RIASS stuff:
Calling all bookish Melburnians! RIASS and some bookish buddies are planning a night out at the Astor Theatre on the 9th of June. All welcome, so if you're a local (or wish to commute), feel free to drop by. Details'here.
A review of The Painted Bridge'by Wendy Wallace, a haunting exploration of madness and misogyny in Victorian-era England. (Rating: 
)
A giveaway of'Out of Sight, Out of Time'by Ally Carter (Aus only, ends 27 May)
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Other bookish stuff: Carole Wilkinson on writing dragons: It was the Chinese dragons that intrigued me most. Unlike all the others, they are benevolent. Where dragons from the West are evil and fire-breathing. Chinese dragons breathe steam which forms rain clouds, and only kill humans if severely provoked. And what strange ethereal creatures ancient Chinese writers described. They come in five different colours and make sounds like the clashing of copper bowls. They have a taste for roasted swallow and arsenic. When I decided that I wanted to write a dragon novel, there was no doubt in my mind, it had to be about a Chinese dragon.
An argument for extra-terrestrial SF: Yes, you can set your story on Earth, but you don't'need'to; you have at your disposal anything that has been revealed or suggested by modern science. The world of your novel can be the interior of a vast generation ship or the moon of a gas giant. It can be a planet lit by the twin suns of a binary star system or a research vessel orbiting a black hole. It can be anything and anywhere. You have the biggest sandbox imaginable to play around in.
A thoughtful post from Wendy Wallace, whose book we reviewed yesterday, about writing about mental asylums'and the powerlessness of the Victorian woman: If the Victorian woman's experience of mental illness or asylums ' not necessarily congruently ' is much written about, it is perhaps not surprising. Through much of the nineteenth century, women could be pronounced 'mad' for a great many emotional and physical states, including post-natal depression, dementia, alcoholism, depression and unsanctioned sexual behavior. The powerlessness of the Victorian woman was nowhere more evident than in the asylum, where at the pronouncement of two ' invariably male ' doctors, she could be detained indefinitely. If it seems scandalous now, it also seemed scandalous, to some at least, then.
Michelle from Book to the Future on the Sydney Writers Festival and on evolving as a blogger: Last year, at my first Sydney Writers' Festival, I dashed between sessions with my head cast downwards in the fervent hope that no-one would ask me That Question.'So, what do you write?'This year was different. Without even realising it, I'd left my fear behind.However, most of the conversations I had last week were with complete strangers I met in queues. We chatted about Sydney, about the festival'about what we were reading'and, of course, there was That Question:'So, what do you write?'Without hesitating, I'd answer -'I write a blog about books.
Rachelle Gardner on what the editing process looks like: Every publisher has their own process, and they may call each step by a different name. It's basically three steps, and they're usually done sequentially, although there is overlap and not every publisher does all three of these steps. The edits might be done by one person, or two or three people.
An interview with John Banville: His only mention of his most celebrated work, The Sea, during our entire meeting is to recall how he believed the now-celebrated masterpiece to be so bad he almost never gave it to his publishers. Months later he was strolling around London, in the hours leading to the dinner for the announcement of the Man'Booker Prize, eyes spinning in their sockets and reminding himself I must not get drunk.'The moment his name was called out to a room full of esteemed scribes, he wickedly pondered, How many people must hate me at this moment?
Magic Town: the app aiming to bring childrens books to life:'The town in question is a virtual countryside populated by a choice of different houses that the children can visit at the click of a mouse or tap of a finger, and each of these houses represents a different series of stories from popular publishers. So, you'll find a patchwork residence to represent Elmer the Elephant, a pink castle for the Little Princess and so on. Once inside, there are books to read as well as games to play. Some carefully designed characters guide your children through it all and even provide a call to action to get out of the virtual world and into the real one.
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Translation Award Nominees
New Yorker contest imagines Facebook updates by famous characters'
A New York Times series on Philip K Dick
So you think you can write?
Oh, what a beautiful library!
A wooden bookshelf containing wooden books:
Events: Going Down Swinging are having a launch party for their exciting new website in Melbourne. Featuring a night of spoken word treats, bawdy Melbourne bluesmen The Broadside Push, and wise words from The Bedroom Philosopher's new book, it should be a great night. When: Friday, July 1 Doors: 7.30pm Where: Irene's Warehouse, 5 Pitt Street Brunswick 3056 Entrance: $10, Including a free giant Rekorderlig cider or mulled wine For more info contact events@goingdownswinging.org.au
Audio:
An interview with Michelle Mead
Video:
The Great Gatsby trailer:
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