It's been a week for chart extravaganzas in Shan country!!! First, I was delighted to learn that Death's Shadow had held onto the 1 position in the UK in its second week of release -- in fact, it sold even more strongly, and out-sold the second placed book by more than 40%!!! Then, tonight, I was thrilled to find out that The Demonata has entered the New York Times Top 10 Children's Series Best Sellers chart at Number 9!!! Although my Cirque Du Freak series charted regularly in the NYT list, this is the first time The Demonata has made the chart, with the release there of Demon Apocalypse, book 6 of the series. Making the NYT chart is incredibly difficult, especially the series chart, as series tend to stay in the chart much longer than one-off books on the other chart -- of the top 10 best sellers this week, only two other series have spent less than 14 weeks on the chart! It's like an exclusive club that's almost impossible to break into -- but The Demonata has done it!!!! Many thanks to all my American fans for their continued support, and for helping to turn some of their friends onto the demonic delights of the series too!! I was already looking forward to my October tour of the States, but now doubly so -- there's nothing like a little taste of success to spur me on!!!!!!!

I spent a peaceful couple of days in the Norfolk countryside recently when Bas and I went to stay with her Aunt Mary, a Carmelite nun who has lived in an enclosed order for almost 50 years. We had lengthy, enjoyable chats with Mary and a few of the other nuns, and went for nice long walks in the countryside when we weren't with her -- the weather was glorious, rabbits were bouncing about everywhere, we also saw pheasants, herons, and even a small deer. It was the perfect relaxation tonic after my busy tour!!

Got back home last night and watched the latest episode of The Apprentice -- cracking good entertainment, as always. Today I caught up on all my post, and got my office in order (well, some of it!!). Went for a walk down by the river in the afternoon -- it's nice to be back -- and then watched Raiders of the Lost Ark. I hadn't seen it in a LONG time, and was pleased to note that it's just as pacy and effective as ever. I used to watch it over and over as a kid -- I taped it off the TV one day, and although the quality was patchy, and I had to rewind to watch the last several minutes (having run out of tape near the end of the movie!), I still loved it. It stands out in my memories as one of the seminal films of my childooh and early teens, and unlike some other films and books from that time which suffer when viewed twenty years on, Indy Mk I looks like it's always going to be high up on my favourite movies list. I like the fact that we change in life, that our tastes change, that we discard old favourites and find new ways to interest ourselves as we progress and become new people -- that's what life should be all about, experiencing different facets of the world. But it's comforting to have a few old loves that you can still cherish no matter how much time passes, no matter how much you change.

Right, I'm off to celebrating being a hit on both sides of the Atlantic at the same time!! Shall I celebrate by quaffing champagne or going out and dancing the night away? Hell no -- I'm going to celebrate in an even better way than that, with some of the people who helped put me there -- I'm going to answer some fan mail!!!!!