BACK IN HOBART --ISLAND LAUNCH

It's Thursday, 15 October here in Hobart, and about 12:30 p.m. I've just posted the material that I wrote while I was at Lake St Clair but didn't post there. I've been back here long enough to be unpacked and semi-sorted out.

Last night was the launch of the issue of Island magazine with my essay in it, at the Republic bar in a lovely large upstairs room. There was a good crowd of people there for it, and I finally got to meet Gina Mercer, the editor, with whom I've been emailing and Chris Gallagher from the Tasmanian Writers Centre. I had been invited to read briefly from the essay following the announcement of the winners of the Gwen Harwood poetry prize and a lovely speech about Island and the occasion of its 30th anniversary. I was a little anxious, and also a bit disoriented at being surrounded by so many people after my time in the woods but it went well and it was a real pleasure to put faces to names and to meet some others too.