The night before I left for Bologna, an orange cat (of whom I’m very fond) randomly, with no urging from humans, walked a protection circle around me.

I realize this year what a good visit to Bologna I had last year because I keep stumbling across my favorite old haunts and realizing, “Goodness me, I have favorite old haunts!” Some things feel so familiar that I can’t believe I’ve been here only once before. Maybe I lived here in an earlier life.

I’ve run into so many people I know, and that has been a delight, and I’ve had planned meetings with so many people I know, and that’s also been a delight. BOOK PEOPLE ARE THE WORLD’S BEST PEOPLE, THE WORLD OVER.

Tonight, dinner was at a Sicilian restaurant. Need I say it was delicious? Cannoli are different here at the source! No mascarpone. I sneaked my cannolo into my bag because I was too stuffed with fishies to eat it but unwilling to surrender it to the kitchen.

Today I had an event at noon at the booth of my Italian publisher, De Agostini. I arrived uncertain what was expected of me, but not even slightly worried, because, well, it was the Italians. Sure enough, my first responsibility was to open a bottle of champagne. My next responsibility was to drink said champagne. Not a bad event.

To my readers in Madrid! On 5 April, I’ll be signing books and talking to fans at GENERACIÓN X (C/. Puebla, 15 – Madrid) at 19.00.

And that’s the news.

(PS – the two carry-ons? Success!)