I’m back, and this time I hope I won’t disappear again, but I have no intention of tempting providence by making extravagant promises.

I wasn’t the only one who was unwell – my computer decided that it was so sick it had to go away for repair. It was gone for almost six weeks, so even when I was ready to do the work for the site, I had nothing to do it on.

But we are both in reasonable working order for the moment – just the odd glitch here and there for both us – so at last the site has been updated.

And it’s had a little makeover as well. Regular visitors (if I still have any) will notice that there is now a site map, which should help you find things you might not have known existed before. Please note that on the Books pages there is a link to the chronological order of the Lloyd and Hill books, something which has always been on the site, but which people couldn’t find, judging from the number of e-mails I get asking for the correct order. And throughout the site the links on the left of each page are now a little more logical, taking you to where you might reasonably want to go next. But when in doubt, use the site map and you should be OK.

Almost all the pages have been updated to some extent – you can find my comments on the reaction to Unlucky For Some on the Books pages, the addition of my gorgeous great-niece (grandniece? I never know which it should be) Georgia on the bio, and now she has her own page of photographs too.

	Georgia and Katy

And I think the photo here is one of the best mother and baby photographs I’ve ever seen, so it will be permanently in the bio. She was three months old when it was taken, and she’s even more gorgeous now that she’s one. Can you believe it? I can’t imagine how quickly that year would have seemed to pass if I had been enjoying myself!

There’s another of my long-ago short stories that you might like to read, and of course more news of George.

Speaking of people called George – have you seen the video that Swedish TV made of Bush and Blair singing ‘Endless Love’? They showed it on Channel Five news the other night, and it’s very clever and funny. If you want to see it, click politicalhumor.about.com, and then the photo of George W.

The December competition ran for an unprecedented six months, so I picked out six months’ worth of winners and runners-up, only to discover that I have hardly any paperbacks left. My solution was to send all the winners a first prize, by way of saying thank you for sticking with me. If you are a winner, you should be hearing from me very soon if you haven’t done so already.

But the lack of paperbacks (and, as it happens, audio books) means that I’ve had to reduce the number of winners to two each month. This is what happens if you miss a year in the publication cycle! The good news is that the winners will each receive a hardback or a video, whichever they prefer. So – not as much chance of winning, but if you do win, you’ll get a top prize. As soon as I have paperbacks again, the runners-up prizes will be back.

And I’ve written a little parody that I hope you’ll like. It’s called ‘My Unfavourite Things’, and it isn’t about spiders and dentists and cold-calling salesmen, because loads of people hate them. It’s about things that I dislike that are favourite things for millions of other people – that’s what makes them unfavourite things.

My Unfavourite Things

Cashmere and parsnips and medical dramas
Popcorn in cinemas, silken pyjamas
Discussions on whether Prince Charles should be king
Are some of my very unfavourite things

Red Bull, white chocolate and blue curaçao
Salad that’s served with no dressing or mayo
Switchbacks and carousels, see-saws and swings
Some more of my very unfavourite things

Some will prize them
Idolise them
They will be someone’s wont
But they’re not for me and below you will see
What some most enjoy –
I don’t!

Rhythmic gymnastics and synchronised swimming
Newspaper articles on health and slimming
Phone-ins and chat shows and Meissen and Ming
Are numbered among my unfavourite things

Romcoms, choux pastry, umbrellas and chilli
Stencils on paintwork and anything frilly
Butterscotch, butterflies flapping their wings
Now you know all my unfavourite things

Some adore them
Save up for them
And they’ll dismiss this rant
But though they may love the things listed above
I’m sorry to say –
I can’t!

I think that’s it – enjoy the new improved site, and as they say these days on the telly, not knowing whether the next programme will be shown in five minutes or five years, see you next time!

Love,
Jill

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