It's my birthday today, 11th August. It's a curious date upon which almost nothing of any note has ever happened. And the most famous people born this day are not kings, queens, dictators, philosophers or groundbreaking scientists but people like Enid 'Noddy' Blyton, Steve 'Apple' Wozniak, Ian 'Palpatine' McDiarmid, Chris 'Thor' Hemsworth, and Hulk 'Hulk' Hogan. Nature seems to like this date though. In 1999, it kindly arranged a total solar eclipse for me which was only properly visible in my native Cornwall. I spent the day being rubbed for luck by hippies. Then, last night it gave me a 'supermoon' and tonight some Perseid meteors. Nice :)

What do I want for my birthday? I want this book funded of course! 28% is fabulous. But 100% would be trouser-stretchingly brilliant.

So spread the word; put pressure on your mates, blackmail your family, buy it as a pressie. Or pledge some money to me as my birthday present and, in a few months, I'll send you a nice book :)

S x