Greetings from Baltimore, where I am in town for the Bouchercon (pronounced bowshercon) Mystery Convention. It's an annual event where I get to see many of my favorite mystery and thriller authors, as well as publishing friends. Last year it was in Anchorage and I was not able to make the trip, thus it's going to be an even more special catch-up time!

Banned Books Week: Celebrating the Freedom to Read. If you’re not familiar with this bookish celebration, it’s the time when libraries across America recognize how great it is to have access to all kinds of books --- even if they’re controversial. Lots of people try to campaign for certain books to be pulled off of library and school shelves, but librarians fight to keep them available. Find out more here and check out which books are the most hotly divisive…you might be surprised what some people think you shouldn’t be reading! Sound off on the most controversial books you’ve read in our poll and question.

If you’re on this website, you probably enjoy being online and also love books. Want to combine these two interests? Check out a new series called The 39 Clues. Read the books, collect the playing cards and solve the mystery online. You can even win prizes! My son took to this right away and told me this was really cool. Nice when worlds collide like that.

If you’re on this website, your children probably enjoy being online and also love books. Want to combine these two interests? Check out a new series called The 39 Clues. Kids can read the books, collect the playing cards and solve the mystery online. They can even win prizes! My son took to this right away and told me this was really cool. Nice when worlds collide like that.

It's raining the proverbial cats and dogs here today. Where did that expression come from anyway? The rain is pounding on the roof in a pretty regular staccato beat, and I think my typing on the keyboard is keeping rhythm with it. Actually I think I am typing faster than usual since it's coming down so hard. In some ways I like days like this since I just hunker down and work. There is no thought about "whether to swim or not to swim." We also live in a neighborhood where a lot of people take walks. I watch them out my big office window on Fridays and feel guilty that I am being sedentary and ponder if one seriously can consider a keyboard a piece of exercise equipment. Today I will be happy I am not a walker.