The only bat family I'm familiar with has a rich guy and his ward.

It's not like bats are big into the nuclear family, are they?

They spend a long time with their mothers before they can go out and hunt for themselves. And if a mom doesn't come back, are frequently adopted by other moms who have lost babies. They each have a sort of "song" they come equipped with so that their mothers can find them in the maternity roost among the thousands of other baby bats, so they're fairly family oriented while they nurse.

Vampire bats will feed infirm members of their colonies, and most types of bats will allow different species of bats to roost and hunt with them.

Vampire bats can learn their names in a lab setting and will come when called.

They're pretty social creatures.

I did not know that.

Me neither. When I started researching bats for the book, I found I didn't have to fictionalize a lot of things Sam would encounter on his journey, because bats tend to be pretty friendly toward other bats.

I was going to visit the Bat Lab at Texas A&M last year to do more research, but the hurricane has postponed that trip. I have a friend whose husband is the big cheese researcher on bats there.

I also got great info from some nice folks at the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital, who are able to do a ton of research just from helping injured bats become self-sufficient again.

They were able to tell me how they would handle Sam if he were brought in with a broken wing, how they'd handle a strange species, what he'd hear and how he'd be fed and such.

I think it was a bat rescue group that discovered that bats sing to each other to communicate.

Timelies all!

Back from Boskone. Had a good time.

God, I so miss my high school calendar:

Classes started after Labor Day and ended the last week in May. We got a week for Thanksgiving, 2 weeks at Christmas, and 3 weeks in March. With long weekends in October, February, and April.

Things I learnt today:

• My migraine specialist's office is closed on Presidents' Day despite him having scheduled me to come in.
• Aldis Hodge is quoted as having said: "I’m actually a very physical person. I grew up a martial artist. My first discipline, which is my love, is Southern Shaolin kung fu. But I’m also addicted to capoeira, jikundo, tae chi, along with kung fu."
• He was on Buffy.
• His brother was the black friend on Jack & Bobby.
• HE'S TWENTY ONE.

I'm a little traumatised.

I think it was a bat rescue group that discovered that bats sing to each other to communicate.

Bats are so awesome. I can't wait to read your book.

Who was he on Buffy?

He was on Buffy.

Really?! I am sort of shocked he's just 21, too. Wow.