Commonwealth Writers Prize, day 2

It has been a long, long, long day and I’m dog tired and really should be in bed, but again dedicated soul that I am, I’m blogging away, because I don’t want to forget everything that happened today.

I got to bed in the wee hours of the morning, 3am to be precise and was up at 8am because we had an early morning start. Not as early as tomorrow or should I say this morning, seeing as it’s already past midnight. We’ve got to be on the bus for 6am to catch our flight to Cape Town. I didn’t really get to see much of Jo’burg, what I have seen has been through a bus window on the way to the various venues. This morning’s bookshop is called Boekehuis and is in a wonderful house, with requisite garden. I think I’ve improved on my reading style, the audience were receptive and laughed in the right places.

The judging started today, they were sequestered away in a windowless room while we were out being feted and I don’t envy them their task, because according to the word on the street, all the books are really good. We’ve had three readings so far and listening to everyone else, I’m in awe and truly honoured to be amongst them.

Ok obsequiousness over, I reckon it must be really difficult for the judges, because they have to eat drink and be merry with us authors and at the same time choose a winner. It’s weird for me, the question that is uppermost in my mind I can’t ask. Questions like ‘what do you really think about my book, and do you think it stands a chance.’ I don’t know if it’s the same for the others, but I’m so trying to be on my best behaviour and not pepper them with questions like, ‘so what criteria are you using to judge? What are you looking for in an overall prize-winner? Do you take the personality of author into account? Do you factor in the commerciality of the book?’ And so on and so on.

We had a grand dinner with the top literati of Jo’burg and yours truly was a tad over-dressed. Gone are the days where formal actually meant a ball gown for women and tails for guys. I miss those times, well I never actually lived in those times but being a gal that loves to dress up… Talking of clothes, I did manage to snag a jacket from Woolies yesterday, so it’s bye-bye cold.

Well I’ve managed to say a lot at the same time say nothing at all. So it’s off to Cape Town and more excitement. I just need a second to catch my breath. Sx