Precious Little Dracula

I finished reading Dracula yesterday. That's right, I finished it at this new place I won't be working at for very long because I hate long distances and my job in genral. How I wish I was breaking rocks at a bookshop closer to home. Something I'm sure I'd love a lot more than moving around a warehouse putting little boxes away.

Anyway, I finished the book and I'm very happy to say that I could see a lot that was happening within it. That's a good thing. I saw the scenery and characters and the story was a lot more easy to follow than it was the last time I tried to read it. Having all of those different points of view worked out well also because you can hear about everything that's happening first hand.

One part I was able to see in exact detail was the night Lucy Westenra died. It was night, storming, wind, and there was Lucy with her mother about to die. A lot of action was taking place and I really saw the part where the window was thrown open and Lucy went all "Yep, I've had a good run." All was well, very happy, hope the new movie will be bitchin.

In the meantime I'm about 3/4 of the way through Push by Sapphire. I'm liking it a lot, although I'm not one for enjoying childhood brutality. Reading it is a little difficult also because it's told from the perspective of Claireece Jones who is illiterate and can't spell, but it works well. Hope Sapphire writes another novel one day.

Also I got my appraisal back from the writer's centre and it was very helpful. Hoping that will appeal to the publishers...

She's Actually From Nepal

Back to the Priya Tsetsang thing, I was most pleased and satisfied by the episode Belonging, with the exception of Fox8 pausing and skipping little bits at the beginning, by the way, bastards. But I liked and enjoyed what I say, as well as the episode of Lost the night before entitled Dr Linus which was Ben Linus heavy. Very nice and character driven, and to see him redeem himself for letting Alex Rousseau (his daughter) get murdered by Martin Keamy. Some good things are on as of late.

Apart from that there's very little to report on, except that I'm nearly finished with reading Dracula and I should be getting my manuscript appraisal back soon. Hoping for a lot of feedback because I want my novel to be great. Not a massive fluke like M. Night Shyamalan's early movies.

Waiting For Priya Tsetsang

I'm a huge Joss Whedon (also known as God) fan, and tonights episode of Dollhouse which is named Belonging is supposed to be really good, so say the US critics who believe in mercy. When it comes to different cultures, Whedon isn't really known for incorporating Australian elements into his work (he usually does European and Asian), but not anymore.

Tonight's ep focuses on the character Sierra and her origin story. Actress who plays her, Dichen Lachman (who was some idiot on Neighbours) is a Tibet-born Aussie who is playing quite possibly the only Australian character Whedon has ever worked with, Priya Tsetsang who is getting milked- sweeeeet! There have been other Aussie elements in Buffy and Firefly, like a Watcher being killed in my capital, a demon summoning didgeridoo and the ocean world of New Melbourne, but nothing as big as Tsetsang.

I am very excited...

IAMS: I Am My Sister

Well, today I saw Avatar for the fourth time- yes, that's right, the fourth time, and it was in 3D. Sadly the greater number of cinemas have stopped showing it in 2D, and so I had very little choice in the matter because the good mother wanted to see it, so I saw it in 3D. I was hesitant because other three dimensional films have given me headaches, but I'm convinced now that practice makes perfect.

It was good, I could see and understand everything that was happening. Vundabar! Mum enjoyed herself to, and that's led me to believe that us seeing sci-fi's together isn't so bad, after all Star Trek paid off. She even knew who Spock was after one second. That's all to report on, other than Iron Man 2 and Clash Of The Titans is on my agenda now, and the new Melina Marchetta book, The Pipers Son. It's a sequel to Saving Francesca and it's possibly told from the point of view of Tom McKee. Bring it on.

Alice Didn't Do It For Me

Tomorrow I'll be seeing Avatar for the fourth time, and so I guess I've finally become my sister, crap! But no matter, I felt I should talk about something else that was movie related, like the new Alice In Wonderland, and I feel rather confident when I say it was terrible. Really, really terrible!

The film just looked so artificial- I know it was in 3D and had to be all blue screens, but I don't care, and that's not what Tim Burton does. He always used real sets and props and that, and everything in this movie just didn't work... and then you've got the damn screenplay to bitch on about. Didn't work, and I'm confident about this because I called up my buddy Stephandra and told her that if we ever met Linda Boyd we would kill her. YEP, IT'S COME TO THAT BIOTCH!

But I will compliment one, or maybe two things about the film. All right, two. Johnny Depp's Mad Hatter kind of hits the spot with his essentricness (is that a word) and madness and instability and all that, and the Cheshire Cat was his usual lazy and laid-back self. Those things worked for me, Topsy and Ches, and that's about it.

Shall we have a bit of tea?

