Little Women, Little Men, Little Peep Explosion
School starts next week, and not a moment too soon.

I can recall when I was on the other end of school-startingness and wanted to stretch out summer for as loooooooong as possible. But for a mom/author who works out of the house, it's hard to get writing done when the young-uns are around. Heck, it's hard to get writing done, period. (Click here for cure.)

Take the other day for example. Son and Son's Friend were running around the house screaming, as they are apt to do. So I cornered them and shouted, "Who wants to blow up Peeps???!!!"

Son's Friend had never done this before (poor child), so Son and I took it upon ourselves to introduce him to the sport. And lo and behold and bepeep . . . he was a natural at it!











But see! See how distracting it is to try to write when kids are around!!!

Speaking of kids, over at The Horn Book Magazine, there's a specialicious issue coming out for September/October . . . just in time for the beginning of school! The current issue is dedicated to "boys and girls."

Topic: Little Women, Little Men -- Children's and YA writers on how one's gender affects one's reading.

Here's a sampling of essayists . . . M. T. Anderson, Coe Booth, Cecil Castellucci, Andrew Clements, John Green, Pete Hautman, Emily Jenkins, David Levithan, Gregory Maguire, Lynne Rae Perkins, Mitali Perkins, Brian Selznick, Virginia Euwer Wolff, and Moi!!!



P.S. A heartfelt thanks to all of you who wished me birthday greetings. I was so moved that I have decided to extend my birthday for another month.

Oh! And here's a clip of someone who could have used a wee bit more schooling ...

(She came in third.)