Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday...

"This most learned of all cats walks around the tree. As it walks one way, it tells stories. As it walks the other, it sings, 'Happy Birthday.'

     I had several birthday cards recently.  This was the most personal and the best. It was made by youngest brother, Adam - and it's the cat that walks round the tree, from the opening of my book, Ghost Drum. (Only, in the book - and Russian folktale - the cat sings songs in general as it walks the other way, and not specifically, 'Happy Birthday.')

     The cat is painted to resemble my late and still lamented cat,

Biffo the Wonder Cat.

Biffo. And that wheel on the side is not just for decoration, as you will see later if you stick with this blog.

     I've never paid much attention to birthdays - in fact, I often have to be reminded by other people that it is my birthday. This year, even Google tried to remind me, but I missed it until it was pointed out to me.

     (The little banner, brought up by a mouse-hover, says 'Happy Birthday, Susan.' Some will find this delightful, some sinister.)
      But I'd forgotten again when brother Adam and Patti said they wanted 'to meet up for a drink,' I thought that was all there was to it - a drink and a chat in the pub. I was all for it. And there they came - bearing chocolate cake and presents.

     And what presents! Not only the birthday card shown above, but a beautiful 'This Is Your Life' book, put together by Patti. (When it comes to thoughtful, individual presents, Patti is hard to beat.)

     The book has photos of my parents that I didn't have myself.  Patti had gone to other relatives and sought them out.

Mum and Dad at about a third of my age...

      It has photos of me and my siblings at all ages, of my books, of me in schools, of (below) most of my favourite people...

... here shown wearing the traditional ratty blonde Christmas wig of the Prices.

          And at the end of the book, there is a bonus Blott cartoon!

          But before that, this - 

          Sorry about the quality.

      And now - Blott! 

  Discounted by up to 76%...

          Ghosts, Witches and Graveyards...

 To bring you a little chill in this humid, muggy summer weather (well, we're hoping for some anyway,) here's more discounts...

Overheard In A Graveyard

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The Bearwood Witch 

     Zoe wants her dead boyfriend back.

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The Ghost Wife

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     Rattle is determined to have him. Except that he’s already married – to a ghost.
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     Susan Price is an award winning writer, with work translated and published in many countries world-wide. 

 Visit her Amazon page.

 Vist her website