Last week, I combed through the copyedited manuscript by hand...a long and tedious process...but I managed to mail it to Julie ahead of schedule. She emailed to let me know that they received it this morning. Luckily, I agreed with 99 percent of the copyeditor's notes. I only had to write, "stet," beside a few paragraphs.

Yes, the classrooms in Miami are carpeted (I guess New Yorkers have hardwood floors?)

And yes...my mother says slangy stuff like, "Don't give me static..." and so does the mother in my book. Must all mothers talk alike?

Meanwhile...I'm trying to whip my second book into shape. This is the study-abroad novel set in Prague. I gave it to my mentor, Joyce, who says:

"BTW everyone thinks they can't pull off a second book. We call it Second Book Fever. So you're right where you should be."

Good to know I"m not the only neurotic writer out there.

Another quarter has begun at school and I'm busy with a new teaching schedule. A few students have asked me about my button-studded bag (I refuse to carry a briefcase just because I'm a professor).

"Where did you get it?" they ask.

They seem surprised when I tell them, "I made it."

The buttons relate to scenes from Total Constant Order or suburban South Florida in general (Hello, Kendall kids!) You can find them here.