A sweetener for my scars

I've long felt that if something good is going to happen something bad has to happen first or at the same time, or hot on the heels of the something good, like highs attract lows and vice versa to create the weather.

'Ups and downs' annie taylor

Highs and lows in life are about as predictable as the long-term weather, not that predictable, but more predictable than you would think.

And so... my present troubles with my skin that have made it difficult to work or go outside without scaring children and other small animals -- our cat looks at me funny these days -- made me think something good might be on its way for me...

Then the day before yesterday this letter from a publisher in Australia turned up in my Inbox:

"Dear Sacha,

Thank you for being patient with us. I am afraid I have to say that I could not follow the title of your book's advice...because I laughed out loud at pretty much every second sentence. I find it absolutely delightful and extremely funny.

I will be speaking with my Publisher about it tomorrow and hope to be in touch after that.

Kind regards..."

Pity the book is a tragedy (just kidding, it's a memoir of my childhood. Sorry, can't give away the title yet but when I can, you'll be some of the first to know. There's a clue in this email), but otherwise this is positive feedback indeed from the 'publishing manager' of an albeit relatively small publisher in Sydney. But you have to start somewhere and I didn't fancy self publishing, whatever the upside.

It's not in the bag yet but it's nice to have made a total stranger, at least one, laugh. I hope this doesn't mean my scars aren't going to heal. They are certainly taking their time about it, as if they, too, are waiting on the publisher.