Remember how I recently promised you I’d read ten books I already own before buying anything new? Well, I’ve made excellent headway, mostly because it didn't take long for me to realize that several of the books aren't right for me. I'll give those away soon. This one, though. This one’s a keeper: Are you the kind of person who can't help but proofread menus and road signs? Are you still, after all this time, unsure when exactly to hyphenate words before a noun? If so, the

Since I last checked in, I’ve polished up the draft of the middle-grade novel I’ve been working on since June; submitted it to my agent (hi Rosemary!); received her encouraging feedback and excellent suggestions; edited with those in mind; and sent back the revision. Now I’m waiting for the next steps to play out. In the hold-onto-your-seats world of publishing, I should know within eighteen months whether this story will ultimately appear in bookstores and libraries near you