Herbs and Fruits.

photos various public sources

CWD Member Interview – K A Hart

Each Thursday in 2018 we will be interviewing one of the members of Christian Writers Downunder – to find out a little bit more about them and their writing/editing goals.

Today interview: K A Hart

Question 1: Tells us three things about who you are and where you come from.

I’m happy to report, I’m only half crazy. One side of my family is 5 stars-wacky and the other, well, they didn’t get the memo. The most problematic issue I have currently is I’m living with the former. 

It doesn’t help when you reside in one of the most dangerous places on earth. Even the everyday gardening stories my family has accumulated over the years have ended with blown up trailers. Not to worry - every single green ant did not survive.

I’ve recently moved from Toowoomba, QLD back to Darwin, NT. I’m still adjusting to the flames. My personal sadistic enforcer of pain still trains me every week via FaceTime, but it’s not the same. He can now only glare at me when I stop at twenty burpees.

Question 2: Tell us about your writing.  What do you write and why?

I write specks of ideas that have inevitably exploded beyond their tiny existence. Fanciful lands and space-skirmishes. Daring rescues and gasping torture. Heart-pounding hide and seek. Hold-your-breath moments of love and affection. It all sparks into life and irritates with consistency until it’s written down. Only then, can I rest.

Question 3: Who has read your work? Who would you like to read it?

No one famous. Oh wait, the Quirky Quills have. And a few I-could-start-my-own-library, book-hoarder family members - they’re not famous though.

I envision the perfect readers of my work to lie upside-down on their bed with their feet against the wall and their head hanging over the other side while they read. And Ted Dekker.

Question 4: Tell us something about your process. What challenges do you face? What helps you the most?

Well, the first thing you should have is an idea and then ... Well, first you need something to write with. They ... they know that. Well, obviously you need a writing instrument and you need an idea. I'm just not sure which should come first.

Bones, Season 1, Ep 11

There are those annoying, yet somewhat satisfying distractions like Pinterest, Facebook, life … life … more life. And then there are those procrastinations like … procrastination.

You’d think having a deadline would help with my writing process. If I didn’t have multiple alarm clocks on my phone every morning to get up for work, I’d be scrambling for the car-keys. It’s the same with writing. A deadline is great. Not having people hound you a couple times each month before the deadline isn’t helpful (no need for everyone to volunteer, I already have my Cheer Squad).

Visual cues like collages depicting my story (this is why I love Pinterest) and inspiring quotes are amazing slaps-in-the-face to keep me on schedule. I do wish they had an app to create your own storyboard collage though. It’d save on bluetac.

Question 5: What is your favourite Writing Craft Book and why? 

There are Writing Craft Books? Maybe someone could suggest a few in the comments. Books might help …

I have recently bought the Trait Thesaurus’ by Angela Ackerman & Becca Publisi, but have yet to really explore them.

Question 6: If you were to give a shout-out to a CWD author, writer, editor or illustrator – who would they be?

Oooh, wow. Just one? How about a CWD, separate, individual group. The Quirky Quills. Mazzy Adams, Adele Jones, Nola Passmore, Janelle Moore and Sandra Troedson. These ladies are some of the most inspiring women I know. They all have unique strengths. All encouraging in their own ways. And all absolutely and beautifully crazy.

We may need to have a honourary Quirky Quills, though. Charis Joy Jackson. Such an amazing and gorgeous soul. Her first novel, The Rose of Admirias debuted in the On the Horizon ebook box set. She is a talented storyteller and I can’t WAIT to have that book in my hands, literally.

Question 7: What are your writing goals for 2018? How will you achieve them?

I plan to write … something. Woohoo! I just did. NAILED IT!

I would leave it there, except I now have the lovely Nola Passmore and Adele Jones whispering in my ear with sharp, hissing words. ‘Finish editing your novel. You need to send it to a publisher.’

So, there’s that. They’ll probably send strategically, worded texts to help prompt some of the editing.

I’ll Skype the Wright Write session that occurs every third Thursday of each month. We may do some writing. We may not. Depends …

Question 8: How does your faith impact and shape your writing?

My talent, the stories, they all come from Him. I cannot boast it to be mine alone.

