Have the full cover back from the designer, which I really like. I was worried she might make it all snowy mountains and wisps of white on the back, so I asked that it be fairly sinister, and she nailed it. A great cover, with the groovy new Long Midnight logo on the spine.

I'm more or less done with the book itself now, which is good as the production deadline is looming. Have handed it out to be copy-edited, and then when that's done, I can get it off to the typesetters. It's all being cut a bit fine, but coming together nevertheless. With publishing the deadline can be a bit fluid, and it's not as if I have a two million pound marketing campaign hinging on the timely arrival of the book. Nevertheless, it's good to have a deadline, and to make sure that I hold myself to it.

I contacted a marketing company a few weeks ago, with a view to working with them to promote the book's release. And by working with them, I mean, I'd give them money. They said no. God, that was depressing. It's bad enough as a writer being turned down by people who don't like your work, but to be turned down by someone to whom you're offering money... I guess I was too small for them.

Another company to add to the list...