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The holidays have gone like an overexcited chihuahua. Here we are at the second friday and the kids have only just hit their holiday stride - poor things - back off to work they go on monday. Of course, you can guarantee that the sun will finally come out then too after playing hide and seek with some pretty aggressive rain clouds over the last fortnight.

Well the good news is I finished my final assignment, or more truthfully, I printed off what I had, put it in an envelope with sufficient postage and bunged it in the post box. Its not my best work but I ran out of time and the love just wasn't there anymore. It is what it is. I hope I pass. Just the exam to look forward to now.

I finally got to sit down (in the flesh) with the lovely and talented writers Tania Roxborogh, Michele Powles and Jeannie McLean round my dining table last wednesday afternoon. One of the benefits of blogging that I never anticipated was the opportunity to make friends with people round the country (and round the world). Tania lives in Dunedin but blogging has bridged the gap and when you do get to meet the people whose blogs you read all that awkward first meeting stuff isn't there. We had a fab afternoon supping some wine and chatting. This would be one of the benefits of sharing some space with other writers - a collective of sorts - to overcome the otherwise solitary nature of this business. My experience on wednesday and at spinning gold has shown me how much fun and how beneficial socialising with other writers can be. More please! BTW Tania launches her latest book Banquo's Son this saturday at 5pm at Takapuna Library. It looks like a ripping read. Go buy a copy, stat.

I have been interviewed by Little Miss Pink Hair and you can read it here!

And because I'm in a state of writing/writers confusion right now here is an interesting bit of advice related to the debate on whether you should market and promote your own work, pinched from here via Maureen Crisp's blog, which should be the cattle prod to your grey cells - just what you need when you're winding down on a friday.

I heard some excellent advice from Lisa Earle McLeod at the Foothills Writers Guild workshop last weekend, which she heard at the beginning of her career: Many talented writers will never be successful due to mediocre marketing skills. Many mediocre writers will be successful due to marketing talent.

This comes from a much bigger post here with a horde of publishing advice that is definitely worth checking out.

Have a good weekend folks...