He slips in silently and threads his way through the story. Unnoticed. Unassuming. He doesn’t hinder the true nature of the human or the depiction of a sinful world. He works through it and transforms words into sentences, into paragraphs, into chapters to entire stories. And I marvel at his creation.

K A Hart has had two short stories published. Stone Bearer, appears in Glimpses of Light and Tedious Tresses, in the As Time Goes By Mixed Blessings anthology. She is currently working on a fantasy novel.

Website: www.kahartauthor.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/kahartauthor/

Writing with Ambient Sound

It’s a common question for writers. I’m sure you’ve been asked a few times in the past. Do you write with music or silence? It’s almost up there with “are you a plotter or a pantser?” I’ve always come down on the silence side of things. If I’m writing I need to be free from auditory distractions. Even if it’s just instrumental music it can pull me away. Interestingly though, I can program while listening to music, unless it is really intense algorithmic code. But enough about my day job.

I do find music very inspiration for setting the scene, but I’d prefer to listen to it before I write.

Recently, however, I came across something new and a little bit weird. It may work for some people. Writing with scene-appropriate ambient noise.

I write a lot of sci-fi, so many of my scenes are set on a space ship. When Star Trek: The Next Generation was first produced in the late 80s they made the decision to layer the engines of the Enterprise subtly rumbling in the background. If you pay attention you’ll hear it in every single scene set on the ship. It was probably a hotly debated decision. Would audiences really want that sound constantly in their ears while watching the show? It worked out well for them. It really added to the realism of feeling like you were on the ship with the characters.

Did you know that people have made looping videos of the Enterprise engine ambient noise on youTube? Want to get away from it all escape to the 24th century? Just close your eyes, pop on some headphones and listen to this:

That’s right 24 hours of engine humming! Don’t have it up too loud, though. It’s got to be subtle. Some people even fall asleep listening to this.

Getting back to my writing, I thought it would be cool to put this on in the background to enhance my setting. Make me feel like I was on a spaceship. It was pretty cool actually.

That’s when I found that ambient noise is a big thing on youTube. I was writing a story with a Victorian (1800s England, not the state in Australia) setting. Sure enough, I found a nice little video with ambient sounds of a Victorian street at night. It helped me get into the right head-space.

Writing a scene in a jungle?, writing a modern warfare scene? Have a scene on a tropical beach?, a restaurant?, the wild west?, a sailing ship? a city street or perhaps you’re writing a medieval battle scene. And we can’t forget everybody’s favourite sound of all - rain.

These background sounds certainly help me get into the setting. (It helps that I have an unlimited NBN plan). There is still, of course, the potential for distraction, but overall I think it is helping more than hindering, so I’ll continue to experiment with it. Not to mention, it’s just cool fun.

What about you? Do you think ambient sounds would help you get into the setting for your scenes? Have you used it before? What’s the most unusual setting you’ve managed to find sounds for?

---

Adam David Collings is an author of speculative fiction. He lives in Tasmania, Australia with his wife and two children. Adam draws inspiration for his stories from his over-active imagination, his life experiences and his faith.

Adam is a great lover of stories, enjoying them in books, movies, scripted TV and computer games. Adam discusses these on his own youTube show – Stories with Adam Collings.

Find him at adamdavidcollings.com or sign up to his email list for a free short story.

To Blog or Not to Blog ... that is the Question!

History repeats itself. Last year at our annual Writer’s Conference I spoke on SPEAKING. Today on CWD/ACW, I am blogging on BLOGGING.
What would you say is next? Should I read a book on READING?

The helpful aspect about speaking on speaking was that the material I used to prepare my talk helped me perform my workshop better. So perhaps my research into blogging will help me write a readable blog? My little offering today is for those who are considering the pros and cons of blogging on your writing journey and would like a whiff of its perfume in order to be convinced of its lasting fragrance.

4 ½ years ago, I began my belated blessed blogging journey with a few bumbling baby steps forward. I have now written 220 blogs to date. I must confess though that I came kicking and screaming into it. You see, I couldn’t see the point of adding my mite to the surplus of blogs out there. Who would read them? Google tells me that in 2013 there were 152 million blogs in the world. Not a small number. A publisher friend finally convinced me that I should dive in. Surprisingly enough, once I jumped in (with a mighty splash), you couldn’t get me out of the blogging pool. The lake was cool and refreshing, and I am still being invigorated by its healing waters.

