Right...

I'm back from my holidays and I've been reading through the first design proofs of the Joy Of Sects today and yesterday.

Due to various time miscalculations, my holiday was taken at just the wrong moment for getting the JOS through the proof stage --- The deadline was so tight by the time I got home that my editor had to courier the proofs over by bike.

Was very nervous to see how the words I'd been slaving over for months would look on the page. I imagine that it's a bit like holding your own baby for the first time... (fruit of your mind and all)... wondering if it's ugly and if it's going to turn out to be a good fellow etc - although of course, it's not quite as worrying if you drop the proofs.

Luckily, the design is crisp and clear while the illustrations look great. [These were drawn Joe Lobely (you can see some of his stuff here - will post some of his ace pix for my book soon), and illuminated alphabet by Dan Gibbons and Ben Dobbin (stuff here) - which I would describe as genius if I hadn't gone to school with Dan and wanted to give him a big head... ].

So, I've enjoyed reading them through, in spite of all the little self-made mistakes I've noticed... and pretty soon I should be able to post a couple of sample entries here.