The season of the launch

The writing studio is frighteningly quiet. But I am getting used to it,  alone with the freedom to think something through without distraction. Yesterday I went round in circles, changing point of view of a short story: from third person, to second person, to first person and back again to third! Changed a few words, ended up with same word count at the end of the day. Should I have taken the day off instead? But it was an interesting exercise, teaching me to analyse some of the inner points of language that we take for granted. Could use it in my teaching next week.

Went to launch of Cate Kennedy's first novel The World Beneath on Tuesday at the Trades Hall bar - grunge city. Buy one copy, and you got a chocolate brownie made by Cate herself, buy three copies and you got a bottle of wine. It was a fun affair, with Shane Howard singing, and friends, family and fans out in force. Cate's speech was full of humourous anecdotes, relating her writer's tales of procrastination and her friendly competition with Dan Brown. She'll be good entertainment value at writers' festivals. Go Cate!

A few friends are launching books now: Joel Magarey and Andee Jones are next off the blocks. I am aiming for mine next year!