When I first came up with the idea of creating a children's book, I thought I might get it done by Christmas. But predictably, everything about creating a children's book is taking longer than I thought it would! Firstly, the writing took a while. I used one rhyme structure, but the parents who test-read the draft said it was hard to read aloud, so I tried another rhyming structure. (The latest one got much better reviews!) Now I'm doing the illustrations. This was the big unknown - I've illustrated a lot of things before, but predominantly in black and white, pen and ink. This time I'm used coloured pencil. Each illustration takes about a week to do (evenings and weekends) - longer if I get sick, have family obligations or urgently need to tackle the weed problem in my garden. Because it's the first time I've done anything like this, it's slow-going and I'm learning a lot. I'm now about halfway though the illustrations. The next big hurdle - publication! This will be another steep learning curve. After attending that National Writers Forum I realised how much time publication will take. Now I think I'll be lucky if I get the book out before next Christmas!
On the Conditions and Possibilities of HIllary Clinton taking me as her Young Lover
by Arthur Meek and Geoff Pinfield directed by Geoff Pinfield Arts Festival of Dunedin 2016 Richard Meros, BA, gives us a PowerPoint presentation on the conditions and possibilities of Hillary Clinton taking him as her young lover in the hope that our support will boost his chances of amorous congress with the US presidential candidate. Read the full review on Theatreview. |
Author2023 Burns fellow Kathryn van Beek has an MA from Victoria University Wellington - Te Herenga Waka’s International Institute of Modern Letters. She is a winner of the Mindfood Short Story Competition and the Headland Prize. Her collection of short stories, Pet, is available as a podcast, and her work has also appeared in Overland, takahē, Newsroom, and the Sunday Star-Times. She lives in UNESCO City of Literature Ōtepoti Dunedin with her two rescue cats. Archives
July 2023
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