Is there anything more thrilling for a writer than receiving a totally unsolicited email from someone who has enjoyed your book and taken the time to write and say so?  I suppose one of my niggling worries about ABBW was how a Bangladeshi reader might view it: patronising? making light of serious issues? totally alien?  I was hoping for the opposite reactions when I wrote it, and I'm delighted that Shishu, a Bangladeshi man who came across the e-book by accident, definitely found something that struck a chord...“Being born to Bangladeshi parents but only having spent the early part of my life in Bangladesh, I am as much of foreigner as you ever were. Your style of writing brought out every experience I have ever had in Bangladesh. Thank you for helping me relive those memories. Through your writings, I feel like I know you, a long-lost sister if you like. I never imagined a...

If you haven't already seen my friend and fellow writer, Michael Malone's, exemplary blog (if he wasn't such a nice guy I'd hate him for being so darn good at this) 'MAY CONTAIN NUTS' then now is the perfect time to follow the link and read his interview with me in which I tell all; yes, beans spilt, cats out of endless bags...*mickmal1.blogspot.com*Perhaps I exaggerate slightly.  Oh, how I wish there were an All to tell.

Is there anything more irritating in the blog/website/electronic world, than hitting on a site that looks vaguely interesting only to find it was last updated a good couple of months (or years) ago?  Hands up!  I've fallen into the trap and I'm guilty of exactly that; apologies to anyone who is trying to follow me - please don't give up, I'll try harder...The first royalties cheque is in for A Blonde Bengali Wife.  It's not going to change the world in Bhola but it will cover a few more meals.  Work over there is going on at a fast pace, the construction of the new workshop especially.  Today is Bangladesh's Independence Day and the children all took their places marching for the District Commissioner and the Chief of Police.  I'll look out some photographs for the next entry...Most exciting is that Dinah and I have set the dates for our next visit and come...

Returned from another Trustees Meeting in respect of Bhola's Children.  It's always a delight to catch up with everyone - and this time to introduce Simon to them.  It seems that despite the occupational hazards of living in the Bay of Bengal (monsoon, cyclone, flooding), the home is going from strength to strength.  Ali and the children remain self-sufficient in terms of vegetables and fish, and the plans for a purpose built workshop instead of the haphazard lean-to, are well in hand - funds permitting.  This will allow a more comprehensive training for carpentry and tailoring for the older young people, thus giving them a better chance of making their own independent living when they leave Bhola Garden.  Dinah is off this week for her visit and I think we have plans to take Simon next October... it really will be his second home.Speaking of Simon - a milestone for him...

It's as if I'm 10 years old again and have been asked to write a diary in school; by day four the scintillating content reduced to 'got up, did nothing, ate dinner, went to bed...' So there's not a great deal to report on the book front and whilst I should be creative enough to think of some witty, writerly anecdotes, I'm not.  I'm too busy singing Incy-wincy spider at a hundred decibels in a vain attempt to distract Simon from noticing I'm trying to get him dressed.  (He's a naturist in the making, doesn't believe in clothes).  Or I'm displaying my nipples in more places than the average glamour model in order to feed him.  It's all more than worth it of course, it just means I get to the end of the day wondering why I didn't do anything about the publicity, marketing, interest etc in A Blonde Bengali Wife, or...