Aurealis Awards

Writers need support. I'm going to make that general statement probably because it's true of everyone, and hence, as a subsection of eveyone, writers. Clever huh? The point is, however, that writers spend a hell of a lot of time by themselves wondering if what they're writing is the latter day incarnation of War and Peace or actually just boiled turnips on rice. Notoriously, we are not the best judges of our work or there's a hell of a lot of tasteless readers out there (choose one). But it's important to have support, to have people say, "you really can do it", "you can write," "I like your stuff," and so on. Because at the end of the day, if you're not publishing a lot, there's just a blank computer screen, or worse, a computer screen filled with boiled turnips on rice.

In any case, the Aurealis Awards were on Saturday night and I dragged my sorry self up there, got spiffed up like everyone else, and watched as a great show was put on, as usual. These are really turning into events aren't they? And I was touched by all the kindness and support that people offered me. They included: Scott, Justine, Sean, Garth, Lynne, Lee, Heather, Grace, Kate, Rob, and anyone I've forgotten (sorry). Thanks all.

On a sadder note, writer and editor extrordinaire Keith Stevenson, who I was sharing a hotel room with, staggered up the following morning, swayed around the room (was it him swaying or my spinning head?), began to get ready for his flight, turned to me and said: "Have you seen my laptop?" Those are the words that will gut any writer, any editor, immediately. The police came, took statements, checked the place out, left. Keith's laptop was gone. If you know Keith, send him your support. It's not fair.