Things have been a bit lively since last I posted here, so here’s a bit of an update.

1. I didn’t complete Nanowrimo. At first I thought it would be great sitting there writing absolutely anything I fancied, regardless of whether it made sense or not. And the first few days, scribbling the very silly adventures of Mr Ian Wrimo, Master Sleuth, was pretty good. But it wasn’t long before I found myself feeling guilty (yes, guilty) that I was wasting my time on rubbish when I could have been working on something saleable. So I bailed.

2. I spent five days in Joondalup Health Campus around the beginning of December, being tested really quite extensively to find out just why I’d had those mysterious chest pains and shortness of breath. It’s now quite some time later, but still, nobody knows. The pains and other symptoms have not returned, I’m pleased to report, but I would like to know what the hell happened. That day, on my own, having to call an ambulance, wait for it, thinking, “Hmm, I should update my Facebook page, but what if I get up to  go and do that, and I drop dead in the middle of something like, “Adrian Bedford is jusldkasjdkljdh;agkljjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjds” I decided to skip the update. The whole experience was deeply, surprisingly upsetting. Michelle and my folks have been brilliant through the whole thing. The day I came home my dad hugged me—my dad who’s never hugged me in his life. It was a big deal. Last week I had a CT scan to measure my calcium score, or something, which should tell my cardiologist whether I have blockages, and how big they are, or what. I’ll be going to see her next week, probably.

3. I posted here a few times about a new book idea I’d been working on since late last year. Sadly, the bottom fell out from under it. It proved unviable. This was very depressing, and I moped a long time, even after getting what so far seems like a better idea (this time for a possible Time Machines Repaired follow-up volume). I haven’t started actually scribbling yet, but it’s going well.

4. I heard recently that my book has made the shortlist for the Philip K. Dick Awards. Holy frakking heck! Am very worried. This past Saturday evening, in Brisbane, my book won the 2008 Aurealis Award for Best Australian SF Novel. Michelle and I were there for the big event, and it was terrifying, the tension (and the humidity) unbearable. I don’t know how my legs got me across the vast gulf of the stage in front of all the clapping people. I remember blinding lights, happy people, thanking lots of people, particularly Michelle, and not much else. The award is very shiny indeed.

5. Am trying the Windows 7 beta on my laptop, and in fact using the Windows Live Writer service, linked through to my Wordpress blog, to post this. So far I’m liking Windows 7 a great deal (it helps that I got it for free, of course), and may keep it here on the laptop. My desktop is still running Ubuntu 8.10 “Intrepid Ibex”, and Linux remains my True Love. Win7, though, gives it a good run for its money.

6. I’m reading lots of books lately. I’ve been posting mini-reviews of most of them through the iRead service on my Facebook page (look up “Adrian Bedford”).