Nov
24

A Writer’s Life at Varuna

I am thrilled to be staying at Varuna Writers’ House in Katoomba, Blue Mountains. For an entire week I’m devoting all my time to writing, reading, thinking and communing with fellow writers. No shopping to do, meals to cook, house to clean, appointments to attend, kids, hubby, family to cater to, or anything to interrupt the flow of thoughts. Bliss. Bliss. Bliss. Am I spoilt? Yes – and loving it.

We certainly are spoilt here. On arrival, BANG went all my ideas that maybe I’d lose a kilo or two away from easy access to my fridge. This fridge is super well stocked, as is the larder with too many yummies to mention. Sheila’s meals are scrumptious and I’m taking notes of some of her ideas. I’d better start looking at some of the healthy snack options too, before I have to send home for larger size clothes.

Best of all here (not counting the absolute freedom of time to write) is the creative atmosphere. The house is so quiet during the day with all the resident writers squirrelled away in their various nooks working hard. My writing space is attached to my bedroom, and wonderfully light, bright and airy. A solid desk, a reading chair under the window and the vista so superbly peaceful and open to the gardens as if nature is right there all around me.

Gazing at the glorious trees, hearing the call of the birdsong chirruping nearby and out in the distance lightens my spirit and spurs my fingers to type or write. Funny how freehand seems to be more appealing in this part of the world this morning. Yesterday too, and I wrote for a couple of hours in the garden.

The day was hugely productive and I added two new sections to my novel, as well as taking time to curl up in the chair reading a chapter of A History of Australia VI by C.M.H Clark. That’s another blissful bonus at Varuna. They have a fabulous library to thrill any writer. I could easily stay here indefinitely and read my way through it. Ahh, to dream. Actually no, now I’m going back to work.

 Only here, it seems a furphy to even call it work.

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Comments

Angela Sunde

That looks like heaven. I’m so glad to hear it’s going so well. And I see a plotting board. Would you like to share with us your planning strategies?

November 24, 2010 at 10:56 am
Reply
    christinemareebell" alt="christinemareebell">

    christinemareebell

    Heaven it is here, Angela.

    I’ll paste a link below to my blog post from a couple of weeks ago on my method of “Manuscript Mapping/Scene Interrogation”. It’s working really well for me and helping me see gaps and where I can insert certain short scenes I’ve noticed are missing, or where they should be added into. It’s also given me a really clear idea of which sections I need to work on. 🙂 Chris

    November 24, 2010 at 5:32 pm
    Reply
Karen Tyrrell" alt="Karen Tyrrell">

Karen Tyrrell

Hi Chris,
You lucky girl! Love to go there some day.
Hope your writing is inspired …Cheers, Karen :))

November 24, 2010 at 5:11 pm
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kathleenjayne" alt="kathleenjayne">

kathleenjayne

Oh my goodness. Peace and quiet? Sunshine? A well stocked fridge? It sounds like heaven! So glad that you’re loving it there, Chris.

November 24, 2010 at 5:48 pm
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Sheryl Gwyther" alt="Sheryl Gwyther">

Sheryl Gwyther

Oh, you brought back so many wonderful memories to me, Chris. Varuna is a beautiful place, and so easy to slip into the writing mode.
I’m so glad you’re enjoying all its many charms, including Sheila’s cooking. Your week at Varuna will last you a lifetime, believe me! Looking forward to hearing more of your experiences there. 🙂

November 25, 2010 at 7:45 am
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Dee White" alt="Dee White">

Dee White

Looks like writer heaven, Chris,

So pleased for you that you are getting so much out of it.

It looks and sounds like a truly wonderful place for any writer.

Dee:)

November 25, 2010 at 9:00 am
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katswhiskers" alt="katswhiskers">

katswhiskers

Oh wow. Sounds idyllic. Keep sharing the dream – and living it. 🙂

November 25, 2010 at 11:14 am
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Dale" alt="Dale">

Dale

All sounds great Chris. Brings back happy memories for me too.

November 25, 2010 at 11:38 am
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james26354" alt="james26354">

james26354

Very jealous of your view from your desk.

December 5, 2017 at 9:05 am
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Categories: My writing journey The Writing Life

Tags: Varuna Writers' House, writing retreat

Praise for No Small Shame

Christine Bell’s No Small Shame is impossible to put down. Her writing is wonderful, wise and empathetic. No Small Shame is a masterful debut novel, and an excellent addition to Australia’s historical fiction genre. Full review.

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Bell’s evocation of setting is an outstanding feature of the novel. Her social and physical landscapes of the years 1909 to 1919 are vivid with sensory and historical colour. Full Review.

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An absorbing, convincing and heartbreaking picture of a woman trapped in an impossible marriage. I ached for Mary and grew to love the defiant spirit shining through her doubts and fears.

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No Small Shame is a beautiful and inspiring story about female power. Christine Bell gives us a brilliant story of female heroism and shows us that women are capable of much more than we could ever really know. Full review.

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Compelling and addictive. … a rich and absorbing experience. Full Review.

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What distinguishes the novel is its rich characterization. Each character in this carefully drawn work lifts off the page, evoking our enduring interest and empathy.

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An epic tale of a woman who finds her voice and ultimately, her agency. Meticulously researched, ambitious in scope and compelling in realisation.

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My heart hurt, my heart soared, and I was left thinking about the amazing women who paved the way for women today. Full review.

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No Small Shame is an important reminder of how far we have come in Australia … and how much we need to protect. It is a story crafted with great empathy – and immense believability. Full Review.

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