Milestone 2 and PhD journey

I seem to have become enthralled with all things verse novels and the writing of two new verse novels.

Recently I presented my Milestone 2 update with progress so far, dissemintation plan, what is yet to be completed before the timeframe of a completed PhD.

The research both in my history topics and in research into the devices that constitute a verse novel has taken me into areas like the components of repetition, and interesting historical facts that pinpoint historical facts in my novels, and make me want to wander into other tangents.

I have learned so much but struggle with academic writing...

I need big doses of self-encouragement and reaffirming why I am on this journey. Both new verse novels look at a historical event in which my ancestor was involved in and my husband's ancestor in the other.

So, new family knowledge is also being unearthed.

It seems a total challenge to be on  PhD challenge; so many new ways to learn, especially academic writing! But I keep at it the morning after morning, and recently, the third draft of my second novel for this course was complete- well, complete in the way that I feel satisfied that ties the drama and the narrative and the poetry together.

Have you been on a journey that really challenged you?

More to come...

Anzac Day and Anzac research

 Such a long time between posts but I have been super busy, writing wise.

A long held desire to write an Anzac story- a verse novel- has been achieved in its draft form.  The absolute thrill was to follow along my own grandfather's Anzac journey.  a grandfather I never knew.

The research was exhaustive until I found an out of print edition of 'My Corps Calvary' A history of the 13th Australian Light Horse regiment 1915-1918.'  And so began an eight month journey through Trove many text books, personal letters until I began a way into my novel.

And here is my grandfather H.W Chambers 141 MM

It was exhausting reacting to photographs, accounts, letters, understanding the world war and also its consequences down to me, a grand daughter.

But I pay homage to the men who willingly enlisted for mother country, to see the world, to show their mettle, to develop mate ship and I also pay homage to the families left behind and who latter dealt with death and the damaged men who came home.  I now have a much better understanding of the war, but there is so much more to be explored.  But for now,  I begin the edits and have acknowledged all my sources and where facts could not be found I put myself into my characters' shoes, in this case Irene a 12 year old and put her on a 1914 farm in central Victoria.   The verse novels uses three voices- that was a juggling act to keep each voice distinct- but enabled me to cover a depth of the war through home, overseas and community views.  

At long last a reveal of the cover of my new verse novel due 2nd February 2021

 But who's counting...

It's been a big journey but the destination is so worth it- with input from great editors to rewrite, delete, reorganise and now the novel is back in the very original version of poems with titles.  A new format for a verse novel from me.  And a new setting- a high school, a new era 1969 and world shattering events.

Man on the moon and Australia's involvement with the Vietnam War.

I had mementos I'd kept from the 1960's... yes ancient I know.  This moon landing event has always fascinated me.  I was able to use some amazing facts that Lewis, Sharnie's cousin uses.

And on the Vietnam war front, first hand feedback and the privilege of having been young in the era of protest and our involvement.

So here is the cover.... drum roll... fireworks... Hurray!!!

Verse novels

Whenever I do workshops especially in the senior primary and secondary level of schools I ask 'Who knows what a verse novel is?'  Hmm blank, puzzled stares.

Yet when I read the first pages of Ratwhiskers and Me and set the scene, the audience realises how easy a verse novel is to devour.  Is poetry that off-putting?

The way the lines are arranged, short and to the point require a new way of reading- well perhaps.

Recently I came across a link where Kate Deller-Evans of Flinders University discusses the verse novel- 'Star Jumps' and Karen Hesse's 'Out of the dust'.

  Amazing.  I love Karen Hesse's work.

Here is the link to that article.  I am thrilled for my work to be discussed within the genre of verse novel and also thrilled to have literary projection power from the 2010 Prime Minister's Literary awards.

I love the spareness yet richness a verse novel format gives to the narrative and although it's certainly not a popular genre I believe it has such power waiting to be ignited.

So... will I write another verse novel?  Yes, yes.

What do you think about verse novels?  Have you read any?

side tracked

It's April and all over the www there are poetry posts.  Yah, although lately I've tried to move away from poetry to try prose more and to that end I have a novel reworked for the third time into a setting and character base that I enjoy. 

But I'd ordered a second hand book of poetry from the UK- it arrived this week and what have I been doing?  Writing poetry, immersing myself in another verse novel.

I'm excited, frantic to write- can I deny my poetic streak??

Here's a little taste in honour of poetry month:

Lemon
on skin
shins, legs
rubs to
bronze tan.
Cas
does lemon
squeeze legs
tangerine
smooth.
Eyes flick
heads follow
Cas 
on her 
citrus mornings.

Talking about a book

Yesterday I was invited to a local school to read 'Star Jumps', well a chapter and talk about characters and the writing of verse novels- loved talking to my target audience. 

The class were studying verse novels in their reading circle and afterwards the teacher was researching the topic encouraging boys to read and verse novels. So we chatted and I answered many questions.
I really believe poetry is underestimated in the power of drawing in readers.

And came away with these gifts as well as the renewed vigour to write more and more...