First off, we’re back from vacation, though I’m still in the process of answering emails! I came back to over a 1000 messages, so please do be patient if you don’t hear back from me right away! We had a good time even though Florida was having an unusual cold spell while we were there. Still, it was warmer than here at home! Max learned to wave hello and goodbye while we were gone too! I’m so proud of him!

Next up — some really great news! Sucks to Be Me was chosen as one of the ALA’s 2009 Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers! Yay! I knew it was nominated before, but now it’s official! I’m on the list! Isn’t that awesome!!!

And kinda going along with that…I just found out that the winner of the ALA Best 2008 Teen Read Week Event was a library in San Antonio, Texas. And guess what? I’m the prize! Isn’t that something?? So I’ll be off to San Antonio sometime in March (which, incidentally, will also be Max’s 1st birthday!)! If you live in Texas, I hope you’ll be able to come by! I’ll post more details as I get them. I’m not sure of the exact dates yet or what I’m supposed to be talking about or anything yet!

In news of the strange, someone posted a review of STBM on Amazon this week saying my book was full of bad language and sex! I don’t know what they are talking about! I can’t help but wonder if they posted a review for someone else’s book under my book, since there’s no sex in the book at all (though Mina does get in a little kissing at the end…) and there are hardly any “bad words” at all. For those of you who have read the book — did you think the language was on the “bad” side?? I’m curious. And did you think she was preoccupied with sex??

In completely non-related to writing news, my younger sister is coming to visit this week from Charlotte, NC. Hope she’s ready for some snow!!

I Love Your Blog Award

Diana was nice enough to nominate me for an I Love Your Blog Award (wasn’t that awesome of her??). The rules are:

1. Add the logo into your blog.

2. Add the link of the person who awarded you.

3. Nominate at least 7 other blogs. (Feel free to do more!)

4. Add those links to your blog.

5. And leave a message to your nominees that you have awarded them in their blog!

So here’s the really hard part — 7 blogs that I love. How can I just pick 7?? First I’ll say right off the bat that I really like the other blogs that Diana picked, but since she’s already picked them, I’m going to pick different ones. Of course, that doesn’t really help much, since there are so many AWESOME blogs out there. So I’m going to try doing this like a writing exercise and just put down the first ones that come to me, rather than over-analyzing it too much. If I do that, I’ll never finish the list!

Alan Gratz’s blog, (which he shares with his wife) because he always makes me laugh. Plus, what other guy do you know actually sews his own doll clothes as part of a paen to Project Runway???

The Swivet. Because Colleen cracks me up, listens to great music, and is, in her own words, an unrepentent nerd. She’s now an agent, though she worked on the publishing side before (when I first began reading her blog she still was — though I came across her blog while being a Google-freak looking for mentions of my book…she happened to like the title when it came across in Publisher’s Marketplace. I don’t know if she’s ever actually read my book or liked it beyond the title, but I like her. And if my agent wasn’t nice, I’d so be querying Colleen.)

Bookavore. She’s Laurie Halse Anderson’s daughter, but that’s not why I like her blog. And she liked my book, but that’s also not why I like her blog. I like it ’cause it’s full of awesomeness and is interesting and pertinent and about books. Enough said.

Lara M. Zeises LiveJournal. Mostly because every time I stop by to check it out, I wind up staying for a while.

Brent Hartinger’s Blog AKA Brent’s Brain.  Brent also makes me laugh. He’s smart, he’s funny, he’s gay, and he’s a heckuva guy.

Cynsations – because in any list of blogs, you have to include at least one of Cynthia’s (there’re a few) because she is so awesome. And I learn something every time I visit her blog.

Notes from the Slush Pile. Another learning experience…I learn something new about children’s publishing every time I read this one. Smart blog with a bit of a wry sense of humor at times.

Okay…I made it to seven! Actually, I suppose I should say, Hey, I kept it to seven!

[Sucks to Be Me] has been chosen to appear on the Fall 2008 Kid’s Indie Next List — “Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers” —

“TOP TEN”:
# 5   SUCKS TO BE ME: The All-True Confessions of Mina Hamilton, Teen Vampire (maybe), Kimberly Pauley, Mirrorstone, 9780786950287/0786950285, $14.95

Hey!! Isn’t that awesome! I’m #5! Indie booksellers are THE BEST!

As kind of a related note, I’m really sad because the really cool Independent bookstore in my neighborhood (Under the Sycamore Tree) is closing at the end of this month due to health reasons. It was a really great store. So instead of planning a book launch with them, I’m going to be doing a big ‘ol party at my house instead. If you live in the northern Illinois area and are interested in coming, just let me know. I’d love to see you there.

And another related note — it’s always great to support your local independent stores. I know I link to Amazon (it’d be kind of crazy not to, since so many people use them and if I want to keep being able to write books, I gotta sell ‘em too) but I also strongly encourage people to search for a local store through the Indie Bookstore Finder. You should always support your local stores (and not just bookstores either!) — big chains can be great and convenient, but the little shops are the ones that add flavor and color to your local community and are the ones that really put something back into your neighborhood. So go out and buy my book at one