Transmission restored

It's been a bit quiet here lately. Sorry. Hasn't been the best of times. M's brother passed away last Friday, so we swiftly caught a plane south to Christchurch. I had to come back for work on Thursday and M got back to Wellington yesterday, but talk about draining.

I had another day off work today to perform promotional duties. First up it was my session wit Tina Makereti and David Geary as part of the IIML's Writers on Mondays at Te Papa. I read from the end of 'The Sceptics Kid', and Tina read from 'Mokomoko' and 'In The End'. Topics discussed included: Twitter, Maui, moa, Palmerston North, editors, book covers, inspiration versus ideas,  and short stories versus novels.

Afterwards I headed home (I had the day off work) to meet a camera crew from TVNZ7's The Good Word. I was interviewed about my writing process and specifically how my writing space factors into things. I really am spoiled now that I have my own office (though it doubles as our guest room), especially considering some of my previous writing spaces (here's two from 2008: one, two).  And for those who can't wait for the new season of The Good Word to start in November, I took some snaps of my office this time last year when we first moved in.

Oh, and I'm sure you're all hanging out to hear what the writing opportunity was that I alluded to a couple of posts back. Well, I received the contract today, so I can probably spill the beans... I've been asked to write a bi-weekly column for the Dominion Post. Apparently they're launching a new (or relaunching an old, I'm a bit sketchy on the details) supplement in the weekend edition, and I'll appear in that.  My brief is:

A fortnightly column of light-hearted reflections on the literary world, arts scene and life in the Government sector in Wellington, as the writer works to make it as a published author and civil servant.

Five hundred words a fortnight shouldn't impinge too much upon my fiction output (though blogging may take a backseat if there's a squeeze). I still need to run this past work, but I won't discuss anything Ministry related.  What I'm doing is diversifying my writing portfolio. Getting my name out there. Getting paid to write. It all sounds like upside at the moment. I'm even looking forward to the challenge of experimenting with and perfecting a form with which I have little experience (the five hundred word light-hearted reflection).

But it does mean I need to get an accountant, pronto!

So, yeah. Ups and downs. The world keeps turning and life goes on for the living. But, I can't help asking, what more does 2010 have in store?