Today is the last day of summer and even though it's been a hot and dry one, I always feel a little sad to see it end. The long cicada-filled evenings, picnics by the creek and lost days on the beach - I find everything about summer so languid and glorious and I'm yet to be convinced of the virtues of winter. Give me a cotton dress over a woolly jumper any day.

However, before winter there is Autumn, and I am looking forward to seeing how all the young trees I have planted in our new garden perform and which will put on the brightest show of colour. There are daffodils to look forward to and enough rain to make the creek swell and creep out over its banks to flood the bike path. And lots of writing to do. My garden is a much less distracting place when the clouds loom grey overhead and the wind is too bitey to venture outdoors. LOTS of writing - and hopefully even a book of illustrations to squeeze in, if I can manage it.

There seems to be a sudden burst of book launches over the next few weeks, as if all us writers in our self-inflicted solitude are desperate to capture a little bit of summer spark before we all hunker down to our winter's nest of many, many written words but very few spoken. I am looking forward to Melissa Keil's tonight, but sad to be missing Simmone Howell and Kate Constable's next Wednesday. Nick Place has written a GROWN-UP book and will be launching it next Tuesday and Susanne Gervay will be coming down to Melbourne especially to launch her new picture book next Saturday. Lili Wilkinson will be launching her new book at Readings on the 21st which I can't wait to read.

So, if that's not enough bookish love for you, can I let you know about a little Meet Lina preview I have lined up at Readings Carlton on the 7th March. I'm very excited about it and have been collecting all sorts of 1950s treasures to share with you. Bring along a primary-school aged girl to share Italian treats and she will take home her own home-made diary to record all her secrets in. I will read a little from Meet Lina and chat about the book and all things 1950s - you may even see me in a 50's style frock! (Weather permitting) It should be a really lovely event, from 4.30 - 5.30pm, organised by the delightful Emily Gale, and very different to the big OAG bash to be held at the convent later on. Hope to see you there!

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