Bright Lights, Big City, 18 Miles of Books, and 14 Bars of Chocolate!

I'm home! Wow, what a trip.

So, my week in NYC was a crazy mix of work and fun and awesome and a little stress and a TON of sugar!! I was lucky enough to be there with three of my closest writing buds, Tiffany Schmidt, Susan Adrian, and Emily Hainsworth.



There was much play, from the Empire State Building at 1am, to Dylan's Candy Bar, to fun lunches and drinks night, and cocktails with pub friends, to Hitchcock and Rainbow Brite viewings, and converting the closet into a phone booth, complete with chair. We even kidnapped the wonderful author Nova Ren Suma, and made her signed books in there!



I was also lucky enough to have an incredible high tea with a friend who is fast becoming one of my favorite people. And I got to meet Alex Bracken, who is ADORABLE! I also met Sonia Gensler, Shana Silver, Kim Harrington, Jen Hayley, and many, many others!

And after SCWBI, my mom flew up and we played for a few days. We took morning walks in Central Par, ate most of NYC's sushi, drank pear martinis, went to the Tim Burton exhibit, and saw West Side Story on Broadway!

And I got to see my agent, Amy! AND my editor, Abby! I call these two my A Team, and they've totally earned the title. Neither has a Mohawk, or a giant silver chain, but they rock just as hard. I am so incredibly lucky to have them. And they put up with my constant sugar high speak, which is admirable :p

NYC by the numbers!

Cupcakes consumed: 4 (+ 3 mini ones)
Times to Dylan's: 2
Chocolate bars bought: 14
Times to the Strand: 3
Books amassed: 12 (9 bought, two given by editor, one given by tea friend)
Times I saw agent: 2!
Times I saw editor: 1! <--first time!
# of hot chocolates consumed with said editor: 1
Pieces of news to share: 1



So, my little piece of news isn't terribly exciting, but I found out my pub date. I can't give you the date yet, but I needed to make a correction. I had said before I was a WINTER 2011 debut, and I am now a SUMMER 2011 debut. Originally I believed Winter to be at the BEGINNING of Hyperion's year, but actually it was at the end, so I wasn't pushed back, I was bumped up! Anyway, wanted to clarify.

My mom jokingly said "You've finally found your people," in reference to all the wonderful bookish people I got to see and share my time with, and I couldn't agree more.

So now I'm home, and trying to detox and not think about how much I'd love to still be there, in the city, sipping cocoa and walking for hours and finding new worlds within slices of city. At a time in my life where I feel very much up in the air, where I feel like I could just change or morph or wander off at a moment's notice, it was hard to leave. I am sure that the city's strange gravity will draw me back.

It's Time for the Grimm Off!

It's time for the Grimm Off!

What is the Grimm Off? Well!

My friend and incredibly talented author, Scott Tracey (whose book, WITCH EYES debuts 2011 with Flux), was helping me one night. I was cranky because I hadn't written anything, and so he told me to write him a fairy tale. And then I asked him to write one, too, we threw in a few prompts, and here we are!

With a challenge.
And a voter's prize.
All hosted by the wonderful Tye.

Both of our stories are posted over at:

the blog of the lovely Tye Cattenach

(You should all follow her anyway, as she's lovely) and you simply go over there and have a read and vote! There's even a treat for a voter.

Sounds like fun, yes?

Please go have a look if you get a chance. I can't promise mine is any good (edits came as I started to write, and I'll use that excuse as much as I'm able) but it's such a fun idea (who doesn't love fairy tales?) and we'd both love your support!

Here's a snippet from mine:

“Easy as sneezing,” the old man said, pouring tea, and it bothered John because it wasn’t quite a rhyme. John was not given to liking things that were almost, but just shy of, what they ought to be. The old man chuckled, though, showing very sharp teeth where most old men would have only gums and a stray molar. He leaned across and stuck one long, old finger into John’s tea and swirled it for him, and went on.
“Simple as crumbs. You’ve just got to choose.”

(note: Children were harmed in the telling of this story)