Palantir

A chance encounter in the wilderness leads to adventues and more

It's evidently a combination of factors Jack. There's a weather phenomenon called 'La Nina' which turns up in an irregular cycle - usually with a 3 or four year time frame- and it brings moisture laden air from the Pacific Ocean over the Northern sections of Australia. This year there was some sort of extra interaction with the normal monsoons of the tropics and the air was carried further inland and further south than usual. (with a vengeance - we've had floods here today in Victoria, right in the south of the continent.) As well, the water temperature in the ocean is approx half a degree Celsius warmer. I'm not sure of the time frame for that rise but a small increase in temperature causes a big increase in the amount of evaporation. All that compounded to bring the astonishing, tragic, and devastating results.

Yes, both books are 'straight fantasy'. lol maybe that's why I like them? - not really, I think she has extraordinarily complex and wonderful ideas in these two books -her lover is 'Death' - wow!. I love her newer books too - especially the 'Blood' series - but I think they're written in a much more direct and simpler way. I just looked at my collection of her books on my shelves and realised I forgot the best one of all - 'Gate of Darkness. Circle of Light'. By the way, I hope you've read Charles DeLint (another Canadian author). His urban fantasy stories are magic. Try 'Moonheart' and 'Greenmantle'. Also, Mercedes Lackey has some very readable u/f stories.

Hi there Forty Two, Yes, Tanya Huff stories are great! IMHO her best books of all are the two that got her going - 'Child Of The Grove' - and 'The Last Wizard'. - pure magic.

YO CIA, Cheers from downunder and a belated birthday greeting. As an ambassador for GA you shine. As a master of friendly encouragement you rock. As an author you engage. And as a photographer you really fit the frame. Hope it was a happy birthday. Best wishes. Iarwain.

I'm feeling sad for you Kevin. As CJ says, the loss of someone like that doesn't go away and it's like a kind of relational black hole, but you do adapt to it in your own way as time goes on. Best wishes. Iarwain

Godspell Hair What a revolution (revalation?) these two were in their day! I don't know about the Broadway bit for them but they're my definitive musicals. Iarwain

Thanks for the thoughts Graeme, AFriendlyFace(Kevin) and Jovian. Yes, things have quietened down a great deal, at least from the view of the public. There was a tragic loss of one of the firefighters when a limb of a tree fell on him. The firefighters never stop as they try to contain the major outbreaks. There are over 300 fire trucks and appliances and 90 bulldozers working on the big fire in Melbourne's water catchment area to the east and north of the town. Yesterday when the smoke cleared for a while about ten fires were plainly visible, but burning in areas that don't directly threaten the town. I don't know how a timeline for recovery could be set Kevin. The death toll is over 200 now and the authorities have finally started saying it might not rise by much more. It appears to me that the various government and community services have been moving heaven and earth to pour help and support into the devastated areas. There are huge restraints to overcome though with every single death requiring proper investigation as well as decisions to be made about whether it's even safe for some of the communities to be rebuilt in their current locations. Iarwain.

Hi there Graeme and others, I registered with Gay Authors a couple of days before the fires hit and then the internet went down in my town which is Healesville. I've only got the net back today or I would have contributed more. We still have fire burning close by and though the major threat has been downgraded it's by no means over. My own home is relatively safe, though my vehicle is still packed with belongings ready to evacuate if need be. Not so for people in Chum Creek, which is only a few kilometres away where thirty some houses were burnt down. At yesterdays count there were 90 large earthmoving pieces of equipment bulldozing a major containment break round the threatened outskirts of the town and firefighters are still arriving from all over. Further into the ranges a complete township (Marysville) was razed to the ground. According to the official fire fighting authority's website there were over 60 fires burning in the state today (much reduced from the over 400 total of the first horror day). Most of them are small and classified as safe or contained and no communities are under direct threat. Rain is like a forgotten event here. I'm letting off a bit of steam here. Iarwain.