Well, I am finishing ECHO, as fast as ever I can–and we do now have a pub date for it, too: September 22nd!

Still, it helps to have small things to do for mental distraction other than playing Solitaire, and when a Scottish gentleman named Lord Jamie Sempill came along some months ago and invited me to do a regular blog on Matters Scottish and Literary for his new venture, a website called “Panalba”, I said, “Sure, why not?” (Well, I didn’t know that the launch of Panalba was going to coincide with the Final Frenzy, is why not, but what the heck.)

Anyway, I was flatttered to be asked, and very pleased by the look and variety of Panalba, and have had fun doing the first couple of blogs for that site. It’s a site devoted specifically to Scotland and people who love that country, and features all sorts of fascinating personalities and information. As opposed to this personal blog (where I may talk about butt-cooties or anything else that takes my fancy [g]), the Panalba blog entries that I do will be specifically devoted to Scottish material—particularly things from the world of literature. (Well, all right, my first entry had to do with Men in Kilts, but still…)

I’ve just put up my second blog entry there: “Ye Canna Push Yer Granny Aff the Bus: Scots, Gaelic, and Miscellaneous Accents” — and cordially invite you to come check it (and the rest of the site) out here.