Comic Cuts - 18 January 2013

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Shortly after writing last week's column, I almost produced an update as quite a lot had changed. The proof copy arrived on Friday and I was able to go through it over the weekend, so orders were processed fairly promptly on Saturday evening and I started to hear from people receiving their copies on Wednesday.

The first review appeared on Thursday ... thankfully very complimentary! UPDATE: The book has also become the most heavily pre-ordered of any title Bear Alley has done, just slipping past Pages From History for that coveted role.

The party I mentioned had to be delayed a week because of various folks going down with colds. Which meant – trying to put a silver lining on that particular cloud – that we were able to catch up on quite a bit of unwatched TV. We're now a couple of episodes into Borgen, a couple into Africa, watched the first full storyline of Lewis, watched one episode of Death in Paradise and the whole of Stargazine Live.

I've also kept up a reasonably busy work schedule without driving myself into the ground. My office is freezing cold – a side-effect of working in a converted garage with a single skin thickness of brick for walls and a roof with no insulation. Until now I have been able to work through it as you get used to it being chilly. But the temperature drop this week, with snow laying on the ground (albeit not quite the frozen hell promised by the newspapers), has meant extra layers: I'm now up to four and on Wednesday I was wearing gloves – fingerless, admittedly, or I can't type. But it still slows everything down.

Cold aside, I managed to get the last little bits written for the next book due out, namely the long-time-coming H. Rider Haggard book from Book Palace. I'm not sure of the schedule but I think this will be a softcover and, with luck, should be out pretty promptly.

Due to trying to earn a crust, I haven't got much further with the next planned release for Bear Alley Books, although I should be back to work on it today (Friday). I'm also having a good think about the one after that, for which I'm thinking that I may include a couple of comic strips and perhaps some additional text material. I'm still mulling it over. You have to do something to keep your brain warm on these chilly days.

Insulation news: long-time readers will know that wherever we live, we seem to go through periods of crap while the house needs improvement or is in the process of being improved. Well, we've still not had any news about the new boiler and nobody has heard a dicky bird from the insulation company. However, that could all change next week, so stay tuned! In fact, if you don't hear from me next Friday, you'll know that things are finally moving.

Random scans. No time for book covers this week, so I have here some adverts for the appearance of the very first Lion holiday special, a rather unique magazine that billed itself as the "Lion Summer Spectacular EPIC".

Next week, we'll continue the adventures of Jim 'Awkins on 'is pirates quest for treasure. Difficult to talk like a pirate via a keyboard. Not that my talents extend too far in the realms of impersonating accents ... after a few sentences they all turn goodness gracious me.