-PASSIONATE WRITER-
ANNE ANDREWS
Excerpts from Short Stories.
CAT DESTINY.
(Published in the Fellowship of Writers Queensland magazine Scope).
‘Cat eyes peered into the dark room. A dusky tabby plodded across to his favourite place on the old man’s lap in front of the fire. The fire wasn’t burning, and the old man’s lap was cold. Alarmed, the cat miaowed loudly and jumped down, landing on all fours with fur bristled and claws extended.
It was a cold night for early May. He’d been out hunting for several days and had looked forward to seeing his master. But there was nothing. No response. No milk. No gentle chiding. No quiet companionship. He hissed his confusion at the still room, then sauntered off in search of his mate.’....
THE BEST WRITING TIP I EVER RECEIVED.
(Published in the NZ Writers College Times 4/3/2019).
The best advice I ever received about writing came from highly successful Australian children’s author John Heffernan about 25 years ago, when he had just begun his amazing literary journey. He said,
“You will one day be joined by your characters over a cup of tea, and they will tell you what they want to happen to them.”
Suddenly, about five years on – I heard a voice, then two or three of them – tugging at my sensibility and demanding that I sit down at once! I just happened to be preparing a rooibos and did as I was told!
I shouldn’t have died!
But you had to so Albert could meet Gillian!
We want to get married on the beach, but there have to be some stuff-ups!
Okay Kim, okay Gloria, I’ll see what I can do!
Do you like Mary as a name for our baby?
Mariana! You can’t have his child! Brother Paul is a missionary!
Oh no he isn’t! Get your pen out woman!
The cacophony of voices stayed with me for ages, and the manuscript that had taken twenty years to germinate grew into a book in twenty weeks!
Jane! Leave me alone!
Albert! Behave yourself!
Aaaaaaaaaaargh!