Something very cool happened tonight. I was eating at Wahoo’s Fish Taco with my children, a few friends, and their children. (I had the shrimp bowl with brown rice and Cajun beans, in case you were wondering. It was tasty.) I’d just taken a rather uncooperative bite when I noticed a boy with a wide smile chock full of braces standing in front of me. He obviously didn’t want to interrupt.

I know him – he goes to my daughter’s school. I said hello after chewing, and hopefully swallowing, most of my bite of shrimp and rice. He asked if I wrote THE SCOURGE? I said I did. He said he read it and really liked it. I said thank you (I wanted to give him a big hug and a bigger THANK YOU, but grabbing other people’s children in restaurants is generally frowned upon). He called over a friend, who said she also read it. And they asked when Book 2 would be ready to read. I slid my laptop up out of my bag where it usually runs to hide after hours of me pounding on it. “It’s right here!” I said, “. . . but it’s not ready yet.” I’m not sure which of us looked more disappointed.

The children wandered away with more important things on their minds, like raiding the giant bowl of Starlight mints again. But they gave me a gift I’ll cherish. I’ve heard from many of my wonderful readers since I published THE SCOURGE, but not often in person. And because THE SCOURGE is only an e-book right now, and because most children and teens don’t have access to e-readers, not many of those readers have been under the age of 18. To hear, in person, from the young horse’s silver-shod mouth that my book was appreciated, was a special moment.

So, thanks, kiddos, for reading Book 1 and for anticipating Book 2. Have another mint on me.