A few folks have asked me to share a typical day, so here's one - one without meetings! Also a day without any manuscripts or page proofs from Random House...

First thing: turn on computer, create hot chocolate, settle in, check emails.

email: Ian Keltie, the cover artist on the Fate of the Jedi series, is coming to San Francisco in March. I've invited him to lunch and an office walkabout. Will be great fun!

email: The kitchen refrigerator will be cleaned out on Friday. Everything must go!

email: Pages for Titan's The Clone Wars comic magazine, Issue #5 (UK), arrived. Edited and returned. Titan is now producing original comics based on The Clone Wars animated series and the magazine contains a lot of fun things for kids - mazes, how-to-draw characters, contests, etc.

email: Pages for Delcourt's comics (France) arrived (reprinted Dark Horse material and editorial features). Edited and returned.

email: Press release from Random House UK for the paperback release of LUKE SKYWALKER AND THE SHADOWS OF MINDOR arrived. Forwarded to our internal public relations guy who checks all press releases.

email string: Discussion with [censored] and [censored] regarding the look of [censored], appearing in an upcoming [censored].

email string: Discussion with Shelly Shapiro at Del Rey regarding the title to Joe Schreiber's new SW novel. Should it be THE BLACK ORCHID or BLACK ORCHID. We settle on STAR WARS: BLACK ORCHID.

email: Review the first concept sketch of Kerra Holt, the main character in the new Knight Errant series. She looks good and needs only some minor reworking.

Stuff: Looked up "Errant" just to be sure it means what I think it does. "Searching for adventure; roving aimlessly." Yeah, that's what I thought. And it's pronounced "ER-ent." Not a word I often hear.

email: LucasArts needs some reference books sent over.

email: The art director at Del Rey requests reference for Saba Sebatyne for her appearance on the back cover of VORTEX. I searched around and sent him what we have.

Trip downstairs to Javva the Hutt for a cup of decaf. I've been cutting down on caffeinated coffee - Mondays and Fridays only!

Check Star Wars message board discussion thread (Books, Comics and Television VIP) and get out my Magic Eight Ball to answer some questions.

email string: Discussion with various folks about the number of toes Yoda has. Did you know that his toe count varied? Photos of the bottoms of Yoda action figures circulate, noting toes and positions. I feel like I'm peeking up Yoda's dress. It's ultimately determined that Yoda has four clawed toes - three in front, and one facing back. Who knew!

mail: Received 5 advance copies of Knights of the Old Republic Issue #50 from Dark Horse. This is the last issue of the series and has a most wonderful final page!

mail: Received Young Indiana Jones books published in Russia. This is the older YOUNG INDIANA JONES AND THE CIRCLE OF DEATH published by Random House, and now translated for the Russian market by Aster Ltd.

mail: Received 5 advance copies of Delcourt's (France) Knights of the Old Republic Volume 6. Nice to see Zayne speaking French!

email: The product development cart is missing! Oh no!

email: Forwarded a copy of the page proofs for CROSSCURRENT to an international licensee.

stuff: Coordinated approvals for various parts of Panini's (Germany) comics - they reprint Dark Horse comics with added editorial material.

email string: Discussions about the next fiction excerpt for the Insider magazine.

email: Received the cover for Dark Horse's Invasion: Rescues #2. Will print and hold for our staff cover meeting.

email: Received (edited and returned) the letters column for Dark Horse's' Legacy #46.

email: There are beautiful women in Russia waiting to meet me.

email: Received and approved the final cover for Dark Horse's Purge: The Hidden Blade.

email: Reviewed and approved story pitch from [censored] about [censored].

Lunch!

stuff: Updated my calendar to reflect the DEATH TROOPERS paperback coming out on October 26, 2010.

stuff: Reviewed and edited book and comic article for Insider #117.

email: Received (edited and returned) the packaging for Random House Audio's BACKLASH. The package contains NINE cds!! I love these unabridged audio programs!

stuff: Quick look out the window - there's a HUGE container ship motoring into the San Francisco Bay. It's probably full of Star Wars action figures! From my window, I can see half of Alcatraz, a little bit of the Bay and the Marina, some traffic, and part of Starbuck's outdoor patio. Probably more than you wanted to know.

email: Received (edited and returned) the cover and copyright pages for the Czech edition of STAR BY STAR.

email: Received (circulated and approved) cover for Dark Horse's digest collection of IN SERVICE TO THE REPUBLIC.

stuff: Read and edited the script to Dark Horse's Legacy #48.

stuff: Phone call with Randy Stradley to discuss [censored].

stuff: Read a few more chapters of a novel by [published author] who is interested in writing a Star Wars novel. I like the writing, the characters, the foreshadowing and set-ups - happily approved the author. Yes!

That's it for this day. A nice one.