Thursday, July 10, 2008

Back home

...after a month long trip to England, where I was mostly being a poet and sometimes having a holiday. It was a totally brilliant time, and I've come back to the chaos of my desk deeply refreshed, if also deeply jetlagged - for those who haven't done it, Melbourne is a very long way away from Europe, and you never feel it more than when the plane seems to be poised endlessly over Central Asia... There's no getting away from the fact that it's a horror flight.

I had lunch with Walker, my English publishers, always a pleasant thing to do, and kept bumping into Pellinor fans even though I wasn't doing Pellinorish things, including the enterprising Lsle (did I get that right?) in Norwich, who hunted me down at the New Writing Worlds festival, even though I wasn't reading, with a much-thumbed copy of The Gift. That was lovely, and also unexpected. My editor wants me to write a book of short stories, along the lines of Ursula Le Guin's Tales of Earthsea, and I have to say that idea has its charm - I reread the short story I wrote last year, Two Friends, while I was away (my editor also, oh horror, made me do some work and edit it) and was surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I'll keep you updated on when that will appear... I couldn't face writing another novel of Edil-Amarandh, but some short tales might be a really fun thing to do.

Also, (I confess, to my considerable astonishment), Penguin is organising an Australian tour. The initial dates unfortunately clashed with some dates I already have at the Melbourne Writers Festival, but they are on the case with Books Alive! and if they can reschedule I'll be popping up in Melbourne, Brisbane, Sydney and... Warnambool. So any Warnambool fans take note. Are there any? Please come if there are.

And a story that warmed the cockles of my heart. My son Josh was book browsing in town yesterday, checking out The Singing and loyally contemplating turning the covers face-out (all my family and friends seem to do this), when an excited young man with a back pack rushed up behind him, grabbed The Singing with a whoop, and rushed off to the counter. Now, that makes an author excited!

7 comments:

Seneca said...

Oh my gosh! that guy is hilarious! That is me, right there (despite the fact that i'm a girl and I live in the US)! Alison, I think you should rest for a while after all that traveling. You're tour was good, though? Not to pressure you, but will you ever be doing a tour in the States? I hope so! If I don't meet you at some point, I'm just going to die! LITERALLY.......
Good luck writing everything! I know you'll do phenomenally fantastic!!!!

Rain said...

If The Singing was out in the U.S., I would've done the same thing as that guy! My local bookstore can count on me camping out right at the front door when March of next year roles around.

Ashley said...

OMG haha that's awesome about what happened to your son! Ah yes, I'm also down here in the U.S. impatiently awaiting the release! Take it easy and rest after all the travels!

Unknown said...

Hope your time here in England was not too bad but i bet the weather was awfull. Can't wait for "The Singing" to be out here.

mariel said...

Ahh I live in Norwich but wasn't here when you came over. Darn it! Glad you had a lovely time though!

Rickie said...

Dear Alison, I remember when The Gift was first released here in oz and the guy in the book shop convinced me to try it as it was the first release and he knew what I liked. So I gave it a read (couldn't stop reading) and I emailed you to say how wonderful the book was and to hurry with the second. You even took the time to reply to my email. I have so enjoyed your books and now my daughter is enjoying them as much as I do, I am on my second time around reading them. And they are still wonderful...You have done us the public a great honour by allowing us to read your books...Rickie Ferguson, Australia

Alison Croggon said...

Many thanks Rickie - though I must say you do me great honour by reading them!