Laura shares information about the writing life, her books, and her own writing journey.
Gold Coast - sunny one day ...
During the past year I have been wondering about why I live on the Gold Coast. I wanted to buy a house and
During the past year I have been wondering about why I live on the Gold Coast. When I decided to buy a house I didn't have any clue where I wanted to live except the climate had to be warm. During the past twelve months I've been distracted with thoughts of why I chose to live in this area and I am so glad I live here.
As a service wife, I've lived in Sydney, Wollongong, Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Brisbane, Townsville, Canungra, USA, and as part of an around Australia trip, in Melbourne for several months. I didn't handle the cold weather too well. Just ask my family. So somewhere warm was number one on the list.
I wanted to be close to the beach and the rainforest. I visit these environments when I want to let the stress of my day drain away. I wanted to feel the energy of the city and its people who aren't afraid to live life their way and get on with it. I wanted a progressive city that looks to the future; Gold Coast is hosting the 2018 Commonwealth Games and to me this means they are looking forward. I don't dig sport...at all, so sport wasn't one of the reasons why I live here.
I like the great eating places and tourist attractions that I love to share with family and friends when they come to visit from out of town. There are also the great film and theatre productions and writers whom I like to meet with, talk writing, sip coffee and swap ideas.
There are long walks along lots of beaches and I've just discovered the Botanic Gardens is a great place to start my day with a morning walk, and a coffee of course. I'm never lost for anywhere to take time away from my writing and blow the cobwebs away.
These are just a few reasons why I live where I live. I'd love to hear why you live where you live. Leave me a comment below.
Distractions at Distractions Espresso
Distractions Espresso, Southport.
It's happened...a broken toe! Of all the times I've hit my toes on a bed leg, corner of the wall or chair leg, I have never broken a toe ... until now. I really whacked it this time.
I can be a bit clumsy sometimes. Mainly because I don't always watch where I'm going because I'm caught up in my creative world with all my characters chatting to each other. I can't resist getting in on the action with them. They are usually acting out my story ahead of time and they are unaware of me having a life. You don't need to be writing a book to whack your toe against the chair leg though. I was clearing the breakfast table when it happened. I yelled and said a couple of words under my breath that will remain unpublished and I shed a few tears. Yes, tears!
It hurt a lot, but I was in denial. My son was staying with me at the time and we were anxious to go out for a coffee at Distractions Espresso in Southport. Great coffee, by the way. I thought it might distract me from my hurting toe. It did!
By the end of the week though it was really painful. My son had returned overseas so there were no more distractions for me. Being sad to be on my own again my thoughts returned to the niggling ache on my left foot. A friend said I really should go and see about it. I did and the result was a broken toe. It is now bound up next to my little toe with a supporting strip of bandage tape. The doctor told me it's the only way it can be treated. I'm glad because I though I was going to have to wear one of those moon boots.
This little event has taught me a few things:
1. Slow down when I'm clearing the dishes, or better still, have someone do them for me.
2. Distractions, such as coffee at Distractions Espresso, are definitely good when one has an aching foot.
3. Take the time to let the toe heal. That means sitting back with the foot up from time to time eating a bit of something sweet, like chocolate.
4. Too much chocolate is bound to put on weight because I'm not walking my regular 6 ks. per day. When I can walk again, it's going to be agony in a different way.
5. Waiting three weeks for the pain to settle so that I can do the walk is really, really annoying. I can read great books though, like Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty.
6. I promise my feet I will slow down around all things that are traps for authors who think they live in a world where chair legs don't matter.
Ah, almost three weeks down ... three to go.