Teen Read Week: Author Visit Fun! And don't forget my drabble contest!!!

For Teen Read Week I was invited, along with Helen Landalf (Flyaway), Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed in Blood and Girl of Nightmares, and Chelsea Campbell (The Rise of Renegade X) to the Burien Library. We introduced our books, and read a little bit. We had a great crowd of teens there, readers and writers alike. They asked a bunch of great questions about our books, our writing process, and the publishing process. It was a lot of fun. I love doing visits with teens and writers.

Tomorrow night I get to go to the Olympia Barnes and Noble with Helen, Marissa Meyer (Cinder), Kiki Hamilton (The Faerie Ring and Torn Wing), Kevin Emerson (The Oliver Nocturne Series), and Mikko Azul (Askari). It starts at 5:30, so if you're in the area, come on by.

I've spearheaded many events for our local young adult and middle grade writers. We'll soon have a website up and running. If you're interested in having a group of writers come to your book store, library, school, or book club, send me an email.

For more information on Teen Read Week visit the website.

And don't forget to enter my Drabble contest if you haven't, visit the contest post for details. There are GREAT prizes to be won!!

F³A: In hindsight...

For weeks I was dreading this week and looking forward to this week. I terrified me, yet I knew it was going to be fun. Four author events, three cities, three nights (saying that totally makes me feel like a rockstar).

I was dreading it only for the fact that I knew it would be exhausting for me. I've been run down anyway the last few weeks, having gone off my vitamin regimen (which I am now back on, I know, my stupid fault), and I've been sleeping like CRAP, yes, with a capital C-R-A-P, for a good couple months at least.

However, the dread was heavily outweighed by the rest. I got to spend time with three amazing writers that I've met before, Kiki Hamilton (The Faerie Ring), Helen Landalf (Flyaway), and Carole Estby Dagg (The Year We Were Famous), PLUS, I got to meet two more writers who are very cool, Kendare Blake (Anna Dressed in Blood), and Kathy McCullough (Don't Expect Magic).

AND I got to connect with writers, readers, teachers and librarians at Third Place Books, Capital High School, Olympia Timberland Library, and Garfield Books.

So, while today I might be run down (as you can see, this blog post is a day late), it was definitely worth it.

Okay, Friday Scribbles:

Random iPod Shuffle Song: Bulls on Parade by Rage Against the Machine

Book of the Week: I started reading the ARC of my friend Danny Marks, Velveteen. So good, so far. :)

Netflix of the Week: Watched a few episodes of How I Met Your Mother last week. That's some funny stuff.

Quote of the Week: "I've got a great ambition to die of exhaustion rather than boredom." ~ Thomas Carlyle

F³A: Blatant Self Promotion

Well, ya know, have to do it sometimes. So I'm announcing some events I'm involved in next week with some other YA writers. We call ourselves, New Kids on the YA Block.

Schedule:

March 14, Third Place Books 7 P.M.
17171 Bothell Way NE, Lake Forest Park, WA

March 15, Olympia Timberland Library 7 p.m.
313 8th Ave. SE, Olympia, WA

March 16, Garfield Books, 7 p.m.
208 Garfield St., Suite 101, Tacoma, WA


Here is who will be there and a short description of their novels:

ANNA DRESSED IN BLOOD, by Kendare Blake:
Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation. He kills the dead. When a job takes him to a new town after a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, he expects an easy kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, who has killed everyone who has dared step into her deserted Victorian house.
Kendare appreciates Greek mythology, rare red meat and veganism. Visit her at www.kendareblake.com

DON’T EXPECT MAGIC, BY Kathy McCullough
After her mom dies, Delaney Collins moves in with her estranged father and discovers that he’s a fairy godmother—or rather, a fairy godfather—and that she’s inherited the skill as well. Although she doesn’t believe in happily ever afters, Delaney is forced to help Flynn, a boy at her new school, win the girl of his dreams. But as she gets closer to making Flynn’s dream come true, Delaney finds herself with a wish of her own…
Kathy lives in Los Angeles, where she writes books and screenplays. Find out more about her at www.kathymcculloughbooks.com.

THE FAERIE RING, by Kiki Hamilton
The year is 1871, and Tiki has been making a home for herself and her family of orphans in a deserted hideaway adjoining Charing Cross Station in central London. Their only means of survival is by picking pockets. One December night, Tiki steals a ring and sets off a chain of events that could lead to all-out war with the Fey. For the ring belongs to Queen Victoria, and is a reservoir which holds a truce binding the rulers of England and the realm of Faerie to peace. With the ring missing, a rebel group of faeries hopes to break the treaty with dark magic.
Kiki believes in faeries, and magic. You can visit her website at www.kikihamilton.com.

FLYAWAY, by Helen Landalf
Flyaway, a contemporary realistic novel set in Seattle, centers on 15-year-old Stevie’s struggle to come to terms with her mom’s addiction to meth. While her mom is in rehab, Stevie stays with her annoyingly perfect Aunt Mindy, who gives her a taste of a more normal teen life, forcing Stevie to choose between loyalty to her mom and the chance to move forward into a more positive future.
Helen Landalf is author of two pictures books and five books for teachers. When she’s not writing, she works as a Pilates instructor and teaches dance to preschoolers. Visit her website at www.helenlandalf.com.

NEVER EIGHTEEN, by Megan Bostic:
Seventeen-year-old Austin Parker’s dying wish is to help his loved ones understand that life is short, and it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Plagued by addiction, abuse, conflict and loss, they’ve given up. He’s desperate to help them live—even though he never will. It’s probably hopeless, but he has to try.
Megan Bostic loves sock monkeys, the color black, and her crazy beautiful daughters. Find out more at www.meganbosticbooks.com.

THE YEAR WE WERE FAMOUS, by Carole Estby Dagg
In 1896, a Clara Estby and her suffragist mother walked from Washington State to New York City in a race against the calendar to win money to save the farm and prove women could do it. The book is based on newspaper articles which described their real-life 4,000-mile trek and their narrow escapes from flash flood, days lost in the Snake River Lava Fields, shooting a bandit, camping with Indians and a meeting President-elect McKinley.
Carole writes in Everett and a converted woodshed on San Juan Island under the supervision of a bossy cat. Visit her at www.CaroleEstbyDagg@yahoo.com.

Hope you can make it to one of the events!

Non Sequitur: Today is national crabmeat day. Enjoy your crabs!! er...

Friday Scribbles:

Random Pandora Song of the Week: Vcr by The XX (I'm listening to the Gotya station)

Book of the Week: Velveteen by Danny Marks. It's not out yet, but I have the ARC. Excited!!!

Movie of the Week: Weird Science. I watched it with my kids the other night. I forgot how funny it is!!

Quote of the Week: "Two-thirds of promotion is motion." ~ have no idea who said this, but I like it.

Have a great weekend!