Meeting Maggie Alderson

Last night I went to Maggie Alderson’s book launch at Readings, Hawthorn.I saw a human dog on the way.

Maggie provided answers to her frequently asked questions. The night started off with Maggie talking about how life crosses continents, and how distance becomes smaller with the internet. She said that se seems to know more about her friends across the seas than the people living in her street. She talked about her writing process – how she flicks through magazines for people and places to create a vision board. These images become her characters and settings, and whenever she is stuck, she can look up at her vision board above her desk and know where she is and where she is heading.

She showed us photos of her office – she rents a room in a town house where other artists work, so she does not get lonely. If she had the internet in her office, she said, she wouod be buying shoes and looking at pictures ofmkittens in halloween costumes all day! She mentioned how she connects with people from Twitter. Many tweeters were in the room last night.

She talked about her ‘fetish objects’ she keeps on her desk – “not fetish in the 50 Shades of Grey style” she said. She has a few pretty ornaments, books, stones, gifts and photos around her. She has this troll which is dressed in Chanel offcuts.

Maggie wore leopard print amd turquoise. She looked beautiful.

Maggie signed her books amd posed for photos.’i was excited to tell her that I read a page that featured a story about a bus trip, and it was exactly like our bus trip to Selfridges. we talked about fabulous Faux Fuchsia and the dedication she has to daily nail polish, and I told the people waiting in line to read FF’s blog – and added – read mine too. I said, sorry Maggie, we are here to promote your book, and Maggie said to the people in line, “yes read Carly’s blog too!” I die! I bought her Style Notes book which is a collection ofmher columns from Good Weekend – my favourite. I started reading it on the train and laughed out loud.