Monthly Archives: December 2013

A Writer’s Glimpse of a Man Booker Winner

Posted on December 29, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

I’ve started reading Eleanor Catton’s The Luminaries, winner of The 2013 Man-Booker Prize, and I’m in awe. It’s fiercely intelligent. The language consistently reflects the mid-19th century, and rolls along in an improbable mix of luxuriously precise prose. Sometimes I … Continue reading →

Posted in Books | Tagged Booker, description, Eleanor Catton, fiction, significant detail, The Luminaries, writing craft, writing skills | 11 Comments

Thoughts on an ending

Posted on December 21, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

A weak ending can ruin a whole story. But strangely, the problem usually doesn’t lie in the final lines. Yet that’s where we spend endless time trying to “fix” it, by revising, rewriting, rereading that last paragraph. When the ending … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories | Tagged Alexandria Quartet, character, Marion Halligan, Short story, story endings, writing skills | 16 Comments

Friday Fictioneers – 20th December

Posted on December 19, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

Every Friday writers from around the world contribute 100 word stories prompted by a photograph supplied by Rochelle Wisoff-Fields to Friday Fictioneers. Everyone is welcome to contribute and we love comments on our stories. Ripples That afternoon the cherry trees … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories | Tagged cherry blossoms, fiction, Friday Fictioneers, Short story, tsunami | 39 Comments

Author Interviews – Zed Book Club

Posted on December 14, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

Merry Christmas to all writers and readers. Here’s my Christmas gift to you: quality interviews with authors hosted by Zed Book Club on Radio 4ZZZ in Australia. I’m always scouring the internet for podcasts to listen to in the car … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Uncategorized | Tagged author interviews, book reviews, literature, The Book Club | Leave a comment

Congratulations!!!

Posted on December 7, 2013 by Karen Whitelaw

Writers can become disheartened, but it’s the ones who have the persistence to keep working through uncertainty, through the lack of recognition and acknowledgement, who have the highest chance of succeeding. Over the last month I’ve witnessed a rush of … Continue reading →

Posted in Short stories, Uncategorized | Tagged award winners, competition winners, Grieve, Hunter Writers' Centre, memoir, persistence, short stories | 6 Comments