Youth conference and transformation

Talked at the youth conference last week- where I was first after lunch- a bad position to start from. They didn't stop chatting until I started reading them a story- which I guess shows me what they are more interested in listening to!
I have been mentoring another writer Heidi Ch'ng and we have been talking about the ending of novels. Like Ursula Le Guin I believe that drama and narrative is about change and so by the end of the novel I expect some change or transformation to have occurred at some point.

I've also recently spoke at a Victorian Writers Centre gig about writing culture. I found it really refreshing to listen to Alice Pung and her take on writing about her culture of origin. Gorkem Acaroglu a Russian-Turkish artist also talked about defying stereotypes and respecting other cultures. As for me writing about Vietnamese culture and Buddhism is part of my milieu at the moment- because I'm still fascinated with ghosts, spirits and madness.

Alice Pung has asked me to write for the Asian-Australian book she is editing. I have found to my surprise that my rage has gone. I don't know where it went- it may be because I have now found a home in Vietnamese Buddhism and amongst the younger generation Australian-Vietnamese so I'm not so displaced from my culture of origin anymore. Maybe that story of transformation is what I can write about for Alice's book.

back in Melbourne

Haven't posted here for a very long time- but have been busy of late. I sold one story "Mara" to Borderlands an Australian Fantasy and Science Fiction journal. Last weekend there was a rehearsed reading of my play "Silence" at La Mama Theatre. The feedback was very interesting- some people wanted the rituals to be explained more, others felt that the purpose of art was to have a message (which I think is simplistic and rubbish). Other feedback was very sophisticated and I will incorporate that feedback into my play. Next week I will be giving a speech at the Vietnamese Youth Conference- which will probably be the most important speech I give all year. I say this because the most valuable interaction I have with readers I feel is when I get to speak to secondary school students. Theya re the next wave of possible artists and I want them to value their voice (and themselves). I also talked at the Emerging Writers Festival on working within the dominant culture- which all the panellists interpreted as white Australia.