On the occasion of the upcoming publication of Book or Bell? (illustrated by Ashley Spires and published by Bloomsbury Children’s Books), I’ve got a new guest post over at Mackin Books in Bloom about the intersection of physical activity and creative work.

Go have a look, will you? Here’s some of what I have to say:

The ending of Book or Bell? is a bit of a nod to one of my favorite pieces of writing advice: get outside and get active. Many story ideas have come to me while I’m walking or jogging through my neighborhood. They come from things I observe with my eyes, things I overhear (a good argument for leaving the earbuds at home), interactions with people I encounter, and random thoughts that occur to me while I’m on the move. Educators, if you ever need to point to someone to illustrate the benefits of recess, I’m your guy.