Just a quick post before I head off to our nation’s capital for the weekend to celebrate my nephew’s second birthday.
I whooped for joy and threw my arms up in the air in our favourite café at breakfast this morning because I heard on the radio that Tim Winton had won the Miles Franklin Award for Breath. I’m so pleased. The more I read of him the more his talent amazes me, makes me try harder, work longer, breathe deeper, and keep pushing on. He’s amazing. As much as I enjoyed The Slap overall, ultimately, for me, it was a disappointing read. The female characters just didn’t do it for me.
I’m on a Toni Morrison diet right now, so Mr. Winton will have to wait a bit for my next foray into his stuff. I’m not sure why the Morrison diet, it’s just where my heart is at right now I guess. I’ve just written a rather leftist, feminist short story that no doubt my mother will love, but not sure at this stage about anyone else! Did Morrison inspire it? I guess so!
Anyway, I best be off and pack my bag, because this gorgeous fella awaits me. 
See you on the other side of the weekend!
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My name is Simonne Michelle-Wells. I'm a writer from Melbourne (originally from WA). I have a background in theatre and write theatre reviews for Australian Stage Online. In my day job I'm a speech writer. I've had short fiction published in Cottonmouth, Beyond Words, Box Magazine, The Naked Eye and the inaugural Emerging Writers' Festival Reader. I was awarded a residency at Varuna in 2008 for my first novel, and was the recipient of the 2009 Ada Cambridge Prize for biographical short story writing. I am also the blog administrator for the Varuna Alumni writers' Blog.
8 Comments
June 19, 2009 at 2:45 am
Rug up! It will be cold in Canberra.
June 22, 2009 at 5:22 am
He he. It wasn’t as cold as it was 2 weeks ago!
June 19, 2009 at 2:46 am
Have fun with your nephew!!
June 22, 2009 at 5:26 am
Thanks IM, I did indeed! He’s too adorable. Your site looks great, I’ll have to let my sister know about it. See you again soon
June 19, 2009 at 4:34 am
Oh, I adored Breath! That’s great news (I did really enjoy The Slap, but I’d be interested to know if your frustrations with it were at all similar to mine). Winton is a deserving winner, and that’s always pleasing.
If you have a little cutie-pie in Canberra who’s turning two, then you must get up there a bit, so you must already know this, but Paul is right – it’s freezing this time of year. Pack the wool and have a great weekend!
June 22, 2009 at 5:28 am
Hmm, I feel a Slap discussion cometh!
My nephew is ridiculously advanced for 2! He speaks whole sentences and has no worries at all with words like ‘Melbourne’ and ‘Whoops-a-daisy’! Too cute!
June 22, 2009 at 5:14 am
Awww. He is gorgeous! Have a ball. I got a bit frustrated with the narrow lense of Breath, though I enjoyed it overall. I wanted more of his (narrator’s) parents and other peripheral characters.
June 22, 2009 at 5:28 am
I feel a Breath discussion cometh!