Well, there it went, then...

I just sent off the proposal for what might, what I hope will turn out to be the core of my next three years' work. These are always scary times, with a lot hanging on 'em; if it sells one side of the Atlantic, I might survive. If it sells both sides, I should be fine. If neither - well. That would be bad.

It is, of course, the Taiwan fantasy (in pretty much the same way that a particular thriller I haven't actually written yet is the Oscar Wilde book, without actually having Oscar Wilde in it at all), currently a trilogy: Dragon in Chains, Jade Man's Skin and Hidden Cities. And it really does have a dragon in it. And jade. And islands, and pirates, and boats. And two different kinds of magic, at least. And an emperor, and exile, and war; and politics and betrayal and assassination; and love & romance, and craft & skill, and hard times, and...

Well. There it is, gone: to my agents, and hopefully soon to prospective publishers, and I will keep you all informed. My jitters, I will try to keep to myself.

Right now my head hurts, to match my chest, and I think I will take the evening off. I'm thinking a long Bloody Mary, or possibly two. Barry's thinking 'teatime', and has just jumped onto the desk to express his opinion the better.

Sometimes we can both be right.