I'm Claytons-ing! & clue

For the next few days, I am online with the Claytons Conference - Aim for the Stars!

While I have blog posts scheduled, any comments will be answered after I recover from the weekend -- probably by the following weekend!!

Behave while I'm gone.


Now a clue for the Claytons scavenger hunters - look on the menu.... :D Good luck!

~yia~

Claytons Conference

Not going to the Romance Writers of Australia conference?

If you are RWA member, and this is the case, you can join us for the Claytons Conference. This year called

Aim For the Stars!

I'm on the organising committee and we are having putting together a wonderful long weekend. It starts Friday morning and goes until Sunday. It is jammed packed with workshops, special guests, writing challenges, and of course some fun and games.

So if you are not going to Melbourne, but still want to join in the writerly fun, join us.

Registrations open in July, with more details to be in the July Hearts Talk.

Do you like the banner? It's brought to you by moi in my designer persona.


~yai~

Diaspora

Diaspora = a scattering; a dispersion; 
The scattering of any people from their original homeland


This is a flash piece I wrote a long time ago as part of my first Clayton's Conference. The theme had been being left behind. I thought I'd share.

Diaspora

The land cried out for all those who had dispersed from its shores.  The old woman sat on the wooden stool knitting with a tear in her eye, blistered hands trying to work a delicate pattern into shape.  It is for her grandchild, half a world away.  The seeds of a generation lost to this land, who had taken root in another.  Here was her life and her world; she could not go with them.  She was lucky – she still had family with her.  But like the land, while it lessened the loss and the ache, she still missed them.

This is a video at the Gabby Awards. 

"Created and hosted by Greek America Magazine, the nation’s most widely-circulated periodical for Greek Americans, the Gabby Awards were founded to celebrate excellence amongst Greek Americans and to reward those who embody it. The word “Gabby” evolves loosely from the acronym Greek America’s Best and Brightest Stars". ~ the Gabby Awards website

It has the song Diaspora by Glykeria, one of Greece's best female voices. This song is very emotional and is sung so beautifully. It is about the Diaspora of Greece (the film clip accompanying the music is about Greek Americans). 

Here are to all those who had to leave their shores and go searching for a new life elsewhere.

~yia~

Conference.... in person and not......

Well the RWAustralia's conference has been and gone. Sorry I couldn't make it. *sniff sniff* But hope to be there next year. However you can check out some pics of the Bootcampers who did make it there.

Instead I did participate (as much as the flu would allow) in the Clayton's conference organised by the wonderful Rhian and Sandie. Thank you ladies. It's nice to connect with writers in cyberspace and still have a fab conference. And I did get a prize for the best Query Letter. I am so chuffed with that.

Am off to rest....
Yia!