Hello, Potter/Strike fans. Adjusting to life as a business owner has squeezed out some of my blogging time, but hopefully there will be a little bit of catch-up during this holiday season. Some quick notes.
Mr. Galbraith gave the Strike and Ellacott fans a special Christmas gift in the form of an announcement that The Hallmarked Man manuscript is complete. Hopefully, this means the book will be in our hot little hands in late summer to early fall, 2025.
Speaking of Strike and Ellacott: The Strike and Ellacott files is back from its hiatus with a biweekly read-through of The Silkworm. I am quite excited by this, as The Silkworm is one of those boks that, per the Double Wedding Band hypothesis, would be expected to include major echoes to The Hallmarked Man. We already know of a few: 1) the author's tweets have informed up that Strike's birthday and Christmas will be celebrated, as they were in Book 2 (and 5 and 6!) and 2) the many allusions to silver suggest an albedo-themed story, as does the copious snow of The Silkworm. I can think of no better way to prepare for The Hallmarked Man than a thorough re-read of the even-numbered books, so check it out.
Speaking of podcasts, on December 7th, I was privileged to appear on my third Strike-themed episode of The Three Broomsticks, with my friend and fellow scholar/fan Beatrice Groves. We talk about the major and secondary characters of the series, and their connections to Harry Potter characters, and had a great time. So, please tune in!
And finally, I am excited to share the new Cormoran Strike ornament I have added to my collection this year. Since Hallmark has not started a series of commemorative trinkets, and is not likely to, even with the potential marketing boon of the next book's title, I have had to find or make my own. My UK trip to in summer 2023 got me a few from tourist places visited in Troubled Blood: a clock from Hampton Palace, a Cynthia Phipps as Anne Boleyn, and a Paddington Bear in a Fortnam and Mason bag (the tiny bag orginally contained chocolates, I found the mini-Paddington clip-on at a souvenir stand later). 
I recently finished up the box of tea bags I brought back from Betty's in York and so I clipped the logo of the box, laminated it with the napkin I saved, and combined it with a small teapot ornament I was given several years ago. 
Here's what it looked like on the tree: 
I've asked Santa for a couple of other ornaments that depict some elements of the books, and I have some ideas for a few others I can make. Depending on what turns up in my Christmas stocking, I will hopefully follow up with some new additions soon. I don't know if I'll ever have enough for my own miniature Strike tree, as I do for my Harry Potter collection, but if I ever do, my donkey balloon will be the tree topper. 
If the Strike fandom ever starts crafting and swapping ornaments the way Harry Potter fans do, count me in!
Anyone else have any Strike themed displays to share?