It's Thursday. On Saturday the launch of Three Into One Does Go is going to take place at Hillhead Library in Glasgow. Might be as many as fifty people there, all intently listening to my every word. Eek. It's been a while since I spoke in front of a largish audience but I'm hoping it will be a bit like riding a bicycle: once you've done it, it's something you don't forget.
   No doubt I shall in due course report on how well (or not) everything goes on the day.

You can't smile words. You can say them, you can shout, whisper or scream them, but you can't smile or (worse) beam them.

'Yes, it's a nice day,' smiled Roger.

No no no. Just turn it around and you can see how wrong that is.

Roger smiled, 'Yes, it's a nice day.'

If Roger really has to smile, that first sentence should be either

'Yes, it's a nice day.' Roger smiled.

or something like

'Yes, it's a nice day,' said Roger, smiling.

I am just reading a best-seller, and someone has just beamed some words. Aaargh. Words fail me.