Step it Up and Dance

So I know almost nothing about dance, but I started watching this show because I went to Hebrew school with the host, Elizabeth Berkley, when we were kids, and hey, it's kind of cool to watch the career of an I-knew-her-when.

Plus, I'm a huge Project Runway fan, so I figured that was reason enough to give another Bravo reality TV show a shot.

Big surprise, but there's something that resonates so strongly in me when I watch these kinds of artist competitions. (Because, that's basically what they are, right?) The casts of these shows just love their medium (be it dance, fashion design, singing, modeling etc) with such a passion, and they want to make it so badly. That belly fire desire is palpable, and (is this embarrassing?) it's how I feel about writing.

I think that's why I love reading other writers' blogs too. We just all get it--that feeling of wanting to create something amazing, and that understanding of how hard, hard, hard it is to do.

Hmmm. I guess I'm feeling philosophical because I just sent off another revision of my YA manuscript to my editor, and my desire to make it great almost undid me.
But now, for the time-being at least, I have to let it go, and that means more time for blogging.

Stay-tuned for later this week when I unveil my special summer project for unleashing creativity!

Young Authors, Countdowns and Moonvertizing

Yesterday I spent the evening at Columbus East School as the guest author at their second annual Author's Fair. I was thrilled to be a part of it, the students had such great questions for me, but, even better, read such beautiful poetry! Most of which they'd written themselves. I have no doubt the gym last night held authors I'll be hearing from again.

The only bummer is I forgot my camera and cannot show you the amazing display tables of student work. I particularly enjoyed a story about a school bus that got sucked into a vortex! Now that's some drama.

On my way home I was driving very carefully (it was raining) but couldn't help notice one billboard out of the corner of my eye. It was for Moonvertizing--shine your ad by high-intensity laserbeam onto the surface of the moon! I couldn't help feeling that I'd driven into a dystopian science fiction novel. Are the Moonvertizing people allowed to do that? Seriously? Who does the moon belong to anyway?! What if I don't want my view of the night sky to be marred by a beer commercial?

Then I got smart and googled it.
Just a hoax, people! We are safe...for now.
But sheesh, am I gullible!


But here's something that is absolutely true. The release date for THIRD GRADE BABY is now exactly four months away! I'm celebrating with this nifty countdown clock.

Myspace Countdown Clock You'll also see it if you scroll all the way down to the bottom of the page!

And if you can't wait for months, other exciting things are also afoot. I'll be appearing on a panel of first-time children's book authors at the Printer's Row Book Fair in Chicago on June 7. More details to come!