It’s been a whole year since Salvage was published. I’m very grateful for all the attention this book has received from readers, booksellers, book clubs and critics. It’s been my biggest seller so far, and reader enthusiasm gets most of the credit for that, so thank you to anyone who has read and recommended this one. I was chuffed to see Salvage on the shortlist for The Age Book of the Year recently, in a very strong field. Honestly, there are so many good books coming out at the moment, I’m struggling to keep up with my reading.

There have been a few surprises over that year, some excellent (a major fellowship), some terrible (a medical crisis), and some a bit of both. I’ve been thinking a lot about change and adaptation. I’ve also been working away on a new project, still firmly in the too-soon-to-describe phase. As of this week, enough of it exists to call it a first draft. The work ahead is long and daunting as always, but it feels good to have a solid chunk of material to play with.

This weekend I’ll be at Words on the Waves, on the NSW Central Coast, to talk about both Salvage and A Concise Compendium of Wonder, and to share some of the challenges of our profession in my role as ASA Chair. It promises to be a fun weekend of conversation. I love a regional festival, and am also glad for an excuse to get away from my desk for a few days!

Next week I’m making a rare appearance on a local stage, too, with a reading at No Wave at the Wheaty. No Wave is an awesome regular event, conveniently held in one of our best pubs. It used to be just for poets, but they’re branching out – I’m planning to read some short fiction and to drink some excellent stout. In that order, of course.