So earlier this year, I commissioned the amazing, fantabulous, incredible Amy Mebberson to create a design that I could use as a 'thank you card' to be sent to people who needed book-specific thanks (my editor, my agent, my proofreaders, all those nice people who've said nice things about my book -- the usual). Since all the cards have now been sent, and most of them have been received, I thought I'd finally post the card and share its awesome with the world. See?



(Clicking the picture will take you to a larger version.)

From left to right, that's Georgia and Shaun Mason (Newsflesh), Clady Porter (Lycanthropy and Other Personal Issues), me (hence my default icon), October 'Toby' Daye (Rosemary and Rue), and Corey Markham (Upon A Star). I'll eventually be putting a wallpaper version of this up on my website, once the retool hits that point. Aren't they awesome? Truly, this is the definition of glee. Glee! And yeah, I'm already contemplating a 2009 version...

Art is awesome.

Lilly caught her first mouse tonight. (This despite being almost four years old. My home-grown mighty huntress really isn't very good at her job.) I went into my room during a commercial break and found her half-under the dresser, chittering gleefully and shifting my portfolio all over the place. I got down on the floor to peer, and hey-presto, field mouse!

The poor thing was terrified, and quite tidily penned in by the collusion of 'closet door' and 'inexplicable old window screen' that lean up against the corner of my dresser. Lilly had herself a field day smacking at it and chittering before I was able to scoop it into a plastic container and dispatch my roommate to put it outdoors.

(I didn't spare the mouse because I have a soft heart. I understand that the whole 'circle of life' gig very much applies to mice stupid enough to enter cat-infested households. That said, Lilly is an indoor-only cat, and I'd really like to restrict her consumption of California's native wildlife to, I don't know, bugs and arachnids. Things that don't have warm blood and are thus less likely to give her interesting diseases. I know, I know, I'm a lousy excuse for a cat owner. I like my cats alive.)

Because Lilly is one of the most good-natured cats I've ever met, she's already completely over the fact that I took her mouse away, and is now devoting the bulk of her attention to loafing atop my open suitcase and giving me suspicious looks. Methinks the young miss has managed to figure out that I've packed a bit more heavily than is entirely essential for an overnight stay at Kate's.

Ah, cats. They remind us of the important things in life. And, when they're cats like Lilly, they remind me why I don't have children.