Lilly Pilly textures: Tuesday’s of Texture

Posted on December 19, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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Succulent pink

Textures vary, soft, crunchy

Luscious, edible

 

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The Dry : A Book Review

Posted on December 18, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

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This is the debut novel written by Jane Harper won the Victorian premier’s unpublished manuscript award in 2015 and the British Crime Writers’ Association Gold Dagger award for the best crime novel of the year. It was not unexpected then that this book turned out to be a page turner.

Federal Agent Aaron Falk returned to his childhood town to attend the funeral of his friend Luke who had shot his wife and one child before turning the gun on himself. As a favour to Luke’s mother Aaron agreed to stay on to try to find why Luke had done it. In doing so his past ( a questionable death of a friend) came back to haunt him – the reason his father had removed them from the small town. With the use of flashbacks the two deaths are examined in tandem. I don’t intend to give anything away when it comes to the plot but it held my interest to the end and I didn’t suspect who did the who dunnit.

One aspect Jane Harper did extremely well was her description of the outback country town that is the setting. You can feel the dry, the heat, and the depression that goes along with drought in Australia. She also develops her characters well although I didn’t like that many of them, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I would recommend this book to those that like crime thrillers – this was well written and kept you in suspense until the end — and those that want to get a feel for what it is like to live in a small-minded country town in Australia suffering from two years of drought. I saw it as predominantly a crime genre novel and as such I doubt that for me at least it will be memorable in years to come. As a good read for the moment – great.

 

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Weekend Coffee Share 17th December 2017

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

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Welcome and come on in. Let’s get settled with a cup of tea or coffee and we’ll have a chat. Finally the weather is perfect although with the rain the humidity has come a little sooner than normal.

If we were having coffee I’d tell you that we had a fun night for our Toastmasters Christmas breakup. Our toastmaster rose to the occasion and came as an elf.

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© irene waters 2017

Unfortunately Santa had disgruntled the elves and they had retaliated by turning our noses upside down so the holes faced upward. A fun brain storming examined all the problems this could create for the poor humans. We then divided into groups to invent apparatus that would deal with at least one of these problems and then present it to the group and sell it. What a lot of fun.

If we were having coffee I’d tell you that the dogs had a visit to Santa this week. It is starting to feel like Christmas.

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I’m hoping the photos Santa’s helper took will have Bundy looking up to the camera. In the end he lay down on Santa’s lap and didn’t want to leave. He also did that to Mum this week.

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If we were having coffee I’d tell you that I have finished East of the Mountains which I will soon review and was going to read Fifty Shades of Grey.  I don’t believe in being critical about a book unless I have read it and if it is as bad as I have heard tell – then I don’t have to finish it. Sometimes though, you learn more from bad books than you do from the good. Anyway, having said that I am no longer going to read it as Roger has just finished a book that he says is the best, most compelling book he has read in the last 25 years. On that recommendation I am going to read that instead. It is a book translated from Italian called Can You Hear Me by Elena Varvello.

If we were having coffee I’d tell you that I continue steadily on with my editing. Everything has wound up until next year. Christmas is less than 10 days away and I’m feeling relaxed and as if I am on holiday. Now it is your turn. How was your week? Has your weather been warmer/colder, wetter/drier. Have you read any good books or seen any good films?  Thank you for dropping in for coffee, it is lovely to see you. Thanks to our host eclecticali  who is our host of the weekend coffee share.

Posted in daily events, photography, Weekend Coffee Share | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

Dusk falls, Birds Return: Silent Sunday

Posted on December 17, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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Posted in Australia, Noosa, photography, Silent Sunday | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Only in my house: 99 word Flash fiction

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

The kid had killed her two boyfriends. “Please record it. I’ve gott’a go.”

“No. Just hurry.” So I hurried. My trousers were down as I reached the toilet. Darkness shrouded the room. The torch should’ve activated. He’d taken it upstairs. I twisted to turn on the light but stopped myself. Electricity charges are expensive. Instead, I felt for the toilet seat’s position only to be tripped by my pants.  I fell hard; one arm landing in the toilet, the other on the floor. 

Only in my house could this happen.  “Now look what you’ve done. You’ve broken my hand.”  

In response to Charli’s prompt: where she asks

December 14, 2017 prompt: In 99 words (no more, no less) write a story using the phrase “only in…” It can be used to tell a story about a profession, a place or situation. Go were the prompt leads you.

Respond by December 19, 2017 to be included in the compilation (published December 20). Rules are here. All writers are welcome!

Posted in Carrot Ranch, creative writing, fiction, flash fiction | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Ostriches: Three Line Tales

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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photo by Caterina Sanders via Unsplash

“Don’t be like ostriches; for heavens sake pull your heads out and let’s talk about what we are going to do about our ice flows melting and how we’ll cope with climate change.”

One turned and faced him with a fish hanging out his mouth. “Mate, it’s too late to talk so we three are turning brown, fishing to survive and suggest you do the same.”

In response to Sonya’s week 98 prompt.

Posted in creative writing, fiction, flash fiction | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Ascend: Weekly Photo Challenge

Posted on December 16, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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Ascend – go up whether it be via rudimentary ladders

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or a path through the lava rocks thrown out by the volcano

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Even children want to go up

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taking the easy way

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sometimes the adventurous

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Life is always aspiring to the final ascent.

In response to Weekly Photo Challenge

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Skywatch Friday: 15th December 2017 Noosaville 1.24 pm

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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As part of skywatch Friday where skies round the world can be seen.

Posted in Australia, Noosa, photography, Skywatch Friday | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Ghost: Friday Fictioneers

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist

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“Orbs are ghosts.” Colin was adamant.

“No they’re not. You can see that’s no ghost. It’s on a pole holding it up.” Riley shook the pole  to emphasize his point.

“Stupid. That is just a metal ball. The orb is a ghost I’m telling you.”

“What about Queen Mary’s orb then?”

“Well she’s a ghost. Why shouldn’t her orb be a ghost too.”

“Cause stupid, she carried it when she was alive.”

“Then it must be someone elses ghost. I bet this shines spooky blue at night when the ghosts wake up.”

“We’ll check it out tonight. C’mmon I’m hungry.

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In response to the photo prompt kindly supplied by Sandra Crook to the Friday Fictioneers host Rochelle. Thank you both.

 

 

Posted in creative writing, fiction, flash fiction, Friday Fictioneers, photography | Tagged , , , | 33 Comments

Adenium: Floral Friday

Posted on December 15, 2017 by Irene Waters 19 Writer Memoirist
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Bulbous Adenium,

Tortured in pots too small

Desert Rose blooms – joy

 

Posted in Floral Friday, haiku, photography, poetry | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments