Greenery

BWF green room, 3.45 bulletin: James Frey has just left the room. I rubbed elbows with Helen Garner - well, practically. I met the hula hoop artist Judith Lanigan (yes, it's true!). I met James Frenkel - hi, Jim! Now there is only Jack Heath (he of the long autograph queues, not that I'm jealous or anything) and me with the very helpful volunteers up here. Oh, Li Cunxing just walked in. Such nice posture.

I have talked and talked and talked. Queensland school students are the best audience. Good senses of humour (i.e. they laugh at all my jokes), and always forthcoming with the questions, some of which can be quite deep/curly.

I'm so strong: I have not bought a single book, although I was tempted by Nam Le's The Boat and Kate Grenville's The Lieutenant. I've only been into the bookshop to take a picture of Tender Morsels on the shelves. I'm lurking in the Green Room partly to protect myself from buying anything.

My 3-hour workshop went like a dream yesterday afternoon - 15 hardworking women wrote their hearts out and didn't complain once. Plus, several of them bought the novel afterwards - the book of the workshop! (I'd tantalised them with a couple of readings...)

Off to do my last talk at QUT in 15 minutes; then it's off to the airport. It's been a big 2 days.