Before I get too settled in here at the Red Room offices, I'm heading to Paris! My mother is taking me for my birthday, and I'm excited to catch the tail end of spring in the city of lights. 

Before I go, there’s a lot to be done, of course. I've been spending the past few days getting familiar with all of our author pages and their content, and I think it's stunning that people like Amy Tan and Peter Coyote are actually maintaining their blogs! It's one thing to talk about what could be, but to see famous authors communicating directly with their readers is something else entirely. That kind of thing would have not only been impossible, but kind of unthinkable just a decade ago. It's exciting to think about the possibilities for the future, where writers and readers can easily find a forum to communicate with one another about the ideas that vex and inspire us all.  

But back to Paris! I think I'm most excited about the food: fresh French bread, saucisson sandwiches, steak tartare, les huitres, et tous les autres! Best of all, since it’s in France, the calories won’t count. 

Right?