The Email Newsletter is Out. The Passage of Power is Out. Our Michael Buckley Event at the Shorewood Library was Out-rageous.

1. As we were proofing the email newsletter for the fourth time, Stacie called out to me and said, can we just apologize in advance for all the errors? So yes, I'm apologizing right here.  At one point, you just have to send it out, warts and all. Here it is.

And here's the error--Kathleen Dunn is on at 10 am, not 10 pm. And I'm it tomorrow, in the morning, not the night. Pledge me up!

2. Jason told me that we've already sold eight copies of The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson today. Let me just say that we only have a few books a year that have a first day of sale like this.

3. What a great time was had by all at Michael Buckley's event last night at the Shorewood Public Library. Pictured is Michael Buckley with our resident children's book illustrator, Aaron Boyd. Here are some other things I learned:

a. Though the Sisters Grimm novels are a series, each installment aims to be of a different genre. One's a road novel, while another is a courtroom drama.

b. Buckley's favorite? Magic and Other Misdemeanors, #5 in the series, which is the time travel novel. We have just about every Buckley book in stock, autographed no less (for now), except for that one. Yes, we sold out after that comment.

c. In writing N.E.R.D.S., Buckley was trying to channel Monty Python and Mel Brooks.

d. When yet another person asked for another installment of the now-ended Sisters Grimm series, Mr. Buckley noted the phenomena of fan fiction. Perusing the various subjects, he has crowned one show "most unusual fan fiction source." Can you guess what that show is? Answer tomorrow.

e. Recipe for a writer, per Buckley? Live a big life! Go to school. Travel. Get lots of jobs! He actually didn't suggest the last one, likely for fear of parents' reactions. But have you noticed how often first novelists have long resumes? Missy Mae Montaldo has been a waitress, a longshoreman, a high school teacher, a tree surgeon, an actress on a web-based soap opera, and dessert chef in the U.S. Navy.

But his point is, you have all these great experiences and they are all fodder for your books. If you've not done much, it can be a little harder, no matter how much imagination you can summon.