THE END of the novel

Well, the 117,000 words of Tender Morsels is currently printing out for its final check before being sent off via Allen & Unwin to all four publishers (Aus, US, UK and German) for editing—this feels like a cross between sending someone into a dark alley to be beaten up, and sending them into a brightly lit operating theatre where they will be carefully dismembered. But it's okay, I think I can manage to keep myself intact throughout the process.

And seeing as I didn't expect to be at this point even by December this year, or possibly ever again (thank you, Jan and Lee and the WOW weekenders!), I'm allowed to take a moment to feel hugely relieved, I think. (Before I rush off to finish those overdue short stories—oops!)

And to celebrate with a spot of colour, here is a photo, one of many by Ione Rucquoi, that partly captures the feeling of the book. Go, Muddy Annie, out into the world!