After 15 years of writing, I have learned that the best news doesn’t arrive in the mail. Self-addressed stamped envelopes never contain anything more than rejection. The words I hope for – we’d like to publish your book – are delivered in a phone call. Which I received last week. While I was doing dishes, the dog was barking to be let out, and a playlist war was going on upstairs. 
The next story starring Cricket and the gang will be published by Orca Books, for release in spring 2016! It will be an early chapter book, like Ospreys in Danger, with illustrations throughout, and this time the kids will struggle to save a secretive, slimy species they didn’t even know existed.
There is a lot to work on between now and publication, which gives me lots of time to plan the party. Cupcakes anyone?
