Alyson that's great news.  There's nothing quite like the feel of brand new technology.  Do you give your appliances names?  She sounds like a girl.  I wonder who she'd be if she was sleek and black?

My happy news is that I'm flying off to Sydney tomorrow for my agent's seminar and when I woke up this morning I thought "tomorrow morning I'll be getting ready to go to the airport" then a couple of hours later "My plane would be taking off now" (and I love take-off - brings out the rev-head in me).  So delightful to have that lovely anticipation thing happening

Have a great time on the chat this Sunday.  I'll hope to catch up with everyone next week.

Kerrie, I'm so pleased that our community is helping you, and look at that word count.  You go girl!  Sometimes all you need is for someone to give you permission to follow your dreams, and I'm so happy that you're finding that here.

My happy news this week is that I've received an extension on my edits so I don't have to hand book three back in for another couple of weeks.  Yay!!!!  I've got lots more I'd like to do on it and the deal with writing schedules is you usually just have to do the best you can in the time allocated.  Sometimes I've felt very sad about that, knowing I could have done more.  But this time the universe really is looking after me, and so is my publisher Simon & Schuster   Very grateful for that, and hopefully book three will be heaps better for it. 

Means I'll be starting the next trilogy a little later, but I'm fine with that.  Gives me more time to think about it.

Alyson, does the universe look after you or what!  Way to go.  More money and no extra work.  Sounds like a great deal for someone who's trying to write as well.  So pleased for you.

New deadline is 30th Dec so I've got another whole month.  Means I'll be able to take the day off when there's cricket on.  Yeeha!  (Or should I say, Howzat!) 

Congratulations on your graduation, Holly.  That's such an important milestone.  And I'm pleased that your boyfriend appreciates all your hard work and is proud of you too

My happy news is that my editing is moving along a little more freely this week and I'm starting to get excited about Christmas and buying presents etc.  I just love this time of year (it's so great when you have kids) and am really looking forward to catching up with all the people I only see once a year.  That and eating my way through a chocolate advent calendar

Kate, belated congratulations on your job - what are you doing?  Hope you're enjoying it, whatever it is.

And Holly, I think you're doing the right thing being true to yourself.  So long as you always do what seems right at the time, you won't have many regrets in life.  Family can be a blessing or a burden, you just have to take the good and try to ignore or avoid the bad.  I feel truly blessed that my family have always been supportive.  When I've said I wanted to do something - even become a published author - no-one mentioned how hard and/or/unlikely it would be, they just said, "good luck".  If you can't get the support you want from your family, you need to develop other support networks.  Your boyfriend sounds like a real 'keeper' and we're here for you too.  Fingers crossed for you. 

Cassie, glad to hear you happy and relaxed again.  It has been a stressful couple of months for you, hasn't it?

Shepherd's pie?  Alyson, you always make me laugh.

I'm having a happpy day too today and don't even have food to thank for it!  Selwa (my agent) rang this morning to discuss the cover for book three and some future projects we're working on, and the future just looks so bright and Selwa is always so upbeat and wise, it really did make me feel so happy when I got off the phone.  And the feeling has lasted all day.

Lovely to be working with people who can make you happy and bring out your best qualities.

Cassie, I do hope that this year will be less stress for you than last year.  You're year older and wiser, so hopefully you should be a little calmer about whatever gets thrown at you

Alyson, I must say I've noticed a culinary thread creeping in and I'm not displeased.  I could wax lyrical all day about the joys of chocolates and desserts, cakes and biscuits, and the pure pleasure of a perfect cup of coffee.  Nice to see I'm not the only one appreciating life's epicurean moments.

My happy news this week is that two new writers - Skaldi and KylieS have come out of 'lurking' to join our merry band.  It makes me very happy that you guys trust us with your precious dreams.  And we'll be gentle with them, I promise.

Deb, that does sound like fun, catching up.  How did he find you?  Are in listed at one of the reunion sites?  And Alyson, your day with you mum sounds so lovely, especially as you don't get to see her regularly.  Nothing like a day of shopping to lift the spirits

My happy news is that I attended the Brisbane peace march on Sunday and there was such a good vibe.  I was worried it would be a war/terror/hate the US affair (which I don't agree with.  Every American I have met has been lovely, it's just their government's policy [and our own] that I disagree with).  But I needn't have worried because the march was like being part of a huge carnival.  It was mostly mums and dads and kids, babies in prams, teenagers, grandparents - just normal people, all singing and clapping and cheering and happy.  Happy about the idea of peace.  It was such a wonderful positive group to be in.  I can't tell you what a moving experience it was - the sound of the chanting, the smell of the excitement, the feeling of being surrounded by people who want exactly the same thing as I do - really a defining moment for me.  My feet hurt at the end of the day, but it was SO worth it.

That's my happy news. 

Congratulations, Alyson.  I'll bet you were excited.  I was going to sit up and watch the Australia v Zimbabwe World Cup Cricket match last night but I've got a new Barbara Vine book, 'The Chimney Sweep's Boy' and I couldn't put it down.  Maybe I'm starting to be all cricketed out

Mick, I can't imagine how you must have felt.  I've never had anything stolen from me, ever, so I've never felt that desolation you must have felt - let alone that it wasn't just a piece of electrical equipment, but your work!

Yes, please do buy a lotto ticket and give the universe a chance to show you that nice things happen to nice people.  Just at the moment I can't think what is 'good' about this, but there must be something.  I've always found that when something (seemingly) crappy happens to me, something great follows, and that great thing could never have happened if the crappy thing hadn't occurred first.

Fingers crossed.

The nerve of some people!  If it wasn't so...invasive, you'd have to laugh about it.  Sounds like something you'd see in a movie (or read about in a book...hmmm, starts getting an idea). 

But I'm glad to hear the place is all Fort Knoxie now.  My security system is a 'white light' barrier and that works well for me.  But I understand that some people live in the real world (with real thieves) where that doesn't work. 

In any case, I've been super-diligent with my backing up since you told us about the break-in, so that's one good side effect from it - I won't lose my books!

My happy news is that I posted my line-edited manuscript back yesterday afternoon and was really thrilled with how it's turned out.  I then proceeded to have a sleep in this morning and chocolate for breakfast to celebrate.  Today I'm off to have lunch with a friend (and talk plotting - so it's business - really).  Then a wonderful relaxing weekend before I finish the prequel plotting next week.  Can't wait to write draft

Kate, that's fab news.  I'd be excited too.

Well, in fact I am excited, but that's because something pretty wonderful has happened for me too.  My publishers rang to say that the Quest Bookclub (fantasy/sci-fi section of the Australian DoubleDay bookclub) have selected my trilogy as their Editor's Choice for the June cycle (mailout), which is incredibly cool.  They mostly only choose US, UK or big name authors as their Editor's Choice, and I feel so chuffed that they've picked mine.  They even said in the letter to my publisher "we expect this new series to do very well" and they ordered lots of copies.  Yay!

This is definitely the start of something big.  So thilled that I have you guys to share it with.

Give that girl a tiara!!!  Timna has finished Four Winds.  YAY - give us a "T".  And a cream pie, and lots of chocolate.

Go Timna - happy, happy, joy, joy      

Alyson, you glamour pussy you!  How exciting.  So glad the 'launch' went well and that your customers approve.

I'm still buzzing about the book club deal, and have already had two bookstores ringing to organise me for booksignings when Glimmer comes out (in three months - can you believe).  Nothing like getting in early.  So this is definitely a happy, happy week for me.