The Very Exciting Huge Box

After my super-exciting time in mid-June, I'd hardly begun to calm down yet when, one morning, a van pulled up outside the house and a man walked up my drive with a Huge Box in his arms.  I'd just recently ordered an iPod for Gloworm, so first I thought, "Huh, that's a very big box for an iPod."  Then I saw Simon & Schuster written on the side.  At which point, insanely, I thought it must be my contracts being delivered, for some reason, in the Very Exciting Huge Box.  And then, even more insanely, I thought it must be my author copies of Linked (even though the book hasn't been edited, has no cover art and isn't due to be released for nearly two years).

I signed for the Very Exciting Huge Box and took it into my kitchen, determined to find out what Simon & Schuster were really sending me.

The Very Exciting Huge Box was well wrapped up with lots and lots of tape.  Clearly my fingernails would not, in this case, be up to the task.  Stronger measures were called for.

The Very Exciting Huge Box was full of books!  With a note from my new editor!  It wasn't contracts or as-yet-non-existent books – it was a present.

This is my Very Excited Face.

I took the books out.  It took a little while, because there were twelve.  Twelve new books!  For me.

This is me holding my twelve new books.

And this is me sharing all twelve with the internet.