Yes, this is the 19th post. As an experiment in communication, blogging has failed dismally if one views communication as a two-way process. Although the 'Spectacles' post has now reached 50 reads, inexplicably, still no-one has commented or replied to any of the posts, ever. For all I know this is normal. I have never blogged anywhere else and probably never will again. This is not in anger or peevishness; it's simply a matter of seeing it as a failed experiment. And it takes up a little time that could be used in writing fiction (everything in the blogs being true...)

So I think I will end these blogs at number 20 - one more to go. I'm looking forward to it in one way - I can title it 'The Last Post'.

December was a unique month in sales of the books, in that for the first time I had all four titles mentioned in a sales report. This looked impressive but wasn't really, when I add up the royalties! Still, that isn't why I write. The most rewarding thing is when someone takes the trouble to write a thoughtful review - the two-way communication thing again. The number of stars is irrelevant - I want to know what they think of it, and why.

Wild and windy weather outside again, that has been the nature of this winter so far. By no means my favourite conditions, high winds have always bothered me, but I don't mind if we have a winter without frost and snow. The old hands get cold now and I sometimes wear fingerless gloves as I type. There's an idea for another pen-name if I need one... somebody Cratchit, maybe.

A merry Christmas, God bless us one and all.