Happy Friday everybody. It’s time for another update, and for a little visual treat.

First, the visual treat. If you want a window into Matthew’s world, this is it. I took this picture from the window of a beautiful place in the Auvergne, Les Deux Abbesses in the village of St-Arcons-d’Allier in the Auvergne. It is a very old chateau and abbey that once was in the control of the Marquis de Lafayette’s family. I had the great privilege of staying there where Laurence and her staff made me feel like part of the family. Enjoy, save it, share it–just don’t sell it! :)

As for news, I’m having a wonderful time watching A Discovery of Witches go out into the world in Sweden, Norway, Spain, Poland, Portugal, Denmark (26 April), and France (4 May). The book may have different titles and covers in its foreign editions, but it’s still the story of Diana and Matthew. The translators have done superb jobs with the text (can you IMAGINE translating ADOW into another language??) and have taken such care to get things right for the new readers. As for the readers, I’m pleased to share that A Discovery of Witches debuted at #2 in a list of bestsellers in Poland, and #10 on a list of bestsellers in Portugal.

There are a lot of new fans on the Deborah Harkness page on facebook, and I want to remind everybody that there is a lively community of fellow readers over there on the “Discussions” board. Just click on the link to “Discussions” under the photo in the left sidebar. There are further reading suggestions, speculation about what might happen in book #2, and a gallery of images for prospective Matthews and Dianas should it ever be a movie. This is a public page, so you don’t have to be signed up on facebook to read the posts–but you do need to sign up if you want to post something or reply to another’s post.

Some more updates:

We still don’t know when in 2012 book #2 will be released–nor is there a title, but I’ll be keeping you posted. Promise.

No news on the paperback release in the US as yet, but the UK paperback will be out on 29 September 2011.

I am busy writing, and deeply engaged in getting the next step in Diana’s adventures onto the page.

I’m headed to Europe for a research trip in the UK and to launch the book in France, so my ability to respond to comments will be sporadic. Your patience is appreciated! I will upload pictures as I go, however so you can look forward to some shots from London and Paris over the next week or so.

Hope that spring has arrived where you are!