The Talented Ms Laing.

I have been conspicuously absent from the blogosphere, I know. My life has been taken up with selling and buying houses, packing, moving, unpacking, child-minding etc etc ad nauseum. And even some writing! And mentoring. So not much spare time. I am compelled to break the silence, however, to celebrate Sarah Laing. Last night she won the award for best cover design at the PANZ Book Design Awards, for none other than Magpie Hall!

It is very well deserved. I LOVE this cover, front and back, and it was just one of many clever designs she came up with. Sarah is not only a talented designer, but also an award-winning writer herself. Check out her books (both also with gorgeous covers designed by hers truly): her short story collection Coming Up Roses, and her novel Dead People's Music, one of my favourite reads of last year.

She has her own website - visit www.poppyshock.com to see her diverse talents. And just lately she has started a graphic blog of her time as the Buddle Findlay Sargeson Fellow. Such talent, and all this achieved as a mother of three. I take my hat off to her and thank her for doing such a wonderful job on Magpie Hall and for (hee hee) bringing attention to it again!