There are some authors who, whenever I happen to notice a new book of theirs in the store, I will purchase without a second’s thought, knowing that their work is inevitably excellent, solid storytelling and that I won’t be disappointed.

But then there a few authors whose work I wait for with bated breath. When the latest book finally hits the shelves, I go buy it immediately, get a 256 oz. glass of iced tea, catheterize myself, and install myself in the recliner for the duration, devouring the tome in as close to one great literary swallow as I can.

One such author is Neil Gaiman, to whom Ross introduced me several years ago, when Neil was still sticking to graphic novels and short stories as his forms of choice. His third novel, American Gods, has just hit the street, and I’m agonizing that I’m in the office instead of reading now. In the interests of economy, I’ve ordered it from buy.com, but have been sliding down to Barnes & Noble during my lunchtime on the days I’m in Austin to sit in their big comfy chairs and read their big comfy hardback. So far, it does not disappoint, though the returning to the office suffers a bit in comparison. My protestant work ethic has thus far won out, and I remain employed, with only about 60 pages under my belt to date.

Darn it.

As penance for having taken so long to post anything recently, I’ve put up a full family update, with photos, spell-checking, and all those newfangled features the kids these days like so much. Read about it here: Summer Comes Round Again.

Lately I’ve not been posting too many entries here. Part of the reason for that is that I’ve been pouring a lot of time and effort into starting a new software and consulting company called Saguaro Studios. Today is a bit of a coming-out party for the company, as I’ve just sent out the press release announcing Oratorio, a package designed to make projecting lyrics for church music quick and easy. We’ve been using it at Three Rivers Church for a couple of months now, during which time I’ve been adding to and refining it weekly.

Though it’s sucking up a lot of extra time right now, the idea eventually is to be able to use the business to balance the demands of home life and income generation a bit more easily and to provide the flexibility that a regular 9 to 5 job lacks. However, that’s for the long term, and for now it’s exciting just to have the first product out in the public eye.