Today's news is that David has had yet another birthday. If this was an innings, he would have declared long ago!

Marilyn baked him a lovely cake and, despite my sworn intention to keep to my diet, David forced me to have a slice. Delicious.

Why the diet? Well, my three weeks in New Zealand was very bad for my waistline.

I had intended to complete my blog as we toured round but there were difficulties in using the laptop at the time. However, it is gradually coming together. Seehttp://nzhols.blogspot.com/

We were moved this week to hear of the disaster in and around Christchurch. We had stayed there for two nights and there was still plenty of evidence of the previous 'quake.

Tony

Happy New Year

Here's wishing you all a Happy New Year (and sorry we were too busy to squeeze in a 'Merry Christmas' a few weeks ago)

Can a whole month have gone by without us noticing it? It may have been something to do with the double whammy of the Christmas build up and the build up of snow and ice!

Nina bravely hiked in to open the shop on the day that the snow came down and then, having slept under the counter all night, opened up on Sunday 19th December. Meanwhile, David and I were still digging our way out onto the main roads.

As you might expect, the harsh weather kept most of our customers indoors for the week and so we were much quieter than normal.

A big thank you to those of you who did make it through the drifts to buy your Christmas gifts from us.

Father Christnash?

On the day the Moreton-in-Marsh lights were switched on, we had our own Father Christmas in the guise of author Paul W. Nash. Just have to grow that beard a bit Paul.

Despite the bitterly cold day which had driven much of the crowd and many of the stall-holders home, Paul had a good turn-out for his excellent The Remains of Sherlock Holmes.

There may be a few signed copied left and I'm sure that, if anyone wanted a signed dedicated copy for someone as a Christmas present, Paul would be happy to pop in and do the honours.

More Remains of Sherlock Holmes

Here's our window full of 'The Remains of Sherlock Holmes' ready for our signing on Saturday.

The Christmas Fair will be on through the afternoon and, after the lights go on, Paul W. Nash will call in to start his signing. We expect him to be here just after 5pm.

There will be mince pies for those early enough and wine, of course, with soft drinks for those who are driving.

David grins and bears it.

Here's David proving that he cares nothing for pain, just grins it away.

With only one arm of any use, he's been even more in the way than usual.

Actually, I couldn't have done without him when 3ft x 3ft x 6ft box had to be fetched downstairs and returned.

No, it wasn't his coffin, he's not that poorly.

MC Beaton's Super Six Signing

Just a few of our favourite customers who attended MC Beaton's Agatha Raisin book signing today. Most were buying her latest Agatha title, Agatha Raisin and the Busybody but the new Agatha Raisin Companion was close behind.

Many of her new series were also bought. They are the Lady Rose Summer books set in Edwardian times. The first of the four in the series, Snobbery with Violence being easily the biggest selling paperback of the day.

Panama Oxridge Interview

There's an excellent interview with Panama Oxridge on The Book Zone.

Please follow the link to find just a little bit more about this secretive author.

Don't forget, too, that we'd love to hear what you think of the book and what clues you have found.

The book is still rushing out of the shop and there are big sales elsewhere too. I understand there is a new print run coming soon but we still have plenty of the first Inside Pocket edition to see us through till Christmas.