I am sort of on holiday. I handed in the manuscript of Fetcher just a couple of days before the Sunker’s Deep launch, then went to Melbourne for a week of visiting bookshops and schools. Now I’m back at home, reading manuscripts for the Erica Bell Prize, writing a couple of speeches that I have to give the week after next, and wondering whether my cat Harry might like his own blog. 🙂

So I’m moderately busy, but don’t feel it, because I’m not beavering away towards a deadline. The speeches are short, the manuscripts are almost read, and Harry is nodding vigorously in the background (he really wants his own blog). This morning I went for a long walk, then spent a while tying up the bottoms of the nets that go over the fruit trees, so the blue tongue lizards won’t get stuck in them.

This sort-of holiday will end fairly soon, of course. My editors at Allen & Unwin will read the m/s of Fetcher and email me with lots of suggestions as to how to make it work better. And I’ll be back to writing. But for now I am feeling relaxed and contented.

One of the things I did in Melbourne was at Bookworld, for a giveaway of Ice Breaker.

My ‘bookfession’ at Bookworld

I also went to a number of schools including Marri Creek Primary in North Fitzroy, It’s always tricky putting up pics of school visits, because most schools have a policy of not allowing children’s faces in public photos unless you have permission from their parents. So there’s actually quite a lot more to the photo below, but all the faces were showing so I cropped them out.

And finally, here are some more photos from the wonderful Sunker launch, courtesy of my other official photographer, Maisie Teniswood.

The dolphin porthole

The winner of the lucky door prize walks the plank.

A giant squid passes by.