Hello from Down Under

[RK Wallis]

Hey all,

My name is Rachel and the golden beaches of Sydney are my home (pity I hate the beach!). You're already superstars in my eyes, as I've been watching Pop up Submissions for a couple of months, having only just discovered it.

At 41, I had a stroke and now I'm permanently disabled, but my mind is as its always been. Although I ran my own law practice before my stroke, I wrote 2 novels (the drawer-kind) and now I can't do law? I'm relieved, and excited to do what I've always loved. Really, the stroke was a blessing (although, I didn't think that once during my 16 month hospital stay!).

I now type with one hand, and that's a daily challenge So, this writing business must be love!

In fact, in my naive days living in London, I remember submitting my first novel to agents, oh dear!

Cheers
Rachel

 

[Dan Payne]

Hey Rachel, nice to see you! A bunch of us Aussies all arriving at once. Seems to be the kind of thing we do.

Now just need to make sure we don't spend all of our time here and not a) on other forums we might happen to know about, and b) working on our WIP.

 

[RK Wallis]

Hey Dan!

How true is that?

 

[Barbara]

Welcome to the Colony, Rachel. Wow. What a journey. There's clearly no stopping you. I so admire your fighting spirit. Look forward to seeing your work.

 

[RK Wallis]

Thanks, Barbara It's funny how the human spirit copes. I mention that, just as a note of where I've been, I don't let it define me. I have moved on and into the writing part of my life. I'm looking forward to learning all I can and seeing everyone else's work

 

[Barbara]

What genre do you write in?

 

[Carol Rose]

Welcome!

 

[AgentPete]

Rachel, welcome! Really nice to have so many Aussies here.

I was doing a book tour of Oz some years ago (loved it, btw). A reporter asked me – what’s different about the Australian version of your book?

I thought a bit, then replied, quite seriously, “Well, this version has been translated into Ocker.” She wrote it down without blinking. Never found out if it made it into print…

 

[RK Wallis]

Thanks gals

Barbara, YA fantasy though I wonder if some of my language and subtext makes it more adult. Hopefully not!

 

[Paul Whybrow]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Hello Rachel, lovely to have you here. Huge changes you are weathering. I relate. Once there was no wheelchair, and one went out to work, and then....
I am sorry. This is one tough situation you are dealing with. But new and good things CAN come out of bad things. What are your novels in a drawer?
Do you write legal thrillers ?

 

[RK Wallis]

Exactly! Not tried legal thrillers yet, I practiced in property, so still searching for the excitement in that, lol. I'm more of a romance gal, so romance before, but decided I prefer romantic subplots. What about you?

 

[Eva Ulian]

Hello Rachel- I so admire you.

 

[Emily]

Welcome to the Colony, Rachel, that's an extraordinary life lived so far; great admiration from the other side of the world

 

[Katie-Ellen]

Exactly! Not tried legal thrillers yet, I practiced in property, so still searching for the excitement in that, lol. I'm more of a romance gal, so romance before, but decided I prefer romantic subplots. What about you?

Property. Oooh, so many exciting possibilities. Romantic or nasty haunted houses. Why couldn't one be haunted in a good way for a change? A house that heals all hurts. No one has written that house. Psychological thriller or kitchen sink drama. Crime! Sci fi? It is a spaceship disguised as a house. A portal to another dimension. Sometimes it is there, sometimes it isn't. Not far from where I live is a famously haunted house, Chingle Hall. Legal issue in the news. Property was sold but the new owner did not see the ghosts. Where were the ghosts? Ghosts were PROMISED.

Me. Various. A contemporary ghost story...policeman is a psychic medium. Not a detective. A constable on a personal grail quest.

 

[Webbwalker]

Hello and welcome Rachel. What an extraordinary life you've lived.

 

[Leonora]

Welcome! Nice to meet you.

 

[ghuffman]

Welcome, Rachel! "This writing business must be love..." No truer words written, for you and all of us

 

[Lex Black]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[Nikky Lee]

Wow, what a journey. Welcome and glad to have you here!

 

[Marc Joan]

Welcome!

 

[Robinne Weiss]

Welcome to the Colony!

 

[AliG]

Welcome to Litopia. Will we see one of yours as a pop-up too?

 

[Geoff]

Hello and welcome!

 

[RK Wallis]

Hey @AliG, yes, I've submitted my memoir to see if I'm actually engaging the reader. i.e. Am I using the right tactics?