Monday, January 08, 2007

And a great big wonderful New Year to everyone!

Writing this from Trentham where the kids, a friend of their's and I have landed for a brief stay - with the two dogs, who regard Trentham as a five star resort. For a start, they both live mostly indoors here, whereas at home tey are mostly outdoors. Honey, the lab, spent all of Saturday and Sunday morning following my mother around as though she was the golden lab. goddess to be worshipped with a constant presence. I was quite miffed. Now that Mother has headed off, I'm top dog again and Honey follows me around, gratefully flopping down at my feet whenever I settle for any period of time.

So far we've gone to Daylesford market and had friends around for dinner. Today we'll catch up on some gardening for Mother and do domestic kind of things. As usual I have packed a month's work to accomplish in three days - as though I expect time to stretch here.

I'm reading a book I bought Mother for Christmas - it's a dective novel by Qui Xialong. He is a Chinese American writer - born in Shanghai, where his detective novels are set. He was at the Brisbane Writer's Festival last year and I was fortunate enough to do a poetry reading with him. The books are superb! I think it's partly the insight into the Chinese political and social environment that make them so good. Oh, and of course, the poetry which is quoted! Which really makes me want to read a lot more Chinese poetry.

People keep asking me what I'm doing this year - well, I am back at GippsTAFE, teaching Produce Writings, Longer Fiction. I'm going to concentrate on the fantasy novel (which I'm working on in Trentham and which is progressing slowly but interestingly, I think) and the PhD. I'll be doing the usual writers in schools work, naturally, and am going to Townsville for the Books North festival which is pretty exciting and also to Voices on the Coast, which is another terrific festival. I may have tutoring at Deakin University as well - I guess that depends on student numbers. For myself, though, the year is about the fantasy novel and the critical component of the PhD. Plus regular film nights as I've joined ACMI. Yay!

1 comment:

Carmsmars said...

ACMI... its a great site. I didn't know such a place existed at federation square. It sounds like an interesting. Must look next time I'm in the city.