It's Friday, its 4.52pm and for those of you old enough - its definitely not Crackerjack! In a little over one hour I shall be at last showing my book to the public, well family, friends and press anyway. The pre-launch party will give me an opportunity to thank people who have helped me on this journey.

Sadly some live too far away to attend, like Scotland etc. Other's have appointments with a higher destiny - no not God - The NHS. Mmmm there's a joke in there.

I shall miss my friends and family who cannot attend because they are on hols, or live in other parts of the country. I'm hoping some folk will come because I don't want to sit there holding a full crate of Prosecco, because it won't stay full for very long if that happens. Even my husband has a prior engagement, with some pirates?

Still I will have my son my by side, even if I had to wake him at 3pm to get "OUT OF BED you lazy...."

Where are my frogs? They left the box a while back - somewhere about 12 midday - and are running amok through my nerves.

I've had a relaxing Epsom salts bath, as instructed, re-dressed several times with numerous outfits, casual, not too casual, casual smart, casual informal, casual comatose, casual frog...

Thoughts meandering again. Tomorrow I won't have time to blog unless I do well at Waterstones - then I'll find time to thank everyone. Sunday I start NaNoWriMo and want to get a couple of thousand words under my belt because work re-starts Monday.

Started negotiations with Waterstones Canterbury for a signing and hoping to do one in Quex before Xmas. Great Christmas pressie.

My latest favourite saying is "as ____________ as a box of frogs". I substitute a range of words in the gap. Usually it's 'excited' but it can also be 'nervous, angry, confused, happy, delirious.'
 Up till today it was,  slightly below the category 'demented'. That is not to be mistaken for Dementors aka Harry Potter, but a polite way of saying "I don't know if I'm coming or going".

The books arrived Wednesday, they are fantastic! I took them along to the manager at Waterstones today and she seemed very impressed. I gather not the usual offering she receives from small publishers. Much more professional, quality of paper, (thanks Ruth) illustrations, (thanks Jim (and me)) formatting (thanks Geoff) and cover itself (thanks again Jim and he who wishes to remain nameless, but you know who you are GB)

Move over demented, step up 'ecstatic' as a box of frogs!

I'm ready for the signing. I researched the subject fully.

What type of pen to use - not black,  but acid-free, permanent. Rationale colour stand out, doesn't leach or bleed through pages.
What to write - something short, witty and repeatable. In case you ever get more than 10 people arrive. Don't want a repeat IRS which I got from writing initially.
What style of signature - don't use your cheque signing signature, too easy to forge,
Remember to date mark for the first month of publiciation because that makes a first edition worth more (in my dreams - but hey someones got to have one!)

I've prepared my signing table too. Tablecloth - check. stick on girly diamantes - check. stick on spiders etc - check. Halloween shiny pumpkins - check. Halloween welcome mat to put under table - check. Halloween tiny, shiny shapes to chuck around table - check. Big hairy spider - check.

Tonight I'm off to the networking event at The word Literary festival in Margate. I've filled up most of this week off work so I don't think too much about Halloween.

SATURDAY 31ST OCTOBER BOOK SIGNING HERE I COME

Running out of things to do waiting for the van to arrive bearing my book.

Couldn't sleep as someone else knew I wouldn't - thanks Gary! Up at 6.30 for my first round of breakfast, tea and toast. Then on to cleaning, laundry, bins and sorting out the mess that is my study. It's where I used to write and hope to do so again once my teenage son goes out into the big bad world. For now I'm relegated to my bedroom and I'm getting quite a dab hand at typing with the laptop balancing on my knees.
10.30 second round of breakfast this time orange juice and a Wispa bar I found at the back on the crockery cupboard. It's amazing what one will eat to distract oneself. Okay that is an excuse, I'd eat chocolate any time, day or night.
What next? All those clothes I've been meaning to sell on EBay for a start. So far put on 10 lots, next are my lovely evening dresses that Mrs Wobbly Tummy can't fit in anymore without looking like an anaconda that's swallowed a hippo.
After that? Depends on the time. I'm out later supporting the Canterbury Food Bank at their open event in Seasalter (C. Salter) love it. Did think about moving to Salter's Lane there till I found out it led to the refuse tip. It's a bit like living next door to a cemetery (apart from the dead boring joke) what's it got going for it? The road to nowhere? A room with a view? Squirrels. Speaking of cemeteries, there's a lot of cemeteries in Witch on the Warpath, but it doesn't mean I want to live/die there.
My book hasn't arrived yet and I'm waffling, time to put those dresses on EBay.

There's a point when you start to believe the impossible will happen. I was beginning to get there. The stress of the last several weeks was leaving the frown lines on my face. I had a few hours of my life back here and there. I read or watched X-Factor for a treat.

It's great I thought, the printer is on the job. I've received the soft proofs (not sure why 'soft' so please don't ask) I've pointed out the two typos I've spotted, added a name, corrected the page order. The corrections went winging their way over the internet highway and I assumed the BIG printing thingy that did 'The Job' was chucking out 'Witch on the Warpath' paperbacks by the hundreds.

It's been a week. No word. Thought I'd run a quick e-mail off to check on progress. Imagine my distress when the automatic reply pinged back saying my allocated person is 'out of the office until the 12th October.'  worry levels rising.

I needn't have worried, despite being away an email arrived from him, asking me to 'check the soft proofs'! Worry level up another notch. Copied in my first very wonderful contact with the company into my, somewhat stressed, reply.

What followed was a reassuring email apologising for the error and advising me another person was on the case and would contact me tomorrow.  Phew, sighs with relief. Worry level down to Amber. Also the printing schedule was still on time. Worry level drops to Green.

Please feel free to order on-line via Waterstones & Amazon or attend the book signing at Waterstones Westwood Cross on Halloween, Saturday 31st October all day.

The fragile, mentally exhausted author in the corner will be me.

The deed is done. I can do no more. It's 1am and I have finished checking the proofs. Two typos I didn't notice before, a change of page order and its over. I guess folk will still find odd typos, but I'm hoping not.

 I've uploaded the cover to Nielson's so you can see what the book looks like now. It should go through on to Waterstones website too.

I'm hoping the deadline is doable. Next I need to sort out publicity. I've written a press release which I need to send  off.

If anyone reading this can mention my book signing to people I would be eternally grateful. Its all day at

 Waterstones Westwood Cross on Halloween  Saturday 31st October.

I've tried to organise the signing so it's in time for Christmas too.

Short one tonight, it's late and work will be calling tomorrow bright and early.