I am cheating this week and writing this newsletter opener on Wednesday instead of Friday. I am on a flight to L.A. for the Book Expo America conference. Looking ahead to my schedule for the next few days, I realized that these will be my last quiet moments to concentrate on writing. Confession: I need to "drop into a zone" to write. I write best on the couch late at night when the house is quiet. Under pressure I can write in the office, but it's never ideal.

For me, the summer always begins on Memorial Day weekend. As we do every year, my family and I attended the town parade honoring war veterans, both young and old. I am always moved by the sacrifice of the men and women who serve our country in uniform.