"You mean you love to misdirect and exaggerate," Other Don broke in. "Play with concepts and humorous thoughts."

"Thank you, Other Don," I lied. "Where did your interest in writing begin, Don? The rest of you please be silent and let Don answer."

"If your high heels or pointy hat pokes our bubble, you won't have to worry about any of us saying anything other than 'I'm falling and can't get my bubble up'," Scared Don and Frightened Don said in unison.

I looked below my feet and saw the bubble had carried us miles into the sky. I have to admit my stomach took a little jump from fright.

"You could let me hold your hat," Scared Don said. "You'd find the floor of the bubble quite comfortable."

"I'll keep my hat, thank you." Geez, they were still after my hat! I'd have to remind myself to bring extras next time.

"Ahem." Don cleared his throat, clearly irritated the others had usurped his interview. "My interest in writing began in grade school, when something I wrote won the teacher an award. She thanked me in front of the whole class!"

"Did the class laugh?"

"Yes, but that's not the point, Lady Parker."

I sighed. This interview was not going well. I decided to try another question. "What influences your writing?"

The Dons answered in a chorus, "Writer's magazines and books." "A vivid imagination." "A lifetime of being the class clown." "Seeing people smile and laugh." "Harry Potter and..."

"Very interesting. Please don't speak all at once," I said. "It's confusing."

"Confusing to you?" Don said, and laughed. "You should listen to it from inside here." He pointed to his head.

I could only force a weak smile. I started to worry about the weight of all the Dons in the bubble, and our height in the sky. I nervously checked my notes.

"Tell me about your current project," I demanded, hoping to get back on track and end this interview as soon as possible.

"Finding readers for Return to UKOO and work-playing with a second novel, Cloud Riders."

"UKOO? What's that about?"

"UKOO is about a homicide detective who at age forty returns to the land of his birthplace unaware of the fact he is a national hero. Cloud Riders is about our parallel imagined lives."

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flock of birds heading our way. I nervously grabbed at the bubble wall and got my hands sticky.

"Favorite author?"

"Any book we're presently reading," Other Don said.

"J. K. Rowling and E. B. White," Don said. "Of course E.B. White stories have stopped since his death."

"Look out!" Donnette cried. "Bookworms!"

"Where?" I asked, holding my breath. I have to admit I thought it was yet another ploy to distract me and get my hat. I paled to see large blue and purple worms spiraling through the sky.