Its not just about the lollies....

The house is empty of children (except for the pyscho kitten who seems to see ghosts - I think she fell down the chimney one too many times - well she would insist on going into the crawl space). The silence is divine but now that I have time I am squandering it shamelessly. I have things I want to write but I have been feeling a little steamrollered of late - like something out of a Warner Bros cartoon and I am the flat shape on the sidewalk. And I've just signed myself up to give an hour long talk to a group of paying adults which for some reason I am happy about. Maybe its because I now have a laptop that can run power point presentations. Typical 'person with a new toy' reaction. I could easily waste some time hunting out some appropriate comic strips to support my talk. Now I just have to decide on my topic. The theme for the day is "Before and After Publishing." I'm doing my best to think of things that won't frighten the punters away.

Have you bought a book by a New Zealand author yet this month? If you haven't, make sure its on the list. You have until Halloween. We are off to Geoff's Emporium this afternoon to check out some Halloween costume stuff. Halloween is fantastic. Sure the lollies rot your teeth and its a strange American Autumnal tradition that doesn't quite fit with our Spring vibe but that whole mystical idea of All Hallows Eve followed by All Saints Day on November 1st just gets my imagination going. The air always feels different on the 31st. As if it was filled with something more than just the chemical constituents of the stuff we breathe. I feel inspired already.