Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The people that you meet

Sometimes it's worth the effort. Whatever 'it' may be. However much effort may be involved.

Tonight the Fibrotown library played host to two fab Australian writers. Dianne Blacklock and Ber Carroll made the trip down from their various parts of The Big Smoke to talk about their new books, their writing journeys and, surprisingly, their sex lives (well, technically, how their sex lives do not end up in print, but my line was better, right?).

I nearly didn't go. I'd made all the plans, tweeted Dianne (whom I didn't know from a bar of soap) to tell her I'd be there, lined The Builder up to leave our bathroom renovations to get home on time. And then it rained. And it was cold. And we had visitors in the afternoon, which put my quiche making/washing up/bathing children/feeding children/getting showered/getting dressed plans out the window. It would have been so easy to give up, put my slippers on and stay home.

But how often do fab Aussie writers come to the Fibrotown library? Not often enough. So I went.

It was a great talk. Funny, informative, personal. They covered the process of writing, the process of writing with children (quite a different process), where ideas come from, how ideas become books. And the aforementioned sex, of course.

Afterwards, I somehow ended up at the pub with Dianne (how these things happen is just a mystery to me) talking about writing. For hours. We'd never met (though I did remember reviewing her first book for CLEO, back in the day), but that didn't seem to matter much. It never does when you're talking about writing, I find.

An unexpected bonus on a Wednesday night. Definitely worth the effort.

You can meet Dianne too - she's on Twitter here and on Facebook here. Her eighth novel, The Secret Ingredient, is out in November (that's her current book in the image), and I'll be inviting her to the Fibro for an intimate discussion about how to blend personal observations and details into fiction - and still keep your friends. 

12 comments:

  1. It's great when you take the harder option and it pays off.
    Your slippers will still be there tomorrow night.
    :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bet you were glad you hung up the slippers...

    Will you be asking Dianne about writing with children in your interview too??

    x

    ReplyDelete
  3. Well done for getting going!

    I get the regular newsletter that Dianne and Ber put out along with Liane Moriarty, Book Chat. They're on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/BookChat/135371949833721

    All three authors are on my Kindle app!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Look at me, I'm commenting!

    Big bonus for me meeting you, Allison - dare I say it made my night ... And I forgot to say thanks for the drink!

    And thanks for the link to Book Chat, Seana.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Sometimes it's worth the effort isn't it. I'll be keeping my eyes out for the post about observations and keeping your friends... and family!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Absolutely totally true. In fact, I've actually just booked a trip to Melbourne to see Kerri Sackville and Kylie Ladd speak and I only know them both from Twitter and as voices on the other end of the phone. We met through my work (interviewed them both about their new books) but there is definitely an ease of talking to other writers and both are making me feel very welcome.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Good for you for (again) demonstrating your get up and go and getting down to the meet and greet.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Fancy meeting Dianne in Fibrotown! I have often seen those "meet the authors" advertised at our library. I must go next time!

    BTW The skiing trip didn't eventuate! Dew Drop spent the night D&Ving preventing us from leaving for a five hour car journey. Them's the breaks. Only cost us $600 for the trouble!!!! x

    ReplyDelete
  9. Yay for you. Often, especially for writerly types, it's so much easier to stay at home rather than make the effort to go out and actually speak to people rather than write to them! But I always find it's worthwhile. Glad you did too!

    ReplyDelete
  10. I had the pleasure of organizing Di to come speak at the library in Melbourne where I work in April and what a lovely lady she is! Felt like a chat with a girlfriend all the way from her sons place in Fitzroy to Endeavour Hills in my car! Can definitely relate to your comments!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Brilliant! Those times that seem to be the biggest effort always end up the best. Would have loved to be a fly on the wall in the pub x

    ReplyDelete
  12. I rarely regret pushing myself to get out and do things. Sometimes it requires a HUGE effort, however.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks for popping by the Fibro. I love to hear from you!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...