It was hard to dredge up a smile by Friday night this week, but Ink sending me this picture he’d drawn for me managed to spark a few. I also got to finally give him his birthday presents – the impatience always kills me!

The last few weeks have passed in a haze of stress, and I’ve just realised how much it’s been clouding what’s really been a pretty amazing year. It’s not been without its lows that’s for sure, but back in January I definitely wouldn’t have predicted we’d end up in NYC at Cynthia’s Von Buhler’s birthday party (and meeting Neil Gaiman) after Ink interned on a graphic novel. Then there’s the whole flat thing, which will end up a dream come true if it comes off.

Ink and I have also had some luck with our various pursuits, although they’ve been pretty hard won. Tough moments included being told my writing wasn’t ‘strong enough for today’s market’; better ones included hearing

things like ‘I am more than happy to publish more of your work’.

Despite the occasional setback we’re slowly getting there, so we’ll have plenty more hard work to be busying ourselves with in 2011.

I’m looking forward to getting my teeth into it, hope you all are too.