/ en-US Sat, 23 Mar 2019 00:30:57 -0700 60 / 144 41 /images/layout/goodreads_logo_144.jpg /author_blog_posts/3403023-a-ballady-blog-for-the-next-big-thing Tue, 11 Dec 2012 19:19:00 -0800 /author_blog_posts/3403023-a-ballady-blog-for-the-next-big-thing







Last week, the very talented fantasy author, ,
tagged me for "The Next Big Thing", where 5 writers tag 5 others with
5 or so questions, and so on forever all over the planet & cyberspace
until we’ve all been bagged-n-tagged and get to go around again in a few
decades. So today it’s my turn to bag-n-tag a new batch of shy recruits.

We all know how timid writers can be, and this time of year makes it all
the more challenging. Moreso, if you’re stung by an urge to do it
as a festive poem, as I was, but here goes;

Interrogation of a sly shy banshee

Sooooo� What’s your Next Big Thing?
� while we’re all wallowing, dieting, caroling
on a prayer and a wing, and we struggle to string
more than two words we can sing without seeming� unhinged?

Answer: Beats me, [blush] I’m winging it.

But how do you cope with it? � get through it? Or even think of it?
Each little bit, as we struggle to sit and get ideas to fit
On a page that just WON'T submit, and when others all quit
How come you don’t split & simply admit that you’re just like us� a misfit?

Answer: Beats me, [blush] I’m just having fun with it.

Can’t you give us a hint? Or simply admit�
will your next big thing hinge on your last big thing?
Are they linked in a series, in a straight line or ring?
Will there be killing? � More shootings, knifings and glassings?
More stalking, more hawking, more hot sex and� voyeur-ing?

Answer: [blush] � what do you think?

Now don’t suffer stage fright, and don’t be im-polite.
You can’t be contrite when it’s clear you’re forthright.
Please accept this invite, and provide an insight�
Do you write late at night, or maybe rise at first light?
Oh, please speak of your plight � of that one writer’s blight -
it turns ALL authors white; it’s where to find time to write� and re-write?

Answer: [blush] By staying out of the limelight.

Phew, finally! I think we’re cracking this key!
Break out the Chablis and let’s all shout yippee!
An insight from Ms B; she answered verbally!

Answer: [Smack!... Smiling cheekily]
Oh, my dear sweet emcee, need some ice for that cheek?

Crikey! � apologies� had no idea you could be so�

Cranky?

Ah� [gulp]� how about gutsy?

Please don’t pander the banshee.
I keep her caged for my writing.
� Let’s just settle on "esprit".

Fine, and we’ll start again, shall we?
Ahem� [clearing throat and shifting awkwardly]
Time to scratch my goatee, and re-start as emcee�
‘Dear author this week� what’s your Next Big Thing?�

[Smiling shyly]
Let’s not go there, shall we?

But it's the whole point, apparently.

[Nodding knowingly]
I can see through that plea. It's called subtext, in Text World Theory.

Ahem. You've lost me.

It's really quite easy:
You didn’t come to sight-see a performing monkey.
I’m not a trustee, a draftee, adoptee or Queen Bee.
Like you, I’m a trainee, still racing the Grand Prix.
So set up your marquee, pitch your tent by my tree,
Chill a glass for your Chablis, and spit shine your degree
But don’t ask me to fore-see how to access the party.
It’s not for invitees, wanna-bes, addressees or even cat copies.
It’s for devotees, and WILL-bes, and fans who rise from the debris.
It’s for those who look leeringly, with love and lust at a dictionary.
It’s for the crazy, the nutty, and the whole damn fruit tree.
So don’t ask me indirectly about your OWN next big thing.
Just sit down and write it, and ride the wild ride beside me.

Psst� my next big thing? It’s really top secret.


