The boots came off some time ago, but I’m still wearing Frehley’s severed head. There’s a full morning moon in the smoggy celadon sky above the Conrad hotel. Beautiful. I’m going to finish this today, which means I’m going to say “Sod it, good enough” to a lot of small stuff that I can’t find a stronger or tidier or more exact way to say. I’m going to leave in a few banalities and barbarisms and things that stick in my teeth. I can’t even spend all day on it, because I also have to work on book#2.

I think I’ve learned stuff from writing this story. I’ve realised how lumpy my writing can be — lacking connective tissue, indications of gesture during dialogue, ways of indicating manner and mood, little bridges from one element to the next — and have tried to smooth out its lumpy tendencies. I don’t know that I’ve succeeded all that well, but I’ve started a collection of “bridging bits” in a notebook for future reference.

Anyway, onwards — in the good company of Sir Tessa. Poking things with sticks. What was it Sappho said? If you’re squeamish, don’t prod the beach rubble!

7:02 – feeling: determined. Eating: buttered toast. Listening to: Kiss – God of Thunder, live 1976. Stu sneaks up behind me while I’m headbanging to this. Sprung, lol.

8:26 – some minesweeping done. I can’t deny, I hate this part. It’s where I have to face my own inadequacies — of intellect, understanding and writerly craft — and lose the fight with at least some of them. I’m going to make more toast. I am toast. Toast eat toast.

10:32 – pages 1,3 & 5 clear. I don’t want to think about the mess on page 2. Resorted to cold medicine an hour ago. Feeling: spacey… soon it will be time to return to Planet Jendell…

11:45 – up to page 9 (of 11 and a bit). Still have a paragraph on p.4, a line each on 6 & 8, and the mess on 2. Eating: licorice. Going to break off for a bit now to deal with book#2.

12:45 – turns out I didn’t really have to do anything. Preston is writing some great stuff. More coffee. Biscuits. Left to do: the mess on 2, the paragraph on 4, a line on 9, and the stuff on 11 & 12 that I didn’t take care of yesterday. Distracted by this, via Michael Cisco. The cool bit starts at 5:46. Hypnotism, convulsions, silks and wigs (no, not lawyers!). Brain clearly wants diversion. Telly time.

2:30 – 2,4, and the last 300 words. I’m going to the supermarket. It’s time to bring out the big guns, expense be damned.

3:43 – by the power of Vegemite, the mess on page 2 is cleared up. Basically, I put it all back to nearly the way it was before. Now there’s just one sentence on 2, the paragraph on 4, which is an important one, and the end. (Vegemite is rumoured to be good for clearing up pimples, too.) I’ve actually cut a few words off. I’m thinking of packing it in for the day and attacking these last couple of things tomorrow. I could legitimately spend some time practising my Thai this afternoon — I am supposed to be learning to read and write. Or I could have another long bath and watch more telly…

5:02 – long bath is, once again, lengthy. Got a bit more done on the last page. The rest will have to wait till tomorrow. I really wanted to get this done today and I’m sorry I didn’t, but it’s very close now. This is without doubt the trickiest story I’ve ever tried to write. Sorry, Ace, but I need your spaceman powers for just one more day.