Hello. Goodbye.

It's Tracy Madison's release week over at The Novel Girls this week, so if you stop by and comment on my post or any of the others, you'll be entered for a chance to win a copy of Tracy's first book, A TASTE OF MAGIC! We're blogging about our magical powers this week, so it's lots of fun.

And I have to say that I see I haven't posted here in a nearly month. And I really have no good excuse, except to say I've been writing. A lot. All the time. See, a few weeks ago, I officially quit my adjunct professor job, which has lit a major fire under me to finish my current work in progress, if only so I can make my status as full-time writer/mom something permenant. This means I've been setting lots of unattainable goals for myself, like write 10 pages every day, and then beating myself up when I don't always meet them.

Anyway, I am crawling back into the writing cave. Will be back out in a few weeks with a (hopefully) finished project to talk about.

Happy July!

Good News and Setting

First a bit of good news: The September Sisters has been nominated as a YALSA "Best Book for Young Adults!" I'm so honored to be included on a list with so many other great books!!

And yesterday, The September Sisters was featured in The Phildelphia Daily News. Click here to read the article. It was very exciting to be in a paper from my hometown, and talking with the reporter about my childhood near Philadelphia made me remember how much I enjoyed writing the book and letting Abby grow up in a similar place to where I did.

The reporter actually was very curious to know why I chose to set the book near Philadelphia even though I'd already moved to Arizona when I wrote it. I had a hard time answering that question, but if you want to see what I came up with, there's a bit about that in the article!

Then it occurred to me that I've been switching back and forth for setting -- every other book I write is alternately set in Philadelphia or Arizona. For example, my next book, THE LIFE OF GLASS, is set in Arizona. Then my third book, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THINGS, is set in a fake suburb of Philadelphia. And the book I'm working on now, is very, very crucially set in the desert of Arizona.

Weird, huh?

But I love the way setting can mean so many things to a book -- in my Philadelphia set books snow and cold weather help shape the story, and conversely, in my Arizona set books heat and dry air, monsoon storms, scorpions, and mountains become integral to the story. I can't imagine The September Sisters without Abby and Tommy sledding down a snowy hill or holding hands in the snow, and in The Life of Glass, Melissa and her best friend Ryan have a habit of riding their bikes in a desert wash, which becomes integral to the book.

And yet, I don't feel like I chose these settings. I feel like they flowed sort of naturally from the characters and the situations I dreamed up. I'm curious, for you other writers out there: how do you choose your settings? Or like me, do you feel they choose you?

Publisher's Weekly :-)

The sale of my adult novel, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THINGS, made it into Publisher's Weekly today! Click here to read the blurb.

Back when I was an un-agented, unpublished writer, I used to read the deals page in PW all the time and wonder what it would feel like to someday see my name in there. And then, this morning, there it was! It was surreal and exciting, and also, there was something about seeing the news of my sale, in print, in Publisher's Weekly no less, that made it start to actually feel real for the first time.

THE LIFE OF GLASS cover!

I've been talking about my next YA book, THE LIFE OF GLASS, for a while here on my blog. But finally I have a gorgeous cover to share!!!

And here's the jacket description of the book:

Before he died, Melissa’s father told her about stars. He told her that the brightest stars weren’t always the most beautiful—that if people took the time to look at the smaller stars, if they looked with a telescope at the true essence of the star, they would find real beauty. But even though Melissa knows that beauty isn’t only skin deep, the people around her don’t seem to feel that way. There’s her gorgeous sister Ashley who will barely acknowledge Melissa at school, there's her best friend Ryan, who may be falling in love with the sophisticated Courtney, and there’s Melissa’s mother who’s dating someone new, someone who Melissa knows will never be able to replace her father.

To make sure she doesn’t lose her father completely, Melissa spends her time trying to piece together the last of his secrets and completing a journal her father began—one about love and relationships and the remarkable ways people find one another. But when tragedy strikes, Melissa has to start living and loving in the present, as she realizes that being beautiful on the outside doesn't mean you can't be beautiful on the inside.

This is a lyrical tale of love, loss and self-discovery from the author of THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS.

Now it's feeling like a real book, and I can't wait for it to come out. Is it winter 2010 yet?!

Fabulous News!!!

I'm so excited to announce that I've sold my first adult women's fiction book, THE TRANSFORMATION OF THINGS!!! I was beyond thrilled to accept an offer from Avon (HarperCollins) this afternoon!

I really didn't think anything could top the excitement I felt after selling THE SEPTEMBER SISTERS, but today I realized that selling a book is absolutely just as exciting the second time around (and conversely, having a book out there on submission to editors is just as nervewracking)!

I've felt such a particular attachment to this novel, that I'm so happy I'm going to get to watch it bloom and transform now into an actual published book. And also, I'm so, so grateful that I get to keep on doing what I love.

More details about the book to come -- stay tuned!!

Book of the Month (and Denmark)

I was so honored to find out that Michelle's Bookshelf has named The September Sisters "Book of the Month" for May! And check out this cool graphic from her blog:

I also learned that the Danish version of The September Sisters (or as it's called over there, September Sostre) is out. Check out the Danish cover:

Now if only I could read Danish . . . !

Project Book Babe

If you've been wanting to get a copy of The September Sisters, here's a great way to do it!

A signed copy is being auctioned on E-bay this week as part of Project Book Babe's auction. If you haven't heard of Project Book Babe you should click here to check out their website, but the "Book Babe" is a children's book buyer who was diagnosed with breast cancer. Proceeds from the auction will help support her as she undergoes treatment.

I'm excited that I get to be involved in a very small way with this cool auction, so click here to head on over to E-bay and bid! It's for a great cause.