I got to clean off my desk. The Blue Parakeet lasted a long time and my desk kept getting messier and messier. Here are some pre- and post- pictures…
Pre…

Post…

I must confess a sadness. When a book is finally done, or at least the draft that is sent to the editor and the publisher is done, a melancholy comes over me. Why? Each book becomes a friend because it is a constant companion. It’s like a colleague who chooses to leave campus to teach at another institution. Anyway, I felt a little lonely last Thursday even though I was reading and writing that day too. I’m sure editors will have plenty of work for me yet, but the intensity of the last few weeks of a book and then sending it off is a dramatic moment.