Hi Cristiana,

Congratulations on the husband and two daughters !

I have to admit that I’m very blessed in the way of husbands. Since I started staying home and writing ( four years now) he’s gone from having no clue where the laundry room is to actually being able to put an article of clothing in the washing machine and have it come out resembling the color it started. He’s also become closer to the boys. Before, after work, his quality time with them wasn’t always used to the fullest. Now it is. If I have a project due in and need quiet time, he’ll take the boys to the zoo, to the beach or to an amusement park near our home. For some reason the boys still don’t listen when he tells them to quiet down. I can come out and give them a stern look and they run. Part of me hopes they’ll always be a little afraid of upsetting their mother. And so far, they all still want hugs as often as they can get them.

Do not feel bad, Cristiana, my Italian at the scholastic level as well. Elisa has been kind enough to translate everyone’s posts for me. Without her, I’d only understand about half of what is being said. I almost phoned my grandfather or my father to ask them to fill in the blanks for me but I was afraid someone would ask something involving sex in my books and the last thing I ever want to hear come out of either of their mouths is anything to do with sex. They are aware of what I write but I think they’re of the opinion that they really don’t want details. They just tell me they love me and are proud of me, then they stop talking about it.

I did find a way to discourage my oldest son from getting a piercing (he’s 13). I phoned Michelle Pillow, who also co-writes a good number of books with me and co-owns the Raven Vampire Nightclub. She has a professional background in piercing and was happy to tell me what happens when ones becomes infected. I waited until my family was just about to sit down at the table to eat dinner and told my oldest son, in detail, what happens. He gulped, his cheeks reddened and he has not asked for one again.

Mandy M. Roth