Today I'm back in Australia to talk with the wonderful
Simplicity Collective about sustainability in fiction. In something of an essay on the topic, I explore the key underlying theme of
Black Cow. "The book asks, within the context of its fictive truth, how we can, in the face of this increasing pressure to earn and spend, stop the madness, jump off the treadmill, and begin to live again — slowly, fully, creatively. How do we create meaning in our lives, in spite of the ongoing onslaught of commercial messages that tell us to move faster, think less, and accept that we’re going to die early?" For the full piece, please drop by and visit the
site and add your own comments. I highly recommend
The Simplicity Collective, which is also cited in the novel's bibliography as it was a rich source of inspiration throughout my writing, with a wonderful array of excellent articles, owner Samuel Alexander's own book
Voluntary Simplicity: The Poetic Alternative to Consumer Culture, which can be accessed at the site, and even a discussion forum. If living more simply appeals to you, this is a top notch source.
That's Robin Loftus to my right with the scarf - she's the author of the excellent poetry book Backyard Cosmos (and also won our door prize!)
A lively questions and answer session afterwards followed by a signing session and some food (hot cross buns anyone?).
I know. I've been slack, and I'm going to admit that this may not happen every Monday, but this weekend, despite still going full tilt with promotion (though nearly seeing light), I took a little time to read (and write - more on that soon because I now have an agent and contract for a new poetry book!) some poetry. As I'm sure you know, my own poetry is heavily influenced by science, so when I saw that Dr Ian Gibbins, professor of Anatomy and History at Flinders University was coming out with his first full length poetry book, I immediately agreed to review it. Yes, I know, my stack is high and I'm behind, but this is candy for me and I've got a sweet tooth. Here is just a delicious taste of what's inside the book - a snippet from the poem "Field Guide" (which also contains stanzas with the POV of Comb Jellies, Spotted Eagle Rays, The Hawksbill turtle, Blue Tiger butterflies, fruit bats, seabirds, and dolphins). This is, so far, my favourite poem in the collection, but it's early days and I'm reading slowly. 
