Ah, neurosis. There you are.

So I just tried to check in online, and they won't let me do it. They have the booking'n'all, but there is some problem unspecified. They give me a phone number I can call, "or they can sort it out at the airport when I go to fly."

We all know how much I love telephones, not. But I'm not mad keen on the notion of leaving it till the morning. Right now I'm waiting for someone to come, so I can't call yet; but I may steel myself to do it. I may have to.

In other news, the gig last night was great, thanks; but that was yesterday, and this is today, and I have to revise another 230 pages of this novel and hold a tutorial at the university and pack and now sort out this check-in problem before seven o'clock tomorrow morning. I'm not sure that's enough hours. Can I have some more, please?

Oh, ffs

So I made the big bold phone-call, and am told that it's not possible to check in online as my first flight is operated by American Airlines, not BA. This is bollocks in so many ways, I can barely count them: notably, it's a BA flight on a BA plane, and I took exactly the same flight at the same time to the same destination three months ago and checked in all three of my connecting flights online despite half of them being AA. Aaargh and likewise grr.

So I shall go to the airport in the morning and the BA person at the BA desk will check me in for the BA flight, and refuse or be unable to check me in for the AA flights; and when I get to Heathrow I'll have to do it all again; and aaargh, and likewise grr.

I am going downstairs now, to eat potted kippers and sulk and be neurotic.

House of Fear

People!

This, herebelow? Might easily be taken for a best-of list, a preference, eighteen of the finest darkest writers that we have and me.

In fact? It's the Table of Contents for House of Fear, an antho of haunted-house stories coming from Solaris in September.

Because I am practising plugging, I will show you the cover closer to the time. In the meantime, these are the contributors:

Joe Lansdale
Paul Meloy
Adam Nevill
Lisa Tuttle
Tim Lebbon
Sarah Pinborough
Eric Brown
Jonathan Green
Nicholas Royle
Christopher Priest
Nina Allan
Chaz Brenchley
Stephen Volk
Christopher Fowler
Gary Kilworth
Weston Ochse
Rob Shearman
Rebecca Levene
Terry Lamsley

Are you impressed yet? I know I am.

Orl I want is 'Enry 'Iggins' 'ead

By the way, in case you hadn't noticed? It's Eliza Doolittle Day. By royal proclamation, no less.

Earworms are available.

Onward and upward

I have 132 pages still to revise. It's Eliza Doolittle Day, one day before the Rapture, when I go to California (and thus get taken before any of you, on account of being in mid-air and thus closer already when the moment strikes); it's bright and sunny out there, and cold in here; there's a disjunct in the world. I've got snacks and bread and a bottle of wine, and I've forgotten to pack my sunglasses.

*hits it*

Liveblogging the deathtoad

I have seventy-five pages still to go, and I'm really really tired. And I haven't packed yet, and my back aches, and I'm nearly out of wine. None of this is any good at all.

And yet, and yet. Can't stop, daren't stop; I have to have this done before I go. I really do, I need to leave it behind me. With everything else, more or less.

*keeps calm, and carries on*