So what is a Blog? A Blog is short for "Web Log" later turned into ‘Weblog’ and finally the simple four letter word: ‘Blog’. As recently as 1999, there were supposedly only 23 blogs on the Internet. The reason for there being so few was that 17 years ago, bloggers needed to be web designers who created everything from scratch. Thankfully, times have changed and we have easy access to free blogging hosts in the 21st century world. So what’s your excuse to not blogging? None!

But let me add that as a Christian writer, you will of course need to ascertain if it’s right for you at this point of your writing journey. “The first thing you need to decide when you build your blog is what you want to accomplish with it, and what it can do if successful.” Ron Dawson.

How does a blog help an Author/Writer/Would be Writer?
1. It helps build your platform
2. It gives credibility to your writing
3. It helps develop publicity for your writing
4. It can promote your work
5. It helps you develop a fan base
6. It helps you keep in touch with your readers
7. It helps agents and publishers take you seriously
8. It keeps you writing regularly
9. It lets your readership enjoy bite-sized flavourful chunks of your writing
10. It connects you to the world—writing can often be a lonely occupation

Some Important aspects to work out before you begin:
1. Name of your website/blog site—think hard. Think well. Let it stand out.
2. A page about yourself—allow your readers get to know you
3. Frequency of blog – daily/3 times a week/weekly/fortnightly/monthly/other
4. Subject matter – what would you like to focus on?
5. Make it readable – not only in content but also in presentation

Are pictures necessary? I’d say they are not essential but having at least one picture in your blog would add to it. I've done a little research and uncovered some sites with free pictures with no copyright issues attached, but please ensure you read the ‘terms of use’ before you download them.

Some Free Images for you: Please click on the links below.
Dreamstime

Gratisography

New Old Stock

Free Nature Stock

Function

What hosts are available? There are plenty of free hosting blog builders that will help you create your blog or website from scratch and with ease. I used Webnode.com and have been more than satisfied with their services—it hasn’t cost me a cent. Other sites like Blogger.com, Wordpress.com, SimpleSite.com, Tumblr.com, and Wix.com are used widely as you may know. If you would like to use your own domain name, you will need to pay for it. Here’s a useful site which shares information on blog hosts: Web Hosting Free Reviews

What kinds of Writer Blogs are out there? There are blogs that teach the writer’s craft, those that talk of the writer’s life, others that write about current issues, some which share their experiences, others that write how-to articles, some which focus on book reviews and more. Fiction writers may share snippets of their stories to hook their readers or even serialise their work through a regular blog. When I started blogging, what a blessing it was to discover that God made it part of my ministry. It was a gift from Him, and has grown me and shaped me as a writer. But we are unique beings—called by God to different tasks. So follow His heart for yourself, not for anyone else. Your blog and mine will be vastly different. And that’s exactly how it should be.

A few Good Blogging Practices:
1. Determine the length of your blog. 300 – 600 words is a good number.
2. Images will add to the blog—use them.
3. Ask a question at the end or lead them to take action
4. Make it easy for others to share—make it public on Facebook
5. Link up with other writers’ blogs
6. Create a free email newsletter
7. Invite other writers to write guest blogs on your site—a good way of joining hands (and words) with other writers!

I hope I've whet your writerly appetite to discover if blogging is something beneficial to you as a writer. Everything we do as Christian writers must be in response to a call from God. Is He calling you to start one? There are many of us bloggers on CWD and ACW who would be very glad to pitch in if you need a hand. So if you believe God is calling you to it, do jump right in. And may your expedition be God breathed, exhilarating and worthwhile.

If you have other things in your life—family, friends, good productive day work—these can interact with your writing and the sum will be all the richer.”
David Brin

“Writing is its own reward.” – Henry Miller

“Don’t try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It’s the one and only thing you have to offer.”
Barbara Kingsolver

Anusha Atukorala is a writer and speaker with music in her heart and a message to proclaim. The abundant love of a faithful God is her theme song. God’s call to writing in 2007 led Anusha on a Grand Adventure which continues to surprise and thrill her. Anusha loves to build the body of Christ and to encourage others through the written and spoken word. Her first book ‘Enjoying the Journey’ is comprised of 75 little God stories. She has twelve short stories published in Anthologies and lots more in the pipeline. Do drop in to say G’day at her website Dancing in the Rain. She’d love to meet you.

