The best Christmas present ever.

Last night, The Charming Man and myself went over to our dear friends' house (I'll think of a kicky name for them soon) for our holiday meal. I brought my laptop and spiral-bound notebooks with me since I wasn't interested in watching the basketball game.

As I sat in a quiet corner, brainstorming on my notepaper, another friend up to me. She is an avid reader of sexy paranormal romances and had been curious about Dracula's Secret since she met me.

She asked if she could read my manuscript early.

I said sure, but not the whole thing. So I handed over my laptop and let her read while I worked.

Here are her direct quotes:

"This book has surprised me in every chapter! You get used to things being a particular way in these novels, and you haven't done any of them!" (said with a great big grin on her face)

"I could read this all night!"
and
"This is some of the best stuff I've ever read."

Now imagine me running around screaming in joy like a madwoman. It was something like this:

EeeieieieeeewowohwowohwowieeeyeesssssWOW!
              \c O(
               \ _/
            ___/(  /(
           /--/ \\//
       __ )/ /\/ \/
      `-.\  //\\
         \\//  \\
          \/    \\
                 \\
                   '--`

(edited to add: In my joy, I forgot to credit the origin of the ASCII art:

This is Boy Running from Men in ASCII Men by Joan Stark)

Overheard at the Mercury-Charming Household.

Me, staring at my laptop, freaking out, "Do you really think I can do this?"

The Charming Man, wandering around the house, looking for his slippers, "Of course you can. Madness and despair are the inevitable consequences of attempting to do anything hard. They are also temporary states. Also, my slippers were on top of the ottoman. I must frequently walk there."

Yes, madness abounds here. I am grateful to have a crazy wise man to share it with.