Hello...(can you go...?)

Left: Wendy on her birthday on 4 August in London (very up-to-the-minute pic!) and first three pics below feature Tamsyn, Michael, Shirleen, Melody, Sameera, Rehana and Ashraf at Baxter Theatre

With the next issue I will probably return to the format I introduced last time, ie. where you can choose what you want to read from a Contents List. But this time it's mainly photographs with captions. It's partly because I don't really have the time at the moment to do a proper newsworthy issue and partly because my life's a little too complicated/unresolved at the moment. So I've decided I'd rather just say almost nothing (what a change hey?). For a while. I want to try and sort out a few things first. I want to become more independent and I want to be true to myself and I want to get my book out there into the world. Because that's where it deserves to be even though there are so many obstacles in my way and even though so few people have shown interest in it. (I am not talking about publishers now, they haven't even seen it yet because I have to do a synopsis first, a painful thing that I finally started on today) And I have to feel completely proud of it instead of wondering and worrying all the time what friends and family will think of it. One of my worst fears is offending other people, so that's kind of why for such a long time I couldn't believe and have faith in myself that I should write fiction because it's difficult for me to share the stuff I feel compelled to write with other people. But now I know that it's what makes me feel inspired and creative and real, so I've got to do it. Whether I like it or not :-)

Hey, at least the two people who have finished reading it (I have done a "renovated" version since then though) are still talking to me! They both think it's good and Wendy (my sister - go Wendy, it's your birthday!) said I should send it to Oprah after she was about halfway through it. Now she's in the UK and needs to download a programme so that she can read Part Two. (Update - when I phoned her to see how her birthday was going she told me she had resumed reading it) I think some of you are reading it at the moment (those who wanted the email version after promising to buy at least one copy when the book comes out). I had a few positive comments after I sent the first chapter, so I want to thank those of you who made me feel as if I did something worth doing. Mostly, to be honest, I feel extremely neglected, but that's my problem!! I have to remember that the world does not revolve around me and it's up to me to make it happen.

And I want to say a special thank you to Earl who used to teach me Science in High School because he believes enough in me to try and help me get some kind of publishing or funding assistance without even reading the book first. He said something about not having read a novel in 30 years, although he promised he would read this one (not that I said he had to). Michael said he would get a shock if this was the first one he read and Sameera laughed about that because the book surprised her a little too. I did warn her!! They are the two who have read Look Inside, if you haven't worked it out. Thanks guys. Michael's being really supportive which is awesome and Sameera's also encouraged me to keep going. Tamsyn's about to get my copy of the book today and I also want to thank her for all her motivational words lately. She can't wait to read it which is cool. Thanks also to Garth Taylor for letting me have his home address (or is it Alan's? "Please don't give it to anyone else!" he told Lauren when he gave it to her for me on Durban's North Beach) so that I could send him the book. Yeah I know you picked it up from the post office, Garth, but are you making the time to read it? Shame, being a popular musician is a hectic life! (Stan Mars said he was SA's number one recording artist, but maybe that was because he spent a number of weeks at the top of the P4 Radio chart) Thanks also to Helen, Ruth and Mark for offering to pay for my book in advance - how sweet is that? And thanks to those who have pre-ordered it and even to those of you who haven't done so, but would have if their financial situation was better. Ta to those who made suggestions for improvement (I do usually make the changes)! Oh, I'm already seven pages into my next book (yup it's a sequel). I just had to start it, but I know I can't concentrate on it as much as I would love to.

I'm also working on a CV that doesn't make me cringe because I'm probably going to have to suffer through being employed by someone else shortly. *shudder* From what I can see, it'll be a while before I can make money out of my novels. I may need money to get my book started if I can't find a publisher because I'll either have to pay an agent or self-publish and all of that takes money. Thanks also to Ashraf for the info he's given me. Sorry I haven't been in touch again, too busy making difficult decisions and stuff. Will be soon I would imagine, after I manage to write a short blurb to explain what my book's about. It wasn't something I wrote an outline for beforehand, the story just unfolded (that's my writing style or the way my mind works), so now it's difficult to explain, plus it's pretty complex and I don't like to give away the story, or threads of it, so I find it hard to summarise, but I'm trying, promise! Sorry also to those I owe emails, I hope to get moving on those as well.

Enjoy the photos!

Right: Caroline, Melody and Kerry at Ocean Basket in Canal Walk (I had similar ones in ADT a few issues back, but those were from Caro's camera.) Oh and the one above them is of a Bontebok at Cape Point Nature Reserve. Just so that you don't have to look at my face ALL the time.

 

 

Below: A few of my Garth Taylor pics (these are from Westend - also saw & spoke to him at Jazz Circle and G-Spot)

Below: Mihle's first Birthday - featuring Mihle, Nomfuzo, Melody, Verity and Alex

Below: Darlene & Mel and then Darlene & Mel with Lavinia (Darlene's sister) and Michael

Below: Mel & Debbie at Baby G's in Thibault Centre, Cape Town

Below: Newlands! Stormers playing Queensland Reds (from Oz). And me at the Stormers vs Crusaders (from NZ) game

Below: Michael trying to fix speaker, Michael playing with stray cat, Michael playing softball (spot the ball in the air)

Below: My grandfather (Papa), my mother and Wendy at airport in January

Below: Lauren, my grandmother and my mother at St James beach

Below: My grandfather (Pa), me and my dad at Kalk Bay Harbour

Below: My grandfather, me and Michael

Below: Lauren and Ross in front of the Chameleon pic Lauren drew for me

Oh and if you click here, there are some new chameleon photos on that Chameleon Diary Page of mine.

I do have some more photos scanned, but this page must already be quite heavy to check out. I'll have to learn how to do the thumbnail thing pretty soon. Hope you waited patiently for them to load and enjoyed at least a few of them!

Have a beautiful day.

Love,

Melody

---

NB. This ender changes from time to time: This issue is available on www.adt.org.za and on paper for those without easy Web access. A DifferenTune is a sometimes publication, previously known (for issues 1.1, 1.2 and 2.1) as A Different Tune. It has existed since I, Melody Joshua, created the November 1995 issue. All correspondence and contributions should be addressed to me at melody@adt.org.za or 2 Chesterton, Blackheath Road, Kenilworth, 7708, South Africa. Everything printed in ADT has been written and edited by its creator unless otherwise stated. Back issues are available on request. They will be sent free of charge for private, non-moneymaking purposes at the leisure of the creator or immediately for a small fee of three South African Standard Postage stamps per issue. Foreigners, aliens and exiles may send me 100 grams of Cadbury's milk chocolate per issue instead.