Harry appears to be giving into depression. That’s consistent with what we know about Next Book. No sign of the Gargoyles at this point, could this presage them?

I disagree, he isn't giving in to his depression like he did at the beginning of Summer Knight. What he is going through is normal grief, which is complicated by physical injury, stress, and exhaustion.  He also appears to be a lot more injured than he did at the end of Battle Ground, or his injuries turned out to be a lot more serious than first appeared.  That also isn't unusual given the situation, stuff turns up after the fact.  As to Harry's depression, he went into a clinical depression after Susan was half turned, left him, and he couldn't find a cure for her.  He could be flirting with that now, but at that time it was just him.  That is no longer the case, he is attempting not to fall completely into it by meditating. Oh and add PTSD into that mix as well, just witnessing Murphy's murder is bad enough, Harry has seen/suffered/done, a whole lot more than just that.  He knows now he has a family to take care of and a lot other pressing matters.  Wonder if Butters is or will attempt to give him some medication to help with that?  Or do those kinds of drugs mix with his wizard biochemistry? I see Harry turning a lot more to Michael for "bull" sessions now, he desperately needs his common sense, faith, and sanity. 

As to Mister, he is the same age as my cat, and sadly Gabby is beginning to show her age. Yeah, Toot is taller than Harry's ankle, but his English still isn't that great, what he might have meant is he protects at his ankles not that he is as tall as his ankle.. Also just because Toot has physically grown, it doesn't mean that his soldiers have.  Toot also only understands things from a sprite's perspective, not the human one.

Harry appears to be giving into depression. That’s consistent with what we know about Next Book. No sign of the Gargoyles at this point, could this presage them?

Going back to what I said before, I disagree.  Feeling that kind of grief/depression just weeks after losing Murphy is normal.  Actually if Harry didn't feel that way it would be a danger sign that he was in total denial, that could be worse for everyone.  The fact that he is trying to meditate says he is trying to deal with all the emotions that he is feeling..  One of the stages of grief is anger, that is something that while Harry may justifiably feel it, given his power, he cannot give into it, and he is well aware of it.

Oh one more thing the kitchen seems to contain a lot of stainless steel.. Toot doesn't like it, yeah it is more sanitary than other materials, but I also wonder if Harry ordered it to keep the little guys from going in on their own and stealing pizza?

You can actually read an excerpt of the story here: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/611814/heroic-hearts-by-edited-by-jim-butcher-and-kerrie-l-hughes/#

Yeah, it is in Skin Game that they talk about how Mister is getting old. Harry is aware of it, at least.

“I’m . . . sort of settled now. And there’s nothing on the island big enough to take him. But it’s cold out there in the winter, and he’s getting older.”
“We’re all getting older,” Karrin said.” Skin Game, Ch 5.

About Maggie, at the time of the Christmas Story she would have just turned 11. I dunno if it's just my experience, but I haven't met an 11 year old who would still get all starry eyed at Santa Claus. The thing with Maggie always takes me out of the story, she acts, talks, is talked about and treated like a 5-6 year old, which is weird. However at the same time she's supposed to be super smart *shrug*. Her portrayal is inconsistent. I hope that improves as we get to see more of her. I wasn't a fan of her addition to the story, but since she's here already, I hope she becomes more of a character than just a plot device.

 Thank you, I believe there is a reference in Cold Days also, have to go back and read. 

As to Maggie, I have written about it and totally agree with your assessment.  However we also do not know the full extent of the damage of seeing her foster family brutally murdered, then nearly getting her throat cut or heart cut out by the Red King, then seeing her mother turn into a monster, then getting her throat cut by her father did to her brain.  Remaining emotionally a six year old might be her brain's only way of protecting her sanity.  Hell, I'd remain a six year old and cling to Santa Claus as long as I could too.

Hey - toot is growing due to the responsibilities placed on him by Harry - why is Lacuna growing? Heck, she could be a DENT....

  She is a lot more complex than we think, until she was "captured" by Toot she was also a leader.  As far as Mister goes, he may tolerate the little folk very well, let us not forget that Brownies are Harry's cleaning service. 

  I think Harry was eleven when his talents made themselves known, but Molly may have been closer to fourteen. We were never told at what age Margaret's talent became known.  In the case of Charity it is hard to say whether or not she was a minor talent. Actually I'd say not, because according to her, she herself was headed down the same warlock road as her daughter.  Only being almost eaten by a dragon and saved from that dragon by Michael saved her from that fate.

  In the case of Maggie it is hard to tell, in years she should be going through the beginnings of puberty, but the way she is described, she seems closer to seven or eight.  Now that might be because her father still sees her as a very little girl.  She appears very intelligent, but the trauma she experienced at that age may have arrested her physical and emotional development.   

think the key issue is simply that the Council doesn't have enough people, or the right sorts of infrastructure.  Even before the war against the Reds, and their struggles with the situations caused by a "Black Council" (who they wouldn't even admit existed), the wizards had no good way to spot any proto-wizards, nor to collect them for "proper" training.

Nor are we talking about a litter of unwanted kittens in a world over populated by cats that need to be put in a bucket of cold water and drowned..  These kids are human beings, and it isn't exactly that there are not enough wizards to take them on as apprentices, but too many who don't want to take the time or subject themselves to the risk of taking on a troubled kid.

But... what would Harry have done with the baby-wizardlings he found?  Become an (unpaid!) schoolteacher?  Become a mass kidnapper (because you know there'd be plenty of "oh HELL no!" parents).

