If you’re reading this, why aren’t you eating?  It is Thanksgiving after all.  Oh, you have one of those families.  I see.  Well, you’re welcome to hang out here.

As I said in last year’s message, it’s apt that they have an English guy doing the Thanksgiving message as Thanksgiving isn’t a holiday that I grew up with, and therefore don’t have any great connection to.  I feel like a guy at a bra wearer’s appreciation society dinner.  I know what a bra is and I’m happy to celebrate them, but the benefits of wearing one don’t do a whole lot for me.

That said, I have a lot to be thankful for this year.  2007 has been an incredible year.  I saw the publication of two novels.  I wrote three books and signed four book contracts.  This enabled me to go full time as a writer, allowing me to live the dream.  I launched my horror pen name with the sale of The Scrubs.  I received another honorable mention in Year’s Best Fantasy and Horror, my third in four years.  And the year was topped when I won my first major award by winning the Anthony for best short story.  I’m used to being the bridesmaid when it comes to winning things, so winning the Anthony will remain one of the best, embarrassing and humbling moments of my life.  All in all, it’s been a year of ricochets as one good event has spurred another.  2008 promises to be an even better year.  I’m not sure I deserve it, but I’ll take it.

On the home front, Julie and I celebrated our 9th wedding anniversary.  It seems like we’ve been together much longer—and I don’t mean that in a bad way.  Life’s been a rollercoaster.  A lot has happened over the years.  Even when we’re standing still, we seem to be moving.  I’m glad to have Julie around.  This year has been a tough one which has kept me confined to a room for most of the year, so I’m thankful she stuck around. 

So that’s about it for this Thanksgiving.  I hope you’re spending the day with people you want to be with.  If not, check the bathroom, they might have a window to escape through.

I’m off to a friend’s now.  They’d better have pie.

Yours ever thankful,
Simon Wood
PS: Just because it’s Thanksgiving, it doesn’t mean I’m not working.  I’ll be signing at Pleasant Hill B&N on Saturday and San Francisco Mystery Bookstore on Sunday.  If you’re in the area, I hope you’ll drop by.
PPS: A reader pointed me in the direction of a nice review Paying the Piper picked up, so I thought I’d share.