Tag Archives: Blaine Colton Trilogy
Blogger? Let’s Hope
“So, you’re a blogger?”
“Er … yes …”
Ever experienced that lengthy pause, before launching into a disclaimer about how you haven’t blogged in X months and why? Well lately that’s been me. You see, this year has been a bit on the supercharged side of busy. So I’ve been rather quiet blog wise.
The last few weeks I’ve been trying to wrestle out enough time to change that. Not only because it’s rather awkward when “blogger” is prominently featured on your business card (whose idea was that???), but I’ve had some wonderful experiences I’ve wanted to share with my faithful followers. (Let’s face it, by now you deserve some kind of medal!)
Symposiums seem to be the theme of the season. Recently I found myself in Sydney as an attendee, and last week I had the privilege of being involved in the “Unleash the Beast” event in Toowoomba, as part of International Mental Health Day. Annexed to that symposium, was “Write Around Toowoomba” hosted by the City Library, for which I presented “Finding Hope Through Fiction”.
Now, you never quite know who’ll turn up to your presentations, but I can tell you I had a small but amazing group of attendees. As I shared from some of the themes in the Blaine Colton Trilogy and other YA novels I’ve read lately, I was so appreciative for the insightful and well considered responses of the group. And our focus? Hope.
With Mental Wellness being such a broad and multilayered issue, this was the idea that just kept coming up as I was preparing. I figured I’d best pay attention! Given YA literature has been associated with dark/grim kind of plots, it was great to hear other’s thoughts on this, along with exploring ways to find hope for ourselves, and others in our circle of influence.
Particularly encouraging is that we don’t need to have all the answers to care for and support someone going through a difficult time, and our own perseverance through hardship isn’t wasted—for ourselves and others. That’s how we can learn to be hopeful.
It’s good to be reminded that even in the darker days in life, hope can work its way into our circumstances. And how beautiful to know we can be a part of that journey toward hope for others, too.
Author Interview: Blaine Colton trilogy
For the next couple of posts I thought I’d follow up my latest blog by sharing some more interviews. But this time it’s me being interviewed!
In the interview linked below I’m talking to Wombat Books/Rhiza Press Director, Rochelle Manners, about the Blaine Colton trilogy. This brief chat is a nice prelude to what’s coming next time … but more about that then. 😉
For now, I’ll hand you over to Rochelle.
Author interview: Blaine Colton trilogy & writing with Rochelle Manners
Risky Business
Is there a risk in being loved?
No matter what relationship’s under the microscope, friendship, romance or family, to truly connect we need to become vulnerable. And vulnerability’s risky business.
Anyone who’s read my novels knows relationships are a big theme. Recently I received a review for the first novel in the Blaine Colton trilogy, that perfectly surmised the underpinning issue:
Blaine can’t stop thinking about one night of near heavenly bliss spent with his best friends Sophie and her brother Jett. More time with Sophie tops Blaine’s priorities … and yet … if he is an illegal GMO, will he ever have the right to love and be loved? [Emphasis mine]
I have a theory that self-worth and healthy connection are intimately linked. To clarify, I’m not talking so much about self-esteem, but self-worth, and Dr Christina Hibbert defines this perfectly in her blog ‘the psychologist, the mom & me’:
Self-esteem is what we think and feel and believe about ourselves. Self-worth is recognizing “I am greater than all of those things”. It is a deep knowing that I am of value, that I am loveable, necessary to this life, and of incomprehensible worth.
One of Blaine’s greatest struggles is believing he’s worthy of love, even of life. This doubt undermines him time and again, at times, tricking him into believing the world and those he cares for might be better off without him. On one hand, he has his adoptive parents telling him he’s been created with great love and care, wonderfully wrought, even before anyone knew of his existence. On the other hand, he’s confronted by the abandonment and rejection of his birth parents, who for a long time he believes dropped him like a steaming potato because of his overwhelming health challenges. (Like anything, it’s more complicated than that.) He longs to have friends, to love and be loved, but his physical imperfections and disabilities often seem an insurmountable obstacle.
