Let Them Eat Cake

Last week, there was a lovely article about Enchanted Ivy in the Worcester Telegram & Gazette -- the newspaper in central Massachusetts, where I'm from! Yay!

I am particularly enamored with the title of the article, "Novelist takes an excursion to magical world," since that is exactly how I view the writing process.

Please help yourself to a virtual slice of cake while you read.

Mmm... cake...

This cake was created by Rolling Pin Bakery for Enchanted Ivy's book launch party at Book Revue in Huntington, NY. It's vanilla with raspberry filling. Yum. Special thank you to everyone who came and shared non-virtual cake with me last Sunday!

Mmm... books...

Also, for those of you who are in the NY-NJ-CT tri-state area, I have added three new book signings to my schedule:

Friday, November 26, 2010 at 1pm
Borders - Meriden
470 Lewis Avenue, Meriden, CT

Saturday, November 27, 2010 at 3pm
Borders - Stony Brook
2130 Nesconset Highway, Stony Brook, NY

Wednesday, December 1, 2010 at 6:30pm
Barnes & Noble - Princeton
Princeton Marketfair, 3535 US Route 1, Princeton, NJ
(with a portion of sales benefitting The Pennington School's book fair)

Hope to see you there!

Enchanted Ivy Book Launch Party

Hello, Long Islanders! Please join me this Sunday at 2pm for a reading/signing/book launch party for Enchanted Ivy at Book Revue in Huntington, NY. As you may have surmised from my calling it a reading/signing/book launch party, there will be reading (by me, from Enchanted Ivy), there will be signing (again by me, of, you know, books), and there most certainly will be partying (by all in attendance, to celebrate the launch of Enchanted Ivy -- though honestly, if you have something else to celebrate, I'm game to celebrate that too).

Once all the reading and signing is done, we'll have yummy cake -- decorated with Enchanted Ivy's cover art!!! We got a BIG cake, so come hungry!

Here's all the info:

Book Revue
Sunday, November 7th at 2pm
Reading/Signing/Book Launch Party (with cake!!!)
313 New York Avenue, Huntington, NY

Hope to see you there!

Book Revue and The Voracious Reader

Last week, I did a wonderful book event at Book Revue in Huntington, NY. Thanks so much to the fabulous booksellers and everyone who came by to listen to me babble. I read from and talked about ICE, and then we ate Cassie and Bear:


How cool is that?

Yummy too.

I love edible photos. I love that someone sat down and said, "You know what this world needs? The ability to eat a photograph."

And you know what? I think he or she was right. The world does need things like edible photos -- things that exist purely to make someone smile. I think that is a noble purpose. Honestly, it's one of the reasons that I write. I love the idea of creating a story that can touch someone, make someone smile, take someone out of their worries and problems for at least a couple hours...

My next book event doesn't involve edible bears, but it does involve two other fabulous authors. This Friday, I will be at The Voracious Reader with Carolyn MacCullough (Once a Witch) and Delia Sherman (The Magic Mirror of the Mermaid Queen). Here are the details:

The Voracious Reader
Friday, November 13th at 7pm
1997 Palmer Avenue, Larchmont, NY


Hope to see you there!

UK Pub Date and Book Revue

In ICE, Cassie journeys over the sea ice, across the tundra, and through the boreal forest. And today she has crossed the Atlantic Ocean! Today, ICE is coming out in the UK!

I have very fond memories of the UK. After college, I lived for a year in Cambridge, England. My boyfriend (now husband) had a fellowship there, and I trailed along because, hey, England! Castles! Stonehenge! King Arthur! It turned out to be one of the best decisions I've ever made.

That year in England, my husband and I got engaged. Also that year in England, I really became a writer.

I'd known I wanted to be a writer pretty much since I was a cute little blastula. But despite my making a New Year's Resolution to do so every year, when my plane landed in Merry Ol' England, I had yet to complete a full manuscript.

