LAST DAY OF SHORT FICTION CONFERENCE

Sadly this is the last day. Weep, gnash, sigh. I don't wanna go home!!!

I did my reading this morning; I read the story 'Cowboy and Nelly' from my collection Nude - a story about two misfits who fall in love and what happens when one of them asks the other to do something almost impossible. It seemed to go down well - the audience were lovely. My fellow reader, Italian-Canadian Licia Canton, read a sad story about a young girl who has a baby and the consequences of that for her and the baby's father. We got questions after (the usual poetry vs short fiction question for me and also about being bilingual and its influence on writing) and, all in all, it was a very enjoyable morning.

I then went to hear Australian writers Sylvia Petter on smell and memory in short fiction, especially that of Janette Turner Hospital (v interesting.) And Paddy O'Reilly on disabilty and 'the stare' in short fiction, with particular reference to Flannery O'Connor's 'Good Country People'. Both papers were very stimulating and both were delivered in that lovely, chatty, intimate Ozzy style. Wonderful stuff. I couldn't stay to hear the final paper in that session as I started to feel dizzy and had to leave the room :(
I got food and came back here to the hotel to sleep. I reckon I am just exhausted.

So, now I've slept, had the requisite ice-cream (a Klondike Sandwich - mm-mm), tea and dark chocolate needed to recover from fatigue. Tonight is The Banquet (posh!) and I am going to go armed with a pile of books for writers to sign.

Last night was the BIG reading, mentioned yesterday. Juno, aged 1, was being a dote, shaking a plastic box of crackers, making small baby noises, but TWO women (they know who they are) continuously nearly broke their own necks to register their disapproval, so I left. I was MAD. The child was not disrurupting. We were right at the back and the place was HUGE. So, I missed Alistair MacLeod, who I wanted to hear the most. But I caught a bit of Peg, a bit of Bob and some of the questions at the end. Here are three quotes on reading from last night:

'I am an addictive reader.' Margaret Atwood

'As writers, we read the zeitgeist.' Robert Olen Butler

'My life would be very empty if I couldn't read.' Alistair MacLeod

After the readings, piles of us adjourned to a Mexican restaurant for delicious chimichangas, burritos and jugs of beer. I chatted with Liadain O'Donovan (Frank O'Connor's daughter who also lives in Co Galway) about her fascinating life and about the conference up to that point. We rolled home late, down a litup and warm Yonge Street. No wonder I am ruined!

Now, to get my dress and jewels (!) out for The Banquet. Talk soon!