When I was 8 I wrote and illustrated a book called "The Mystery at the Dallas Zoo" about a group of kid detectives investigating the case of a stolen tapir. Here is one of the extremely evocative not to mention enviably fashionable drawings which I believe truly captures the terror alligators inspire around the world.

So I still do not really write here anymore, since I have too much to do keeping up with mermaids, and I admit I am a bit behind in that regard as well.... But I did just come out with my first middle-grade novel, The Next Full Moon, and I'm about to finish my next novel, The Fairest of Them All, which is about Rapunzel growing up to be Snow White's stepmother and will be out in 2013 some time. AND I'm putting the finishing touches on Mermaids, a special-issue annual magazine I'm doing with Kim Cross, who publishes Faerie Magazine. And I'm doing lots of events in the next couple months, including lots of visits to schools to speak with middle-school and high-school kids. Email me if you want me to come to, or Skype with, yours!

April 14, 12 to 2pm: signing with Nora Roberts at Turn the Page Bookstore, 18 N. Main St, Boonsboro, MD

April 15, 2pm: Barnes & Noble, 421 Arena Hub Plaza, Wilkes-Barre, PA

April 22, 1pm: Webster’s Bookstore, 133 E. Beaver Ave, State College, PA

May 4, and Sunday, May 6: Spoutwood Fairie Festival, Glen Rock, PA

May 5, 11am to 2pm: From My Shelf, 25 Main St, Wellsboro, PA

May 18, 7pm: Barnes & Noble, 2590 Citiplace Court, Baton Rouge, LA

May 19, 1pm: Barnes & Noble, 6646 Youree Drive, Shreveport, LA

May 21, 6:30pm: Beauty and the Book, 608 North Polk St, Jefferson, TX

May 22, 6pm: Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St, New Orleans, LA

June 6, 5pm: Barnes & Noble Tribeca, 97 Warren St, NYC