I'm sure there would be some of that, but most of these kids and their parents aren't even being given that option.  By the time these kids come to the attention of the Council they have already experimented with their awakened powers, usually going down the dark side because they have no idea of the danger they are putting themselves in or others.  Molly is a prime example of that, she was trying to help not harm her friends.  By that time most are too far gone and the only thing to do with them is to give them the chop.  Not saying it would be easy, but there has got to be a better way.  That is what Harry was saying, that part of the problem is most experienced wizards won't take the trouble to take on an apprentice before they take that wrong road.  How many wizard characters in the whole series has even mentioned having an apprentice?  I'm not talking taking on a troubled kid under the Doom either, just an apprentice.  Oh when Harry shows up at a Council meeting there are some sitting around in brown robes, but not all that many.

The Council can't save young borderline warlocks because their rules are insane.

They don't bring them to a central location for schooling(like say a giant castle with a huge underground complex under their total control), they'd rather foster them out to a  single total stranger used to living in isolation. Oh, and while we hope you can bond with this kid who's led a hard and undisciplined life, if you don't get him straight, we'll have to just kill you both.

If the reward for failed altruism is death, there aren't going to be many volunteers. In fact, I'd be suspicious of the motives of any volunteer. They must have a hidden agenda of some sort or be recruiting a talented follower to go rogue with.

Yeah, all of that tends to happen when one goes zero tolerance.. Yes, it sound good, tough on warlocks can't risk one slipping through, they do too much damage.. But as we all know almost nothing is that simple, they lose a lot of potential good future wizards that way.

I had thought that most DF fans (at least those here on the Paranet, where it seems to be pretty common knowledge) had understood that the long gap was heavily driven by RL issues getting in the way of his productivity... a divorce, a long stint with no home (staying in a friend's spare bedroom), death of a beloved pet, &c.

All of that is hard, I will grant that, and difficult to be creative in those times.  However having said that, he did write the first of a decently long novel in a new series during that time.  He also had a lot of personal appearances during that time, this is where all the WOJs come from. 

Writing fiction isn't really a "job" like most of us have, where you can "show up" and "go through the motions," and managerial "productivity metrics" may not even notice a dip.  For a writer, emotional turmoil/depression/etc -- and lack of the "right" workspace -- can deliver a HUGE hit to productivity.

True, but he did write and complete a new novel in that time.

Then there's the BG/PT "size" issue.  That was a *LOT* of words written, and having to then go back and revise it into TWO books added yet more delay.  But, just looking at a "productivity timetable," it's worth noting that "twofer'ing" a PAIR of DF novels (on an 18month/per timing) is three years' wait, exclusive of RL delays & distractions...

Splitting the last novel into two wasn't really necessary, at least not for the reason given, because doing it really didn't save us fans any money..

I'm pretty sure Jim has stated that he plans to alternate between DF novels & OS novels.  We'll have to see if he can hit his old "18 months per" productivity rate.  And, of course, he's a free agent and could change his mind... if inspiration strikes, he may do 2 in a row (or more) for either DF or OS... with consequent delays to the other series.

Or finish one before he goes on to the other!  Like all of us, Jim is aging, we change with age, he may never be able to be as productive as he was as a young man.  He does have choices, and spreading himself too thin as you suggest does nothing but piss off his fans, pissed off fans don't buy books..

That is a very good point; the "current" rate was the byproduct of many things stacking against Jim. I feel like some of us forget that he is a person too, with a life and such, and sometimes life gets the best of us. Regardless, I'll be here til the end

However he was creative during that, he made creative choices and was productive... And no, given his success, please don't paint a picture of him as some poor slob sleeping on a friend's sofa because his marriage split up.. He might be hurt, hurt badly by his marriage break up, but physically he will have a roof over his head unless he chooses not to.

Still, I think something more like 20 years (than 30) years is a "reasonable estimate" to see the end of the Casefiles + BAT.

And maybe Jim will get run over by a bus next week, and it's all moot.

Or his son can finish it.. 

Butcher should do whatever he wants. But I'm voting with my wallet. Let the libraries of the country pay him. If he ever publishes another Dresden Files I'll check it out there.  And I will purchase nothing else he writes.  I love the books, but the payoff is in the backstory and the BAT. And he seems not to want to kill the golden calf that brings him the lifestyle he wants. So I have no expectation that he will move up the BAT.

I wonder though, he could be killing the golden calf..  Or he feels he doesn't need us anymore because of his other successful series.  You say you will go to the library and not buy any more of his books, others might also feel that way.  I feel ripped off in many ways by his splitting the last book into two.. Supposedly it was to keep the cost down for us, but when you did the math, it really didn't, and in my opinion didn't really help the story, which is the important bit.  But then again G.R.R.Martin has strung us along for years never finishing Game Of Thrones, claiming he is close, still writing and making lots of money writing spin offs from it, so Jim might feel that way as well.

I agree to an extent; the BAT should come sooner rather than later, especially at the current rate. Mirror Mirro and Twelve Months both feel like they need to happen, and maybe one more to keep things on the proper track (Peace Talks is book 17, and there were originally supposed to be 20+the BAT, instead of 22-23+BAT. That, plus the whole thing with Nick coming in every 5 books, and if I remember correctly, part of what Nick does in the supposed book 20 helps kickstart the BAT). So, 6 more books in total, including the BAT.

So three to five years between books, that makes eighteen to thirty years until the end...  I doubt I will see the end, and into his eighties by that time as Yuillegan points out, Jim might not either.  At least now we know his son can write, maybe the writing of the BAT will be left up to him.