I'm running the village now, part 3

Greetings, fellow Chippers, and time for me to write again with good news. Economic prosperity is here again! I doubt if many of you would understand the national figuures but we can clearly see growth in our little village, "Hooray" I say.

Mr Dwight Botherkoch III in the village store has increased the hours of Mrs Dobbins (who used to own the shop). She'll need that extra to pay for the large plasma screen telly she probably has, what with a husband permanently on the sick. I must remind her though, we don't want to see latchkey children in our village. Just a word to the wise.

Ami McKay

Not many newer authors have impressed me lately and it was a distinct flyer when I responded to lovereading.co.uk's offer of an advance copy of a book by someone I'd never heard of, in return for a review. They accepted my begging letter, sent me a copy and, I have to say, I struck gold. In only her second novel, Ami McKay has produced a wonderful book (review to follow shortly).

I do like to depart from the detective fiction now and again and you can't get much farther away than The Virgin Cure - a tale of a 12 year old girl living in a New York slum in the nineteeth century, groomed for prostitution to a rich pervert. Difficult subject matter, difficult period. Was I going to get something mawkish, at best a cross between Pretty Baby and Angela's Ashes? Nope, I got a fine novel, one that is winning prize after prize and deservedly so.

G4S Gets Cabinet Contract From Conservatives

Eyebrows were raised today when Conservative Central Office announced that G4S has been awarded a contract to manage the forthcoming Cabinet shuffle. The value of the contract has not been announced but shares in G4S leapt 10% when the news broke.

A smiling David Cameron said, "this is a great opportunity for Britain. We're limiting the programme to ministers initially but it could be extended to the whole of the house. It's an ideal way to streamline the process and save money."