October hhas been busy. I was on two panels with Sue Bursztynski at the SheKilda Festival, speaking about writing crime for young readers. We were joined for our afternoon talk by Susan Green and Catherine Jinks. I have to admit that writing crime for young readers didn’t bring too many participants, even though I flashed my newly published Car-Crimes at them; my version of an Aussie Famous Five,

This was rapidly followed by my other ‘hat’ when I ran an all day seminar for the Port Phillip Council on ‘mentoring memoirs’. I had a surprising number of willing participants, 16 in all, and so many different nationalities, you wouldn’t believe. I had foolishly opted to provide food for the day. I will never do htis again, as this was most stressful. If you don’t know how many people are turning up, how can youknow how much food to provide? Loaves and fishes? From now on it will be only tea, coffee and biscuits.

Then a busy morning at Kilbreda Catholic College, with an audience of some 250 girls. They were so quiet and attentive I worried that I sent them to sleep? Hope not as they did ask some pertinent questions.

Then another seminar in the Hawthorn Community centre where the participants were predominantly Anglo, and gave a different slant on writing memoir. It was held in the mayoral chambers and I have to admit that I have never spoken in such an august setting.

My final gig yesterday was in the Rosebud Library and a workshop of some 14 who want to ‘Write Crime’. I was delighted when a 13 YO boy joined us. Seems his teachers keep saying ‘Your stories are too gruesome.’ Hmm. I did mention that I don’t always finish books if I don’t think I have enough years left in me and I’m not taken with the writing. At this, our youngster’s face was worth a photo.