Hey, it's a heatwave Down Under - no snow, no freezing weather, just good old-fashioned sizzling heat.

40 degrees Celsius = 104 degrees Fahrenheit 

50 degrees Celsius = 122 degrees Fahrenheit

Hello there!

We live in an alternate universe Down Under, where the weather from the Northern Hemisphere saturates our news, but our own weather hardly rates a mention. Polar Vortexes, Sub Zero temperatures, high winds and destruction - so much more exciting than boring old heatwaves and the consequences. Australian weather? We just accept that it's summer, so we expect ridiculously-high temps, with drought/and/or floods/and/or bushfires/and/or cyclones thrown in. What's new? It happens every year when December rolls around. (Funnily enough, that's when I escape to the Northern Hemisphere, being someone who prefers cold to heat, lol!)

The fact that this heatwave has been in full force for about two months, makes it a bit harder to ignore. So I thought I'd do a post and show you a typical day in Australia during 40 - 50 degree Celsius temperatures (Conversion at top). 

This photo was taken near Brisbane (where I live), on a day when it was expected to reach 50C. I think it only got to 46C. Welooked at the sunrise, and commented - 'Looks like we're in for it!'

So if you're lucky enough to be at the beach on the Sunshine Coast for the weekend, you head to the wonderful Baked Poetry Cafe in Peregian Beach and imbibe a cooling iced coffee - bliss!

Baked Poetry Cafe iced coffee, the best I've ever tasted!

Okay, you can't sit there under the shady trees drinking coffee all day, even if it's 46C, so let's head for the beach! Yeah, yeah, I know, you shouldn't be sunbaking in this heat, but what the heck! You can easily cool off with a refreshing dunk!

If you can't get to the beach, you might cool off under the moisture fans wherever you see one!

But we coast dwellers always remember the Outback, where there's no beach and little water for pools - (they head for the nearest dam)...drought is severe and stock are dying. 

The Australian Outback...always sizzling! A great setting for Australian romances...from Australian authors like Annie Seaton, Jenny Schwartz, Anna Campbell et al...

Our native koala is parched too. Anywhere for a drink! Lucky suburban koalas.


Bushfires always abound in summer, especially in 40C+ heat and in the south where the heat is dry! Queensland where I live is humid.

Victoria, in the south of Australia, has had on-going bushfires for weeks. They're really suffering. Many homes have been burnt to the ground.

And of course, it's not a Queensland summer without bushfires. Here's one on North Stradbroke Island, off the coast near Brisbane.

It was 54C this day!

What about writing? Not easy in the heat...



Too hot to be inside, so the Vannguard Writers Group met at the Coffee Club in the city and participated in a writing exercise at the Wednesday Farmer's Market.



My youngest daughter lives in Townsville, where they've already had their first cyclone scare for the year. Luckily, Townsville was spared. It hit the towns to the south, but not too badly.




At the end of another unbearably hot day in Brisbane, you head to South Bank beach, which is open all year round, well into the night.

Too hot to go home to bed, so you may as well take a ride on the Brisbane Wheel.



Ha ha! I hope you enjoyed my photo essay. And the good news is that it has cooled down a little!

• Speaking of Australia, Australian author and friend, Charmaine Clancy, has just released her third MG novel - Undead Kev. Kev follows on from My Zombie Dog and Dognapped?

And I'm looking forward to seeing the movie, Tracks, where a young woman goes on a 1,700 mile trek across the deserts of Western Australia with her four camels and faithful dog. Drama/Biography/Adventure

And finally, let's all cheer our friend Roland Yeomans up by visiting him after his facial surgery. D.G. Hudson has a brilliant post on Roland's progress and his novels. 

They're people too blogfest

This blogfest had me truly beat. I was going to contact Tessa, the host @Tessa's Blurb to ask her to delete me from the list. However I got an idea when blogging around one day, so I’ve had hilarious fun writing this cliche-ridden little piece of dialogue full of Aussie idioms. 

DOWN BY THE BILLABONG

Australian Billabong - courtesy of pacificbliss.com

‘What are we going to do with Slasher?’ Baggie asked. ‘He is off his food lately.’

‘Fair dinkum, Bags, you are a typical first-time mother. You worry too much.’ Ferrous replied.

‘Yes, Ferrie, but he looks like he’s losing weight. It’s a medical condition. It’s called ‘failure to thrive.’’

‘Oh, fiddle-de-di, Baggie! Let the kid eat grass for all I care. He’ll get over it. There's no vegemite sangers here. He’d better get over his fussing if he’s going to be a part of this family.’