Next Big Thingers THIS WEEK:
Aside from me, there's -








And Bagged-n-Tagged by me so far for NEXT WEEK:








Valerie Parv : Goddess of Aussie Romance
Tina Marie Clark: Queen of Childrens Lit Fests
Valerie Stewart Lewis: Temptress of Celtic Fables
Andrew Warrilow : Wizard of Familiars
Andrew Drage aka Brewin: Master of Madness

PLEASE INCLUDE A LINK TO YOUR OWN BOOKS/BLOG/WEBSITE UNDER YOUR NAME WHEN REPLYING SO WE CAN ALL GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER BETTER:

Join me on Facebook at

Or on Twitter

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 23 ]]> /author_blog_posts/3271437-helping-the-blind-to-see-like-bats---with-real-science Mon, 12 Nov 2012 14:44:00 -0800 /author_blog_posts/3271437-helping-the-blind-to-see-like-bats---with-real-science of what it is to be human,
and how we cope with the tides of Fate
- individually, or as a species - by adapting.

Inspired by bats & dolphins,
real scientists took “sound technology�
and shaped their own destiny
in helping the blind to see....

No, really.

See for yourself;
This wee blind girlie
can now “hear� the difference
between a frown and a grin!



Inspirational for a whole series;
And ironic
That even a blind eye can see past the ugly
To poetic beauty.



With special thanks to Alice Dragonwyst Suttie for sharing this fabulous article.
The first time I heard this idea - while researching the series 10 years ago �
the concept was still only a hope, a prayer and science fiction.

FREE WORLD POSTAGE from

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/3071465-celebrating-our-firsts-together Sun, 30 Sep 2012 17:52:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/3071465-celebrating-our-firsts-together Today in this month is the FIRST,
and for new things we've all got a thirst.
So here is my news, fit to burst:

The third in this series I've nursed;
with killers and stalkers and cursed...

My bad guys are really the worst
And the twists in plot all get reversed.

So come, get immersed, dive head-first!

-------------***--------------------
P.S. Leopard Dreaming...
is my FIRST GRAND FINALE for a trilogy!
Yet I've met so many other award nominees,
you're all welcome to help celebrate YOUR FIRSTS with me too today...

by posting the FIRST SENTENCE of your FIRST something...
e.g. your first novel, first mystery, first fantasy...
just tell us:

How you FIRST heard/met me
+ What kind of FIRST is your book?
+YOUR FIRST LINE of that book
+YOUR BOOK'S NAME
+YOUR PEN NAME
+ a link for us to see/buy it
(and try to use atypical stores, if you can please,
to help support as many as possible, not just the big A... okay?
+ choose ones with FREE international post and/or DISCOUNTS if possible too please)

E.G:
Hi Anita,
I first met you in the mirror/on goodreads/
facebook/at the shop queuing for chocolate...

My FIRST GRAND FINALE to a trilogy:
Mira paced impatiently in the foggy alcove,
keeping near to the ghostly sandstone walls of the Drift Inn...

LEOPARD DREAMING
AA BELL
Buy with discounts at Booktopia:


Can't wait to see what a diverse range of FIRSTS we can collect here!

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/2929059-hilarious-inspiration Fri, 31 Aug 2012 02:52:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/2929059-hilarious-inspiration When it’s done in a bank
On skanks, cranks or yanks

Bad Poet! Smack!
But seriously;

Here's a funny ad from TV
that inspired my "lift off" scenes
in Diamond Eyes, Hindsight and Leopard Dreaming...

Groan... Yes, it's on facebook,
but it's public so anyone can see it...
Fingers crossed, at least! :)



posted by A.A. Bell on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/2570259-bittersweet-news Mon, 11 Jun 2012 06:53:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/2570259-bittersweet-news I'm totally thrilled to announce that HINDSIGHT just won the Prestigious Hemming Award for Excellence in SF & Fantasy Themes! YAYYYY!!!

Judges called it: "breathtaking writing of the highest order."

As sequel to last year's winner Diamond Eyes, which won by the first unanimous vote by the panel, this second win also makes history as the first time that any author has ever won the award TWICE.

... a bittersweet win, tho, since they also awarded a joint win this year to the late great Sara Douglass for the Devil's Diadem, a terrific book with a lovely twist, which was written on the difficult theme of death, while Sara was actually dying herself. Such a sad loss to the writing community, and a terrible shame that she never got to collect her prize or even know of her win alongside my "Hindsight".

