Twilight is Out and I'm Back!

Hi all!

Okay, most important news first - the Twilight movie made it to the stores - whoo hoo - and I bought the three disc set with all the goodies! So far I have watched the movie, the movie WITH commentary, and all the deleted scenes and making-of etc. while munching happily on tubs of popcorn. (Elliptical machine here I come!) Life is good! But the thing I found most amazing about the commentary was the way Robert Pattinson dissed himself throughout, which I found fascinating. I mean, he is one of the most gorgeous human beings on the planet and he kept finding fault with his looks, which goes to show how delicate self image can be. Robert Pattinson (he plays Edward, for those of you who haven't seen the movie) hates his hands and thinks he's not buff enough and on and on and on - maybe we ALL feel like that and just don't say it out loud. Anyway, despite the cheesy Twilight special effects (painful tree-climbing and running) I really loved the movie, especially the sound track. My favorite scene (well, apart from the first kiss and the dance at the end) was the baseball game, which is funny since I'm not a huge fan of human baseball. SO much fun in the movie! But check out Rosalie's hair - it goes from curly to frizzy and back to curly throughout the game, which is the kind of detail obsessive fans like me pick out after the eleventh time through. It's just that when I get into something, I REALLY get into it!

Now, for my personal news: last week I spoke in Missouri and had a blast meeting kids and teachers and talking about my books - I even showed some real autopsy footage that proves how truly difficult the job of a forensic pathologist can be, especially when it comes to how gruesome it gets when one opens up human remains. I've come to the conclusion that those who dedicate their lives to this field are amazing, selfless people. As for me, I got too emotional during the autopsies that I witnessed because I kept thinking about the fact that these people had lives and families who loved them and now they were just...gone. I worried about those who were left behind. Every one of the coroners and pathologists I talked to told me they had to learn to detach, something I'm not good at. In real life I'm far too sensitive. Forensic pathologists are problem solvers, and I'm grateful that they tell the stories for those who can't. We need them, and it's been a privilege to write about their lives.

On a separate note, I want to thank those of you who have written to me about their first-hand experiences with ghosts - I've read some AWESOME stories, so kudos! I really appreciate your sharing. I will be using several accounts in Dragonfly Eyes. Please, keep them coming!

Finally, I am thrilled to announce I have been nominated for the2010 Abraham Lincoln Illinois H.S. Book Award! Thank you Illinois!

Now I'll get back to work! I'll be speaking the first week of April in Wisconsin, and then it's three separate trips to Florida. Sunshine state, here I come! And get ready for The Dying Breath, because time is flying by. It'll be in your hands before you know it!