Short Story Writing - for fun!

by Catriona McKeown

I love writing short stories.

I love novel writing too, the way you can explore characters and situations and see the character change in a way that readers will be able to relate to. But short story writing and novel writing are two very different sorts of writing. Sometimes, I need to walk away from the drawing-blood-from-my-fingertips, oozing-sweat-from-my-brain that novel writing is and just have some fun with my technological pen.

Short story writing lets me do that.

In short story writing, I can just grab any character that sways, staggers or strolls into my imagination. I name them, work out their age, what their occupation is or was, and a relationship status. Then I throw them into a situation to see what they do. Most often, I don't even know what that situation is. I just put the character somewhere - on a beach, in a car, standing at a front door - and describe how they're feeling. I give them an emotion and describe how their body is reacting to that emotion; which body parts are they aware of? What are they seeing? Smelling? Hearing? Tasting? I love contemplating their feet or their hands - how these body parts feel in a character. Revealing some of a character's senses is a great aid for the reader to emotionally engage with the character and understand them.

Then I have my character meet someone and the story flows from there.

Usually, my character has an obvious, small dilemma, but underpinning it is a larger issue they are unaware they need to move on from. In my short story Remembering Rosemary Carter, Rosemary suffers from short term memory loss and needs to discover where she is and why. But running through the story is the importance of forgiveness in families. Another story I am finishing at the moment is about a retired doctor who has had a panic attack after proposing to the woman he loves - but underpinning it is the issue that he hasn't fully recovered from the death of his first wife and daughter.

Short stories are glimpses into a character's life. It may only be ten minutes of their day, but it is a pivotal ten minutes. These stories are such a challenge! Especially if you're writing for a competition that is imposing a word limit. To have a character that is engaging from the beginning, to pull the reader in and make them care about him/her, place them into a situation that is going to impact the character and have them come out different in the end - all within 1500 words? Who wouldn't love it!

What about you? Do you love writing short stories, or do you do something altogether different to take a break?

Pondering Punctuation

by Catherine Sercombe

That paragraph – the one I have just written – is pristine. Perfect. Pedantically precise even. Or so I thought. My computer program disagrees, emphasizing its point of view with a bright, green underline. I right-click the mouse. The computer’s angst shouts at me, declaring in no uncertain terms that my carefully chosen words are but a mere

FRAGMENT! (consider revising).

Okay, so maybe I’m exaggerating with the exclamation mark. It exists only in my imagination – something my computer lacks. I don’t blame the computer. It is locked into a particular set of parameters. It obeys the rules of grammar, or rather, the rules of its programming. It cannot interpret the context. It cannot see the big picture; the one where I, the author, have chosen to shorten the sentence to a fragment.

FOR IMPACT.

A computer’s expertise extends to punctuation, not creativity. Don’t get me wrong. I’m a die-hard fan of perfect punctuation. It is the body language of the written page. What's more, punctuation's power to prevent cannibalism is unrivaled. For example:

‘Shall we eat Grandma?’

vs

‘Shall we eat, Grandma?’

Yep. Punctuation can be a life-saver.

My contention is that knowledge and intention based on the ‘big picture’ may also influence an author’s selection and placement of punctuation marks. A wild example of this is Tim Winton's Cloudstreet, with its minimalist take on punctuation and complete absence of quotation marks. Who cares! His word choices have such beauty and impact at times that his unconventional punctuation style seems moot. But I bet both his computer and his editor had a bit of a whinge about it.

Here are a few punctuation marks I placed in a document this morning:

Let's see my computer dispute that creation according to its programmed punctuation rules!

As I ponder the power of punctuation to clarify meaning or to create nuances that improve the way a story unfolds, I realize something: Our Creator punctuates our personal progress according to His intentional, creative plan.  And,

The divine Author of Life punctuates perfectly.

I, on the other hand, am inclined to operate at this level like my unimaginative computer; I get frustrated when God shortens my plans with a divine ‘full-stop’.

