As I said, lots to talk about, and I want to start with this: I'm teaching again in Assisi this summer. August, to be precise. August 5 - 19, to be even more precise. Now, some of you guys have been talking trash for awhile now about coming over and working on your books. Well, dudes?

I know the economy's a mess. But the dollar's up against the Euro and airfares are way down. And if you sign up before May 15 you get an early bird discount. And the Prez sez things are looking up. And this year, in addition to ten days of fiction workshop -- short story, novel, in progress or begun there, however you want to do it -- I'm throwing in a haiku workshop, too, as a kind of bonus incentive. You say you don't write crime? Cool as a moose. They like to call it that and I do specialize in crime myself; but good writing is good writing and I'll work with any writer, genre, non-genre, even narrative non-fiction. Last year I had a memoirist, she was great.

So for your dough, you get two weeks of workshop, the additional haiku workshop if you want, your hotel room, breakfast and dinner, and the company of other writers and painters in a beautiful place. Why haven't you signed up yet? I want you ALL there!