Winner of the blog tour quiz

Congratulations to Andrea, who aced the Blessed Isle blog tour quiz and has won either the two books of the Under the Hill series, or another two books of her choice. I’m just waiting to see what she’ll have 🙂

Thank you again to everyone who hosted me. It was an odd way to start the new year – with no time for reflection, but straight into things. On the other hand, what could be better than starting the new year with a new release? I only wish I could be sure I’ll continue the way I started.

I was at the Samhain Cafe “Thank God it’s not the Holidays any more” party last night, and we were talking about the depression that comes when you put away your Christmas lights – specifically how to combat this. I said I had decided to put up “Not Christmas but still darkest depths of winter” lights of some sort, and then went away wondering what to do about it.

A long time ago, when we were a little more flush, and were living in an entirely different house, DH and I bought one of these http://www.dphotoexpert.com/2008/02/20/using-a-low-cost-ikea-spotlight-for-studio-effect/

and never got around to putting it up or even taking it out of the box. Well, I can gladly report that it was a matter of a couple of hours to remember it, find it and drill supports for it into one of the bookshelves. So now we have a golden fern-like pattern projected onto the wall just over the fireplace, making the entire room feel as if it’s the cool hollow under a tree canopy, where summer sunlight is filtering through the leaves.

I tried to take photos, but my camera is automatic and insisted on using the flash, which washed it completely out. But it does, it really does, do the same job of reminding me that there is light and colour in the world, don’t despair, that the Christmas tree lights do, but without being bad luck after 12th night 🙂 Obviously I knew it would come in handy one day.