When I was about a chapter into writing SLAMMED, I thought perhaps this stupid idea of mine was turning out to be a book after all.  I hadn’t backed it up in any way and I was using one of those mini-laptops that made my hand hurt because the keyboard was so tiny.  I told my mom I was writing a book and needed to use her laptop.  Then I went to the store to buy a USB thingy to back my book up to so I wouldn’t lose it.  I had just finished writing the part about the Darth Vader house shoes when whaddaya know?  They had a tiny little Darth Vader usb drive.  He cost me $18, but he was worth every penny.  So, throughout writing the book, I carried the headless Darth Vader around with me everywhere I went.  He was very loyal. He was my best friend.  In truth, he was my FATHA….

Last night, he died.

He was stuck in the port on my laptop when I knocked it over and it landed right on Darth, crushing him into three different pieces.  Both SLAMMED and POINT OF RETREAT were stowed away inside of him.  Luckily, I had learned from my good friend Jason to always email yourself a copy any time you make changes.  So the manuscripts aren’t lost, but Darth Vader is dead…and that makes me sad.

On a more positive note, I’ve brought out the inner Avett fan of at least TWO people today!    Ain’t that right, Jenny and Lori?