About Him, The Vampire

Something I should've brought up in my last posting, I've learnt of a new Dracula film to be directed by Alex Proyas, an Aussie, which will be called Dracula Year Zero, which will have Sam Worthington playing the titlular role. I was a little worried since there haven't been that many good Dracula films since Francis Ford Coppola's adaptation. However, I came across an article saying that it will be going back to the origins of Vlad the Impala, mix in some magic and not be so comercial.

When I learnt Worthington was playing the lead, I didn't know if it would be good. Others who've played Dracula in the past haven't done well, such as Dominic Purcell and Richard Roxburgh (PS Istanbul used to be Costantinople douche!) but they were in cheap looking action flicks that screwed around with the novel and myth and that's what let them down, a lot. But I must admit I had the same thoughts about Heath Ledger playing the Joker, and I was proven wrong when he wasn't slapstick or artificial, so I guess the same will happen for Worthington. Also they're both from Perth and everyone in Perth is good at doing just about anything from what I've learnt.

And finally I wanted to announce my disappointment that Avatar did not pick up the best picture award today at the Oscars. Yes, I am bummed but it got three other awards including best art direction and visual effects (of course). Also I'm going to look into seeing the film Precious: Based On The Novel "Push" By Sapphire. I've been seeing and hearing good things about it, and Mo'Nique did a good job in it and comedians playing unloveable bastards and bitches always pull it off. And a special shout out to Kathryn Biggelo, the first woman in history to win best director!

Things Have Changed

Obviously a bit has changed, like the template of my blog. I decided the brown look wasn't doing anything for me, so now it's blue. I also think I stole the idea from my friend Janet, but I'm unsure, so we'll just have to find out. What else has changed, or will change, I don't know. Maybe I just want to be surprised... but this is what I am sure of said the Professor to Maryanne.

The Oscars are on tomorrow, and with the big BIG exception of seeing Ryan Seacrest and Richard Wilkins exist, I am very excited. I'm very eagre to see if Avatar will clean up, and if District 9 will win anything because if they did I will be really, really happy. People are liking sci-fi more and more which is sooooo good, and if the was more of Tricia Helfer on the screen that would top everything off.

Um, okay, apart from the stuff above, I've started to read Dracula (giving it a second crack more like it) and I'm getting into it a lot easier. I've had my copy for years and I do appreciate a good vampire tale about sin and viciousness, which from what I've heard have dwindled since the vampire has become the subject of innocent little fantasies schoolgirls have been reading. SHIT! For instance I was over at the bookshop recently and they have a whole section devoted to vampire fantasies. It's crazy, but it doesn't mean I'm against it.

Another reason I'm reading the book is because I'm planning on writing a vampire novel, which has been a plan for many years now. My idea is simple... and sinful, and is based around a new born vampire man who is trying to figure out what the hell he is. Sort of mixed with Let The Right One In, except without the bad haircuts Swedish men have become victims off. It shall take place over twelve months as the man, whom I'm calling Ash, tries to find and establish his identity. I'm not so good at doing horror, but that's what it's going to be. None of that Twilight bullshit.

Basically my good Ash will make right all the problems Edward Cullen (or Edwart Mullen in the comedy version) caused for a generation of readers, and he will do all the women he wants, drink human blood and sleep- yep, my dead people can sleep and they don't twinkle in the sunlight. Don't know what the hell Stephenie Meyer was thinking.

And I guess that's all there is to it. Wait, my manuscript appraisal will be ready soon so I'm off to the city whenever they call and it'll be Nando's for lunch. No more chicken tandoori.

PS Oryx and Crake may not be finishable. Nothing like The Handmaid's Tale.

This Won't Be Pleasant

Okay, I lost my actually really good job today. The overlords whom I've lost some fondness for sent me to this factory that specialises in gardening supplies and I actually liked it there. People were nice, work wasn't so hard and the pay was good. To me, it was a really good job and they ditched me because I was too fucking slow for them. FUCK!

I hate working for casual agencies, I hate getting pushed around and I hate not getting anything when I give so much to the people around me. You know that shitty end of the stick... I'm the sorry bastard who always gets it! This wasn't meant to be a good or memorable posting. It was meant to tell people that I'm pissed off, unhappy and bitchy and none of it needs anyone's criticism, okay!

That's it!

About The Mermaid And The Manuscript

I didn't submit to Pan MacMillan. A little yet convincing voice in my head told me that I shouldn't and that maybe one of those appraisals the Writer's Centre does is the answer to my problems. So, that's what I did. I went into Melbourne on Monday with a copy and too much money, got lost on Elizabeth St before learning that the centre was right next to the library (the website needs to mention location markers), and I did the big handover thang.

Other than that I was surprised to learn that the centre was a lot smaller than I expected, and that my buddy Janet was there. She was doing a proof reading as part of her internship and we had a bit of a chat. She told me she was organising spoken word arvos in Nunawading and I invited myself to her booklaunch. All in good spirits.

