However, I did gain some credibility with some of the boys by being able to discuss Star Wars, and that led to the idea to stop all the puppy brawling that seems to go on when you get a group of boys together. I told them that if they want to fight, they have to be Jedis and use their lightsabers. Only the blades (which are imaginary) touch the other people. So they wave their hands and make "bzzz" noises and leap around, and they get the fighting out of their systems, but no one gets hurt. However, I've discovered that I automatically go into the fencer's crouch even when pretending to do a lightsaber fight with a group of kids. I wouldn't have thought that one semester back in college would so ingrain a behavior, but if I even think about holding a sword, I instinctively go into position.
Sometimes I think about getting back into fencing, but I'd have to learn to fight left-handed because my right knee can't handle all the lunging. Plus, I'd get the chance to say "I'm not really left-handed!" during a bout.
Meanwhile, during the singing class, the choir director made me help demonstrate one of the parts that required a soprano, and because I'm losing my voice, I had to use the full-on classical voice (it's less straining to use the really proper technique), and the kids were all "ooh, opera." I'm pretty sure I'll be mocked some by the kids tomorrow.
The book comes out tomorrow! I've seen that Barnes & Noble is offering pre-orders of a paperback version for release August 31, but I don't know what that's about as we don't yet have a paperback in process that B&N would have access to. What seems to have happened is that they've pulled from the ISBN registration, where August 31 was put in as a placeholder. When I know about paperback availability, I'll announce it.
Now I have to do some promo work and try to get some writing done even though what I want most of all is to crawl in bed for a while. Morning came very early this morning.
