Time magazine has picked Susanna Clarke’s Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell as its ‘Book of the Year’ in its Best and Worst of 2004.

As others have noted, The South-East Asia Earthquake and Tsunami is the place to go for news and such on the Boxing Day tragedy. Do what you can. Give what you can. Our thoughts go out to Locus colleague Nick Gevers, whose brother was holidaying in the area and hopefully will turn up alive and well.

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, there was plenty of stirring, it scared off the mouse! Children were giggling, parents were wrapping, food it was bubbling, and no-one was napping! Presents were ready, children were too – it seemed it was Christmas, though it looked like a zoo!

Hope you and yours have a special, wonderful holiday season. We don’t mind if you’re naughty, we don’t mind if you’re nice, we just hope you’re having fun, and most of all that you’re safe. See you in the New Year!

It seems every time I pick up a newspaper or look at a news website human researchers have made another breakthrough in improving the health of mice. Following on from recent news that researchers had cured Alzheimer’s in mice, I now hear that a vaccine against heart disease is on the horizon. Cool.

Mark Kelly points out that Margo Lanagan is interviewed over at Arte Six, which is a cool thing. You should go read the interview and the book excerpt. I was particularly pleased to hear that she’s “nearly finished first-drafting the stories in the next collection, Red Jam, which is very much the same type of science fiction/fantasy/horror mix as White Time and Black Juice.” She also mentions that “I’m also rewriting the first novel of a YA fantasy quartet, which I hope to complete the remaining three volumes of in 2005.” Definitely happy-making news. If Lanagan isn’t the next big thing, there ain’t no justice in the world.