Anyway, I gave them the copy and I went for a walk down to the Yarra because I had two other endeavours to take part in on my Odyssey. For a while I've been meaning to try out some saffron rice at this Indian place in Southbank, and I finally did along with two different types of chicken- butter and Tandoori. I have to say that I like the rice, but if I had a choice I'd only have the butter chicken from now on. Tandoori is hot and a little dry for my liking.

That said, my second endeavour involved a book... and wait for it, this was a picture book you would have figured out was The Little Mermaid. I found this copy a few months ago and I was taken back by the traditional illustrations which lit up the pages. There was another copy there but it wasn't as impressive. The copy I have was naturally written by the crazy Dutchman Hans Christian Andersen, translated by Naomi Lewis (love both of those names) and illustrated by Christian Birmingham. Sorry, no catchy remark.

Anyway, I'm very confident that I'm going to treasure my copy forever, and it was such a welcome relief from that Disney version (they get everything wrong). Besides, I needed the book because there's a character in my series whom I want to base around the little mermaid a bit, and I can really do that because I've done my homework. Also I liked the sea witch a lot more and I hated the stupid prince cos he can't bloody settle for the mute girl who feels pain for him. DOUCHE!

PS I'm taking a lot more time with Oryx and Crake than I expected. It's nothing like The Handmaid's Tale.

As I Sit Here

As I sit here waiting impatiently for the final season of Lost to begin (I'm eager to find out what's happening with Claire and Cindy), I'm also a little confident if not a little ambitious about my next attempt at getting a publishing deal. I was knocked back by the Australian Literary Management today, and I was bummed. However, the letter said they weren't interested simply because they weren't excited about my novel, so that's good I guess.

So I'm looking ahead, and I'm going to try out Pan Macmillan in Sydney. I checked their website and they don't ask for agents or any of that crap, so I'm gonna do it. They do all of Matthew Reilly's books, so mine's bound to come off as intelligent compared to his, eh. I'm affraid that's all I've got to say, other than I hate my effing job and it's way to hot in these parts.

Have a good life...

My Faith Returned People!

As of this very moment, today has been a good day. A very good day, and I wanted to bring up the highlights as fast as I humanly can.

1. I figured out how to use my bloody iPod. I still can't stand all of this new damn technology, but at least I get to listen to my toonskies without going out to buy new batteries.

2. I got my job in the store at the timber yard back. Sure, I'm gonna have to put up with intrusive idiots who can't keep their ugly faces out of my business and DAMN oak, but I can do the work and I'll be losing the poundage at the same time. Sweetish.

3. TransitLounge got back to me with my third official rejection, but it was a nice rejection. They told me that they were focusing on travel books (like Lonely Planet I guess), but they also said my sample chapters were a good read. The fingers are crossed from now on!

That's all for now, that I'm happy and waiting for the next big thing to happen for me.

My First Time With Olympus, But Sadly No Persephone

Well, today meine good self and the mother went to the zoo, and we had a lovely time which could have been awesome had I remembered- wait, been told to put the better memory card in my new Olympus digital camera which I recieved for my birthday. It was a gift from Mum's side of the family, but I'm pretty sure it was just my aunt and uncle who did the purchasing. Anyway, thank you Dale and Max, but for security reasons I'll call you Daotkav (Dear Auntie Of The Kick Arse Variety) and good Auntie Maxie. LOLNESS.

Moving on, we arrived at the zoo and I wanted to start taking pictures, but after getting about two of them, I realised the grave mistake I'd made. I was pissed of course, and really really pissed because I wanted to get many, many pics of the animals. It was also a good day with many Kodak moments, so my eyes are filled with red flames at this point of time.

I eventually calmed myself down and accepted that today wouldn't have its memories in photo form, but luckily I got this one. This gorilla was sitting under its tree and looking at everyone, as do many of the earths creatures. I got myself a shot, and it was after that that I realised that it was missing one of its hands. I felt a bit sorry for him/her, getting a little Sigourney Weaver in Gorillas In The Mist at the same time. But I'm happy I got this shot because it was good and I learnt by using the zoom-in option, I'm able to get many more from this day forward. Just half an hour ago I got one of my dog Mack. Yay.

Also, I wanted to bring up that I've started penning a draft of a short story I think will be good. Not great (which would be nice), but good. It's a story of two lovers, Cheyne and Everlee, uniting after being seperated, and I'm writing it in many different scenarios or ways (whatever way you like). So far I've had them in the real world, WWII era England, and I'm working on them orbiting a blue world named Andala, amongst others.

Guess a lot of it's been inspired by the film The Fountain which I liked but nobody else did. Hoping it works out. Today at the Japanese Garden I saw all of these turtles and Koi Carps swimming up to the surface, and I decided to add them in. Should add to the imagery. A lot of fun to be had. Cheers y'all!

