Phew!

Hello,

For the past nine months (omg nine months!) I've been writing a new series which is coming out from Scholastic this year. It's called The Mysterious Four, and it's about a group of kids who live on the same block who decide to create a detective club. They challenge one other to solve the mysteries they encounter every day, and the reader is invited to solve the mysteries along with the characters. There are fourteen mystery stories in each book (with a bonus e-book mystery), and so far there are three books. By the time I'm done with book number 3 (which should be very soon) I'll have written 45 mysteries total. 45 mysteries in nine months. 3 books in one year. AND I work a full time job at Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

If someone told me one year ago that this would be part of my career, I would have said, "No way. I won't have time for that!"

Don't get me wrong, I'm having tons of fun with the project. I'm a working author who, in about six months, will have five books out on the shelves. Every day I come up with another idea for a project I want to work on. I'd love to have just one more day in my week to do all the things a guy has to do in order to not live like a crazy person in a big city. I don't think I've gone grocery shopping in about a month. And laundry sits in the hamper a few days too long at a time.

Am I crazy for wanting to get a dog right now? I have a feeling a little buddy will help me feel more grounded. I definitely want one that's small enough for a Brooklyn apartment, that won't bark too much, and that I can rescue from a shelter. What should I be looking for?

What's the most mysterious dog? Maybe I'll get one to inspire me to keep on truckin.

Dan