(no subject)

I'm back. I've brought a complete draft of a novel with me plus a raging fever. I don't know where I got the fever from, everyone else on the retreat seemed perfectly fine. From the vast fatigue, I suspect I've had it for a couple of days (Sharyn, if I've passed it on to your family, please, please forgive me).

Thank you, Sharyn and Mark and Amanda, for your wonderful posts and for sharing your thoughts. I loved the dwarf stars, but something must be wrong with me because I am not tempted into the kitchen to make those recipes. Normally recipes make me jump up and down with joy, but not today. I can't work out if the problem is with the kitty litter cake or the fever. Mark, I especially appreciate your help given the troubles you are facing - I'm thinking of you and all yours in these bad times.

Despite eneit's claims, I wasn't shut in a shed, though she did come to check up on me a few times and did indeed whisk me off for cheese yesterday.

In fact, we were staying at a luxurious B&B in Yackandandah (place of bushrangers and gold and a home of the first Australian born Governor General) and it had lots of lovely antique furniture. I kept making historical detours to examine a church pew or an 18th century etched jug. This was cool, though, since it gave my brain lots of reminders of place and time for New Ceres. I want to do a second New Ceres volume sometime, though, because Karin (one of the owners) reminded me that 18th century fans are particularly wonderful and I keep thinking how well they would go with spying and skullduggery.

The downside of the place was that I was in the only bedroom that had no space for a desk. I worked in the loungeroom, which had some disadvantages. This was not helped by my health being recalcitrant and me going stir crazy because I couldn't get out much. All up, it meant that I didn't get through as much as I really wanted to and my research is a bit behind. I did write c 32,000 words though, which is something that makes me most happy. (Let me add that I agreed to take the bedroom because I took one look at it and thought none of the others should have to suffer it, since I was the one who booked the place. It was a very hot bedroom. It carried noise from the main area, especially bass lines from music, on one notable occasion. This and an oddly-constructed bed that moved halfway off its base every night means I am more than a litle short of sleep. I'd rather be sick on my own bed (please don't take that literally!) so I'm glad to be home. I'm also glad I went. Life is confusing that way.)

Lots of good things happened while I was away, but my phone hasn't stopped ringing in the few hours since I got back and all I want to do is sleep for two days, so I'll leave a report till another time. I'm really, really pleased to have the New Ceres draft done. I have a few days to clean it up and then I can move on. What I shall be moving on to is a bunch of interesting teaching. I'll get back to you on how to avoid me, soon, since I'm sure you'll want to know.

The advantage of being unwell while not having access to DVDs or shops and while everyone else is furiously working is that I read a little. Not much - as I said, I think I might have been unwell for a bit - but some interesting books. This is my little list: Duncan's Vellum, part of Scalzi's Android's Dream, Greg Iles' True Evil, Katz' Myfanwy's Demon, Miller's The Empress of Mijak, Burrage's Fivefold, Fox's Malicious Intent, GRR Martin's v. 3b. I also had the honour of reading works in progress or parts thereof by Trudi Canavan, Russell Kirkpatrick, Donna Maree Hanson and Kylie Seluka. Every single one of the manuscripts is worth watching out for - some very good reading, indeed.

I'm taking my fever to bed. If it gives me particularly interesting dreams, I'll be sure to let you know.