Saturday. The book has been with my editor for two days. Since we're backing into a hard deadline, I know he's looking at it. Last night I dreamed that he approved the proposal for book the eighth, which means he accepts book the seventh. I hope dreams come true.

Waiting is hard to do. Waiting for editorial notes on a book you've struggled with and know still has some issues is simply painful. No book is ever completely finished. We find ways to revise up until the moment it goes to print, and even after that. So this moment in time, when the book is done but not done, and you know a major revision is to come, is taxing.

I've tried to handle the things on my to do list, most especially Christmas related stuff. I had a party for my critique group Thursday night. While I didn't make the brilliant red wine butter peppercorn tenderloin I was planning, we did have tenderloin wrapped in bacon, and scallops wrapped in bacon, and other lovely nibbles. And wine. A lot of wine. There was a moment, when we were opening our prezzies, that I felt the ultimate gift--everyone was happy. Genuinely happy. The joy and love of good friends having fun is always worth striving for.

Things that made me happy this week:

Paige got a new puppy yesterday. Moonshadow. I've been singing Cat Stevens for 2 days.

Jeff's new book ADRENALINE is going to be featured on the CBS Sunday morning show

Louise Penny's blog. I met Louise at Bouchercon in Indianapolis. On an escalator. She said something ingeniously outrageous that slayed me, and I had that moment of Oh, I want to get to know this woman better. She's a brilliant writer, and the blog is a lovely bit of introspection

Jennifer is editing my short (short) story collection this weekend.

I dreamed Harlan Coben was giving me writing advice, and the dream itself gave me a good idea for a book.

When there is no sun, the cat uses my lap as a solar blanket. This makes writing difficult, because I can't refuse her, but it's always so nice to be wanted by a cat. Like you're The Chosen One.

Neil Gaiman had dog pictures.

We were gifted with a Santa Claus on a wine barrel, which is too precious for words, both because of the giver and because of the significance.

I started my 2011 goals and planning, which involves counting up all the words I wrote, fiction and non-fiction, in 2010. More to come on that later...