Triple Ds, Scoobies, and the amazing Laurie Halse Anderson

Here we are outside Book People - The Delacorte Dames and Dude Society. We've been getting a bit of press lately. Check out the article Jeff Salamon wrote up in the Statesman. He mercilessly teases me in the very first paragraph, but I forgive him.

Now onto the Scooby. My son, Daniel The Health Nut, brewed me a batch of Kombucha over spring break. Yesterday it was time to harvest the Scooby (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). That's the slimy mushroom thingie floating on top. I wasn't sure what to do, so I gave him a call at college.

"Hey Dan, what do I do now?"

"Okay. Pick up the Scooby and set it aside in a ceramic bowl."

"Pick up that slimy, disgusting thing with my hands?"

"Listen Mom, if you send bad vibes to the Scoobie, it's not going to work for you."

Do you see what I'm dealing with? Anyway, I was kind to the Scooby and managed to pick it up and make the kombucha. The bottles are sitting on the counter carbonating. Nice little bottles.

Now the best part. Laurie Halse Anderson was at Book People in Austin, and we got to chat a bit. She's so sweet and humble and amazing. My daughter Korina recently read Speak so I introduced her to Laurie and right away Laurie said, "Friend me on Facebook!" See what I mean? Anyway, we got a signed copy of Wintergirls and I can't wait to read it.

I'd better get back to work. I got my final revision letter on The Less-Dead, and after a couple of new scenes and some tweaking, I'll be done!