We think this is a good title for our first read because it has such a broad-based appeal. And because it was chosen as the 2001 best book for young adults by the American Library Association.

[Not that you'd think so, based on the film's first 10 minutes or so. Although our introduction to the title character's home environment is wincingly, achingly hilarious - this is the sort of guy who, at 40, probably has a lifetime pass to San Diego's annual Comic Con - the effect of set decorator K.C. Fox's carefully assembled] virgin's pad ... Me, Myself & Irene.

I hate sequels. They're never as good as the first book.

Sometimes the title is the last thing that comes to me. Sometimes it's the first.

We feel good about being in first place, and we're looking for a region title.

What we are doing is attempting to open it up to appeal to the broad base of the community. There's a lot of things to delineate, particularly with the short time frame to get it on the ballot for June.