So, November is always National Novel Writing Month. The standing challenge to writers is to write a novel during November. With the best of intentions, I have never actually done it. That’s because I have contracts and editors now, as well as two “day-job” businesses, and the rhythms of those things determine when I write novels.

This year, though, is different. I am writing a book. It’s a kid’s novel, and I’m doing it for a publisher who has asked for it. I won’t be any more specific until we actually get the contract signed and I turn in the manuscript, but those things may happen very soon. I started this novel on Monday, and as of today, have written 26,000 words. That’s basically half the book.