Last Day at Varuna

I have been in a cave for a couple of days, which is a good thing.
Have written more than 90 pages now and feeling much better about how things have gone. Got over my ADD and that superglue from the hardware really works!

The one thing I'll miss from here is the evening dinners with the four other writers. They are all working on books and are such a diverse and interesting mix of folk.
On Friday night, we read to each other from our work. This gave the greatest insight into each of us. Biff is writing a memoir about her parents - her mother suffered from schizophrenia and her father was an academic and writer. Her work is delightfully poignant - I can't wait to read more.
Anna is an intellectually gifted concert pianist. She is writing her second memoir, about pregnancy and childbirth. She writes with subtle humour and great realism.

Gary is a Scot, originally from Glasgow, but he is writing a fictional piece about three generations of a Polish family. His writing is rich with description and texture.
David is a very warm and funny man from Melbourne and his work of short fiction was layered with rich visual imagery and mood. All so wonderful. Beats TV anytime!

So much talent in one room - I feel truly privileged to have shared time with these marvellous people - all of whom are just like you and me, dealing with families, the daily grind, work commitments and our own limitations - but still managing to create.
My own work has some way to go but was received enthusiastically by the others - the one remark I treasure was that "it reads like a film - I can see it". Noice.