February 9:
The story is finished. Now my editor gets to have her way. If you have comments on any of the chapters, have at it! She will take your opinion into consideration as she wields her scalpel.

January 9:
The current chapter, the first part of which is titled "Missing", just split itself into pieces, so there are still four chapters or so to go.

January 8:
Sorry for the delay between updates, have been sick as the proverbial dog. Managed to type in one more chapter of "Pearl" from the rough written copy. Four chapters, perhaps, to go.

January 3:
Can there really be only five chapters to go? That is what the outline says, and the first draught has been written and agrees with the outline. Unless one of these chapters splits out into two then this story is nearly finished! Cannot believe it.

December 26:
Have nearly finished the Yule chapters. Merry Christmas and Happy Yuletide!

Have had to revise chapter 3 slightly: Rosemary is not Pearl's age as originally stated, but two years younger (between Pearl and Pimpernel in age).

December 18:
Don't know how much writing I'll be able to do on the weekend. People are probably too busy watching ROTK to read fanfic, in any event, so I'm not worried about anybody sitting about twiddling their fingers, and then next week is the holidays and there will be no such thing as free time! i'd like to write the story while it's fresh in my mind, but "Shire" is also clamouring for attention. We'll see. Anyway, Ferdibrand has turned the corner, I'm glad to say. Stay tuned for burgeoning... ah, romance is such an over-abused term. Burgeoning something. Burgeoning, anyhow. Coming soon: Yuletide.

December 13:
Hoorah. Got the computer working again. Whew. Have finished writing chapter 9, but still working on chapter 8 (it is the more difficult chapter), so will hopefully be able to post both chapters on Monday.

December 12:
Got out of the shower to a "lovely" surprise... cannot bring up the computer that has all my writing files. I may have to wait at least a week before a trouble-shooter can look at the problem. It is an enforced vacation, I suppose, and just when I had some time to do some serious writing... back to yellow legal pads, I suppose, but I was getting terribly spoilt by the word processor.

December 1:
Got the rough draft written over the weekend and if the story lives up to its promise it will be one to please even me. The Muse has done an outstanding job, I think. Hope it all falls within canon. You readers will let me know, won't you?

November 29:
This story sprang full-blown from the Muse as I was perusing Tolkien's letters last night. The outline practically wrote itself, let us hope the story does the same.

Bear with me, those of you who have read chapter 1 and are picking flaws. I know that F. is not Thain quite yet, rather the son of the Thain; that will be clarified in an upcoming chapter.

Later:
FantasyFan informs me that F. really is Thain, so I will do some more research before posting the next chapter Monday or Tues. Thankfully it is only a minor revision.