What's new?

Since I really don't have a specific topic this week, I thought I'd talk about what's going on in the world (mine and the larger one) a little.

* Swine Flu - it all sounds like something from a novel, huh? We just got word the first school in our area will be closed in Delaware (I'm in NJ). While it sounds extreme, it also makes sense. They just want to santitize the school. If you've ever worked in a school setting, you're wishing they do this EVERY year, for EVERY flu. Bugs run rampant in school. This flu is apparently mild, even milder than the seasonal flu, so I don't know why the panic, but better safe than sorry though. I mean, if everyone would just wash their hands and not cough on each other (in other words, use common sense), it wouldn't be any big deal.

Feel bad for those poor students, though. The school in Delaware will be closed for 1-2 weeks. They'll be going to school until July!

*Susan Boyle - I know this is kind of old, but what a great story! Of course I watched the video. Once, but it was enough. Fairy tale makings in there, I think.

*Economy. Wow. I'm personally not feeling the effects of this recession, but I feel so badly for those who are. Things I've seen lately: watching a Phillies/Marlins baseball game, half the seats were empty; larger crowds at Wal-mart, smaller ones at the mall.

My world:

*Writing; Actually, I DO have some news. My author copies of the paperback edition of The Ankh of Isis came this week! I wasn't expecting it - officially the book comes out the end of May (but Amazon, etc, are already selling them) - so it was a welcome surprise! The other great thing is that Samhain will be starting a YA line sometime soon! (um...soon is a relative term in publishing.) The first books will be out in 2011. I have to start working on the steampunk YA I've been wanting to write!

I'm on a break from writing while I catch up on school and work. Once the school year is over (maybe a little sooner) I'll be back to it. I'm still waiting to hear from my editor about the third LoA book, so this is a good time for a break. I haven't really had one in years.

*Work. It's going well, though busy. I LOVE working in the library. Week after next is our Spring Book Fair. I'm bracing myself. It's Buy One, Get One free too! I went to the one at my son's school last week, and had to stop myself from buying all the books I wanted. I have to save some for my own fair, right? LOL. I have a huge pile of books to read this summer.

* School. Almost done the spring semester. Need to write final papers and take finals. One more semester to go! Then... graduate school! Yes, I finally decided to just go to grad school and get the Masters in Libray Science. I like my job too much to give it up. I mean, I have to give up this particular job in June, but I want one like it. Shame I couldn't have figured this out ten years ago, huh. Or even two.

That's pretty much it. I have to get back to writing my paper on postcolonialism and Chinua Achebe. Yeah, I'd rather be writing about dragons and steam-driven pumpkins, but what can you do?