I don't know my schedule for August.

Earlier this year I had many big plans for August, most of which involved spending a chunk of time in the Folger Shakespeare Library. As usual, I forgot about all my other obligations and commitments, as well as the inconvenient need to earn a living. Ah, well; library time is always more romantic in fantasy, and more tedious in real life.

But I will spend some time in libraries next month, and I'll also spend a fair amount of time in transit. Here is what I do know about my whereabouts over the next four weeks:

August 1 - Packing party and closing yard sale at Kate's Mystery Books, Cambridge, MA. Everybody come, please.

August 14 - Gaslight Theater's gala opening of Five Women Wearing the Same Dress by Alan Ball, directed by Bruce Hertz; reception to follow, as well as a juried art exhibit sponsored by the Kennebec Valley Arts Association. The show runs August 14, 15, 16, 20, 21 and 22, the art exhibit runs for the first weekend only.

August 16-17 - Auditions for Gaslight Theater's production of Rabbit Hole by David Lindsay-Abaire, directed by Lee Kerr. Performance dates are November 5, 6, 7, 12, 13 and 14.

August 18 - VANISHED by Joseph Finder is published in the US (it's already out in the UK). I haven't mentioned this book because I never know when to write about things I read in manuscript, but this book launches a new series featuring international security consultant Nick Heller, and it is excellent. And yes, I would say that even if Joe weren't a client and a friend. Pre-order it and get cool free stuff.

August 24 - Boston launch of the aforementioned VANISHED, at Borders-Back Bay. That store does a great job with book events, and Joe's always entertaining.

Sometime in there I will be in Washington, DC, for however short a stay, and I've committed to taking several days off -- as in off, away from the computer, everything -- at the very end of the month.

But I'll be back on September 1 to mark the fifth anniversary of this blog, with a new theme: Five a Day. Every post will be a new list of five related things, on any topic that interests or amuses me: Five Great Gene Hackman Roles, Five Awful Jobs, Five Books I've Left on Planes, etc. I like lists -- without them, my life would be a complete disaster -- and I like the idea of starting every day with a new list. I hope you like it, too.

Thanks to everybody for hanging in there with me this year, and have a great August. I might check in once in a while over the next few weeks, but I'll see you all again in September.