HAPPY BIRTHDAY

To Zara, who turns 4 today!

As Erin will tell you, 4 is the coolest age ever, at least until you realise you're about to turn 5.....

Hope you have a great day, sweetie, and a brilliant birthday party tomorrow.

OFFER A SHOULDER

A couple of good pals have had hard times in recent days.

Alisa Krasnostein, editor of New Ceres ezine and big banana behind Australian Specfic in Focus, lost her grandmother during the week. Alisa comes from a tight-knit Jewish family, and the loss has hit her hard.

And Ben Payne, Potato Monkey boy, former Aurealis & ASIM editor, and writer of durned good stories, lost his father yesterday. Having lost my mother 3 years ago, I know something of his pain, but can only imagine how it's hitting every moment of his days right now.

If you know Ben and/or Alisa, or their work, or just have been through similar loss, drop in on them and offer a few words. People need their community: the support and love I received after Sharon died were a huge factor in my ability to keep going through the grief and torment that followed. Alisa and Ben are two of the good guys: it'll help them to know that people care.

FATHER MUERTE AND THE SALE!

Good news in the inbox this morning: Stephen Higgins, incoming (re-coming?) editor of Aurealis has accepted the fourth Father Muerte story, Father Muerte & the Joy of Warfare, for an upcoming issue.

It's been a while since I sold a story. I was beginning to wonder if it was going to happen again.

Suppose this means I should start work on the next one....

I GUESS I SHOULD BUY A NEW PAIR OF THONGS TO MARK THE OCCASION

Tomorrow is my 36th birthday. And it only occured to me this morning that it marks another important occasion.

I was naturalised on my 11th birthday. So tomorrow will be the 25th anniversary of my becoming an Australian citizen.

I really ought to do something to commemorate that. I'm thinking I'll drink 25 cartons, eat 25 pies, play 25 test matches, shear 25 sheep, and throw up in the backyard 25 times....


Song of the moment: You And the Clouds Will Still be Beautiful XTC
Reading: On Writing Stephen King