Hello to my poor neglected website!

Boy it's been a long time and a rough few weeks.

Firstly, to explain my absence over the past week or so: my grandfather died.

He was sick and in a home, but it happened suddenly (stroke Wednesday, died Friday, funeral yesterday) so since last Wednesday I've been in a crying-and-family bubble and haven't done much else.

I spoke at the funeral, saw people I haven't seen for years and generally was a mess the whole time.

It's hard to believe he's really gone, you know?

I am also very far behind in my new degree considering the lack of study over the past week.

Also, two Saturday's ago my car broke down and on Monday that cost $500 to repair. Fun. Times.

This morning I took my sister and her best friend to the airport - I had to be up at 4.30am! ...

This week has been a-crazy!

Here's why:

1) My housemate and I re-arranged my desk area in my bedroom. It took us over five hours to clean, move and finally re-assemble everything.

Here's the finished picture:

There's a printer behind the television, that's crushed pineapple in the bowl and the red thing on top of the monitor is my childhood alarm clock! I was so excited to find that (buried under piles of crap :P).

(Don't judge my Taylor Swift poster - focus on all the book things! :P)

I decided earlier that day that I missed using the huge desk I got from the side of the road, because that's in the study and not in my room. So I decided to move it!

The jumbled mess of cords under my old, small desk was an electrical hazard: there was three power boards on top of ...

Last night was the Pulisher's Showcase at The Centre for Youth Literature at the State Library of Victoria.

I went with Steph from My Girl Friday and after filling ourselves up with yummy cupcakes and milkshakes (which was a bad idea considering the event was catered!) we headed over there.

Steph, because she is a legend, has already put up a very comprehensive summary of all the new books coming out in the coming year!

Each publisher presented four books to the crowd - most did two from this year and two coming next year.

Many authors were there too, presenting on behalf of their publishers, including Fiona Wood, Cath Crowley and Michael Pryor to name a few.

As Steph scribbled madly beside me (honestly, check out her post! Look at the detail!) I just sat back and marveled at all the new books.

At the train ...

Blood sings to blood, Froi . . .
Those born last will make the first . . .
For Charyn will be barren no more.

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home - or so he believes.

Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper.  But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds.  Here he encounters a damaged people who are not who they seem, and must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad Princess.

And in this barren and mysterious place, he will ...

So yesterday it was Thanksgiving in America and despite not being American, I really think the holiday has some good values that the rest of the world could see fit to introduce.

A holiday without presents where everyone gathers around to give thanks for what they have? Yes, please!

(It's also hilariously ironic that they often call it Turkey Day and that I have a picture of a Turkey on here as my nick-name in primary school was Turkey! My surname is Burke, then you go Burkey-Turkey... get it? My best friend even named her new gold fish after me when we were 12, Turkster and Gobbling :P)

However if I ever were to go to America to celebrate it, I wouldn't eat the Turkey  - ewww! My best friend always refers to that as me not wanting to be a cannibal by ...