Look - my book!

Well then, look what we have here. A book. The first book I've edited. I've had my writing published in other books and I've proofread books, but this is the first name I've had my name appear as Editor.

It's a pretty modest book - somewhere between a book and a magazine in its style and feel. So it's a compendium of travel stories that have been printed in The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, plus a series of travel stories that I commissioned specially for this publication.

I'm very happy with how it's come up. But most of all I keep marvelling at the fact that I actually did it!




I took on this project when T was three months old. Three months! At first it was easy to work with her around, as she was pretty happy to lay on her playmat and gurgle. But then, of course, as she became more alert she was not going to have a bar of that, thank you very much. And still, I did it!



There were times, as the deadline neared, when it all seemed too much. But what can you do but push on? There were times when I couldn't even face a glass of SA wine, because I didn't want to even lay eyes on those words again...!

I feel so lucky to be able to earn my living, meagre as it is at the moment, doing something so creative and enjoyable. There are lots of great things about freelancing from home, but there are a few downsides too. Being self-employed, there's not much in the way of feedback. So I would just like to stop for a moment and say this:

Dear Me,
You are a legend. You pulled off your first ever book editing gig in between all the burping and bathing and washing and everything else that a baby and preschooler require.
Please give yourself a raise immediately.
Kindest regards,
Me