The 21 Effect

As my title suggests, I'm now 21 years of age, and it's a freaking wonderful experiences. YEAH! But I must confess not all of it has been primrose and daffodils. My 21st was last Saturday and everything went all right. I enjoyed myself because it was the type of party I enjoyed- completely informal, and that we got more family invitees than we did at my 18th. But a major thing that I hated about the night was how so many of my friends decided to give me the flick. Some of them had the courtesy to call up and let me down, but a lot of them decided not too. Brilliant I thought. JUST BRILLIANT!

What else is there to discuss. I got the first three seasons of 30 Rock, this hilarious comedy Tina Fey created so I'm gonna be busy for a while, and I thank the family for doing this for me. However, they got me a tone of other stuff too. Stuff I neither asked for nor really need, and that annoyed me a bit. Like how they got me the DVDs, they were set for a year. I didn't need anything else. I was just happy at that. I don't even know what'd happen if I tell them all of this.

But then there are some brighter topics to discuss, like how I watched District 9. You know, the South African sci-fi. It was brilliant and different and stepped so far out of the box. I loved it! I ordered in my copy of Oryx and Crake today, so all I have to do is pick it up and be wowed by another dystopian novel. I just wanna know what happens. And then there is the bit where the Australian Literary Agency in Sydney has agreed to look at my novel. I'm very excited, but scared. I'm really hoping that they'll take me on, because like I've said so many times before... I REALLY NEED THIS!

That's all y'all!

The Handmaid's Tale

Today I finished reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, and I was really happy with it. I love the dystopian genre and how you can do just about anything with it these days, and this book is deffinately up in my top five or so. Before I offer my own personal thoughts, I'd like to thank some certain individuals for bringing my attention to this work of speculative fiction.

My good brother Babette who gave me my copy for Christmas, I pestured you sufficietly and it paid off. To my old literature teacher whom I've been calling Grace, thanks for bringing it up in class. Sadly I didn't read it at the time (all the books were optional) but if I had I would've brought so much to the class discussion. And finally to my good friend Yushka whom is a huge Atwood fan, thanks for making me aware of this genius of a woman! You've all been great.

Now, what I enjoyed most about this book was how it displayed the perspective of a female narrator and how women percieved the dystopic environment. Offred (whom is also June and Kate in the film) was just honest, fierce and tough through-out the whole 300 odd pages. I really felt her feelings when the Aunts (crusty old bitches who should die) were "reprograming" her and how she reacted to losing her husband Luke and her daughter. So much honesty, but I wanted to see more in her relationship to Nick, the underground man who saved her.

Other parts I enjoyed, but the one I loved the most was when Offred's friend Moira escaped the cruelty of the Aunts. I thought it was one of the strongest elements of the story, how she escaped and stuck it to oppression. I was a little bummed when she wound up in the brothel Jezebel's, but she seemed happy so I'm happy. The book was brilliant and I liked the final chapter where future academics are studying The Handmaid's Tale in the year 2195.

As much as it was nice learning that the oppression of the Republic of Gilead (the world America became in the book) came to an end and Offred finally got out to England, I just enjoyed the names of the professors. Atwood has a nack for creating interesting and likeable names from the smallest words in the English language, so I loved hearing about Maryanna Crescent Moon and James Darcy Pieixoto. It added a great touch to the ending.

I'm deffinately an Atwood nut, much like my good Yushka. She's got some other dystopian books out, including Oryx and Crake, and I'm gonna get a copy as soon as I can. I think I displays the male view of the future mixed with genetic engineering with animal and human DNA.

Looking forward to it!

Everyone Keeps Pissing On My Waterboy!

There are way to many characters out there who can control the seas, and I am not happy with it amigos. First I had to put up with Tracy Strauss from Heroes, and now theres Percy Jackson from these yankee kids books that got adapted to the screen. I am not pleased, because I wanted to break with traditions of firestarters and throw in a powerful aquakinetic. Angry face.

Also, I wanted to bring up the issue of 3D in cinemas. I saw Avatar today for the third time (yes, that's right) and it was in the ever popular 3D form, which I have to say gave me a tremendous headache. There wasn't that much of a difference either. 2D is deffinately for me from now on, and sadly I've forgotten what else I wanted to write about. So that is all I guess.

Wait, I just remembered, I've decided to lay off Avatar until the DVD is out. James Cameron's Titanic was a massive thing for my sister Cactus Pete (who saw it four times) and Avatar is doing the same for me, but I won't be like my beloved sis. I'll either see it two more times of not at all, for I'm going to be the better human, and I won't make futile attempts at stalking the male lead either. Maybe the ladies if I've got time, but Worthington will not have to deal with me hiding in the bushes outside his window.

PS. Oh, I just wanted to make a shout out to sfauthor who commented on my last posting. You're the first person I don't know whose commented, so thank you.