All you need to know about echoes of the past, groovy neato socks, and taking over the world

Do you remember that amazingly awesome school visit to LakeVille Middle School that I mentioned? Yeah, well, what I didn't mention is that that middle school and high school are where I was picked on growing up--my experiences in those schools led to all of Vlad's bully-related stress (though Vlad has it easier schoolwise than I did). I actually stressed over the idea of going back. Big time. Cried a lot. Considered cancelling. But then I realized that it's just a building, and that all of the people who picked on me are gone, and that I was going to hang with my Minions, and I felt much better. So I went, and you know what? It was the best day that I had ever spent at that school. Everyone was so, so great and I absolutely enjoyed spending time with them. I actually enjoyed walking through those halls.

While I was there, this really cool Minion asked how I'd dealt with bullies while I was there, whether or not I had any advice. I told him to keep his head down, to never let 'em see ya sweat, to wait it out and eventually, bullies will go away. Yes, tell a teacher or a friend or a parent if you feel you can (in fact, I urge you to reach out to someone, if just to vent), but the big key is to not let it bother you. Eventually, they'll find someone new to pick on (sad, but true). The best thing you can do is know that they are wrong. You're smarter, cooler, better than they are. And one day, when you're in your 30s, you could be a doctor with hundreds of patients, and they could be working at a gas station and still living with their parents. Bullies may be tough, but what they have in strength, they lack in endurance. Out-think them. Out-last them. And work hard in school, because the best revenge (not that I advocate vengeance) is utter success.

And when you are a success (SEGWAY ALERT!), you can afford all sorts of cool socks, of which I have an enormous obsession. I'm not sure if I've shared my sock love with you, Minions. I have everything from toed rainbow socks to Happy Bunny (my fave being "I'm not mean, you're just a sissy") to pink, white and black socks which read "kiss me stupid". I'm not sure if they're supposed to mean "kiss me, stupid" or if they're supposed to be as insulting as they seem to be without a comma, but I (heart) them. Am I the only one with a sock fetish?

Something else I've noticed about my wardrobe lately: I have a deep love of pseudo military clothing. Just trrust me. Once I take over the world, I can certainly dress for it.

Now I just have to figure out whether or not it's acceptable for me to do events in my usual clothes (which are all sorts of yummy goth), or if I should dress up in the clothes I've been wearing to events (which make me feel very uncomfortably like a grown up). What I want to wear are black jeans, a military top, and my pink and black Converse. But I have this ongoing nightmare of booksellers never asking me back. Huh. I have issues.

For those of you who have emailed to ask if there will be another Vlad book and when it will be out: the third book in the Chronicles is TENTH GRADE BLEEDS and I have no idea when it will be in stores, but it is written! (and oh boy...you guys have no idea how good it's gonna be...) Also, if you want to know if you can use my vampire smiley, the answer is yes. Just make sure you tell people all about Vlad when they see it. In fact, the next time you're at a bookstore or library, it would rock my groovy neato socks off if you could tell booksellers and librarians all about my books. They like to hear what people are reading, and it absolutely would help your Auntie Heather out (not to mention our favorite fanged boy). So, get out there and spread the Vlad love, and them make more friends read the books too (I often picture the Horde working like the aliens in Puppet Masters...it's awesome!). You guys rock.