Another T-shirt design (and another book is underway!)

Look! Here's Jim's contribution to the kidlit T-shirt designs. I love this one -- it's so fun. You see? If aliens, vampires, and pink ninjas can read kidlit, so can you. See (and buy) shirts HERE. [remember: all proceeds go to the kidlitosphere conference.]

So, what are you all doing this week? I am nervously starting a new book. It's at the love/wonder/terror stage. It's all new and shiny and full of possibilities, and there's the tiny voice somewhere in my brain telling me I won't be able to pull it off. You know how that goes. Shut up, stupid tiny voice. What do you know? Nothing, that's what! I've done it before, and I'll do it again. And again. And again. And it's not just me that can do it. So can you. And you, and you. If you really, really want to. Believe me: you can. Not this story, though. This one's mine. Oh yeah, and if you've got a cool idea for a novel, write it now before somebody else does. That does happen, you know. Your muse might get tired of waiting for you. Right now she might being making a lunch date with another writer, getting ready to give them your idea. Seriously. Write that book. As Jane Yolen would say: "Write the damn book." That's all you have to do!

"What you have to do and the way to do it is incredibly simple. Whether you are willing to do it, that is another matter."
-Peter F. Drucker

I've been doing some research, spent part of the afternoon watching a documentary, the rest of the afternoon brainstorming plot ideas. I've been bursting to write this book for just over a year. It was last July that I was sitting poolside in Los Angeles with Alexandra (we were in the shade, being neither of us tan-monkeys). She was studying for her psychotherapist license, I was fleshing out this idea and wishing I could start writing it AT ONCE. Which I couldn't. Because there was this book called. . . ehh. I don't want to say. You all know the book. It's all I've blabbed and whined about for the past year! And you know what? I did it! I wrote that one! It's done. It wasn't always fun (though often it was), but I always knew if I kept writing it, it would get written, and it did. It really is that simple when all is said and done. A simple matter of many long days of work and frustration. Just keep writing and the book will get written.

Hey, who's watching the Olympics? Since childhood I've been an Olympics fan. It's the only time I ever watch sports, and I love them. How awesome is this kid:
This was the qualifying round, not the one that secured the US team's bronze medal last night -- that one isn't up on youtube yet. But wow! His name is Alexander Artemev and he was an alternate who didn't even have a chance to test out the equipment before he found out he got to compete -- and then he went up and did that. I've been up so late watching every night. I think I'll probably be at the gym in the evenings this week, because the treadmill is a very good place to watch the Olympics. Think I'll go now, before the women's team final starts. Ciao!