SheKilda

What are you doing 7-9 October? If you happen to be in Melbourne, you could come see me in action at SheKilda!

I'm absolutely rapt to have been invited as an International Guest of Honour to SheKilda, the Australian Women's Crime Writing Convention, which marks the 20th anniversary of Sisters in Crime Australia.

You can find out more about SheKilda at their website here.

And you can find out more about Sisters in Crime Australia here.

Come and join us, go on, you know you want to!

Numbers

I have a fondness for numbers. Numbers are comforting and predictable, far more predictable than words! Although I am not always predictable about numbers. For example, I tend to prefer birthdays that are even numbered, for me there's almost a sense of relief at turning from an odd into an even number. But then, for my lucky numbers, or the numbers I feel attracted to, I prefer odds - go figure! Maybe it's because, with the exception of the number 2, all prime numbers are odd, and I like primes.

Anyway, some numbers I've noticed this week:

The car's odometer ticked over 175571 (the kids & I like playing spot the odometer patterns.) I know, I can hear you say, shouldn't you be watching the road?!

When editing The Faceless the word count number 31113 was on page 103 and the word was 'feet' which is measurement and thus a number.

3 - The number of 'gifts' Louie the cat brought in this week. The first was a huge rat, fortunately dead. The second a skink, fortunately alive and liberated back to the wild. The third, a cicada - he likes to hold them in his mouth and go slightly cross-eyed while they buzz!

5 - The number of branches I saw break off our neighbour's big gum tree and fly off in the strong winds we had the other day. I found that a little disconcerting!

So you're probably thinking so what? Numbers schmumbers. But they all do a good job of distracting me from this little number...

6 - Weeks till my deadline - Arggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!

Mother's Day

I have been rather lax on the blogging front of late. Due in most part to the fact I have a looming book deadline, and between the craziness of daily life and the demands of the novel I'm feeling a little consumed by everything. So it is great when occasions like Mother's day come along and offer some topping up in the energy stakes.

Like all good spoil someone days it began with breakfast in bed and pressies. The darlings know me well, and know how to look after their own best interests at the same time so I was given an Italian cheese making kit so we can make ricotta and mozzarella among other things. Mmmmm home made pizza with home made mozzarella, lasagne with our own ricotta and home made pasta. I feel some great kitchen moments coming on...

I got to be queen of the remote control and did something I never do - I watched television in the day time! Well, not television, strictly speaking - DVD. Simon Schama's A History of Britain. While I enjoyed blobbing in front of the tele, Mr Nine year-old and Mr Eleven year-old spent the afternoon cooking up a storm. They made cupcakes, with pink icing and even made little love heart and star decorations out of chocolate. There's a lovely sample, soon to be consumed on this morning's tea tray.

This morning's tea tray...

They then cooked a roast chicken dinner, for me and Gran - a celebration of many Mummies.

While this was going on Hubby was outside attacking overgrown trees and restoring our lovely view of the harbour.

So a great day, and good for restoring a flagging mummy and author.

Watch out novel, here I come...well, after the tea and cupcake...

Book voucher heaven...

I am often given book vouchers as a thank you for speaking or doing things for folk, and I like to hoard them up until there is an impressive amount and then go and blow them ceremoniously on something grand and flashy, you know, the books you wouldn't normally buy yourself, but that you have lusted and drooled over in the book shop.

This week I went and had my splurge...

I have often confessed a love of historic fashion, and this two volume set by Taschen has been beckoning and calling me for such a long time. Titled Fashion it is a history from the 18th to the 20th century, from the collection of the Kyoto Costume Institute. So it has sumptuous dresses and men's garments from the seventeen hundreds through to vintage Dior, and also modern things that I'm not sure what they are supposed to be!

So I am a happy girl.

Of course, I couldn't stop there, because I was in a book store after all, so I brought a few novels to add to Mount TBR. I have the self control of a kid in a candy store!

So thank you to all those who added to my gift voucher stash - I had fun!!!