I can be impatient with His ‘semi-colons’ too. I don’t want to look or wait for additional information; I want to know it all now! As for colons… oh boy! When faced with a list of several things He wants to complete in me before we move forward, I'd rather skip a few in my eagerness to embrace an exciting new ‘sentence’. I want a green light so I can race ahead. I’m all too inclined to frustrate my Author by flagging a green underline and whinging, ‘fragment (consider revising)’.

But here’s the thing – we don’t get to do life over. No edits. No second or third or sixteenth drafts. Our life stories sit on the universal page, the book of life, exactly as we throw them down. Which could mean absolute disaster if they were ‘published’ as they stand. How could my life story possibly bring honour and glory to the Author of Life? Or reveal His ‘good news’story as is?

Praise God! Hindsight reveals He has been actively ‘editing’ my life's story all along, adding essential punctuation marks to slow me down, make me pause, emphasize the important things, stop me blundering on into danger, extend me, talk to me, shout a warning, cause me to question my actions and ideas, make me ponder... and His grace has coerced and confined my foolish detours into parentheses, rendering them irrelevant. What a relief!

My mother told the story of a letter she had written to my father when they were courting. At the end, she had added a postscript which contained a row of punctuation marks and the words, ‘I’m not sure where the punctuation marks should go, so I’ve put them all here. You can put them in the right places for me.’

I think I’ll take a leaf out of her book and trust God to punctuate my life according to His big picture. How about you?

Catherine Sercombe is a wife, mother of three, (they’ve grown up now), creative writing graduate and published author from Queensland, Australia. She manages an education business where she has the privilege of tutoring and encouraging students of all ages to meet their academic goals. Described in publication as a ‘writer whose work reflects an infectious love of language’, Catherine says, ‘From A to Z, surely the best writing begins and ends in God.  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1-2). That’s an epidemic worth spreading.’   

Intergalactic Avian Mutants on the Prairie (Or – You Read What????)

Have you ever succumbed to ‘random reading syndrome’? That moment when you’re book browsing and before you can blink, you have a title completely outside your favourite genre by an author you’ve never heard of in your hand. This could be because the cover was pretty, the title made you laugh, or there was a beetle precariously walking the edge of the binding and you were compelled to save it from plunging into the darkened crevasse between that and the next shelved title.

Readers are not the only who may suffer this ailment. Writers can also fall prey to a related condition. Not only might they read outside their favourite genre, but they might even WRITE outside it too, trialling alternate techniques within those genres just for fun!

I’m an offender on both counts. In fact, I don’t suffer from random reading syndrome, I enjoy in it! :) By forcing myself to read outside the known I’ve not only stumbled upon some wonderful books I might have otherwise missed, but I’ve learned so much: about me, about writing, about reading.

As writers it’s important to become familiar with our genres. I’ve read a heap more YA in the past year than I have in a decade, simply because I was writing into that genre and it had been a while since I’d read books targeted to that age group. But I think most writers can also identify the immense value in reading beyond what we write (including mainstream titles). Expanding out literary world is good for us. It’s also equally valuable to sometimes write outside our comfort zone. Not necessarily a whole novel, but even a short story or poem.

While studying creative writing I took the opportunity to explore different tenses and points of view while writing outside my most familiar genre. In one submission it was observed my written voice worked well with Chick Lit, so I also wrote a fantasy piece with a male protagonist. (Of course...)

Perhaps that’s why it makes sense I have two titles being released this month in two contrasting genres. Integrate is a YA fiction and was released on Monday this week. A Devil’s Ransom is a maritime historical romance to be released later in the month. I’ve loved writing them both, yet I’ve also realised how swiftly a writing focus can strangle our tendency for random reading bouts. For our own writing sakes we need to foster our inner random reader.

Besides, we might even become a fan of a genre or author we’d never otherwise encounter. Now there’s a great reason, if any, to turn into a different aisle in the bookstore next time we venture there. (And don’t forget to keep an eye for any book-walking beetles or giant intergalactic chickens ...)

Adele Jones lives in Queensland, Australia. She’s had a variety of short works published and has two novels being released in 2014—a YA SciFi and a historical maritime romance. Her writing is inspired by a passion for family, faith, friends, music and science – and a broad ranging imagination. To find out more visit www.adelejonesauthor.com