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Oct. 5th, 2009 01:01 amMy computer is strangely silent. My email is still getting fixed (poor T - it's been an impossible situation), so if you need me urgently, try my ANU address. Most people haven't commented on my Conflux posts either, though, which is unusual. I put this down to the fact that this Conflux is amazing. Lots of enjoyment by lots of people.
I'll tell you about the enjoyment, a bit, but it will be disorderly, because sleep beckons rather urgently.
I have so many reasons to be happy today. Alisa presented me with my very own copy of New Ceres Nights. I wrote the story that inspired Alisa to start the New Ceres ezine. That story is now a novel and that novel is looking for a home, but I put a ton of work into the development of the universe and love seeing what people do with it in their stories.
Today was launches, not panels. The one panel I was on was missing all the panellists. It was just me and a moderator. The moderator was Yaritji. No, neither of us behaved.
Paul Haines is such a fine writer. He's not easy to read, in some respects, because he doesn't shy away from the difficult. It's a rather cool type of 'not easy to read' and I am not only looking forward to his new book (and was fascinated by his reading at the launch - he phrases things differently in his mind to the way I see them, which is a good reason to attend author readings) but I convinced my mother that my uncle needs a copy for his next birthday.
Alan Baxter's launch was a great deal of fun. I'm not a naturally good launcher of books, I think, but I like MageSign (buy it! now!) and it was such an honour to be asked.
Even more of an honour was the one Nick gave, by launching my book. He did a beautiful job. Made the launch very easy.
I adore writing and editing and being read: I don't like the very last stages of publication. All my fears peek out and say "Hi, Gillian, just thought we'd pop in" and I get nervous. Nick shepherded me through that beautifully. He made everything seem very warm and very friendly and I didn't even blink when the line of people needing signatures seemed to go on forever. In fact, Nick inspired me. Not a single inscription was repeated. I got everyone's names right. I made many, many bad jokes that I shall no doubt regret in 20 years time. I should have counted the people queuing. I really should have. At one stage it looked as if it was heading out the door.
Thank you, everyone who came. I'm sorry there weren't enough chairs! I'm very, very glad that we were in a large room. And I hope, after all your patience and all your laughs-in-all-the-right-places, that you enjoy the book.
I rather suspect that this was one of those dream hours that come but once a lifetime.
I had other things to say about today, but it's incumbent on me to enjoy wonders, not to let them pass as if they were everyday. Otherwise, when things go wrong, I'll have to grin and bear it. This means I'll go to bed now, grinning like a loon all the way. You'll have to find out about Ninjaz and Nicology tomorrow.
My personal favourite quote of the day was from the reviewer who confessed "I opened the pdf to just read the first few lines, and the next thing I knew the kids were asking why dinner was late." I'm very, very happy. This is what writing is for: readers.
I'll tell you about the enjoyment, a bit, but it will be disorderly, because sleep beckons rather urgently.
I have so many reasons to be happy today. Alisa presented me with my very own copy of New Ceres Nights. I wrote the story that inspired Alisa to start the New Ceres ezine. That story is now a novel and that novel is looking for a home, but I put a ton of work into the development of the universe and love seeing what people do with it in their stories.
Today was launches, not panels. The one panel I was on was missing all the panellists. It was just me and a moderator. The moderator was Yaritji. No, neither of us behaved.
Paul Haines is such a fine writer. He's not easy to read, in some respects, because he doesn't shy away from the difficult. It's a rather cool type of 'not easy to read' and I am not only looking forward to his new book (and was fascinated by his reading at the launch - he phrases things differently in his mind to the way I see them, which is a good reason to attend author readings) but I convinced my mother that my uncle needs a copy for his next birthday.
Alan Baxter's launch was a great deal of fun. I'm not a naturally good launcher of books, I think, but I like MageSign (buy it! now!) and it was such an honour to be asked.
Even more of an honour was the one Nick gave, by launching my book. He did a beautiful job. Made the launch very easy.
I adore writing and editing and being read: I don't like the very last stages of publication. All my fears peek out and say "Hi, Gillian, just thought we'd pop in" and I get nervous. Nick shepherded me through that beautifully. He made everything seem very warm and very friendly and I didn't even blink when the line of people needing signatures seemed to go on forever. In fact, Nick inspired me. Not a single inscription was repeated. I got everyone's names right. I made many, many bad jokes that I shall no doubt regret in 20 years time. I should have counted the people queuing. I really should have. At one stage it looked as if it was heading out the door.
Thank you, everyone who came. I'm sorry there weren't enough chairs! I'm very, very glad that we were in a large room. And I hope, after all your patience and all your laughs-in-all-the-right-places, that you enjoy the book.
I rather suspect that this was one of those dream hours that come but once a lifetime.
I had other things to say about today, but it's incumbent on me to enjoy wonders, not to let them pass as if they were everyday. Otherwise, when things go wrong, I'll have to grin and bear it. This means I'll go to bed now, grinning like a loon all the way. You'll have to find out about Ninjaz and Nicology tomorrow.
My personal favourite quote of the day was from the reviewer who confessed "I opened the pdf to just read the first few lines, and the next thing I knew the kids were asking why dinner was late." I'm very, very happy. This is what writing is for: readers.