Talking to Strangers

So today I went to the bank. I may or may not have needed to cover an overdraft, and if I did, that's none of your business. So I'm in the bank, and I hand over the business to the cute teller girl. She said, with a shy smile, "Um, I need to tell you something."

Not my favorite words at the bank.

Then she says, "I just read your book. I filled up a huge bubble bath on New Year's Day and read it all at once. I loved it!" (Totally her exclamation point, okay?)

I have never seen her before. This is maybe the first unsolicited (as in Not at a book signing or other author event) "stranger feedback" and it was fun. Kids 3 and 4 were with me. Kid 3 asked as we left, "How did she know who you were? Oh, because your picture's on the cover, right?"

Right. Riiiiight.

But definitely fun, right? Right.

My Little Life in Bullets

Today is The Day!

(*) I have a few hours of getting-ready time, and then I spend the day on airplanes. And read books. And end up on Oahu. I must let it escape: WHEE! WOOT! WAHOO!

(*) In other news, Kid 2 received an iPod for Christmas, because her Daddy is good to her. She named this iPod "The Ship" and it tickles her fancy to plug it in to the computer and see these words: "The Ship is Synching."

(*) And this: My little Mama came to hang out yesterday, and she gave me a perm. It looks great. Mostly just wavy, and now I won't have to do my hair in Hawaii. Just shake and scrunch, you know? But. It stinks, and I am going to be in very close quarters to strangers all day. How 'bout that? Not very neighborly of me, was it?

(*) Does anyone remember how to do Algebra 2? Factoring is causing Kid 1 and me to bond over tears. If we were drinkers.... But we're not. Just criers, apparently.

(*) Got a call from the school. Among others, these words, "just wanted to warn you... when the boy comes home with his head a bloddy mess... he's fine, went back to class... no sign of concussion." Okay, then. Good news.

(*) And: "The Magician's Elephant" (by Ms. DiCamillo) only brought tears from me, because I was reading aloud*, and Kid 3, who regularly cries in pretty much any book.** Find it. You won't be disappointed. And I want to write a book with a kid named something as wonderful as Peter Augustus Duchene. Just saying.

(*) I found out that I get to play a narrator*** in "Joseph and the Amazing Techincolor Dreamcoat" in community theatre (yes. you do have to spell it that way. it's rules.) this spring. There will be 3 narrators. I (at 5'6'') will be the short one. Also the alto. I am very delighted to get to do this, and all four Kids are in the children's chorus. Fun family bonding, right? If I were a bookie (the betting kind) I would put the odds of us getting Husband near the stage at about seventeen trillion to one. Any takers?

And you? How was YOUR day?

*Don't you think it's harder to keep it all in control when you're reading aloud? I had to practice long and hard before I could read "The Polar Express" aloud on the train excursion my Kids and I volunteer on every Christmas. Years of practice. Now I'm a stone-cold emotionless Machine.

**Calvin and Hobbes, Series of Unfortunate Events, the Refrigerator Manual. (Yes. I'm lying. She hates the refrigerator manual and refuses to read it. Ever again.)

***If you're going to get a "leading" role in any theatre production, and you're not really interested in kissing someone who isn't your Husband, this is the role to get.

Want to See?

I have a little something to show you.

Want to see?

It's new. It's colorful. It's roughly book-shaped:

There's a lot to think about with a book cover. It's scary territory for me, partly because I have very little (that means "no") control over it. Partly because it matters SO SO SO much. And partly because I want to love it. I want to adore my covers. I want to see them and be unable to control my grinning.

So, here it is.

I am grinning.

(The artist responsible for putting this together is Sheryl. She has my undying devotion, as I'll tell her just as soon as we ever meet.)

And Here We Are...

Just a few of your friendly neighborhood Shadow Mountain authors. You may be able to tell that we had entirely too much fun at the Jordan Landing event last week. At least I did. That's me, in between Lisa Mangum (left) and Ally Condie (right). I know. You're jealous. But don't be, because, well, um, because it gives you ulcers. And wrinkles.

But, really? It was a blast. These are two of the loveliest and most delightful women I know. They are each, in different ways, full of grace and talent and humor and generosity.

And they let me play with them.

!

!!

I know.

It's amazing, and I should simply shut up and enjoy it. There are many things to love about a book signing (like the very gracious bookstore people giving away books and handing out water bottles and checking if we were shaded, and the adorable readers who asked great questions, and the idea of being a Real Author) but not much compares to being at a book signing with two hilarious friends who make every minute enjoyable.

Revisions

It's Revision time. I know some writers hate revisions, but I love them. In theory, it's like doing a critique on a book you already love. I'm hoping reality will be as good!

Husband told me I've neglected to say much about The New One being published by Shadow Mountain. Here's what I know.

It's a light-hearted romantic comedy, written for YA or anyone who reads YA. The title is* "Splashing through Puddles of Happy" and here are some ingredients: crazy curly hair, boy who calls, different boy who looks like a middle-eastern god, perfect best friend, a classic Gibson guitar, smoothie and muffin, a school-smart girl who can be pretty dumb in the world of love, anti-histamine hangover**, yoga sweats, and logical vs. psychotic brain-arguments.

Intrigued?

Me, too. I'm off to read it again.

*as far as I know - committee has to approve that still.

** don't try this at home.

Good News! I Saw a Dog Today!

Okay, not really, I just love that line from "ELF" - don't you?

But, I do, in fact, have good news.

I've sold another book to Shadow Mountain! Yeah, huh? I'll just wait over here while you cheer for a while.

Ok, that was nice of you. Thank you very much.

As far as details go, your guess is as good as mine (unless you're guessing that it will be in stores near you next month, in which case you would be painfully misinformed) but it looks like next summer some time. It's another YA - this time romantic comedy (clean, funny, silly... like that) and I haven't read through the whole thing (even though I said I would) for several months. Now I probably should.

I'm excited and relieved and grateful and pleased and a little proud of me. This is a big deal for me, I think you know.

So although I haven't seen many dogs (except for the one in the back of the truck coming through the canyon - he had a beard, and it was weird, and that sounds like a Veggie Tales lyric) I wanted to share my good news with my bloggy friends!

XOXO