Dymocks Brisbane A curious collection of thoughts, ideas and a little bit of book know how.

Got the winter woes? Wishing you could be like so many others, wrapped up in cosy wool reading a book with a cup of hot chocolate? Do you look on in jealousy as the nanna’s knit up a storm? Well why not take a leaf out of their well read books and pick up a pair of ol magic sticks yourself?

But who will teach you, you might ask? Why the lovely many volumes of whimsical wisdom upon our shelves, we’ve got everything from the Knitters handbook to Knitting Vintage.  I’ll even give you a few cute projects to start you off, before no time you’ll be knitting like pro!

Start with something small, like a headband, they’re cute and easy to make and even if  there are a few dropped stiches and it’s a bit wobbly it’ll look cute and can easily be tarted up with a couple of little pompoms. Don’t be too ambitious when it comes to size, even with something like a scarf, I find that far too often people start knitting huge monstrosities only to get halfway through and realise that there is no way they could wear something so large. If all else fails, a thinner scarf can be knitted longer and wrapped a couple more times for warmth. Less is definatly more in this case.

 Another fun thing to try is these fuzzy jar jumpers and the adorable knitted bunting behind them. You can find the tutorial here for the jar jumpers. With the bunting I suggest 10 stiches across, and around 8cm long, why not mix it up making every second one a different colour? To thread each knitted rectangle onto the thread, use a thick needle, quilting needles are often blunter, making it easier to slip through every 3^rd stitch or so.

If those don’t sate your thirst for woolly crafty fun why not have a look at ‘Sweet and Simple knitting projects’ in the teach yourself range, the projects are great for beginners and super cute. I’m rather in love with the hot water bottle jumper on page 58.

Another great way to get better at knitting is to join a knitting group. The Stitch and bitch website is a great way to find fellow knitters in your area. My favourite is the group that meets at the three monkeys cafe in west end (if you’ve never been there you must, their cake is to die for and the cosy little corner tables are brilliant to hide away within for a few hours deep reading. You can find them on the stitch and bitch website or email them to gorgeousfee@gmail.com. Which reminds me of another rather helpful little book of knitting wisdom, ‘stitch and bitch super star knitting’ this book is more focused on going beyond basic knitting, teaching such skills as knitting lace, double stitch and beading.

Now with all this talk of knitting and pearling and casting and tying it’s understandable that you could feel a little overwhelmed, but the most important thing is to remember to have fun! You’re creating something new and soft and lovely, it may not work out perfectly the first time but as long as you enjoy yourself it’ll all be worth it. You could even make something snugly for your pets.

If all else fails and you’re in need of inspiration, take a look at the lovely lady below.

Good luck fellow knitters, please feel free to send in photos of your current or completed projects, I’d love to see what you’ve all created. Happy knitting!

Knitters Handbook – 25.00

Knitting Vintage – Claire Montgomerie – 29.99

Stitch and bitch - Debbie Stoller - $24.95

Sweet and Simple Knitting Projects – Sally Walton – 22.99

The Serpent lies on the carpet, alone. The city lights shine through the windows. It raises its head and tastes things gone; it drops its head and returns to the sea.

The turtle raises its head from the water; the lake stretches around it. People point and talk, excited. It goes t the bottom and settles in the mud.

As many of you may know Kylie Chan, Author of the bestselling books ‘White Tiger’ and the ‘Journey To Wudang’ series has just released her latest book. She’ll be in store signing her books this Friday 2^nd of June, lucky for you we were able to grab a quick interview with the mistress of all things mythological herself.

Wudang is one of the two main fighting styles in china. Above you can see fighters battling it out Wudang style.

Firstly I must say that we were all very much looking forwards to the release of your latest book, can you tell me, what was the hardest part of writing your latest book?

 The  hardest part of writing any of my books is starting them. But once I’m about a quarter of the way into the book, the story just takes off and I start to wonder how I’m going to fit everything that I want to happen in the remaining three quarters. The story starts to gallop and I have to rush to type to keep up with it - and after that it’s easy.

 Is anything in your books based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

A great deal of the settings and characters are based very much on real life. The places in Hong Kong that my characters pass through are mostly real, with some tweaking to add to the story. The characters as well - the mythological characters are of course completely my own creation, but some of the mundane human characters are based on real people. Many of them are an amalgam of people that I met while working in Hong Kong. The overseas locations, as well, are mostly real places that I’ve visited myself. I think it’s this realistic edge that adds interest to the fanciful nature of the myths!

What has been the initial response for your latest book?

In a word, overwhelming. So many people have emailed me and posted on my forums, saying how much they enjoyed the latest one. It was number three on Dymock’s best seller list - for all books, not just sci-fi and fantasy - even before it was officially released. It’s a great relief to know that the surprises and twists that I put into the latest ones have not only been appreciated - but loudly appreciated. Everybody’s really enjoying it and the calls for the next one have already started!

Your books are thick with Chinese mythology, what is your favourite Chinese myth/story?

The story of the White Snake. It’s a tragic tale of a snake spirit who falls in love with a human man. They marry and live happily for a long time until a roaming Taoist monk discovers her true nature and reveals it to her husband, who is shocked and horrified that she is a snake and rejects her.  I like this story because it illustrates so well how blind prejudice can ruin lives.

Are there any soon to be release books that you are excited about?

