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I've reached a most exciting time. After a hard-working Christmas, making last revisions to the new book, and then proof-reading and checking the type-set version, In Search of Anna is now at the printers, and should be due back in good time for the launch on February 8.  I couldn't speak too highly of my Wakefield editor, Julia Beaven. She's been not only supportive and encouraging, but so meticulous in her editing and so thoughtful and perceptive in her comments and advice, that I count myself fortunate to have had her as my guiding hand. Great assistance from all at Wakefield Press, and a lovely cover design and internal design features from Liz Nicholson, while Maddy Sexton has been a tower of strength with publicity and launch help.

I'm looking forward to this launch. Steven Marshall, South Australian Premier and Minister for the Arts, will launch the book at Immanuel College, and the Principal there has been a generous source of support. It's shaping to be a large launch, and acceptances are flooding in.  As the evening is also the celebration of my 80th birthday - a life stage I can't pretend to be at all enthusiastic about - at least I can feel I'm doing something to prove I'm still alive  ...

But, before this, there's a pre-launch event when I'll have the chance to showcase and sell my book at the Walla Walla 150th Centenary celebrations during the Australia Day weekend. Most appropriate, because this town is only a few kilometres from Jindera, where the last part of In Search of Anna is set. I'm hoping there will be a lot of local interest in the book and the event.

Roll on, the next few weeks. Life is both frantically busy and wonderfully interesting.

We're back

by in Latest News on 24 November, 2018 with 0 Comments

Usually I'm saying I can't believe it's three months since I last entered news on this page; this time I'm not all surprised. It's been a packed three months, from our departure in mid September to now, just home a few days ago. A wonderful time, recorded in a 33,000 word journal, and my usual Poem a Day, which has become a pattern over the last few years of travel, this time yielding me 65 poems for the trip. While keeping to this at times requires enormous self-discipline, it's also one of the most rewarding parts of travel for me. Even when, dead tired at night, I wonder why I'm making this effort, the moment I sit down to write, tiredness dissipates, and the poem a day becomes not only a happy writing time but also some of our best memory-joggers for the travel.

Our first two weeks in Croatia were fascinating.From leaving Venice, all too short a stay in this lovely city of old palazzi and gondolas on canals, fortunately before the massive flooding that hit the city several weeks later, we began a brief coach tour to Split, then a cruise of the Adriatic on a small boat (only 36 people - all congenial!) that took us round the Adriatic islands. A lovely time, as we explored, and sampled, oyster farms and vineyards, swam in the Adriatic (well, David did - I chickened out), and wandered around ancient Roman ruins. A final extra four days in Dubrovnik gave us the chance to visit Mostar, and the small country of Montenegro, and also taught us about the difficulties of the breakdown of the old Yugoslavia into these original individual small countries. Time in Dubrovnik also showed us the horrors of the fighting that accompanied these times, and we learned not just about the struggles in Kosovo, but also the devastation of the siege of Dubrovnik itself, and the shelling that destroyed the Old Town, now amazingly reconstructed. A beautiful place.

The following seven weeks in Germany were a very happy time, with catching up with so many friends from the past and much valued relatives. But a highlight would have to be the two weeks in Oberammergau, where the work I'd put in ahead into establishing contacts really was rewarded. Thanks to the efficient and supportive Franziska Zankl in the Press Office,  we attended the huge ecumenical service on October 20, when the original vow of 1633 was renewed. Listening to a nine year old girl speaking the words of this traditional vow for the thousands of people in front of her, rededicating the citizens of Oberammergau to the production of this 42nd Passion Play in 2020, was indeed moving. So too was being part of the excited crowd outside the Passion Play Theatre when the cast list for 2020 was revealed, one by one, on the huge front blackboards. A spine-tingling moment, for this ten-yearly event will bring half a million people from all over the world to Oberammergau. The Press Conference in the afternoon was also another tribute to German efficiency.

For the next two weeks I found myself full-time working: marketing my 2014 book, Passion Play, to shops, hotels, souvenir outlets, with a generally really pleasing response, but also interviewing the key cast members and director of the 2020 Play  - all generous with their time and great to speak to. It will be interesting to see if I can get some of the articles I have now written published in Australian outlets.

From there, further time with relatives in northern German, and a short hotel across the borders in France  - a few days in Strasbourg, using our two country Eurail Pass. Most of our travel, in fact all in Germany and France, was by train, with David hoisting heavy cases up onto luggage racks with impressive (apparent?) ease. It's really hard to  return to 'normal' life after these months away, but bit by bit we're starting to pick up the pieces.

Next job will be the final revisions on next February's book, In Search of Anna, which Wakefield Press tells me is almost through the editing process, and getting the Feb 8 book launch (cum 80th birthday celebration) organised. I think I'll be pleased when March comes. But meanwhile it's Christmas and a family gathering. Lots to do!

Getting VERY close  - it's almost time for our next expedition to Europe. This time it's partly holiday, with a tour from Venice to Dubrovnik at the start of our time away. While I have deep wariness about any form of organised 'tour', with its vision of sheep-like herding round Grand Sights (AKA Great Sites), this does look a more acceptable affair, with a small coach land tour from Venice (sadly, only two days in this magic city) to Split, on the Dalmation coast, then a six day cruise around the islands of the Adriatic on a small very new boat -  only about 36 people. An optional extra few days in Dubrovnik, where the boat berths, is also something to look forward to, as it's over forty years since I've been in this part of the world, and it looks truly beautiful.

And after that  it's Germany, with catch-up visits to friends and relatives and, very importantly, time in Oberammergau, which will be something special. While it's 18 months to the next big Passion Play year in 2020, in October this year there will be the important ceremony of the renewal of the 1633 vow that was the origin of this ten-yearly event. It's followed  immediately by the announcement of the cast list for 2020, a big revealing that the whole surrounding area attends. With 1500 people on stage for the play one can understand the local excitement. I look forward to being part of this special time, and also hope to use the opportunity to do some marketing of my 2014 verse novel, Passion Play - the Oberammergau Tales, for sale in shops in Oberammergau in 2020, when half a million people will attend the play.

But, as always, the lead-up time to a trip of this type becomes hectic, and we're into pre-trip panic mode already. Meanwhile, I'm balancing travel preparations with forward planning for my new book, being published by Wakefield Press next February. Right now I'm looking forward to seeing the projected cover before we leave, as flyers about the book, In Search of Anna, are to be distributed in Jindera, the small NSW town where the final section of the book is set. Coincidentally, late in September this year Jindera is commemorating its 150th Anniversary, and big celebrations are planned. I'm sorry that we'll be away at the time, but hope that my coming book may be publicised during the celebrations.

Next week the annual Friendly Street Reader will be published, and as loyal members of this long-established poetry organisation, I'm delighted that both David and I have poems in this anthology. The launch for that is just before we leave, but clashed with the launch in Melbourne of this year's ACU Poetry Competition anthology. I'm truly delighted to have been short-listed for this prestige poetry competition. Sadly, not a major winner, but short-listing  brings publication in the book.

So, out with the suitcases and on with the motley ....