Friday, September 28, 2007

Jane Porter's Odd Mom Out


I was lucky enough to score an ARC of this book a week before it came out and it's fantastic. I read it in two days. This is great for any mom who has ever felt intimidated by PTA volunteering, SUV driving, designer wearing moms. You know, those moms. It's an empowering, romantic and very, very smart book. Go buy it. Really, you're going to love it.

Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Guesting

Am so excited... I am now a part of Teen Fiction Cafe... Check out my first post at.... Okay, can't get the link to work. They are in the links to the right!
See you there!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

The Weekend Crush

Hmmmm. That's not actually a bad name for a title!

Went to the Deaf Nation conference on Saturday. I can say in all honesty and all respect that was the quietest conference I have ever been to! Lots and lots of signing though. Good experience for me. There were many people I couldn't talk to without an interpreter. I made some great contacts though and found out where deaf teens hang out:)

Sunday was the contest coordinator's meeting downtown, so I took the train into the city again. Met at a Thai place and got a lot of work done. I still have more this week, but I see the end of the tunnel in sight.

Yesterday had to take mom to the doctors for a procedure. She is fine and I think I'm done for a bit. The calendar says I have a teeth cleaning today, but I think that's next month. Have to check.

So now that I'm done with the running around stuff, I need to write. That comfortable padding I gave myself before deadlines is now gone. Long gone.

Oh! I GOT MY CONTRACT! FINALLY! I SIGNED IT!

Now I just need to send it back. Add it to the list!

Friday, September 21, 2007

WOW

Had so much fun at the PNBA. Will upload pix later. Stayed with Roseanne Perry's sister and wonderful family in the Montlake area of Seattle. I also wanted to meet up with Sirena Robar and Shannon McKeldon for dinner, but I was a bit late on my planning and they couldn't make it in the narrow time frame I had. (Lesson, plan a bit further ahead than three hours)

Rossanne, Jennifer, Liz and I worked that conference! Liz signed arcs (her very first) and we met tons of booksellers interested in our group ande found many very excited about LIPS. I met and spoke with a marketing woman for like 30 minutes before we realized that I had worked with her clients on various articles for iParenting media.

Made some great friends like the mother/daughters team at Book Stop books in Hood River, Oregon who offered to take me out windsurfing for research for my next novel. Met several wonderful people in Washington excited about the event and want to do events.

Met my S&S rep and then... Met up with the wonderful Jane Porter! I had met her a couple of times, both in person and via email. I didn't know she was signing until the night before. It was wonderful. We managed to steal a few minutes away to catch up before we had to return to our duties. I got an arc of her latest work, Odd Mom Out and it has been wonderful.

Okay. Have to run. Author photo day. ACK.......

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Busy this Week

Crunch time.

Tuesday: finish article, pack, leave for Seattle. The Pacific Northwest Bookseller Association Conference is going to rock. Wish me luck that I learn to gladhand and hand out all of my book promo postcards.

Wednesday: PNBA con. Keynote luncheon. Mingling.

Thursday: A few things in the morning and then the trip home.

Friday: Author photo shoot. Catch up on work. Make more postcards.

Saturday: Deaf Nation conference in Portland. More mingling and passing out postcards.

Sunday: Contest coordinators luncheon.

Monday: Take Mom to hospital to get procedure done.

Tuesday: Collapse and breathe.

Friday, September 14, 2007

Last one, I promise

What's left...


Write personal vacations

Finish marketing plan

Get clothes for photos

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Boring Blog Continues

If its in bold, its done.

Get anecdotal sources for first car accident
Write first car accident
Get expert sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Get anecdotal sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Write pregnancy and car wrecks
Get expert sources for taking personal vacations
Get anecdotal sources for taking personal vacations
Write personal vacations
Get expert sources for playground germs
Get sources for playground germs
Send Dash out

Finish marketing plan
Make postcard for booksellers
Get hair done for photos
Get clothes for photos
Get travel plan for booksellers fair together
Write out questions for everything
Organize and enter contest scores for Golden Rose (I’m the YA coordinator)

Wednesday, September 12, 2007

And Shrinking

If its in bold, its done. Note the most important thing on there... DASH IS DONE AND OUT!


Get anecdotal sources for first car accident
Write first car accident
Get expert sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Get anecdotal sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Write pregnancy and car wrecks
Get expert sources for taking personal vacations
Get anecdotal sources for taking personal vacations

Write personal vacations
Get expert sources for playground germs
Get sources for playground germs
Send Dash out
Finish marketing plan
Make postcard for booksellers
Get hair done for photos
Get clothes for photos
Get travel plan for booksellers fair together
Write out questions for everything
Organize and enter contest scores for Golden Rose (I’m the YA coordinator)

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

The List is Shrinking...

