ARCs for ICE, and Librarians too

Got the loveliest present from my editor:


It's an ARC of ICE!!! An ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) is basically a paperback mockup of what the final hardcover will look like. It's not quite a finished copy since it's printed from the pre-proofread text and still contains typos and such. But that said, it looks like a book, it feels like a book, it smells like a book (don't judge me...), and I am just amazingly thrilled to be able to hold this almost-finished version of ICE in my hands.


In my totally unbiased opinion, I think the final hardcover will be more beautiful than a rainbow at sunrise over the ocean with playful unicorns frolicking in the waves. [Scientist-husband points out that you can't see a rainbow and a sunrise together since the sun needs to be behind you to produce a rainbow. He apparently has no problem with the unicorn part though.] Seriously. Lots of unicorns. Frolicking. Look here at the spine:


I have been petting it and cooing at it as if it were a new kitten ever since it arrived. I think I'm in love...

In other news, I'll be spending a large part of this week surrounded by librarians! This Wednesday, I'm speaking at the Massachusetts Library Association Conference in Springfield, MA. And on Thursday I'm speaking at the Long Island Library Conference in Woodbury, NY. The title of my talk: "The Importance of Talking Cats: YA and Children's Fantasy." Hee hee! I'm so excited.