I had such a lovely week as a writer in residence at Minimbah; it's always good to meet the kids you write for, but spending a week in one place lets you interact a whole lot more, and in a more relaxed way, than the typical whirlwind visit. I love seeing what kids come up with in a workshop, and seeing how many different ways one story seed can develop – and what greater honour can a writer receive than to start reading a story to a restless group, and see them settle into rapt silence right to the end.
So I came home Friday evening feeling tired but satisfied, and found my advance copy of the Australian editions of Nim at Sea, and Nim's Island with its beautiful new cover. What a thrill! Even having to go back to work on a few copy-editor queries for the American edition couldn't take the glow off.