Ahh, yes - yet another great yawning gulf of time between postings. And so much has happened in that time as well - well, at least in the world of politics and so forth.

In my own wee world of writing all I can say is that I am scribbling away furiously at bk 3, Shadowmasque, and its going really well. Also received this week my author copies of the Russian edition of Shadowkings which has appeared in hardback, a bit of a surprise as I`d thought it would be paperback; but no, a rather neat hardback with cover illustration taken from one of the early scenes in the book (and a *colour* version of the map inside - woohoo!). So 2004 is shaping up quite well with that and the massmarket of Shadowgod due in April (and the advance copies I`ve had look well tasty), and the Iron Mosaic short story collection in June, AND my entry in the Thackery Lambshead Pocket Guide to Eccentric and Discredited Diseases...well, it`s only February so there`s plenty of time for other triffic events to get in on the act.

Back in the real world - I really like that Lord `Utton; I`ve got all his CDs, y`know....well, yeah, as you might guess I was crunchingly underwhelmed with the noble lord`s cavalier disregard for the facts (which he had himself uncovered in his own enquiry - doh!). And now we hear that 5 of the British detainees at Gitmo Bay are to be released and sent back to Blighty...where the slavering headline writers of the Sun await them. There was one today which went something like `Arrest these traitors the moment they set foot on British soil!` - y`know, the usual Sun style of restraint and dignity. Well, I almost WANT the police to arrest them, because then it would have to go through the courts and a lot of evidence would have to be found and found to be true, otherwise....certain faces will be covered in egg yolks, I believe.

Okay, that`s all for now. Next time I`ll see if I can`t slip in a few words of Russian....

Adios,

Mike C