A little under two years ago, inspiration took me to a strange and unexpected place, and from that place emerged a completely silly picture book known in these parts as S.V.T. About a year and a half ago, Little, Brown bought that manuscript, and then the (completely expected, thoroughly understandable) waiting began, during which time I moved on to other things.

This past Monday, I was all set to continue working on the latest profile in my YA nonfiction project on impostors (a profile for which I’ve learned a lot about the leech-wholesaling business, among other things), when revision notes came in from the editor and illustrator of S.V.T.

For the briefest moment, I panicked: During the two-week turnaround time requested, could I even get back to that weirdo mental state I’d been in when S.V.T. first came to me, let alone produce anything worthwhile?

Then I got to work. I opened up all my old folders and drafts, reacquainted myself with my characters and sensibility, and got going. By the end of the week, I had scraps of paper — some for old bits of the manuscript, some for new bits — stuck to the wall and door of my study in something less than totally haphazard fashion, ready to be reworked. My sons were back into full-on help-Daddy-brainstorm mode. I’m having a blast. All is good.

And I’m reasonably certain that, a week from Tuesday, I’ll be able to jump right back in with the leeches.