In response to comments. . . .

Libby asked why the American cover of Dragon Slippers is fancier than the British cover. I have to say that I was quite entertained to see how incredibly different the two covers were. That always fascinates me. They told me that (according to market research or some such thing) they've determined which type of covers sell best in which place. So they picked Peter Fergusen's fine art for the American cover, and the fanciful abstract cover for England. Of the British covers I was shown, they did pick the one I liked, so I'm quite pleased with it. In other comments: someone (I think it was Megan but can't find the email) asked me if I had read Shannon Hale's book "Goose Girl" and if I was deliberately referencing her book. (When they go to the Fair on their day off.) YES! If you look at "Goose Girl" and "Dragon Slippers", you will see that they are from the same publisher. Additionally, Shannon is my neighbor and fellow redhead, and I simply could not resist.

Sequelitis

Ladies and Gentlecars . . . I mean, gentlemen! (I've watched Pixar's Cars every day for the past two weeks with my son, you'll have to excuse me.) I have finished the sequel to Dragon Slippers, tentatively titled Dragon Helm. All I have to do now is show it to my agent, see what she thinks, make any changes she thinks would help, send it to my editor, begin the long editing process, and voila! In about two years we'll have a finished book! So those of you who are thinking, Hey, where's the sequel to Dragon Slippers? (You know who you are, you've been emailing me!) Worry no more! Sometime in 2009 you'll have your sequel. Unless, of course, either my agent or editor hates it so much that I have to scrap the whole thing. . . .