The novel is complete, although I'll let it rest a few days and give it another pass before sending it off to my agent for submission to my editor. Have to log off at the present time because lightning is zooming all around.

Sorry about that interruption. It's just that I've learned--the hard way--to disconnect my computer when lightning is flying around. Even with surge protectors, I fried--quite literally--a modem by simply turning off my computer during a lightning storm rather than disconnecting everything. Anyway, as I was saying, the novel is finished...20,000+ words. It's a mystery, and with any luck it will keep my agent's and my editor's interest through to the end.

Local friend Laurie stopped by this morning--midwork, midlaundry--to say hi. She'll be leaving for Utah in a couple of days to teach a class in dance. A Tucson friend, Sloan, e-mailed to tell me about "losing" her dog, Princess Maggie. Her story has the makings of a perfect young mystery--so I'm thinking about it.

Now I need to turn my attention to two upcoming presentations--one on biography at the Arizona Reading Association at the end of October, followed by one on picture books with older students in New York in early November. That will do it for presentations this fall. The spring is another story; I'll be living at the airport.

There's a little bit of Sibert buzz about We Are One, which would be a hoot and a half. But as with publishing contracts, I never hold my breath or get excited until the ink is dry on the contract or official announcements are made. With some 5,000 books published annually--I don't know how many of those are nonfiction--I figure it's a long shot at best. Even so, it's nice to hear my title and the word "Sibert" in the same sentence, at least on some fronts.