Ferrous stomped his fat feet and shot away. He couldn’t stand his whiny female at times. She drove him to the drink.

Baggie tried again. ‘Come here Slasher,’ she cooed. The poor little kid had been hiding in the bushes, listening to every uncaring word his father had said.

Her tiny son poked his dirty pointy nose from under the rough grass.

‘Oh, mummy, I’m sorry, but I just don’t like that food you give me. It’s too tough. It tastes like shoe leather.’

‘Food’s short at the moment Slashie. You know how I told you about the domino effect?’

‘Y..e..s, I remember. But what has tough food got to do with dominoes?’

‘Well, our main food supply is reliant on the tourist industry. Now, listen up,’ she scolded as Slasher began to wriggle away, bored at the lecture that he knew was coming. Sometimes his mother was like a broken record. No wonder his father spent all his time in the drink.

His mother continued, regardless. ‘No tourists, Slasher, affects our food economy. It means not much tucker on the table. We have to eat from the leftovers we’ve put up in the boom time.’

‘So now we’re in bust times, aren’t we Mummy?’ He thought about it, ‘But why aren’t the tourists coming, Mummy? You said Australia’s economy is pretty strong compared to the rest of the world. You told me only yesterday that our dollar was close to parity with the mighty American dollar.’ Slasher was truly puzzled.

‘Well, it's what is called a media beat up, Slasher. The media loves a sensational story and they make sure everyone knows about a family of particularly vicious crocodiles that hang out in this area. The Tourist Advisory Board advises the tourists to stay away from here after the latest death by crocodile. You know, that young fella from Norway who was taken very close to here.’

‘Oh, then what will we eat, Mummy?’

‘Don’t you worry about that, Slashie. Those silly tourists never listen to anything they’re told. They think they're immortal. They’ll be back, you mark my words. Crikey, they always think it won’t happen to them. Fair dinkum they're so ignorant.’ She tossed her head in disgust and smiled her biggest toothy smile at her boy.

‘And we’ll be waiting when they come back, won’t we Mummy?’ Slasher winked his big brown eye with killer lashes, getting into the spirit of things.

‘Yes, Slashie. Daddy’s already down in the river, hiding under those pretty waterlilies the tourists love so much.’

‘Oh, and Mummy, when they lean over real close with their big cameras Daddy will snap one, won’t he?’

‘He sure will, clever Slasher. You’ll never go hungry again!’

THE END

Hope you’re not too grossed out. I enjoyed this way too much. I hope Tourism Australia will not be onto me! Ha! Ha!


I would appreciate it if you could tell me at what stage you knew what I was personifying. 

Now please read some more They're People Too blogfest entries by clicking on Tessa's link at the top.

GLOSSARY OF TERMS:

Baggie - short for 'handbag', of which many are of crocodile skin made
Fiddle-de-di - a cry used by one Scarlett O'Hara from the most excellent book Gone With the Wind
'You'll never go hungry again!' - a play on dear Scarlett's words in the most excellent GWTW
Billabong - a pool of water in the bed of a stream that flows intermittently
The drink - a pun, meaning both 'alcohol' and 'river/billabong/ocean' etc
Ferrous - a play on the word 'ferocious', of which many a crocodile is, especially when confronted by a tasty human
Slasher - crocodiles have many a razor sharp tooth to eat you with, just like Grandma
Vegemite sangers - Black greasy vege substance peculiar to Oz spread onto bread. Travelling Australians miss it with a passion - can I send any expats a bottle?

©DeniseCovey 2010

Aussie Author Challenge - 8 Aussie Book Reviews before 31st December 2010. My first, Breath, by Tim Winton.

I signed up for the AUSSIE AUTHOR CHALLENGE some months ago, but have not begun my reviews of Aussie books at this stage. I'd better get moving before NaNoWrMo starts in November when all other projects will be on the back burner. If you're not an Aussie, (for this challenge you're called a Tourist) but would like to post a review or 3 on an Aussie author, sign up by clicking the link above.

There are lots of excellent Aussie authors, some who're strutting the international stage and some who keep a low profile. Well, like, who hasn't heard of Germaine Greer or Mr Booker himself, Peter Carey? Not my faves, but reading is a matter of personal taste, isn't it?

