Shock Therapy

Feb 4, 2015 | Books - Theatre - Writing

It’s a big thing in entertainment to shock your audience. TV trolls us with teasers all the time: “You won’t believe the shocking twist!” “The last five minutes will shock you!” There’s value in shock. It feels good, as an artist, to make people gasp and sit a little...

The Best Question

Feb 2, 2015 | Books - Theatre

In my post last week about the passing of Colleen McCullough, I mentioned that when I met her I wasted my one question. It was at a book signing. She was promoting her book Morgan's Run, and I asked an historical quibble about prisoners and New South Wales v. the...

Master of Rome

Jan 29, 2015 | Books

Today I am broken-hearted. Colleen McCullough has died.  I throw a lot of love and attention towards Dorothy Dunnett, and often tell people that she's the pinnacle of the genre. But Colleen is probably the author who most changed my life. It is safe to say...

Forget the Map, Just Explore

Jan 28, 2015 | Books - Theatre - Writing

My kids go to a great school, and through them I get to meet other artists. One of them is a very talented short story writer. She had a banner year in 2014, and got lots of attention. Of course, from every literary agent she talked to, she heard this: “I love your...