Review of Matt Browne’s “The Future Happens Twice”
The Future Happens Twice is one of the better science-fiction novels I have read. Its originality and Matt’s uncomplicated writing style made it a delight to read. Matt’s extensive research for the novel also shines through, as I never thought an element within the story was implausible.It is a hard science-fiction novel. By hard I […]
Sophie Mirabella’s boycott of the apology.
Hi all, If you didn’t know, Sophie Mirabella was one of three or four opposition members to boycott Kevin Rudd’s apology for past government policies to the Stolen Generation. Unfortunately Sophie is my local member. The local regional newspaper, The Border Mail, calls her the “darling of the far-right”. I would tend to agree. There […]
The future of the book (part two).
Hi all, In a previous post (January 6th) about the future of the book, I mentioned a few articles I had read that suggested novel writers might have a greater chance of fighting off the distractions of computer games and movies if they wrote stories that did the one thing that movies and games can’t […]
what’s happening
Hi all, I enjoyed my first day back at work, partly due to my nemesis not being there, but more due to a new teacher-librarian who is there two days a week – she seems open to suggestions. There also wasn’t the mad rush to return books before the end-of-year overdue letters were given to […]
Tv antennas, critiques, writing etc
Hi all, My holidays end this week – next week I will back at work in my part-time library position – so I finally got around to doing some of the things that I need to do while I’ve got the extra time. I visited the optometrist and finished up getting two new pair of […]
Cloverfield.
Hi all, I went and saw the new science-fiction/horror flick Cloverfield last weekend and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys monster movies. It contains plenty of thrills and frights, but very little humour. Its gimmick, like the Blair Witch Project, is that it is filmed as if filmed on video by one of the […]
The future of books
Hi all, A number of articles I have read lately have questioned the novel’s future. One article in the Age concerned a report from the National Endowment for the Arts in the US. It said 19% of 17 year-olds and half 18-24 year-olds never read for pleasure. The article did not have figures from previous […]
Dispute with University of Canberra
I have finally pulled together all the communications between the University of Canberra and myself regarding my dispute over the grading of my major assignment in Freelance Writing Project by Professor Jennifer Webb in my Master of Creative Writing. A dispute that wound up with me making a compliant to the ACT Ombudsman. The contents […]
The Ombudsman’s Verdict
Hi all, A letter from the ACT ombudsman arrived today. As I suspected, it found the University of Canberra was not at fault with my dispute with it, but in reality it could only investigate one of several complaints I had about the university. The one complaint it could investigate was why only one assessor […]
Teacher Rating, Master of Creative Writing
Hi all, I completed a Master Of Creative Writing in June this year at the University of Canberra. I very much enjoyed the challenge and my writing improved. Some of the teachers were very good, some not so good, and I rate them below. Belle Alderman (Writing For Young People). Rating Feedback Excellent Communication Excellent […]