Awards shortlist announced

Just a quick blog today because I am so tired from writing today: I did 3000 words on my novel then created a further 2000 words for the sports biography which should now - hopefully - be complete. At the author's request, I have rewritten the appendix on coaching this week so it's now 8000 words, with some really good stuff in it. But this is just rats and mice: the big news of the week was the announcement of the New Zealand Post (Children's) Book Awards shortlist, which I am on for my ghost writing of Mark Inglis's High-Tech Legs on Everest. This is the abridged, young-readers' version of his book Legs on Everest, which tells the story of his ascent of Everest in 2006 as a double amputee. It's a great, inspirational story and the book was lots of fun to work on, choosing what to put in and leave out, making the language appropriate to a 10-14 age group and selecting and writing additional sidebars on points of interest. I feel like a bit of a faker because I'm not the one who actually climbed Everest - I just got to write about it - but it is great to have my name out there, in the paper, in the glossy brochure, being talked about by people who know about children's books and who might otherwise have forgotten me... I also have a day speaking with Mark in South Auckland in May, prior to the awards ceremony, which is always fun.
I have a Writers in Schools appointment on Monday at Parnell Library too, so will be able to talk to the kids about the awards. It feels good to get some recognition for my work; it is always satisfying and a great acheivement to be published, but especially in a small market like this, awards nominations generate buzz and sales, which is all good!
Had an OK day on the novel today - got a bit bogged down in historical detail again but have broken the 70,000 word mark and have just about caught up to the averaging 2000 words a week mark (which equates to more than 100,000 words a year - that's a lot of writing!). I would be more excited about this but I am feeling pretty drained!

Recent reading
The Happy Isles of Oceania won the what-to-read-next contest. At 700 pages it's a bit of a whopper but I am enjoying it. I am currently up to Paul Theroux's adventures in Fiji and he is yet to find an island he likes...will have to keep reading!