That changed here:

My Desk in Cambridge, England
(where I finished my first manuscript)

The reason for the change was the UK Department of Immigration and Visa Services. You see, I had planned to find a job and work while I was there. I had a six-month recent-graduate work permit, but I was certain it could be extended. Imagine my shock when I arrived at the Heathrow Airport and was told that not only could I not work after six months, but I might not be able to stay at all! After six months, I'd have to petition for a visitor's permit and swear not to work or I'd be tossed into the channel and eaten by specially-imported sharks. Or something like that.

I found a job at the Marshall Library for Economics (part of Cambridge University), and I spent a happy six months alphabetizing books and learning to like tea with milk. I also wrote in my spare time.

But then came the day: my six months were up. We woke ridiculously early, took the train south of London, filled out paperwork, waited, and worried... and then got the visitor's permit with no problem and learned that if we'd just decided to spend a romantic weekend in Paris and I'd come back in as a visitor, it would have had the same result. Except then I would have gotten a romantic weekend in Paris instead of a day at the international equivalent of the DMV. Whatever.

Point is: I took it as a sign. The government was telling me I was legally obligated to do nothing but write. And so I did. I wrote every day from morning to night, pausing for trips to Italy and Spain and such where I did things like get lost in hedge mazes.

Me, Lost in Hedges

By the end of our stay, I'd completed my very first novel-length manuscript. I'd also gotten this nice shiny engagement ring:

My hand and Westminster Abbey

We took the ring on a tour of London and snapped photos of my hand in front of all the major tourist spots. Sarah's hand and Big Ben. Sarah's hand and Westminster Abbey. Sarah's hand and the Tower of London... I was also pooped on by a bird outside the Tower of London, but I still somehow remember that day as one of the most romantic days of my life. Perhaps if the poop had landed on my head instead of my shoe, I'd feel differently about that... But I digress.

Finishing that manuscript taught me that I could do this. I could write books. I could be a writer. And I will always be grateful to England for that.

So, thank you, my friends across the Atlantic! I hope you enjoy ICE!

And for any aspiring writers out there... you don't really need to go to another country to become a writer. What you do need to do is what I did while I was in another country: write. Write as if you're legally obligated to do so, and don't stop.

Upcoming Book Event


For those of you not across the Atlantic... if you're in Long Island on Monday night, I hope you will join me at Book Revue for a book signing and book launch party.

Cake -- decorated with ICE's gorgeous (and delicious) cover art -- will be served!!!

Here are the details:

Book Revue
Monday, November 2nd at 7pm
313 New York Avenue, Huntington NY

Hope to see you there!

Book Launch Recap

Yesterday was AWESOME.

On behalf of Julie, Zel, Boots, and all the characters of INTO THE WILD, I'd like to thank everyone who sent emails, comments, flowers, etc. You guys made the day really, really special.

Two other things that made the day special:

My Back-to-the-Future Box

Remember when George McFly gets his box of books at the end of "Back to the Future"? Okay, I know it's a totally obscure reference. After Marty returns to 1985, he learns that his father is now a writer, and he sees his dad receive a box full of author copies of his first published novel.

I loved that scene.

I wanted that box.

Yesterday afternoon, my Back-to-the-Future box arrived!! 30 glorious, shiny, purply copies of INTO THE WILD!!!

Back-to-the-Future Box

It was a lovely, lovely book-birthday present. Just looking at the box now makes me feel all dizzy and light-headed.

Book Launch Party/Reading/Signing at Book Revue

Let's start with the most important part: the cake. It was vanilla with buttercream frosting and raspberry (yum!) filling. Here's a photo:

We ate Julie!

As far as the event itself... AWESOME. The events coordinator, Julianne, was wonderful, and Book Revue is a fabulous bookstore -- it's the largest independent bookstore on Long Island. Turnout was terrific. Lots of friends and family and family-friends (and MySpace friends!) showed up. And my agent came. And some kids too! And they were really excited about the book, and asked great questions, which was awesome. The store even had to set up more chairs, and there were still people leaning up against the bookshelves in the back! I talked for a little bit and then read two scenes from the book. (I love reading!) Afterwards, I signed lots and lots of books with a lovely purple pen.

