Category Archives: Uncategorized

Writing from the forgotten senses

Posted on January 11, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

For three days last week the wind blew the rain horizontally. It pelted against the window glass and the drops sounded like someone throwing sharp needles. Last week I’d given myself a writing challenge: to write somewhere different each day, … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Love the Details

Posted on January 5, 2016 by Karen Whitelaw

Details should be more than a writer’s friend; details should be our lover. Get intimate, close up. Slow down. Examine him/her with intense and specific attentiveness. Details make the place in our writing real. Whether it’s travel, memoir, stories or … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized, Writing, writing process | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Short Story Competition

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

  The Newcastle Short Story Award is now open to Australian residents. You’ve got until midnight on 31st January 2016 to polish up your best story under 2,000 words. The shortlisted stories from the inaugural competition in 2012, including one of mine, … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, competitions, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments

Wallpaper 

Posted on October 4, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

 Rue Jacob is just around the corner from where we’re staying in St German de Pres. Oscar Wilde died in a hotel there in 1900. A few days before he died he is quoted as saying, “This wallpaper and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 12 Comments

A Busker

Posted on October 2, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

  As I walked over the bridge from Notre Dame to the Ile de la Cite in Paris a man came the other way pushing a piano on a trolley. He turned his piano upright and started to play Mozart.  I … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 15 Comments

More Readings of Place

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Karen Whitelaw

I can’t stop mulling over David Malouf’s idea about how we apply what we learned about dimensions and space in our earliest childhood to whatever else we go on to look at. When I think about my childhood home I … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

What did we learn at a Writers’ Conference?

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Originally posted on The Lazuli Portals:
Ron and I attended the inaugural New Writers’ Conference held by Literature Works, the literature development charity for South West England. It took place on Sunday 2 November, at Plymouth University. The Conference was…

Posted in Uncategorized | 3 Comments

500 Characters

Posted on August 19, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

The swarming crowds on Miyajima Island don’t climb the hill behind Itsukushima Temple. Thankfully. They’re mesmerised by the temple itself which seems to float on water at high tide. From the boardwalks they have an amazing view of the famous … Continue reading →

Posted in Travel, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Friday Fictioneers – 6 June

Posted on June 5, 2014 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. I love constructive comments on my stories. My inspiration this week came from a Japanese 10th century folk … Continue reading →

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Stories at The Mosh Pit a huge success!

Posted on June 2, 2014 by Karen Whitelaw

Originally posted on Jessie Ansons:
At the quirkiest cafe in downtown Cardiff, a group of writers gathered to read their work… On Saturday afternoon I was lucky enough to MC a brilliant writers event in Newcastle, NSW. The day was…

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments