Up and Running

Key West -- hope you had a merry day yesterday. My elves were hard at work and I'm thrilled to say the New Website is up and running under it's permanent name judyblume.com. Check it out and let me know (judyb@judyblume.com) what you think or if you find any glitches. Some pages, mainly in reference, are still Under Construction. (Love that page! I'll probably never get another chance to drive a bulldozer.) Our web designer, MarkTuchman, will be animating the Home Page after the holidays. Can't wait to paddle my kayak through the Sea of Words. None of us can believe that after all these years of planning, organizing, designing, proofing, programming -- this site is finally a reality! A million thanks to Larry, who spearheaded this project, to Mark for his brilliant design, Melissa for her programming, and to George who worked with all of us to get it on the web for Christmas Day. What a gift!

And thanks to all of you for reading my books and this blog!
XX Judy

'Tis the Season

Wishing You All Very Happy Holidays!

Elliot sent me this picture of his cat, Keith, yesterday. They had another 7 inches of snow and are counting the days until they join us in Key West. Larry arrived here last night.
He and George have been "playing" with computers all day. This is how they have fun. George's latest is an olpc. I have to say, it's impressive. And so is the program, One Laptop Per Child (laptop.org). Check it out.

I know he'll be donating more computers. That's the thing -- there are so many great programs to support this time of year. It's hard to choose. I concentrate on those I really know, in Key West, on the Vineyard, and in New York.

My gift is being with my family for the holidays. I hope you get something you want this year, too.
Love,
Judy

Coming Soon!

Key West -- We are this close to launching the new website! This is how the Blog will look. We've been asked to wait another week before putting up the rest of the site, until the whole team has a chance to give their approval. I've been proofing pages like mad, while I should have been revising Going, Going, Gone! the third book in the Pain & the Great One series. Now I'll be working all weekend to get the changes back to my editor next week. But no complaints. I'm in Key West. The weather is beautiful, and the garden is lush and green.

In case anyone is interested, here's how I've been spending my time away from my desk:

1. Flushing out my nostrils with saline solution -- sinus problem caused by the flight down.
I could be a poster girl for this product, I've gone through so many cans since discovering it.

2. Physical therapy - twice a week for my shoulder, injured last May. My sweet PT assures me I'm making great progress, as I lay on her table writhing in pain.

3. Weight training at the gym twice a week with Bill Yankee, "Gym Teacher to the Stars." That's what we call him because back in Cleveland he was a gym teacher (also taught science -- and nobody is more fascinated by reptiles than Bill).



4. Interview with Stella Magazine, a Sunday supplement of the Telegraph, a UK newspaper.
Enjoyed the reporter and photographer so much we all went to lunch together. Wish there had been time to give them a guided tour of Key West but they were both flying back to NY.




6. Book signing at Voltaire, Key West's new indie bookshop. We all love having Voltaire in town.


Sorry to hear about the brutal weather around the country. I could feel guilty for being here -- but then I remind myself of what happened to this town two years ago when it was struck by four hurricanes in a row. So it's okay that's it's beautiful now and that I'm enjoying it, right?
More soon.
Love,
Judy