Yay Purple Pen!

Tomorrow

Tomorrow (or Today, depending on when you read this -- Saturday, 6/23), I'll be at Books of Wonder in Manhattan. (Click here for info.) And immediately afterward, I'll hop a train to Washington DC for the ALA (American Library Association) Conference! Busy, busy... but so much fun...

Tomorrow!

Tomorrow... is the official publication date for INTO THE WILD!

Tomorrow... I will be at Book Revue in Huntington, New York, to celebrate my book launch. And you're invited! Here are the details:

Thursday June 21st at 8pm
Book Revue
313 New York Avenue, Huntington, NY

Tomorrow... I will be reading from and signing copies of INTO THE WILD! And there will be cake and coffee too! Cake decorated with INTO THE WILD cover art! How can you say no to that?

I can't believe it's happening tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow!!! Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow creeps... No, that doesn't quite capture the right mood. But here's a link to some random dude reciting the Macbeth soliloquy.

One day more! One more day... No, not right either. But here's a link to the song from Les Miz as performed by Lego people.

The sun will come out tomorrow! Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow, there'll be sun... Yes, that's better! And here are links to several adorable kids pretending they're Annie. Okay, I really need to stop playing with YouTube now.

Tomorrow is the day that I have been waiting for and working toward for literally my entire life. I am not exaggerating here. This is truly the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Or more accurately, it's the beginning of my dream of being a published writer.

I actually remember the moment that I decided I wanted to be a writer. I was on a chairlift somewhere in New England with my dad, and I was worrying about my future. I was ten years old (double digits!), and I didn't have any career goals. The horror! Did I mention I was a somewhat anxious kid? Anyway, my dad said, "Well, you're creative. You could be an architect, an artist, a writer, an investment banker..." I stopped listening at "writer." Until that moment, it hadn't occurred to me that a real person could become a writer. I'd never met a writer. I'd thought of them as mythical, magical creatures like unicorns or wizards. Writers were wizards who created these magical spells that completely entranced me.

Once I latched onto the idea that I could become a writer, I really latched on. I raided the library for how-to books on writing. I made endless lists of stories I wanted to write (and I even started a lot of them). I drew maps of imaginary places. I made lists of potential characters. Once, I even read the phone book looking for interesting character names. When the annual magazine drive came around, I convinced my parents to buy me a subscription to Writer's Digest, a magazine about writers and writing. My subscription has never lapsed in the 23 years since then.

All through middle school and high school, I continued to write. I went to Duke Young Writers' Camp for three different summers. I started and stopped a bajillion stories. In college, I worked primarily on playwriting. My senior thesis was a play that involved Mrs. Bennet from Pride & Prejudice, Morgana la Fay from Arthurian legend, and a large fire-breathing dragon. (Note: this is not the way to make friends with your technical director.)

After college, I returned to novels. I submitted my first full-length manuscript a year after college. While I waited to hear back, I wrote another. And then I sent that out. Rinse, lather, repeat. I wrote nearly every day. I even went part-time at my day job so that I could have more time to write, despite the cut in pay. It wasn't easy. Sometimes I doubted myself. But I never doubted that I wanted this. I wanted to be a wizard who could create a magical spell to entrance someone like me. I wanted this very, very, very badly. So I didn't stop.

A year ago, the stars aligned. The magnificent Andrea Somberg became my agent, and six weeks later, we had offers for INTO THE WILD. (Click here to read my post about The Call.) And now it's really, really happening! INTO THE WILD comes out tomorrow!

I love thinking about how happy the ten-year-old Sarah would be. She's doing cartwheels inside me right now.

1 day until the Wild is unleashed!!!