I'm back!  I hadn't planned on taking a two month break from my blog, but real life has a way of intervening.
One of our bichons, Sophie, had an operation on her luxating patella (trick knee) and refused to stay in a crate (who can blame her?).  This meant she needed constant watching.  Just as I thought I was catching up, my computer succumbed to senile dementia - the poor thing's over 10 years old and simply can't cope any more.
Cue Nick and Eric of Apple Online Store coming to the rescue with a wonderful new mac.  Not only did Nick talk my husband, Tony, and I through the best package for us, but it turns out he's a big SF and Fantasy fan.  He asked me who my favourite authors were and, to my shame, practically every name flew out of my head until after I'd put the phone down.  I could have said Marge Piercy, Ursula Le Guin, Stephen Donaldson, Garry Kilworth, Terry Pratchett and lots more, but I went completely blank, so I'm making up for it now with this.  Nick showed a genuine interest in my work and looked some of it up on the web.  He's asked to see more of it and I shall oblige.  After he's put me back in touch with the whole worldwide web, it's the least I can do.