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1877949-let-s-fidget-with-a-widget Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:01:00 -0800 /author_blog_posts/1877949-let-s-fidget-with-a-widget
On the keyboard I tapped with my digit,
until I happened across Amazon's new widget.

Said I with a sigh,
"I think I'll give it a try."

But the code is so long I can't abridge it!

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 18 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1567674-pssst-top-secret-goss-4-friends Mon, 19 Sep 2011 14:30:36 -0700 /author_blog_posts/1567674-pssst-top-secret-goss-4-friends


Worth the extra click thru... promise!
:)

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 07 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1363883-my-heartwarming-week-from-hell Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:47:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/1363883-my-heartwarming-week-from-hell
The day friend Sally called me, just to ask to play my part
In joining in her blog for friends, to say "what warmed my heart?",
I was stuck in Sydney Qantas lounge, no thanks to ash from Chile
While that grumpy Mount Pew-hey-you, spewed its guts up willy nilly.

I was stuck in crowds of thousands, singing songs of luck and woe,
While we bedded down on luggage, with our bodies head to toe,
With smelly socks and dirty frocks, and coughing from the flu,
And an airport filled with tourists; ninety nine for every loo.

And then I made the dumb mistake of eating spicy food,
Which made my face swell twice its size; I really looked a dude!
I coughed and sneezed for three days hence, I sadly grew so pale,
And then I caught the flu myself; my whole week was a fail.

But airport staff were fabulous, they really did their job
And tourists from all languages were one big friendly mob
I made it down to Melbourne with a hundred brand new friends,
And a firm belief the loos are less for ladies than for mens.

Bad news didn’t end there, but I also must confess,
My thriller won a huge award; for excellence no less
(For both fantasy and sci-fi, and its name is Diamond Eyes,
about a girl who can see history; it’s for older girls and guys.)

Then three days on, there came the time it was to fly me home
So off to Melbourne airport in a taxi I did roam.
We ran the lights, we crashed the car and ran clear out of fuel
I walked the last mile in the rain, (past that cops-n-robber duel!)

I made it though, no time to spare. I bolted to the gate,
Where the hostess made a call to tell me fin’ly of my fate;
No plane for me at all that day.
The ash was back to play.
No refunds, no deferrals, and no way to make amends
I spun to find the nearest loo, and my next one hundred friends.

Browse Inside the multi-award winning Diamond Eyes here:


See the Book Trailers & Original Theme Song, which have gone viral here:


ORIGINAL POST WITH PICS @ Sally's Blog:


posted by A.A. Bell on March, 19 ]]> /author_blog_posts/1363798-into-writing-how-i-fell Sun, 10 Jul 2011 12:18:00 -0700 /author_blog_posts/1363798-into-writing-how-i-fell
I was on my mother’s knee
When she first sang tales to me
Of babes in trees; rocked, falling�
Horror Genre. It was calling.

I was on my toddler’s feet
Off and missing down our street
With cars and dogs; tripped, falling�
Action Genre. It was calling.

I was on the swings at school
Where the bullies always ruled
In gangs of threes; punched, falling�
Justice Genre. It was calling.

I was at my nanna’s grave
Where I tried to be so brave
then saw her ghost; stunned, falling�
Spec Fic Genre. It was calling.

I was in the mall with friends
Dared to streak to make amends
Past guards and cops; nabbed, falling�
Humor Genre. It was calling.

I was throwing out my toys
When I first bumped into boys
His hands, his lips; kissed, falling�
Romance Genre. It was calling.

I was hunting for a job
One more face amongst the mob
My boss, a rogue; sacked, falling�
Mainstream Genre. It was calling.

I was sobbing on the street
Blind to all the passing feet
My life in chalk; rain, falling�
Mixing Genres. It was calling.

I was tapping at my screen
Keeping all my stories lean
I signed a deal; stopped falling
Now my editor. She’s calling.

posted by A.A. Bell on March, 13 ]]>