Welcome to Varuna:
This is my home for the next two weeks. For anyone who doesn’t know, Varuna is in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. It was the family home of Eric and Eleanor Dark, and since 1989 it has served as a writers’ centre. Writers come to work on their project without the distractions and interruptions of home.
The house—my room’s the one on the top floor with the bay windows.
In the Garden:
Autumn colour
Despite the clouds, the sun managed to break through …
Lichen and lace
I had to bring some of it into my room:
You can probably imagine how inspiring it might to be surrounded by all of this—and I’ve just shown you the garden! Inside the house, there are shelves of books in every room, photos lining the walls and mantelpieces, fresh fruit and hearty dinners, and the companionship of other writers. And outside the grounds are the mountains and waterfalls …
It‘s impossible to stay here and not feel the pull of something special. Before I left, other writers who’d been here spoke so warmly about it. I now understand why …
PS/ I’m ashamed to say that I’m very botanically illiterate. If anyone can name the flowers, I would be grateful.
What beautiful photos Louise – I hope you’re having a wonderfully productive time.
I feel like I’m making progress … I met with one of the consultants on Tuesday, and she gave me some really good and really useful feedback—so I’m busy getting stuck into that …
By the way, you don’t know the names of the flowers, do you?
Oh, that sounds great.
I’m afraid I can’t help you with the flowers – not much of a green thumbs.
No, neither am I. I do, however, appreciate the beauty of other people’s green thumbs …
What a beautiful place to write in. I love the photos. I was in Katoomba and Leura about a month ago and hope to take Blue Eyes there next year. The Blue Mountains in Autumn are spectacular.
The colours are spectacular, especially coming from Perth where autumn is yet to hit …
Thanks for visiting 🙂
I have never read Eleanor Dark but know she is one of Australia’s most respected writers with “The Timeless Land”. Those photographs are gorgeous Louise. I hope you write up a storm 🙂
No, I haven’t read her either, and only parts of her biography before I came here. She and her husband are held in such high esteem, not just for their literary works and philanthropy, but also their conservation efforts. A very inspiring couple.
Thanks for visiting, Pinky 🙂
Oh Louise, those Varunians are so very fortunate to have you in their midst — a gifted writer and extraordinary person. So my tidbit of advice for you while in Varuna —write fast , write furiously, write like no one’s looking over your shoulder or ever going to read your work,(which of course they will) . Write with confidence is what I’m trying to say. Self- belief plays such a vital role in this writing game. Keep writing because you’re pretty damn good at it!
Thanks, Marlish. That’s really nice to hear 🙂
By the way, my friend’s book club have just read your ‘Bookshop on Jacaranda Street’ and will be discussing it next Monday night. My friend said she really enjoyed reading it! Talking of self-confidence, etc., you’re a pretty good writer yourself!
Beautiful photos, thinking of you x
Thanks, Rae 🙂 Thanks.
Am sure that in the back of my mind the names of the flowers are lurking…. but they aren’t willing to show themselves at the moment. Will get back to you.
In the meantime – what a perfect time of year to be there! I love the mountains at this time of year – all the crisp air and vibrant colours of autumn. Enjoy, write like the wind, and savour.
Yes, please let me know. I think the little white ones might be ‘Abelia’, but I’m not sure. And the mauve one might be ‘Crocus etruscus’, but again I’m not sure …
Thank you for sharing these beautiful photos and your delight in Varuna. I love Marlish’s advice. Write fast and furiously and enjoy the process.
I’m trying to write fast and furiously, but the words will only come when and as they come. However, I am enjoying the process. Thanks for your encouragement, Maureen. 🙂
I love the photos, and hope you have an inspiring time of it. I visited last year when the cicadas were everywhere, and the place really does have a special feel. A good place to take the time to contemplate and polish the very fine manuscript that you already have.