What makes him valuable, lovable, in a world that glorifies perfection?
This is gritty stuff. No matter how many times Blaine’s family and friends tell him otherwise, it’s a matter he has to settle for himself. Especially when facing a reality where all he can do is ‘be’.
Although our circumstances may differ from Blaine’s, I suspect this grapple with self-worth is a struggle we all face at one time or another. When self-worth is a pivotal factor for achieving healthy, relationship-appropriate levels of intimacy, it can become a vicious cycle of yearning to let people near then hiding our flaws, or pushing them away so they can’t see how imperfect, unworthy and unlovable we really are.
Perhaps a cultural ideology that focusses so much on self-pride and feeling good about ourselves is a poor exchange for an inherent knowledge of our worth. The fact is, there are times we all mess up, make dumb choices, act out and do stuff that’s just plain unhealthy. It’s pretty hard to feel good then. And then there’s phase two: beating ourselves up because of these mistakes. But does this make us less valuable?
In our head we can tell ourselves it’s not what we do, say, earn, wear or how we look that determines our worth. It’s much harder telling our heart. It’s even harder to risk what someone else might think. Any relationship that goes beyond superficial acquaintance brings a risk of rejection and hurt. But when I think of those I do life with(every bumpy, emotionally warty, physically imperfect one of them 🙂 ) I recognise those who are willing to see beyond my many flaws and journey with me, are the ones who make it their business to remind me of my intrinsic worth.
Are relationships risky business? For sure. But with great risk can come great gain.
Confessions of a Science Geek
Did you know I’m a self-confessed science geek? If you’ve met me, I’m pretty sure you do. In fact, it becomes a little obvious when you read my near-science fiction trilogy (science-based speculative fiction that feels like it could happen now in our modern world) and my current WIP, which is a science fantasy time-slip parallel narrative. What may surprise you is that there have been times I’ve been at reader-writer events and felt like a fish out of water.
What may also surprise you is that science fiction isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. (I know, right?) At some events I not only have to explain what my techno-thriller novels are about, I find myself talking a lot about the genre and where my novels fit. But not this weekend just gone!
Have you heard of Oz Comic-Con? I had, but until science-fiction author friend, Lynne Stringer, and fantasy/science fiction author friend, Jeanette O’Hagan, contacted me, I didn’t realise the event had anything to do with books. How wrong I was—and it’s been a blast.
My enjoyment of this event was for multiple reasons. It was my first Oz Comic-Con and I was there with friends. Writers, if you’re ever going to a new event as an exhibitor, consider sharing your stall (if possible) with an author friend or two in a suitable genre. Not only could we take breaks and cover for each other (we even got to meet & greet with other stall exhibitors), we found if one of us didn’t have the type of story a reader was interested in, the other might, and usually did. The other fantastic factor was the attendees spoke our language!
Now, I’ve been to signings or events where there are heaps of booklovers in attendance, but rarely have I spoken to so many people with an interest in science at a single event, let alone science fiction. In fact, if the attendees who visited our stall weren’t into science fiction, they were into fantasy—or both! Sure, I still had to tell people about my stories, but it was amazing having them so familiar with a genre they’d break in partway to clarify exactly where the novels fit. Some knew just the sort of books they liked and were happy to try a new author like me (or Jeanette or Lynne). (Happy author heart … Love sharing stories with people who are excited about reading them. <3 <3)
The other fantastic factor, and the one that remains the highlight whatever event I’m attending, were the people. SO many new faces and stories (life-stories, that is) and some seriously cool names. And then there were the amazing costumes. Like, wow!
Folks, I think I’ve found my literary tribe. Don’t worry readers, I won’t neglect my other author connections, but honestly, this was serious fun. Next time you’ll have to come along for the ride!
