Completely floored

I've been back nearly two weeks and Troubadour is growing apace. Am now halfway through chapter 14 and will be two-thirds the way through the book when that is done.I've been in touch with the Centre for Ctahr Studies in Carcassonne too, who are being very helpful.

Did the final final corrections to City of Secrets so that's it now - all ready for publication in July.

Today was the big study floor replacement event and it went so smoothly I feel ashamed of my earlier prophecies of doom.It was hard work taking everything out and it's not all put back yet but a wonderful opportunity to throw stuff out.

Did a bookshop signing on Saturday. Only one "Where do you get your ideas from?" And I sold a lot of other people's books as well as my own, even signing a copy of a Horrid Henry for a most insistent child. I'm sure Francesca wouldn't mind.

Am not allowed to say anything about what I'm reading as it's all books now for the Guardian Prize. But I saw Speed-the-Plow at the Old Vic. Two bravura performances from Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum (the latter better than the former) and a play about a really important subject - commercial versus aesthetic criteria in artistic creation. But I thought it was a really poor play. David Mamet could have done so much more with those ideas than he did.

Also saw From Russia at the Royal Academy and was disappointed with that too. The Matisse dancers really are a knockout but I found it very unmemorable. The painting of Anna Akhmatova was striking but I can't even remember who it was by. It was that sort of exhibition and very crowded.