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Thursday 19 July 2007

Lust in Time...


Please take a squiz at my latest cover. Click on the cover and it will take you to where you can read all about Lust in Time. Lust and Time – two things we both crave and need.

Check out the latest in our blog serial on - http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com. Did you miss part two yesterday? Don’t worry you’re in luck. Head over to http://www.annycook.blogspot.com/ and have a read.

I have been very busy at work today. Yes, I actually did a bit of the stuff I am paid for but mainly I did what are called FLE’s. I am not one hundred percent sure what FLE stands for. Initials in general annoy me. Why can’t we just speak the words? Anyway when FLE’s land in your inbox from your editor you need to get your finger out and get onto them PDQ (pretty damn quick – end of initials for today OK?) My book Thief of Mine is released 20th July. Before a book is released it goes through the last stage of corrections. This is where someone goes through with a fine tooth comb and says things like “What the bloody hell is she talking about?” or “That makes no sense at all.” My biggest form of corrections? I speak fluent Aussie and non-Aussies don’t always understand what we antipodeans are spruiking. For example – if I said someone was talking “ninety to the dozen” would you know what I meant? Or If I said “he had tickets on himself?” Or what about a “wheelie bin?” Or if I said someone had gone off to their “bolt hole?” These were corrections I had to make and once I got these Aussie words into generic non-Aussie terms everything was beaut mate and no worries. Crikey my editor is a good sheila and deserves a coldie and a Tim Tam after that.

Once I finished FLE’s, my dear friend Ethel messaged me on my mobile phone to tell me that it was 3pm and that she was home from work and already in her flanno shirt and trackie dacks having a glass of wine. “Bitch,” I messaged back. She replied that she would have 17 glasses of wine for me. Always the caring type Ethel. Then I got a text message from Svetlana who is on hols in Europe. I don’t know whether you remember or know but Svetlana was terribly worried about traveling overseas not because of terrorists but because she may not be able to get oyster sauce. Her message said she had heard it been really cold here. That was followed by “ha ha it’s really hot in Europe so suck eggs.” I seem to attract the trashiest bags as friends.

I ended the day at work by getting in trouble. No, not because they found out I write books at work but because a twit of work colleague of mine accidentally forwarded on something I said in an email about the incompetence of another area. You guessed it he forwarded it on to the incompetent area to find out why he could not get what he wanted done. He then realized what a dipstick he had been and then he rang me over and over all afternoon to apologize as we both knew I was in a spot of trouble. Yes, yes we all know work email is for professional use and personal opinions should not be written down…ydah ydah ydah. So the big boss called, as I knew he would, and I said yes it had happened and I take full responsibility. I also added that I stood by every word I wrote - nail your colours to the mast head I say. I find in situations like this if you admit it openly and first then they have nowhere to go with it. I even said that I would be happy to write an email of apology which I did. I worked for a telephone company for 13 very long years. I can write and give a sincere apology without blinking an eye or meaning a word of it. Skippy, my assistant, was secretly disappointed I did not get my arse kicked. Skippy has much to learn.

Amarinda glossary

Ninety to the dozen – talking fast and furious
Tickets on himself – prized himself quite highly
Wheelie bin – Big Trash can on wheels that the garbos (garbologists) pick up trash day
Bolt hole – home, a place to escape to
Flanno shirt – flannelette shirt
Trackie dacks – track suits pants
spruiking (saying).
Cobber – friend
Beaut – great
Crikey - wow
Tim Tam – the food of the gods
Hols - Holidays
Suck eggs - suffer
Trashy bags – loud, proud women with attitude
Dipstick – nitwit, idiot, fool
Go ahead: Live with abandon. Be outrageous at any age. What are you saving your best self for?

4 comments:

Anny Cook said...

Wow! You were spinning today, huh? On your glossary I knew seven! I'm learning all sorts of stuff from you. By the time I make it to Australia, I'll speak like a native!

Glad to know that you understand how things work in the business world. Do it first, admit it freely, apologize lavishly, repeat as necessary!

Phoenix said...

Garbologist(heh?)-Waste Management
FLEs--Final Line Edits??
Flannelette--Flannel shirt
Suck eggs--Actually sucking eggs. preferably rotten ones.
Trashy Bags--Bag Ladies sans ettiquette

Choke the chook and go rework your FLEs, hon. Got a lot more yank to learn.

Charlene Leatherman said...

Love your glossary. Yup, email apologies are part and parcel of the work place. I'll send Morgan to deal with Skippy.

Unknown said...

Blood oath Anny you'll be a bonza Aussie sheila in no time.
Kelly, you are different as always.
And Charlene - yes, please send warrior woman Morgan. Nothing like a bit of mayhem in the office...as long as it does not interrupt my writing