Perth #REGRETS

Well it was a fabulous night. We all read from our diaries. Because of the rule that we don’t record on the night and try to create that safe, intimate space, I won’t talk about what others read. I will say that all were funny, brilliant and thoughtful. There was some tragedy, delivered in mocking tones as if we were judging our own selves for being so pathetic. Often regret is an emotion that you have *after* whatever it is that provokes it. For me, I wish I could go back to that seventeen-year-old girl and tell her to either forget about the boy in Psychology OR freaking ask him out! Unfortunately, there were to be many more “Psych” I guys over the years. Crushes from afar, agonising and dumb but, apparently, so common. Pages and pages and pages of diary entries.

It was a great night. Reading order was 1. Brooke Davis, 2. Laurie Steed, 3. Annabel Smith 4. Me 5. Tracy Farr. Annabel was a hard act to follow she is HILARIOUS but my reading went very well, every time I looked up I could see wide open faces, broad smiles, even the cool guy up the back. It seems that these diary readings while unique and specific to the individual also present themes that are universal and widely felt. So good. Afterwards, we readers made a little spontaneous huddle, wanting to extend the feeling of having just done something really special. And once people had drifted off, Tracy Farr, Annabel Smith and I went to karaoke. We all had different styles as you would expect, and I’m wondering now whether they correlate in any way to our writing styles… Annabel = super-energetic. And a wonderful voice. Tracy: cool and laid back. And a wonderful voice. Me? I was so tired I got horizontal on the couch. I was intimidated by how good they were but managed to crank out a couple:  back up to Annabel’s Spice Girls is the one I remember. And SexyBack I think.

The plan is for more diaries. We have one *I think* confirmed for Wed 6 December, in Footscray. Stay tuned for details, I will post here closer to the time if anyone is interested. And then next year, would love to put on some more salons.

Find us on facebook @baddiariessalon

There’s no twitter account… I just sometimes go on about it at my personal account @jennyackland

Here are some photos from the night:

 

 

• All poster artwork done by Robert Lukins aka The Maestro. He has his debut novel out next year with UQP. If he writes as well as he photoshops then we are in for a treat.