My quietness on the website recently could be an indication of inactivity. It's a theory and a good one. But it's also not true.

I've been writing three new short stories, alternating between them, trying out new ideas, plot lines and, for one, cooking Spanish recipes.

Yes - in order to write a story ostensibly about cooking, I've been buying Spanish ingredients and making a delicious mixture of food from that country. Catalan Cannelloni, lemon chicken with white wine, serrano ham and onions; chickpeas with chorizo and spinach. And sherry (iced dry fino) which always helps. Even when I'm not writing. This drink also turns up a lot in Franco's Fiesta. Funny that.

Anyway, once my broadband problems mentioned in the post below are fixed - tomorrow apparently - I'll be posting new material.

Welcome also to everyone in Brighton who, unwittingly perhaps, became part of my never ending author tour on Friday night.

Cheers, Tim