Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Emoting into the void & State Library answers

Somewhere in the late 80s on a wet and windy night in Mullumbimby northern NSW I found myself on the back of a truck, taking turns with fellow poets to blurt my poetic outbursts into the dark. Blinded by a bright light playing on the truck-back stage, it felt as if I was emoting into a void, not sure how many or even if anyone was actually out there. Which brings me to this post...

The audience is a bit less obscure than that night in Mullum since the State Library contacted me and asked to buy my two poetry books War Spoils and The Siren of Shop 19 and other versions of modern verse. I contacted Carreen there, queried the reason for the interest and was told something about the State Library having a collection of Queensland writers that showed some "special creativity". Anyway, dropped the books in about a week back. Tried also to sell Soul Healing Afoot/Dead Dad Bye but was told the library already had it. No idea how all this came about but suspect it was a good word from someone well placed there.

Mirusia's http://www.mirusia.net/ arrival in Brisbane in the past days has also been a bright spot. She was one of those to whom I dedicated SHA/DDB and finally a photo exists of us with the book after she visited with parents for a curry night at Banoon  Drive.

As for actual writing - plenty of that or at any rate editing is happening as I work towards completing a first draft of my novel A Dirty Rainbow. To reach this state of completion by year end was one of the goals I set myself at the start of 2010. Quite a mammoth task going back through the 17 or whatever chapters to get myself back in the place where I can write the final three (which at least are more or less planned).

Pic: Mirusia and me. She inspired? Dubious?