Happy New Year 2013

Happy New Year, everyone!  Hope you all had a wonderful New Year's and a great start to 2013.

A few years ago, my husband and I started a New Year's Eve tradition that I love: we buy a ton of hors d'oeuvres (frozen mozzerella sticks, chips and dip, potstickers, taquitoes, cheese and crackers, etc.) and we eat them all as the clock clicks toward midnight.  Then we watch the ball drop on TV and clink the champagne glasses that we got as wedding presents and only ever use on New Year's Eve.

Of all the ways I've ever spent New Year's Eve, it's my favorite.

On New Year's Day, we watch the Rose Parade.  Some years I remember to eat black-eyed peas for good luck.  Usually I forget.  We also forget to buy a new calendar for the kitchen every single year.  That's practically a tradition now too.

This year, on New Year's Day, I had a lovely surprise.  I woke to find out that VESSEL was named a finalist for a Cybils Award.  This was a wonderful start to the new year.  VESSEL also had a lovely end to the old year: Kirkus listed VESSEL as one of the Best Books of 2012.  And YALSA's The Hub blog chose VESSEL's cover as one of the best covers of 2012.  So, yay, yay, and yay!

I am really excited about this year.  For the first time ever, I have two books coming out in the same year!  My next YA novel, SWEET NOTHINGS (title may change), will be out from Walker/Bloomsbury in fall 2013.  And my first novel for adults, THE LOST, will be out from Luna/Harlequin also in fall 2013.  THE LOST is the first in a trilogy.  I'll be posting more about both books on my website and blog in the coming months.

So... goodbye, 2012!  And hello, 2013! 

Wishing you heath and happiness (and lots of books) in the new year!

Hello 2012!

Happy New Year!!!

I love when the calendar switches to a fresh year! Reminds me of the Anne Shirley quote about tomorrow being fresh with no mistakes in it.

This clip does not include that quote, but it makes me smile. You're welcome.

Of course, I have already broken one New Year's resolution (sorry, exercise bike!). Coincidentally, I broke the very same resolution last year just as quickly. Maybe breaking it will become a new annual tradition. I do love traditions.

Our New Year's Eve tradition is AWESOME. We go to the supermarket in the morning, buy every kind of appetizer we can think of, and eat nothing but hors d'oeuvres from noon to midnight.

But really, the thing that makes it wonderful is simply being together. I think that's the perfect way to start a new year: with people I love. Also, chips and salsa.


And that's what I wish for all of you in 2012: time with the people you love, health, happiness, and all the hors d'oeuvres you wish to eat!

Best wishes for a wonderful year!

Hello 2011!

Snoopy Dance of Joy! Revisions are DONE!!!

This week, I sent off the revised manuscript for DRINK, SLAY, LOVE, my next novel. Cue dance music.

To be honest, I'm always a little bereft when I finish revisions. I adore revising, and I particularly adored working on this novel. This one was fun from start to finish. I am going to miss Pearl and Evan and Bethany and Jadrien and Antoinette and Matt and Zeke... But I can't wait to introduce you to them!

I have a date for that introduction: the official pub date for DRINK, SLAY, LOVE is September 13, 2011. It's on Amazon already, as well as GoodReads, which makes it feel a lot more real.

Still feels futuristic to write 2011. We're only four years away from the future date in Back to the Future II. And I still don't possess the skills to handle a hover-skateboard. Or, you know, a regular skateboard.

Anyway, these revisions are my excuse for my absence from this blog for the last month. I received the revision letter from my editor just after Thanksgiving. Given the way my family does holidays (sprawled across the entire month), the end of 2010 was VERY busy. But it was busy with family and writing, my two favorite things.

Also, lots of cookies.

Perfect way to end a year (and start a new one!).

So goodbye, 2010! Hello, 2011! And happy New Year, everyone! Wishing you all a year filled with health, happiness, and all of your favorite things!

Happy New Year

Since it's been a while since my last blog post (sorry!), I'd like to begin by saying something profound...

Yeah, I got nothing. You?

I spent the bulk of December with my family, which was wonderful and very happy-making. I also dove into revisions on my next novel (coming fall 2010), also happy-making. I promise I'll tell you more about it as the year progresses. (Hee-hee!)

For now, just wanted to wish you all a happy new year! Hope you have a wonderful 2010 full of dreams come true!

More soon.....