The hardest part about parenting is when I have to be The Dad--aka the Fun-Sucker--as opposed to being a friend.

For me, "Zoo" has always been a fable. It has nothing to do with realism. It's a fable about what man is doing to the world, and the animals have retribution. But in the real world, this would not happen. But in the world of 1984, this kind of thing can happen in a story.

Once I was seated, I couldn't help people-watching. I'll admit it, I'm an addict from way back.

Gazzy sniffed the air. "That's explosives. It smells like Christmas!" Okay, so we've had somewhat untraditional Christmases. With explosives.

Dead Max was the biggest oxymoron in history.

Fang looked at the newest bird kid. Dylan was an inch or two taller than he was, and somewhat heavier built, though he still had the long, lean look of a human-avian hybrid-you couldn't make bricks fly.

Yes, I sounded like a pathetic weenie. I prefer to think of it as showing my softer side.