2 THE 39TH LEVEL

CHAPTER 2 THE 39TH LEVEL If you're like most of our readers, you're probably wondering how long it takes Terry and me to write a book. Well, I guess the answer to that really depends on

whether it's a long book or a short book. Long books take longer to write than short books, which don't take as long to write as long books, which, as I said, take longer to write than short books, which—oh, excuse me. Here's Terry. 'Hi, Andy,' he says. 'What are you doing?' 'I'm just telling the readers about how long it takes us to write a book.' 'Did you tell them that it depends on whether it's a long book or a short book?' he says.

'Yes!' I say. 'And that a long book takes longer to write than a short book?' 'Yes!' I say.

'And did you tell them how a short book doesn't take as long to write as a long book?' 'YES!' I say. 'I explained all that.'

'Okay, okay, there's no need to shout,' says Terry. 'I bet there's one thing you didn't tell them, though.' 'What's that?' 'That this book is hardly going to take us any time at all, no matter how long or short it ends up being.'

'How do you figure that?' 'Well…' says Terry, 'I—'