Dim's Write Stuff

 Drinking to victory no matter how big or small. Celebrating Pink October There have been a few comings and goings in my life of late. Swings and round abouts, ups and downs. Call them what you will. My little peanut of a brain prefers not to linger too long upon these quandaries of existence. But a couple of weekends ago, as I was running for the lives of others in the Pink Triathlon against Breast Cancer , the very sobering thought that I could be running for my own, tinged my spirits from the usual vibrant fuchsia to an uncertain dusky rose. Not one to share dilemmas openly or even ask for help in times of need, I went about getting a biopsy in an almost stealth like manner. Such cunning can, unfortunately, not be maintained for long when the questionable growth is situated in prime time position on your snout. Oh well. Luckily I don't harbour great quantities of vanity either but after the cut and slice, I did wonder wh...

OK, so it's not the Gold Coast Marathon, Ironwomen or even the Half Ironman Triathlon, but for many the annual Gold Coast Pink Triathlon  marks a significant challenge and worthy hurdle to clear. This all female event is hosted nation wide and encourages participants to compete in an effort to raise money for research towards Breast Cancer. It's my second year in the running and I'm pleased that I managed to not only beat my time previously, but also come 4th in my age group. A noteworthy achievement for a serious non-sporty type. But apart from the challenge and fun derived from participating, I swim, bike and run essentially so that future generations don't have to endure the experiences with Breast Cancer that many other female members of my family had to. If I can help achieve that in this smallest of ways, then I consider my self a real winner. Check out more pics of the event on my  Visual Stuff page . For those wondering about my training strategy, le...

What defines success for you? Have you succeeded when you get five sets of green traffic lights in a row? Is success not burning the evening meal or even managing to dish up an evening meal? Have you personally won, when you've gained second place in a writing competition? Have you reached your pinnacle after landing the world's most awesome publishing contract, with promises of untold riches and glory? Does the glow of success spread across your dial when a six year old student cries out, "I remember you. You're that author who spoke to us."?   Sadly, at times, I feel it's become an over exploited ideal, often inflated beyond the notion of simply achieving something you set out to attain. Fame, fortune and notoriety are often the measure of success these days in lieu of personal best, self satisfaction and humble adoration from you immediate peers. But it's a label we still all wish that, at some stage in our lives, we can apply to ourselves. So...

I love humour. I love laughing at myself almost as much as I love laughing at others (if only because it seems less rude to do so) I also love writing with humour. But what are the critical elements which cause us to chuckle, which render us unable to suppress a snort or too, which leave us aching in the belly with laughter? What constitutes humour? And how do we find it for the stories we write? At the recent  CYA Conference in Brisbane, talented YA author and all round funny guy, Michael Gerard Bauer  led us through an amusing little seminar exploring the ways in which to make people laugh. There are basically two ways: - Visual Humour - as with using your face to get a baby to smile - With your Words - as writers, we do not have the visual back up that a stand up comic might use, therefore we need to use our words to deliver the punch(line). So... * What is the common ingredient in humour? - The Unexpected = Surprises. That is the punchline...