martinlivings is calling for writers to send in photos of the rooms in which they write. "I think this would make a nice snapshot," he says, "to go alongside the one that the ASif team recently did. We've had insights into your minds, now I'd like insights into your private spaces." Ho ho.

This comes in response to the Guardian's recent gallery of writers' rooms, featuring such greats as J G Ballard, Alain de Botton and Jacqueline Wilson. As Martin says about the gap in stature between said greats and the likes of us: "We're not rich, or famous. Heck, most of us don't make a living from writing, and probably never will. But we're not bitter. Angry, twisted, filled with unspeakable rage, yes, but not bitter, no. But we all work at it anyway, and we all work somewhere."

Indeed. I've submitted a snap of my new study for all to see. And creative types of all kinds reading this--not just writers--should also drop Martin a line in order to give us a glimpse into your worlds. I for one am curious..

Sad to say, I won't be working at home for the next couple of weeks--albeit for very good reasons. I'll be at Conflux this weekend and then taking a retreat with a bunch of wonderful friends and writers in Queensland shortly thereafter. I'll be back in town mid-October, just in time for my best friend's 40th birthday bash. Oh, and for The Crooked Letter to be the feature book in SFFWorld's Fantasy Book Club.

Hurrah!

PS. Thanks to everyone who came to see Kevin J Anderson speak at Dymocks last week. It was a great turn-out. Wonderful to see so many people taking the opportunity to meet a writer of his stature when it arises. I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with Kevin and his equally brilliant wife Rebecca last week, at various dinners, bars and even a performance of the War of the Worlds in Melbourne. I'm looking forward to seeing them again in Canberra, if they're not completely sick of the sight of me by now. :-)

PPS. A big hello to everyone I bumped into while I was in Melbourne. It was a non-business trip (thanks to Nick for a wonderful 40th birthday present!) so I wasn't really in SF-community mode. It never even occurred to me that this little Jeff Wayne fanboy would see anyone he knew in the mighty metropolis that is Melbourne. Just goes to show, eh? The world is smaller than we think, and a whole lot more interesting for it.