Yes, it is a day for mucho celebrations and congratulations too. Celebrations are because it's Grendel T Kittenfish's birthday! Yay -- she's three today. All together now: "Happy Birthday..." what do you mean you don't want to sing Happy Birthday to my cat? What the hell's wrong with you?Anyway, tonight Casa MacBride will ring with the sound of two happy and slightly daft parents celebrating the birthday of their daughter, who just happens to be a cat. We're hopeful that the tuna and prawn birthday cake will go down well, and not come back again as sticky booby-traps of cat sick all over the floor. There are many horrible things in this life, and stepping in cold cat vomit with your bare feet is right up there with the best of them.
The congratulations are due for those naughty monkeys on the CWA Dagger shortlists. Three of those naughty monkeys are Michael Marshal (who's up for a Steel Dagger), Kevin Wignall (up for a Short Story one), and my good friend Mr James Tiberius Oswald who's in the running for a Debut Dagger! Hurrah! I shall be crossing all my appendages for the three gentlemen and wishing an uncomfortable bowel condition (of the non-fatal variety) on all who oppose them.
And now, some gratuitous exclamation marks: !!!!!!!