Peace at last...

Its not a good sign when the organic life form you can relate to best is a chicken with its head cut off. I'm off to Wellington tomorrow afternoon for a couple of events and the Spinning Gold Conference. My SO asked me to do something for him this morning and I warned him there was so much in my brain I couldn't guarantee this little task wouldn't fall out - best not to rely on me right now to do any extra errands. I've been trying to finish an assignment (just put it in the envelope to post - 58 pages in total), still have to do this month's PAYE, answer some interview questions, write talk for tomorrow night, talk for Friday morning, get head round pitching to two publishers and do exercise for workshop (plus check school uniforms will be available for next Monday, food available while I away and someone will feed the pets). Oh, and pack bags. Oops - too late, brain just gone squidge onto floor :) I'd laugh at it but I don't think i understand anymore....peace at last...

I want to know everything about everything....but knowing how to make a tiara out of an egg carton will do for today

I visited a primary school today together with the illustrator of The Were-Nana. I tried a different approach with my talk and it seemed to go okay. Tomorrow I am off to Te Papapa School for the Reading Association's National Literacy Day event. Next week I'm off to Wellington for a Meet the Author event, A Speed Date the Author Event and The Spinning Gold Conference. I have two assignments due. I must say my brain is a little fatigued. It's only a week away and I can't even contemplate the Conference yet. And writing? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ah the irony.

I realised last night that writing for me isn't about finding ideas. Its about being curious. I want to know why things happen, why people do the things they do, how they work things out (in fact i want to know everything about everything but this takes a very long time). Its also a lot about problems. Not all of my stories contain a character facing a problem but most of them do. All my longer works do. I spend most of my time thinking about problems. I think this is the lot of a writer. We dwell on people's problems. Thankfully we also dwell a lot on solutions. Especially when writing for children.

Check out Fifi Colston's blog today. She has made the coolest tiara out of an egg carton and is contemplating producing a book full of clever things that can be made out of this everyday domestic product. I would buy this book if it only contained the instructions for making the tiara but it would be chock full of other clever things so would be even better to own.

I'm going to go ride 25 kms on my bike now and then do sudoku and order takeaways. So there.