Hi CT
thought I should say hello - seeing I too am a Mebournite AND my latest book - an espionage thriller - is called Redback!
cheers
lindy

CT,
Happy New Year, and all the best in your writing in 2008.

Perhaps my arachnophobiameter is off, but with a beast like the funnelweb spider ready to go afte everything in sight, and that funnelweb being exclusive to Australia, why the fascination with a redback? At first I thought it was a black widow but the marking is on the wrong side of the thorax.

Thanks so much Petra, I really appreciate your kind words and generous offer.

Caroline

Thanks for your comments Brenda and J Kershaw. Unfortunately the way I am going it will be awhile before I complete my own true crime book, which is actually set in the United States. I shall certainly read your book Brenda and look forward to when the Pajama girl is published as it should be fascinating. I think that I have read all of Paul
Kidd's books, and much of what is available in Austrlian true crime.

Hi,
Thanks for stopping by. I'm not afraid of the redback...Good luck with your mystery crime novel. Pls let me know when it gets published. J. kershaw.

Got to jump in here. I'm in the spiders-are-beautiful camp, and have a red-back pair of earings. How many Ugghs! did I hear? CT although I'm Brisbane based, I've written a true-cime of a Sydney murder, published last year, and research a good many Aussie crimes. (Am now working on The Pyjama Girl) Have you read any of Paul B Kidd's Australian Crime File? Please come and visit me on my site.

My redback has certainly attracted a lot of attention here. I also found the picture appealing Dee, though in reality they are best avoided.

Actually,

I find your red-back spider quite appealing. I can't imagine why.

Spake the lady in red

Wondeful to see that I have so many more friends, thank you all so much for accepting my invitation.

Sorry that my redback spider bothers most of you, but although I agree with Alafair that they belong in the spiders-are-creepy camp, nevertheless they fascinate me, as do sharks, which I I originally considered using as my icon. Good to hear that you are recovering from your fear of spiders though Maryann, though one must always be careful in areas where dangerous breeds lurk. My choice of a spider was due to a personal interest in the species Robert K, rather than any actual connection to the black widow, interesting thought though.

Welcome Maxine and thank you for your spider-related comments. And it's good to see my fellow Melbournian BK here too.

Thanks for your good wishes Roger, I'm afraid that as yet I don't really have a worthwhile book let alone an agent.

Hey there! Just wanted to say thank you for the invite, and wish you the very best of luck with your writing. Do you have an agent?

Hello CT, good to hear from another Melbournite.
Cheers, BK

Thanks, for the invitation, CT. I'm not really a spider fan either, though I am trying. I decided to learn more about them, and they're fascinating critters. Just the biomechanics of walking and breathing are pretty cool for any invertebrate, but add the silk and web designs, and spiders move to the top of the Astounding Animals list.

Greetings CT. So is your icon a reference to the femme fatale black widow type of character?

It's a good thing that I am recovering from my intense fear of spiders. :-) Moved out to the country a few years ago and have had to learn to co-exist. Now I don't mind them as long as they stay outside. When I go to the barn, I take a "spider stick" with me to break up the webs that are spun overnight, and I no longer kill the spiders. :-)

Happy writing!

Hey there. Nice to meet you. I'm in the redback-spiders-are-creepy camp,

Let me know if you ever do decide to visit us Patti and I'd be happy to welcome you to Melbourne. It's a long trip to get here, but our visitors all say that they've had a wonderful time.

Thanks for your messages Chatterwall, Mary, Patti and Donna. It seems that my redbackattracts quite a lot of attention. Although they are fairly common here, like most of our creepy crawlies it's rare to hear of them causing any problems.

Hi CT

Great picture but would not like to see a live one, I don't mind spiders so long as they stay away from my place