To visitors all around the world, a very Merry Christmas!

I'll be back to regular emailing and posting in the next few days.

The wonderful work below has been assembled by our dear friend Gary Day-Ellison, and features original artwork by his wife, Sandy Nightingale. Gary kindly sends his best wishes to one and all, and I'm quite certain the feeling is entirely mutual.

I've been a rather ineffective blogger over the past weeks, I'm afraid. Between the normal holiday responsibilities and some book rewrites--and a dalliance with the flu!--my online time has been limited. I always give myself a little bit of a pass this time of year, assuming that blog readers are likely being pulled away from their computers as well, so it all evens out. Nevertheless, if I owe you a phone call or email, please plan on hearing from me in the next 48 hours -- give or take.

The book rewrites I've briefly mentioned over the past few weeks are proceeding wonderfully. We're not actually changing any content, we're just instituting a few structural shifts with an eye towards flow and linear readability. As certain portions of the text move about book, I'm finding that a little rewording here and their allows the passages to get on much more happily with their new neighbors. This is why I love the design phase--it reminds you that a book is a physical thing and that your content, both in terms of text and layout, control just how readers' eyes traverse the page. That's so interesting to me. This is also a good time of year for this. Most corporate entities are closed down or moving very slowly right now, so it's nice to be able to sit by myself beneath the Christmas tree with a laptop and still keep the production on its feet. And yes, that's exactly what I've been doing! Ho ho ho...

I'll close today with a bit of CD news. If any of us have any disposable cash left after the holidays, we should be aware that Howard Shore's score to Edge of Darkness will be available on the new WaterTower Music label on January 26. WaterTower, by the way, is the new face of New Line Records, so we're already seeing Paul Broucek making some changes. Bravo!

Enjoy that last-minute shopping, everyone! I'll try to be back to posting before Santa arrives.

Paul is a rare creature -- a studio exec with actual taste, musical acumen, and respect for the art of film scoring. This appointment is richly deserved. Congratulations!

I also discovered a nice piece on the Brooklyn Youth Chorus is running in today's Brooklyn Eagle, and Shore and the Radio City performances warrant a generous mention, of course.

I've have, however, totally fallen off the wagon in my attempt to kick my caffeine addiction. I wasn't trying to quit for any particular reason, so I'm weathering my person weakness fairly well, thanks.

I hope to have some more significant updates prepared before the holidays land... and with any luck, the brains behind The Hobbit should have something for us to consider tomorrow. See you then.

-Doug

'Tis the season!