To my immense chuffment, I was presented with the CWAA award for conspicuous scribbling in the face of mortality at the 2009 Ned Kelly Awards on August 28.
Peter Corris, a 400-year-old nib-whittler who has outlived and outproduced more Australian crime writers than I've had hot dinners, came down from Sydney to present the Award.
Some brilliant new talent displayed itself on the evening, but arrangements have been made to have their typing fingers broken.
A great night was had by all, especially Jane Clifton who drank a fire bucket of bourbon and showed us her merkin.