That’s enough for a good constellation, I reckon. Maybe not a galaxy, though, unless it’s a GALAXY OF PRAWNS!

(Sorry, I threatened to use that phrase as the title for this post, and my husband, who is a sensible person, was against it. I feel honour-bound to include it somewhere, therefore. You understand.)

This is the news that I was not yet allowed to tell you on Wednesday: I have received six starred reviews from the trade journals. That’s all of them. It’s not an unheard-of feat, but it is rare enough to be exciting. Here’s a list (updated periodically) of how many starred reviews have been received by YA novels this year. As you can see, six stars puts Seraphina up in the rarefied air with Code Name Verity and The Fault in our Stars.

I know, I know, when I tell you I have news, y’all get excited. I see now the fault in my strategy, because six stars – while exciting – is nowhere near as wild and woolly as the things your imaginations came up with. Here’s a small sampling:

• A Seraphina opera (so the Fafnir dragon costumes get some use in the off-season)
• Dragon-themed fire extinguishers
• I got the Order of Canada
• I got the Disorder of Canada (ha ha, wiseacre)
• Dragon-themed muffin tins and party hats
• A Seraphina restaurant (hey, I ate there!)
• A Seraphina rock-opera by Jon Anderson and Vangelis

You had your own theory, didn’t you. Don’t pretend otherwise. If it’s funny, I’d love to hear it.