There are so many! And the best part is that they’re all from Australian authors. Marianne de Pierres’ Burn Bright series has a new one coming out soon; Cory Daniells’ new trilogy will be coming out shortly; the next one in Trent Jamieson’s Death Most Definite series, Nicole Murphy’s Rogue Gadda; Tansy Rayner Roberts’ series is reaching new heights - so many wonderful books coming out shortly that I don’t know where to start.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

The most challenging part is finding the time in my busy day to chill out and let the words flow. I need to be in a very quiet and relaxed place for the story to come to me, and that’s usually late at night. This does not fit in well with a single-mum lifestyle where a young person has to be organized and off to school early in the morning. The creative side of me is easily interrupted - and ordinary life is full of interruptions. Sometimes I’m amazed that I get anything written at all with the constant distractions!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?

 Most writers say ‘write’. Many writers say ‘read’. These are both excellent pieces of advice. Write all the time, read as much as you can - both of these are ways to hone the craft. I think the rule that I try to follow the most is ‘don’t be boring’. I try to write the unexpected - to clearly see where the story is going, then take it in a completely different direction; and when it’s heading down that path, to turn it another way entirely again. I think the key to really successful writing is to be skilled as a writer - and to be totally unpredictable.

What was one of the most surprising things you learned in creating your books?

How mind-bogglingly tough the publishing industry is. I wasn’t expecting ‘being a writer’ to be so challenging. We’re constantly barraged by criticism and negative comments about our books, hounded to produce more of them, and racked by uncertainty about the next royalty cheque, but we still keep writing because we love what we do so very much. I love being a writer, I’m being paid to have elaborate daydreams and write down what happens in them. It’s the best job in the world.

Do you ever experience writer’s block, do you have any suggestions on how to resolve it?

If the words aren’t coming, I don’t think of it as a ‘block’, just as a slowdown in the creative process. I take some time away from the story and let my subconscious catch up with it and start adding to it. Trying to force it won’t help, I have to let the creative well fill up again. I trust my demented imagination to come up with more insanity for me, it just needs some time to create something really ridiculous.

Are there certain characters you would like to go back to, or is there a theme or idea you’d love to work with?

I don’t go to the characters, they come to me. Often on a very large steam engine with me tied to the tracks. Sometimes they grab the narrative and run away with it, and I’m left flailing behind wondering where they’re going. Lately I’ve accepted this, because it’s always going somewhere good. On something I’d like to work with - after I’ve finished this series (which won’t happen for another three big fat novels) I’d like to go to Japan and delve into their fascinating culture and truly awesomely weird supernatural world.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

I cannot express enough how much I appreciate all the kind words and positive feedback I get from my fans. When people tell me I helped them get through a trip to the hospital, or started them reading when they never did - which has happened - I’m making a positive contribution to peoples’ lives and it’s a truly wonderful feeling.

Heaven to Wudang - Kylie Chan - $18.99

We stood by a pond that winter day,
And the sun was white, as though chidden of God,
And a few leaves lay on the starving sod,
They had fallen from an ash, and were gray.

- From the poem Neutral Tones

 Why the sweet melancholy tones you may ask? Are the bitter winter’s days turning me mournfully sentimental? If the cold continues as it has maybe, but for now the pretty words are instead in celebration of what would be Thomas Hardy’s 171^st birthday today.

 Sadly the amazing creator of such wonders as Jude the Obscure and Tess of the D’Urbervilles left us in 1928, being strangely enough buried in two places, his ashes in Poet’s Corner at Westminster Abbey and his heart,  with his ex wife in Dorset.  Interestingly enough I discovered today that rumour has it that his heart was in fact eaten by a cat before it was buried and a pig’s heart was put in its place, weird or what?

 Another cool thing about the man with one of the world’s most famous moustaches is that the term “cliffhanger” is considered to have originated with the serialized version of one of his stories, (published in Tinsley’s Magazine between September 1872 and July 1873) in which Henry Knight, one of the protagonists, is left literally hanging off a cliff!

 So why not snuggle up with a beautiful Victorian tragedy, to celebrate the birthday of one of the greatest authors of his time.  As Kerryn our resident Hardy expert states ‘If you haven’t read Hardy, you haven’t lived’.  

Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy - $12.95

Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy - $6.95

There’s something about this time of year that has you yearning for good home cooked food and friends, lucky for you this weekend there’s a big bunch of lovely people who have sorted that out for you. This Saturday and Sunday is the Panyiri Greek festival held down at Musgrave Park in West End. It’s a wonderful kaleidoscope of characters with a lot of great food and wonderful dancing thrown into the mix. You can learn to belly dance or take part in an olive eating competition. This year they’re celebrating the festivals 35th anniversary so it’s sure to be a fantastic.

Make sure you pick up a plate of the festivals famous honey puffs, they’re heavenly.

If you’re more of a homebody like me why not do the next best thing and grab a Greek cookbook and have a mini Panyiri all of your own?

Tessa Kiros is one of my utter favourites. Her recipes mix beautiful photographs and artwork (which always helps me get in the mood to cook) and wonderful stories with simple and easy to follow recipes, which time and time again turn out wonderful results. Her latest book ‘Food From Many Greek Kitchens’ has one of my all time favourite recipes within it for an old style Custard and semolina pie. Indulgently sweet and sticky this dessert is one I’ll be coming back to for years to come, wonderful on a cold night with a hot cup of tea and a book.

Another little treasure is ‘The Real Greek Home’ written by Theodore Kyriakou and Charles Campion. This book gets you right back to the grass roots of Greek cooking, with recipes such as Rabbit ‘mountain style’ which shows an old Greek woman skinning a rabbit and Tsoureki, the traditional Greek spiced Easter bread.

The layout of this book is great, with sections on traditional Greek good for the tiny islands to the bigger bustling city as well as your essential home basics and a rather naughtily indulgent dessert section.