U R Invited to the Writers Festival in Melbourne #209MWF

I’ll try to brief... Here’s the go... I have to come up with a unique angle for the paper I will give at the Writer’s Festival TOMORROW and I will tell you what I have in mind... in a minute...

I will give u some background information first...

OK – here goes... in March – there was a conference on Education Reform in the USA – it was held in New York – there were 40 people who attended. At the beginning of this conference – they were asked to TWEET on Twitter as to what they were doing. Within minutes there were hundreds of people who were following this through the HASHFEED or ‘#’ feed on Twitter – AND – also providing comments, suggestions, humour and their thoughts on Education Reform in the USA...

To quote... ‘Injecting Twitter into that conversation fundamentally changed the rules of engagement. It added a second layer of discussion and brought a wider audience into what would have been a private exchange. And it gave the event an afterlife on the Web.’ (Time Magazine June 15 2009 p26)

Here’s the angle I want for my Paper...

We plan to have a large Television screen on display and the computer linked up to it with TWITTER...

I am going to ask those who are in the crowd with Twitter to post using the hash line feed - #209MWF – (standing for 209 Melbourne Writers Festival) –

All I would like you to do is to follow the feed and add a tweet. I have asked a number of my friends around the world to Tweet at the event – to get it started and that is where you come in – so you will be able to log on to Twitter and follow me – http://www.twitter.com/StevenRafter

The only problem that is envisaged is the time difference – My allocation of time is at 4pm EST Australia on Friday, 21st August – which could mean that it will be fairly early in the morning/late at night for you...

http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/

We'll post a video of it on youtube so you can see your tweet at the festival...

I really would appreciate your support on this – because your TWEET will become part of history of the Writers Festival. My paper will be setting precedence and it will be a great help for me in demonstrating where literature is going in the new millennium –

It’s just important to me that’s all.. steve x

So - HERE ARE THE STEEPS

1. Go to www.twittter.com
2. Join TWITTER (IT'S FREE & u DON'T HAVE TO GIVE OUT PERSONAL DETAILS)
3. On YOUR PAGE - there will be a long white blank space at the top - this is where u can ask a question or simply say HELLO! THIS IS THE IMPORTANT THING.... ready? Anywhere in the message (or TWEET as it is called) you MUST INCLUDE the follow ... #209MWF
4. Once you have 'TWEETED' the #209MWF will turn purple - click on it and u can follow the feed from around the world and be part of my paper of the Writers Festival in Melbourne...
5. Finally, if you want to follow me - u can do so by simply going into 'FIND PEOPLE' (top right hand side... in the tool bar) - click on it and then enter Steven Rafter... you're done...

Chapter 12

Chapter 12

London England 1908

Australia Wins Gold at the Olympics

The warm towel was lifted. His face was then lathered generously with soaping foam and with each stroke of the shaped razor blade the beard was slowly removed. Arthur's skin tingled and upon completion of the final stroke, the elderly barber moved efficiently toward the sizeable mirror attached to the wall within the mahogany cubical. In front of the mirror was a bench, upon which were placed the tools of the trade. From one crystal bottle he removed a silver lid and poured a generous amount of lotion onto his open palm. Arthur had been advised that a relaxing experience was something that gentlemen anticipated from a visit to Geo F Trumper's. It lived up to all expectations.

He was delighted to be in London. Theo had continued on to Russia, and before leaving Africa, Arthur sent word to Aberton Chartres-Hume advising his school friend of his imminent arrival in England.

Strolling along Curzon Street, he was amazed at beauty of the city and the tall buildings that lined the streets of Mayfair. He made the decision to walk back to South Molton Street as the summer afternoon was warm and the air was far cleaner than he had expected it would be. Previous to his visit, the many conversations he had had with various people about London were often dotted with negative experiences. However, this was not what he found; nor was it what he sort.

Arthur was sure he would soon have word from, Aberton, and they would do all the things they had planned over the years past.

The Posters for the Melbourne Writers Festival

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

St Petersburg Russia 1904

‘Your Majesty’ said Charlotte as she lowered into a deep, respectful courtesy.

The Czarina was in an uncharacteristically good mood and commanded for the Countess Rominscov to immediately take a seat in her presence.

The ageing lady sat gracefully upon the newly upholstered chair.

The sitting room of Her Imperial Majesty, wife of Czar Nicholas II, in the Alexander Palace at Czarskoe Selo, about twenty-four versts south of St Petersburg was a room that could only be described as, 'warm'. Religious iconography was everywhere. It covered the walls and tables, and between these could be found silver picture frames and many albums that held photographs of members of the Czarina's family. It all clashed very badly as the colour of everything else, including the furniture, table cloths, cushions, drapes, pelmets and even the flowers was mauve. Directly in the middle of the wall, on the left, was an overly large photograph of Queen Victoria framed in mahogany and gold leafing; it appeared to survey the entire room.

It was not how Charlotte remembered the Grandmother of the woman sitting opposite her. And to Charlotte, the late English Queen, even at the worst moments of widowhood, was never as cold, puritanical, pertinacious or intolerant as the current Empress of Russia. Alexandra Fyodorovna had splashes of kindness and good humour but these were rare moments witnessed by few but the closest inner workings of the Russian Imperial Family. Charlotte had her own thoughts of why this was the case but kept them to herself.

Outside the powdery snow fell on an already white frozen ground. The date was 10^th February, 1904. Two days earlier Japan had declared war on Russia and surprised everyone with an attack on the Imperial Naval fleet at Port Arthur.

The last time Charlotte had be in attendance to the Czarina had been two days prior to the Japanese attack when the entire court had travelled by the Royal Train to attend the Purification of the Virgin ceremonies at the great Cathedral of St Peter and St Paul in the capital. Charlotte's recollection of the event was prompted by her current surroundings and the everlasting memory of the colour of the Empress' dress and enormous hat; it was all mauve.