Life has been crazy busy recently. Of course it seems my life is always crazy busy, and just when I think it can’t get any more crazy busy, it does. I’m behind on a number of things, and I can’t help but feel overwhelmed. Heck, feeling overwhelmed is probably an understatement for how I feel right now.

This year has been an amazing year for me, work-wise. I reinvented White Peak Software last year as company focused on iOS, and this year is shaping up to be my most exciting and enjoyable year in the company’s (almost) 7 year history. But a number of things are suffering as well. Progress on the book is suffering. Product updates are suffering. New product releases are suffering. Even client work is suffering because there’s simply no way for me to keep up with the demands. Despite of all this, I feel a bit better this evening after reading a posting from Jeff LaMarche.

I look up to Jeff, and I’m amazed at how much work he pumps out. I often wonder where he finds the time – not having a two year old in the house probably helps – and I’m convinced he never sleeps. In his posting Complaining About Success, Jeff mentions “time has become a scarce commodity.”

Ah, he is human. He does fall behind from time to time.

While I feel for Jeff, I admit reading his post makes me feel a bit relieved that I’m not alone.

And Jeff, if you are reading this, I plan to stick with the release then nil approach. It’s the approach I learned when first diving into Objective-C. Old habits are sometimes hard to break.

Last week I had the opportunity to teach a one-day class on learning iPad programming. One of the students asked what books I recommend. A friend asked the same question over the weekend, so I thought I might as well post the list of books on iOS and Objective-C programming I have found helpful.

• Beginning iPhone 3 Development, Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche
• More iPhone 3 Development, Dave Mark and Jeff LaMarche
• iPhone App Development, the missing manual, Craig Hockenberry
• Core Data, Marcus Zarra
• iPhone SDK Development, Bill Dudney and Chris Adamson
• iPad Programming, Daniel Steinberg and Eric Freeman
• The iPhone Developer’s Cookbook, Erica Sadun
• Programming in Objective-C, Stephen Kochan
• Tapworthy, Designing Great iPhone Apps, Josh Clark

Turns out I’m nuts, and I can prove it. Last week a signed a contract to publish a book with Addison Wesley. Justin Williams at SecondGear put it best when he asked, “ARE YOU NUTS!?” Yep, apparently I am. And signing the book contract is my proof.

Kidding aside, I’m very excited about this opportunity to contribute back to iPhone development community, a community that has been extremely helpful to me over the last couple of years. The book is on learning iPad programming. It will focus on the unique aspects of programming for the iPad and will hopefully serve as a launch pad for many new iPad programmer entering the space.

Writing on the book has just begun, and I have a very aggressive 6-month delivery schedule. My life is going to be busier than ever over the next 6 months, but it will be a good busy as this is something I have wanted to do for a long time. So if you don’t hear from me much between now and November, you know why.