Caroline Reid Writes

Kanowna at 4 in the afternoon I remember reading somewhere that what you do when you're not writing is just as important as writing. After having spent a few days in the old town of Kalgoorlie, where I grew up, I was reminded again of how rich this place is in story and of the extraordinary quality of the light, especially as the sun goes down. This photo was taken on the outskirts of Kalgoorlie, at the old Kanowna Cemetery. The light is burnt and trees turn copper. It's eerie. I wish I could explain it better. Sounds are few - the  'aaark' caw of a crow and the occassional car speeding by. But mostly it's as quiet as butter. The world feels very still. Another world feels close, one that isn't concerned with Super Pits or gold or any kind of reality we know of. One that you could dream of, if you were brave enough to really let go. Less than 2 hours later the sky is pitch black broken up only by big winking stars (so big you can't tell the difference ...

"I was walking along the other day thinking about death,' said Bob of The Yearlings as an introduction to a song. Good to know I'm not the only one that walks along thinking about death. Not a symptom of depression in this instance. Thinking about death is kind of like thinking about infinity, can't quite grasp it but it stretches the mind and can almost be fun. I write this blog an hour before I fly out to Kalgoorlie for a funeral, so thinking about death has become acute again. The death in this instance is a woman who I first met 40 years ago in Kalgoorlie, the mother of a very dear friend of mine. Kalgoorlie and Death also gets me thinking of home - where is home when you've moved so many times and where would you be buried when you're not quite sure where home is ... or what it is. What is home? For now home is an emotion, home is a memory pressed into the belly and heart and mind. For now home is a friend and a visit to the past while acknowledging tha...

(c) Helen Lewis This photograph was taken at Spineless Wonders Presents second short story reading event for 2012. For the first time we had photographers, Paula McManus and Helen Lewis. Paula is the official photographer for Adelaide's Zombie Walk. Cool, no? For more pics head on over to the gallery at SWP blog - we've finally got some photographs worthy of the actors! And psssst ... word has it we'll be recording August's event so all you absent friends can witness the joy of this event via the marvels of technology. What else? I'm wiping the sweat off my brow after putting the final full stop and pressing 'upload' on the Australia Council's website. Yes, more grant applications. This time for some assistance with living costs while I write the 3rd draft of Satisfied, a collection of stories. That part of the project won't begin until much later this year, after I've finished the second draft but a bit of forward planning doesn't hu...