Thanks, Iris. It is a special place and sets the mood for thinking and writing and creating. I must correct you on one thing, though—my manuscript is not ‘very fine’ and I’m in the process of fixing its many faults. That’s one thing I’ve gained from this time—a more realistic view of my manuscript …
I have to say I found the section I read compelling. Sounds like it will be getting better and better. 🙂
Iris, I hope I am making it better—sometimes it’s hard to know. The consultant didn’t have much to critique about the first part of the book. It’s more the middle …
From my limited experience, all that sounds pretty much par for the course. It’s not an easy thing to do, but that’s the fun of it (in a twisted kind of way!) What I say to myself is ‘keep on keeping on’. If you can get the beginning right, you can get the middle right too.
Yes, that’s what everyone says. I have to rearrange it so that it keeps the tension moving forward. And also so it keeps its focus.
And you are right—it’s a matter of plugging away—I’ve got this far, so I’m not giving up on it now! I read a quote from someone that the real work of writing a novel starts after you think you’ve finished!
Marvelous pictures Louise; I can almost smell the flowers. How wonderful that you have time to contemplate life and work on your novel. Varuna seems to have cast it’s spell on you. Enjoy your special time there.
It’s a wonderful place. Quiet, peaceful—perfect for writing. It’s like being on a retreat.
I’d heard so many good things about it before I came, and now I know why.
Thanks for your comment!
Oh how wonderful and yes, I agree with everyone that you are just in the best place you need to be for you right now. We were in Katoomba last year and it’s just lovely. Looking forward to a catch up and good luck with novel tweaking. Come home soon and tell me how to tweak mine 🙂
Katoomba is enchanting—plenty of green and mountains, and lots of art of all varieties. I’m feeling blessed to be here, and I am trying to make the most of it!
Minor correction: I’m doing a bit more than ‘tweaking’ this novel while I’m here. Some major structural changes—as in, replacement of a few thoracic vertebrae (i.e., not the biggest ones, but still fairly major backbones).
Looking forward to catching up when I return. Thanks for visiting. xx
wow! beautiful!
Thanks! There’s beauty everywhere here!
Now back from a month in North America and doing some catching up. Re the flowers, I’m not an expert but I believe that is an Abelia (it’s a great shrub I think), and the purple is, I believe, an autumn crocus. Is the red berry a cotoneaster? And the last flower, a camellia? I guess they are all pretty much temperate plants – of course, given where they are – so probably not likely to be seen in Perth!
I’ve heard so much about Varuna. Sounds like a wonderful place – in concept as well as physically beautiful. i hope you achieved what you wanted to achieve.
Hope you had a wonderful time in North America! Thanks for the info on the flowers, Sue! I think you’re right about the Abelia and Camellia, and will go and look up autumn crocus and cotoneaster as I’ve never heard of them …
Varuna is wonderful—the perfect place to write, a true retreat from the ‘real’ world. I got so much done, but haven’t really hit my stride yet since I’ve come back. The ‘real’ world is so full of distractions—just minor things like kids and husband!
I hadn’t heard of Autumn Crocus until we saw some in Japan! But the ones we saw there looked just like yours. They mystified me at the time, as I thought Crocus was only a spring bulb but I researched them and found there was indeed an autumn variety.
I’m less certain about the Cotoneaster. It’s now regarded as a weed – at least it is here in Canberra – and there are many red berry plants, so it may very well not be that.
We had a great time in North America, mainly there to see our daughter whom we hadn’t seen for 21 months. It was great to see her again.
Good luck with the writing.
I think you’re right about the autumn crocus. As for the cotoneaster, I’ll just keep calling it a generic red berry plant!
How wonderful to be able to catch up with your daughter after 21 months. Such a long time apart! It must have been hard to leave her …
It was but she’ll probably be home at the end of the year … the recent winter fair did her in! And yes, I think that’s probably a good idea re the berry plant!
Nice for you if she comes home! Good on her for spreading her wings.
And thank you for the lovely write-up on my ‘Cicada’ review for the AWW round-up!
A pleasure – it was brief but I hope got the gist. I hadn’t really noticed the book before, but it sounds interesting. I love the Kimberleys for a start!
Oh, and our daughter is nothing if not a wing spreader. She’s 27 later this month, and this is her third time overseas – she did a year’s exchange while at uni, then travelled for several months after graduating, and then after a year or so at home working, headed off again! She has learnt a lot!