It's late again*;  I've been working late;  it's now one lousy cramped poky short fortnight before PEGASUS goes in for my editor's final judgement—I'm still assuming that it's on for publication next autumn but we won't know for sure till my editor reads it again and inexorably points out that oh, hmmm, let's see . . . the plot doesn't work.  My plots never work.  If you want to hurt my feelings, tell me that my heroines are weak and passive.**

            But the good news, speaking of my...