God bless kids and their willingness to tell it how they see it--straight up, without any guilt, guile, or reservation whatsoever.

My personal favorite? The first time I got to spend any time with Triston and Taylor (Steven's kids), Triston was about three years old. He mentioned wishing his mother (Steven's ex-wife) could spend the day with us too. In my innocence, I suggested that maybe next time she could come with us. His reply?

"Oh, no. She hates you."

Steven scolded him gently, but I just laughed out loud. I still do, whenever I think of it. Thing is, it was a real kindness--he let me in on what to expect, and he was right, too. To this day, three years later, I have yet to meet the woman.

February is upon us! January was a crazy month around here, so here's what's up...

• The February issue of Wet Ink... will come out this weekend. If you're not already getting the newsletter, you can sign up for it here.


• I'm up to Chapter Four in Sylvarion's Challenge. The book is coming along very nicely, so all you Sylvarion fans, hang in there. It's on the way!


• The blog has been inundated with junk comments, so I've switched to a tougher authentication process. The blog now requires commenters to register with TypeKey (completely free, of course!). Once a commenter has been registered, I'll be able to authenticate his or her account for future comments. And authenticated commenters will never have to wait again to see their messages posted live, right before their eyes. To register with TypeKey, just click on any "Comment" link on the blog.

That's what's up around here. What's new with you? Leave me a comment or drop me a line. E-mails from actual people are always welcome!