I've had readers apologizing to me lately for reading my book "all inone sitting" or "in just six hours, though I don't mean it as aninsult!" Truly, I would consider that a huge compliment, never aninsult. I suspect this is because of my statement in the authorinterview in the US Goose Girl paperback when I said, "One reader,intending to be complimentary, told me she read The Goose Girl in anhour and a half. That book consumed two years of my life, I agonizedover every word, and she burned through its 383 pages in 90 minutes.Ouch!" I regret those words in that interview now. Too easilymisunderstood. I guess it just felt like, you know, when you hand makesomeone a Christmas present and it takes you hours and hours and youlay awake anticipating their reaction, and then when they open it, theyglance at it once and say, "Cute, thanks," and put it aside. Just thetime put into it compared with the time spent enjoying it was off withthat particular speed reader, I thought. But really, it's so not a bigdeal, I shouldn't have said it.

May I just give an unsolicited plug for Discovery Girls? They did a review of princess academy,so my publisher sent me a copy, and I flipped through it, and thenfound myself reading the entire thing. I was really impressed. This isa US magazine targeted at girls ages 7-13. It's down to earth, nocelebs, no ridiculous fashion. The photos are only of REAL girls, and Ithink they do a very good job of not holding up impossible images ofbeauty. Also, some very honest and helpful articles without being"edgy." Compare to the likes of Tiger Beat and take a sigh of relief.