A writer is someone who writes – John Braine

I have just been to a weekend Writers’ Retreat at Mt Richmond estate. It’s an old forestry camp that was converted four years ago into a cafe and motel complex by an English family. Each unit has a name like ‘Charlotte’ instead of a number like 27. They even had a grater so I could grate apple for my muesli.  The food was superb with gluten free and vegan options and the spa was very relaxing.  It reminded me of a writing weekend I went to many years ago with Michael King. He bought in various speakers to give advice like Christine Cole Catley. She told a story, I don’t know if it was then or maybe much later, about Michael King’s mother.  Apparently she used to ring him up and say ‘Are you busy Michael,  or just writing?’

   The ‘just’ says it all. People don’t seem to consider writing as work. I wonder why because it certainly requires concentration and sacrifice. There are so many other things you could be doing but for some of us if you haven’t put pen to paper or typed words into a computer, life doesn’t feel quite right.

   I have also joined a co-operative. A group of Marlborough artisans have got together and rented out a vacant shop in Mariners Mall in Picton opposite the entrance to Fresh Choice. The market is open seven days a week from 10am to 4pm. This is such a great initiative. You should have seen the number of people in there today. On the first day two of my father’s books about Ngakuta Bay sold and also one of my historic Picton postcards. The woman who bought it said, ‘I love post offices’. She was especially pleased to see the historical notes I had put on the back saying when the old Picton Post Office was demolished (1991).  She said that she and her husband had been trying to remember ‘just the other day’.  I am thinking of producing a postcard of Captain Cook standing on the beach at Ship Cove conversing with local Maori.  The image is out of copyright and available from National Library archives in Wellington.

   What a worrying report on an earthquake in Wellington — barges and helicopters as the only method of transport!  I have to go to Wellington in February for a Katherine Mansfield conference. A sculpture of KM is to be unveiled in Lambton Quay while the conference is on.  

  On Thursday evening we have our monthly Writers' meeting in Blenheim. Those of us who have been published are to talk about our experience. We also have to write 100 words on: 'If you've got it, flaunt it.' Also looking forward to an evening at the Gillan Gallery where winners of the inaugural Blenheim Bookworld short story competition will be announced. Then on Monday there’s a Charles Dickens evening, a visiting one-man show, at the Picton Little Theatre. So November is turning out to be a very literary month.