Cooking

It's October. That can't be right. Where'd my year go?

I was meant to spend this week having a break from writing having finished the first draft of the book. However my brain has been reluctant to let go of it and keeps noodling away at things. Including another idea for these characters. Yikes. That one has to go on the back burner I think.

But I was noodling happily until I got home on Tuesday to the big R on the book that I'd just sent over. A fast rejection. A long, encouraging rejection but still the big R on a book I thought was good. And slightly different reasons to the last big encouraging rejection I got from these folks. So puzzlement (after the obligatory 12 hours of moping) ensues. Wiser heads are being consulted. But that's the nature of this game. The writing bit is fun even when it sucks, if you know what I mean. The trying to sell bit is not for the faint hearted. And from what I see in my pubbed friends, the published bit even less so. People who say popular fiction is easy to write and sell, well let them try it.

So my rest week became an examining my options week. Revising the wolf book is still the first priority. Then we decide what to do for the other mob.

Yesterday being my semi-regular Friday off (soon to be my all the time Friday off, yay), I had lunch with some gals from the RWA committee which was fun except for the bit where I got champagne tipped all over me (and not even a complimentary dessert or something to make up for it). Then I had a work thing. We did an Asian cooking class at the Queen Victoria Market, which was great fun and the dishes we made were universally acclaimed as YUM. Even the oysters which aren't my fave thing in the world. It was run by Allan Campion, who was also great, funny and knowledgeable. He writes the Foodies Guide to Melbourne which the VT (being married to a chef and all) tells me is excellent. And runs other courses and classes and has other books. So check him out if you're looking to improve your cooking skills (no stabbing selves in the thumb involved) or your knowledge of ingredients.

Just don't do it on the same day as going out for lunch or you will roll home. Lucky for me it's a good walk from the market to where I parked my car. And I'm heading out into the sunshine for another one now.