This Challenge started on 1 January 2010 and ends 31 December 2010. If you are considering joining up, here are the rules:

RULES:
1. Write a challenge sign-up post on your blog  In that post provide a link to the original post:
http://www.bookloverbookreviews.com/2009/12/im-hosting-aussie-author-challenge-sign.html
acknowledging Booklover Book Reviews and put the Challenge Button on your sidebar (grab mine), linking the button to the challenge post.
2. Add your name and the direct link to your AUSSIE AUTHOR CHALLENGE sign-up post in the Mister Linky list.
3. Decide which Aussie authors you will read in 2010, although you can change your book titles or challenge level at anytime!
4. Each time you read and review a book as part of this challenge, share this with other challenge participants by adding a direct link to your book review to the list at this post AUSSIE AUTHOR CHALLENGE Book Reviews.
5. When you have completed the challenge, add a link to your completion post here: Completion Post List.

If you would simply love to read some excellent book reviews, there are over 100 already written, so click on the AUSSIE AUTHOR CHALLENGE Book Reviews link above and read to your heart's content.

Here is my first book review for this challenge.


Breath, by Tim Winton - not just another book about surfing...

Tim Winton, a major Australian novelist, is categorised by some as a sort of beach poet, a creator of sprawling epics inflected by the grandeur of the landscape they inhabit. His subject is dark and at times troubling.

In many ways Breath is almost archetypal in its simplicity compared to many of Winton’s dark stories. Two friends, Bruce "Pikelet" Pike and Loonie, outsiders for different reasons, discover surfing, drawn to its intoxicating thrill. The breaks the teenagers surf are wild and often lonely and certainly dangerous, but they get to know some of the other surfers who visit them, including the enigmatic Sando, a lone wolf, wild-man surfer. Through Sando, Pikelet and Loonie meet Eva, Sando's wife, a former champion freestyle skier crippled by a ruined knee.

As Sando initiates the two boys into the mysteries and terrors of surfing's outer reaches, encouraging, cajoling and finally bullying the two of them into joining him in taking greater and greater risks, they become a "select and peculiar club . . . a cult. Sando and his maniacal apprentices".


But as the waves they surf grow larger, the breaks more dangerous, Pikelet grows less easy with Loonie and Sando's patronage, until finally Sando and Loonie disappear overseas on a surfing trip in Indonesia, leaving Pikelet behind. Left to their own devices, Pikelet and Eva slip heedlessly into a sexual relationship, something Pikelet believes is love and Eva sees as something quite different.

Breath is not the first time Winton has written about surfing. But in Breath that understanding is married to a sense of what Pikelet calls the "primary thrill of surfing, the huge body-rush we got flying down the line with the wind in our ears. We didn't know what endorphins were, but we quickly understood how narcotic the feeling was, and how addictive it became; from day one I was stoned from just watching".

The subject is one that allows Winton the space to unravel his remarkable linguistic gift for evoking place and the complex webs of association that bind people to the landscapes they inhabit. The repeated deployment of this gift to re-create the relatively confined setting of Winton's novels has led to him being regarded as a quintessentially Australian writer. Some reviewers consider Winton as the inheritor of the same American tradition as Cormac McCarthy, Annie Proulx or Jim Harrison, a tradition that for all its affinities with Carver's brand of pared-back social realism, owes its greatest debt to Faulkner.


It's unlikely Winton has ever written as well as he writes in Breath, a book that marries the lyricism of work such as his wonderful Cloudstreet to the adamantine hardness of the stories in The Turning. I love how his descriptions of the ocean leap from the page, revealing this wild landscape with a clarity and an intimacy that lets us see it all over again. Yet simultaneously this lyric imagination is further deepened by the darkness lurking behind it. For as Pikelet comes to realise, surfing may be beautiful but it is also something more: a pretext for a particular kind of male (and, as the ruined freestyler Eva demonstrates, sometimes female) risk-taking behaviour; a need for danger that is in its own way as addictive as drugs or drink or any one of a range of self-destructive behaviours.

And while Winton is not the only writer to have plumbed this dark side of surfing - the American Kem Nunn, whose work Winton has himself praised, has built a career around depicting the macho world of surfing with chilling accuracy - Breath's looping structure and glancing depiction of the damage wrought on Pikelet lends its questions about the cost of such behaviour with real poignancy.

In a way Breath is a sort of coming-of-age story, perhaps one you might normally expect to find in the work of a much younger and less-experienced writer. Yet Winton nails it.

Its seeming simplicity is deceptive, for beneath its pared-back surfaces lies all the steel of a major novelist operating at full throttle in a territory he has spent 25 years making his own.

Hope you enjoyed this review. Happy reading...Denise

Thanks to James Bradley, for his review in The Age. I have referred to some of his content.