I know...I know I have to do something about my blog.  
Be more regular or something...eat plenty of fibre so the prose flooooooooooooooow...

 I've been so busy over the past two months I haven't thought about anything but going overseas and getting the book finished.  
Honestly, I havn't had a brain cell left to think about writing anything else.  Especially blabbering on about what I've been doing which is working and real hard.

I was told that to be a good writer you have to constantly aware of and inspired by others work.  So I read and watch movies and documentaries all the time...
I don't watch tv except for selected series...because seriously, for me,  80 percent of what is on tv these days is crap...and there are so many channels that you're forever searching for something else to watch......so you see moments of crap from every channel...and if you find a good programme it is interrupted every 5 minutes by adverts.  
So I gave up the box years ago...it sucked my brain into a vortex of nothingness.  
We don't even have tv in our house now.  
When the tv wankers tried to force us to go digital it basically pissed my husband off so much, (forcing him to do anything is a complete waste of time) he just said feck you to the tv companies and now we download, go to the library for dvds and use youtube or streamed tv on the internet... so yeah, feck you digital..   
Oh right, back to the point..
I'm sure  I did have a point...
Funnily enough you learn more from a crap book than you do from a good one.  Good ones tend to draw you in so completely you're not even aware you're reading.

I just read a a book by Cathy Kelly..
Front Cover.
 It was...well...
talk about the adverb queen I say scathingly.  
When I was doing a creative writing grad dip everyone had such a huge issue with adverbs.  
I don't and  I scatter them  through my work, willy nilly with relish, everyone else in the course was like NOOOOOOOO ADVERBS ARE EVIL....  
Well hey, get a grip. 
This woman has probably used every adverb in the english language and she's freekin published and selling mega amounts of books so shuddup adverb police.   
Only I did get very distracted by the adverbs.  
I am writing my own book at the moment and my relationship of adverbs is a little strained, it feels a little lazy to throw it in, as though I haven't thought things out properly.  
Why would someone write, 'he looked at her lovingly.'  when they could say, "he stared at her, his eyes coveting every nuance her of her expression.'
I dunno maybe that's a bit much, but at least I thought about it.

Trip

My daughter is teaching my sister and a Mihimihi, our pepeha and some waiata to take with us to Austria and Germany.  I have to say my daughter is an amazing teacher.  I know a lot of waiata from when I was a kid, but the rest hasn't really managed to stick in my head.  
I don't know why.  
But its sticking now.
 In fact my hubby and I have decided to do a course of te reo at Whitireia.  As long as they are gentle and put up with my Te Reo dyslexi-praxia.

I Taniwha

My latest book has gone to print, and is probably being printed as I gabber on here.  I actually love it, its short, consise, and crisp while still being deep and "I hope" magical...can't wait to see it printed in the flesh so to speak.  
Also the designs for my banners, my gift cards and our wrapping paper.  So, after months of drawing and writing into the wee dark hours, even though I feel like Ive been run over by a truck,  all in all it has been a great week.

Here is a little squizz at the cover  'I Taniwha.'


Can't show the rest.....

Also, here is something from the next book...Feather from the kakahu...

Wellington hospital, slick tile, serviceable grey carpet and burnished chrome, had the sterility of the Star-wars Death Star. 

Mauki shifted in her squeaky plastic seat, it nipped her thigh.  ‘Ow—who were these seats designed for.  Skinny bitches—that’s who?’

Laurel flicked through an out of date ‘Woman’s weekly’ magazine.  She held a page up to Mauki, the picture, an A List female Actor, staring woodenly from the page.  ‘Check out that face.  That’s at least two grands worth of botox.’

‘Ewww.’ 

‘Don’t knock it till you’re old and wrinkly.’

‘No way.’  Mauki slapped the magazine page.  ‘I can tell you now; I will never inject that shit into my face.’  Mauki pulled her long ponytail over her shoulder and fiddled with the end while she examined the picture. 

‘Look at my grandmother.’  Laurel said with a husky laugh in her throat.   ‘She hasn't been able to frown since I was born.’

‘Margaret?’  Mauki felt her jaw drop.  ‘Shut the fuck up.’

‘Hey!’  Ana's voice carried across the plaza.

They looked up.   

Ana lumbered towards them, her pregnant body the shape and texture of a ripe plum.  Her gait rolled from side to side like a sailor.  ‘Thanks for waiting for me.’  She shoved her stethoscope into the pocket of her dark blue scrubs.  ‘I’m finishing here today.’  She paused and leaned against a wall for a moment.  ‘Two sets of feet tap-dancing on my bladder are affecting my ability to think.’  Ana huffed, red in the face.  ‘Come on.’ 

 ‘Is everything okay in’—Laurel pursed her lips her nostrils flaring— ‘irresponsible-unplanned-pregnancy-land?’

‘Shut up you judgmental little toe rag.’  Ana retorted.  ‘I’m fine, the world is fine...’  She patted her tummy.  ‘The little Colin’s are fine.’

Laurel’s nostrils flared.  ‘I cannot believe you’re having two boys.’ 

‘What’s wrong with boys?’

 ‘They aren't girls.’





Right, I'm off back to work.  
taraa.loads of love, bye bye
Oliviaxx