I'm really lucky because I got exactly what I wanted for Christmas – a new book. It's called Teacher's Pet, and although it's only a rough manuscript that needs more work, it's got pride of place under my Christmas tree.

I know I'll be adding some bits and changing some bits before it's published next year (May in Australia and a few months later in Britain), but right now I think it's a thing of beauty, specially in its pink ribbon.

A new book is my favourite type of Christmas present and I'm very grateful to myself for it because now I can take a break and do some of those traditional Yuletide things. Clean the dead leaves out of the gutters. Explain to the cats why they can't have mice for Christmas. Read some of the books that have been piling up by my bed all year.

I'll also be thinking a bit about some of the children in the world who won't be having a very happy Christmas, including those kids locked up in Australia's detention centres. If you want to spare them a thought too, have a look at the ChilOut website where you'll find lots of interesting information and ideas about how we might help them.

I hope these holidays bring you good things, both at your place and around the world.

Until next time, oo-roo and happy reading in 2003.

24 December 2002