That Other Piece Of Important Work I've been talking about? I'm getting there. I printed it off today to start bringing it to a close and it's looking good. I don't think I've written anything better than this in my life so again, don't expect this anytime soon because I'm going hunting: Hunting for the best home I can find for it.

This is a good place to say a big thanks to those who sampled the proof copies I made available a year or so ago - things have changed within hugely and it's all the better for it. I'm talking of course, about The Family Of Noise.

So, being as the two things I've been burning up grey matter over during the last few months are going to be in agency/publishing limbo for a little while, as soon as I nail down the last full stop at the end of The Family Of Noise, I shall turn my eyes towards releasing another book of short stories.

As luck would have it, I began to collate that collection quite some time ago, but I won't pre-empt anything with a date. That will also be ready when it's ready.

I can't remember where I found this but take a look at this fine rejection letter (not to me) from the annals of time.

Dear Lord, how I would love to send something similar out when it came to the day job but somehow, I don't think many would get the joke.

I miss MAD magazine - and I'm not talking about the shadow-type thing it's become in the last twenty years either. Here's some Don Martin gold from the early eighties - right before it began to run out of steam:

Maybe you had to be there - but I don't think so.

Finally, here's an addition to the Places I'd Like To Sit And Write One Day series. I'm seeing a recurring theme of isolation, trees and water developing: