No black cats near my submissions, thanks...

Got my first university assignment back and felt pleased to see my sweating and straining had been worth it. Of course now I will have to keep sweating and straining to keep the standard up. I don't mind :) I'll take an A+ any day.

Had dinner with a bunch of writery folk last night and managed to ask the only illustrator present what he was writing at the moment - I didn't even have the excuse of being a little tiddly. Maybe it was ESP as he does have an interest in writing his own material. It was fun to gossip and grizzle (I am only slightly ashamed) and to hear how people were going about the business of developing and maintaining their writing careers. There is always something new to be learned.

I have not previously considered myself a superstitious person but as a result of recent behaviour I have come to realise that is just not true. This morning out dog walking with one of my besties, as we discussed whether I would get the flu injection or not, I did not even want to confirm my opinion on the current state of my health lest it should bring a decline in said state. A shocking display of superstition! But folks, I am even more superstitious about the state of my writing career. The other day I included two sentences in my new blog post outlining the current status of a project of mine. And about two hours later I had to remove it, for no other reason, than that it may somehow jinx the outcome. In my more normal, rational, lucid moments I know that these things do not influence the publishers decision. Heck, they don't even know about it. And yet I try and keep things as close to my chest as possible, tell the least number of people, put enquiries off as long as possible, just in case any of these things somehow mess karmically with the progress of my submissions. You may scoff, LOL, guffaw or chortle at all of this, but I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WHO BEHAVES THIS WAY. I comfort myself with the fact that I have not yet developed any special rituals or tics.