If its in bold, its done.


Get anecdotal sources for first car accident
Write first car accident
Get expert sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Get anecdotal sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Write pregnancy and car wrecks
Get expert sources for taking personal vacations
Get anecdotal sources for taking personal vacations
Write personal vacations
Get expert sources for playground germs
Get sources for playground germs
Send Dash out
Finish marketing plan
Make postcard for booksellers
Get hair done for photos
Get clothes for photos
Get travel plan for booksellers fair together
Write out questions for everything
Organize and enter contest scores for Golden Rose (I’m the YA coordinator)

Monday, September 10, 2007

Too Busy to Blog

Since I am leaving next week for Seattle (Booksellers Fair) for three days, and have my authors photo shoot the Friday after I get back, I probably won't be posting much as I have a ton of stuff to get done before that. So I am posting my busy busy list for the week.

Get anecdotal sources for first car accident
Write first car accident
Get expert sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Get anecdotal sources for pregnancy and car wrecks.
Write pregnancy and car wrecks
Get expert sources for taking personal vacations
Get anecdotal sources for taking personal vacations
Write personal vacations
Get expert sources for playground germs
Get sources for playground germs
Send Dash out
Finish marketing plan
Make postcard for booksellers
Get hair done for photos
Get clothes for photos
Get travel plan for booksellers fair together
Write out interview questions for everything
Organize and enter contest scores for Golden Rose (I’m the YA coordinator)

Thursday, September 06, 2007

TOOOO BUSY!

jsfdkyutfiroewahnbgvufisdaytrwaejnfdjskla

If that didn't make sense it's because you're not in my brain. Those are my thoughts. A jumbled mass of oh my gawds, What have I dones, and there's just no bloody ways.

I know, it's surprising. I think I've bit off a bit more than I can chew. My to-do list is like that computer that counts Pi... it just keeps going and going. Or maybe that's the computer counting the stars? I don't know, just picture a big ass computer that counts forever.

I thought I was done with DASH, otherwise known as the 55,000 word book that wouldn't be finished.My wonderful CP (The fab writer Kerry)sent me the last three chapter pretty marked up but I powered through the final edits. Then I decided to read the book again to make sure there weren't any loose ends or dangling plot lines. There are. I have a list of about six I have to fix. Not going out this week either.

I had to ask for more articles. Need the money to help pay for another car. Yeah!
Hubby finds out today if we can afford to have dd on the insurance again. (Please God, please let us be able to afford it, I can't go back to driving them both everywhere again!)

On the good side, my fabulous agent LOVED my tween proposal and I am waiting to hear if I should do more or if the three chapters is enough. We'll see. But still... another thing on my to do list.

I have an all day workshop this Saturday... Mary Buckham will be teaching on pacing and sexual tension. (two half day workshops)

I am heading to the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Conference the week after... To promote both my book and the Class of 2K8. Am so excited!

Oh and the website is looking fab... Can't wait to launch it. Still have to prepare the content for it. Also need to finish the Marketing Plan for LIPS and send to the Trident Marketing guy who will give me ideas and tell me if I have missed anything. I want to launch everything October first!

Must make hair appointment to get hair highlighted and shined before my author photos, which are scheduled for the day after I get back from the booksellers show.I think losing thirty pounds before then is out of the question, eh? I'm excited to see how they turn out though, we're having them shot in Portland's Pearl District for an edgy/urban feel.

Oh oh, also... I am going to be blog guesting for the amazing Sara Hantz. She is having a blog party to celebrate the launch of her debut book, "The Second Virginity of Suzy Green." I will try to figure out how to Link to the website later... right now you can check it out by clicking on the Sara Hantz link in the list:)

Is it any wonder that my thoughts look like this: fjsajfhweiorthejdbfjsayekresjkfhdskjlafhdsajklfhdsajkfdhlsajkfhdsiaruyewf???

Sunday, September 02, 2007

YA Summer

I read a lot this summer.I had no idea how much until I went to do this blog. Check them out...




And these...



The pix don't include Revenge of the Homecoming Queen,

Or The Boys Next Door,












Or How to Ruin My Teenage Life,





Those books are currently on loan to my favorite teen reader in the world, Aziza!





My List:

Now and Zen by Linda Gerber
How to Ruin My Teenage Life, by Simone Elkeles
The Boys Next Door by Jennifer Echols
Bloom by Elizabeth Scott
Prom Crashers, by Erin Downing
The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney by Lauren Barnholdt
It's Not About the Accent by Caridad Ferrer
Lost It by Kristen Tracy
A Girl Like Moi by Lisa Barham
Revenge of the Homecoming Queen by Stephanie Hale
Sweet Sixteen by Kate Brian
Private by Kate Brian

Great summer of reading!