The workshop was fun, and I really enjoyed the opportunity to reassure other people that, yes, all this crazy stuff happens to people who write, it’s not just you. I think we all had a great time. And I have a new respect for teachers — well, not that I didn’t have the utmost respect for them before — but the amount of preparation that a six hour workshop takes. Wow.

So now that that’s done I’m concentrating on rehearsing my pieces for the launch next Thursday, and the reading I’m doing at the Central Library’s open house at noon on Oct. 21. I’ll also be participating in The Alexandra Writers’ Blue Pencil Cafe from 6 – 9 on Oct.23 — bring your work in for a free 20 minute evaluation. Then I head up to Edmonton for a reading at Audrey’s on Oct. 29, and will stay over the night of the 30th so I can lead the writers’ circle at the Canadian Authors Association meeting that evening.

So another busy month ahead, but once it’s over it’ll just be back to reading manuscripts as part of my residency (keep sending them in, folks) and planning the program I’m doing, as a solo now, in February as part of Calgary Public Library’s Writers’ Weekend. Who knows, maybe I’ll even get to do some writing myself before the holidays roll around. That would be nice.

My copies of Nothing Sacred arrived here Tuesday afternoon. They look excellent! The folks at Thistledown really do produce a nice-looking book, and I’m looking forward to the launch on October 8th.

Right now I’m putting the finishing touches on the notes for the workshop I’m doing at the Alexandra Writers Centre this Saturday. The workshop is full and I may present it again in the spring if there is a demand. In the meantime, I’m now doing office hours as part of the CAA Writer-in-Residence program. Drop by with manuscripts, questions or just to say hi. I’ll be in the fourth floor boardroom at the Central Library, 616 Macleod Tr. SE, Sunday afternoons from 1 – 4 PM.

So, a busy couple of months begins this week for me. Tuesday night I have a book club gig, a first for me. I hear these book club events are lovely — food, wine, people asking you thoughtful questions about your work. I have to say, while writing Love Minus Zero it never occured to me that I would be speaking to a book club about it. But as I must constantly remind myself, never say never.

Thursday, Sept. 10th, I’ll be attending the launch of my friend Betty Jane Hegerat’s tenure as Calgary Public Library’s writer-in-residence. That’s at Memorial Park Library, 1221 – 2 St. SW, at 7 PM. Betty is going to make an excellent writer-in-residence, and the library’s lucky to have her. I am honoured to have been invited to present a joint program with her on the writer-in-residence experience for the library in February, details to follow.

Friday, Sept. 11th, I am reading, along with this session’s other instructors, at The Alexandra Writers’ Centre’s Fall Registration Night. That’s at the Alexandra Centre, 922 – 9 Ave. SE, at 7:30. Come on down, hear us read, have a refreshment and register in one of our courses or workshops. My Life Into Story workshop runs Saturday, September 26th.

In the meantime, I’ve already received four manuscript submissions for my writer-in-res gig, and have my first face-to-face consult with a writer on Sept. 13th in the space in the Central Library which CPL has so graciously provided. I’m quite gratified by the response to this program already, which doesn’t even officially begin until the 13th.

So, yeah, keeping busy. Which is good, ya know.

Yeah, I love The Kinks, in case anyone was wondering.