Signs of spring

Goldfinches substituting yellow feathers for their drab winter coats. Silver maple a couple of houses over has lumps all over the branches -- may even be flowers by now, instead of just buds. House finches fighting over possible nest spots. Tom DeLay threatening to impeach judges because they wouldn't intervene in that Florida mess.

(Yeah, the last bit fits -- means the saps are rising.)

And if I was as nasty as some of my characters, I would put an ill-wish on the Pope that he live for a few years in his current condition, so that he would know what he was offering to others. But I'm not. I hope he has a brief and quiet dying.

Jumping the gun

I note that Amazon now offers DRAGON'S EYE for pre-order. With a release date of November 1, copy-edit and then proofs still in the works, and no cover art yet seen, this seems a dite . . . premature. But go and order anyway, folks, we need the sales.

In other publishing news, the Nice Agent Lady says a royalty statement and check are in the mail. Let's see if I can understand _this_ one. Not that I'd accuse a publisher of being deliberately obscure on the matter of money, but . . .