Well, I’ve been making chocolates and gingerbread cookies – so good that I’m eating a Christmas tree as I type – and this year, too, I made crisp little crackers for eating with cheese and scattered them with mustard seeds, sesame seeds and carroway. They’re yummy but I am such an idiot about things like “roll out to about 4mm thick” because really, who can measure something as precise as 4mm without a handy dandy ruler?  Not me. The little Christmas Crackers (see what I did there? Ha) are a little more substantial than they ought to be, maybe. Certainly a little thicker. They certainly need a cheese that is assertive and can stand up for itself, and refuses to be bullied. I’ll be laying in a stock of good strong Stilton for this Christmas, I think.

On the writing front, December has been something of a disaster. Poor Rafe Lancaster in Gilded Scarab has been stuck in the strong room at Garrards for about three weeks now, looking over his mother’s jewels with a view to selling them. He sends me plaintive messages about how the rubies are all very fine, but could I please get him out of the cellar and let him buy the coffee shop already! So today I am determined to do just that.

As a Christmas taster, I am going to post another little ‘outtake’ later today from the ditched version of Gilded Scarab and give it to you with my best love.

In the meantime, have a wonderful and happy Christmas – or whatever holiday you celebrate at this time of year. And here’s hoping 2014 is creative and happy!