1. We drove through a town by the actual name of Mudville this week. MUDVILLE. Like “Casey at the Bat” Mudville. Steve and I once tried to memorize that poem, but do you have any idea how many stanzas there are? Thirteen. I didn’t make it very far, lol. But Steve, I think, used to know it all. So when we were driving through Mudville (did I mention that the Welcome to Mudville sign is right next to a couple of baseball diamonds? HOW GREAT IS THAT?) I lamented that we’d never learned it, and Steve proceeded to recite the first few verses. Color me impressed.
2. We were driving through Mudville on our way to Middleville in Herkimer county, NY—the only place in the world where you can find Herkimer diamonds. They’re quartz crystals that are interesting because they form points on both ends, and you can go search through a pile of rocks to find them yourself. Which we did.
The crystals form inside little pockets in the rocks. Isn’t that cool?
We also found some other pretty crystal formations, too.
It was a great way to spend a day. Geology class, homeschool style.
3. I’ve totally fallen in love with the new books I’m working on with my writing partner, Victoria Green. Oh my, you guys. I cannot wait to have these books out and in the world. Tors and I have been looking through stock photos this week, searching for our perfect cover photos, and we’ve found them! Cover releases will be coming in May, and we’re on track for a June release. Yay!
4. The Intangible series books are available again at all retailers—Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, and iTunes. Anywhere is going to be available in all places again, as well. I have big marketing plans for this summer and fall, so the more places my books are available, the better.
5. Lastly, my family of six has outgrown the house we’re in, and we need to find a place that has more rooms—not necessarily more square footage, but definitely laid out better and split into more rooms. We’re hoping to buy land and build, so I’ve also been spending a lot of time researching passive solar houses…which are just possibly the niftiest structures on earth. There is SO much I don’t know, so much to learn before I even know the right questions to ask someone…and I’m feeling overwhelmed.
In a good way. I think.
So much going on, and it’s ALL good. :-) Hope you all have a great weekend!
<3
j.