Hooray for PNBA

Dear Dreamwalkers

My wonderful publisher Dial Books for Young Readers, set up a Dragonswood book signing for me at the PNBA Fall Tradeshow. My friend, Heidi Pettit, caught a few fun shots of the day. The tradeshow was held in the elegant Hotel Murano.

 

Check out the beautiful sea green glass in the entry. We headed upstairs for the tradeshow and ran into some friends right away. Justina Chen was there signing Advance Reader Copies of her upcoming novel.

 

 

 

Justina and I caught up with two of our favorite local independent booksellers, Rene Kirkpatrick of Eagle Harbor Books, and Sue Nevins of Mockingbird Books. Then it was time to do some book signing.

 

 

 

It was a Very Long line! Everyone was talking about the beautiful cover. I said, "Boys will like the adventure scenes and the dragons in the book, though I can understand that the cover deters them."

      The next man in line said, "I'm here because I like the cover."

     "Heidi," I said, "Get a photo of this guy!" Here he is.

 

 

After the book signing, I chatted with Colleen Conway the sales rep for Penguin Books. We'd never met before this. It was great to talk in person. 

I also caught up with fellow author, Meghan Nuttall Sayres, who was signing copies of her newest book Night Letter.   

 

Some readers may not know Meghan is also a Tapestry Weaver. She asked me to try on a felted whirling dervish hat, which she learned to make in Turkey (one of several hats the protagonist Anahita wears Night Letter.) I was happy to try it on.

 

and end the day with a dance.

Until next time, Dreamwalkers, walk well.

 

Summer ALA and Fall Library Conference

SUMMER Means ALA

I flew down to LA with writing buddy Katherine Grace Bond  and we dove into the American Library Association Conference in Anaheim. The trip combined 2 favorite things.

Books and swimming pools.

The best parts of ALA for me this year were:

~ Spending time with my editor, Kathy Dawson.

~ Standing in line while Katherine signed copies of her new book The Summer of No Regrets.

~ Meeting the librarians and snagging them for interviews on my blog Library Lions!

~ Hearing

read the prologue to her newest book

(Katherine and I gave her a standing ovation.)

Last, I have to say it . . .  going to Disneyland for the first time in my life (Katherine treated me to an evening pass.)  

FALL means WLMA (Washington Library Media Association) conference.

This October I headed over the mountains with author buddy, Deb Lund driving to Yakima to present on the panel "Show, Tell, and Do: The Next Generation of Author Visits" Deb and I joined  authors, Jennifer Wolf and Helen Landalf  and had a great discussion with the librarians.

(Deb grabbing books from the table. Helen & Moi)

Next day I presented one of my favorite workshops "The Female Hero in Children's and YA Fiction" The topic prompted some amazing discussions.

Thank you for traveling with me through summer and fall.

Until next time fellow dreamwalkers. Walk well

DRAGONSWOOD Giveaways Dark Mind Book Tours

If you'd like to win a signed copy of Dragonswood for a summer read

Dark Mind Book Tours is hosting Dragonswood reviews, interviews, excerpts and giveaways for the next two weeks. I had a lot of fun with the author interviews and the character interview with Tess. (I had to climb over the boundary wall and follow Tess into forbidden Dragonswood to get her to talk to me.) 

Here's the Tour Schedule:

June 4th, 2012

Reviews By Molly

(Giveaway, Excerpt)

June 5th, 2012

Mind Reader

(Author Interview, Giveaway)

June 6th, 2012

Kindle And Me

(Giveaway, Excerpt)

June 7th, 2012

Close Encounters With The Night Kind

(Review, Giveaway, Excerpt)

June 8th, 2012

Chapter By Chapter

(Giveaway, Excerpt)

June 11th, 2012

Kindle Fever

(Review, Character Interview, Giveaway)

June 12th, 2012

Novel Nerd

(Author Interview, Excerpt)

June 13th, 2012

All Things About Books

(Review)

June 14th, 2012

Proserpine Craving Books

(Review, Giveaway)

June 15th, 2012

Kindred Dreamheart

(Giveaway, Excerpt)

Until next time Dreamers walk well ~ ~ ~

BEST BOOK BIRTHDAY EVER

Yesterday was the Best Book Birthday ever with many well wishers on twitter and Facebook (thank you!) I woke up wanting to go to lunch to celebrate. I’m not a last minute sort of person so I had little hope of swinging a sudden lunch, but I called friend and fellow author JUSTINA CHEN and, wow! She was free!



We lunched the launch and talked all things writing over delicious Thai food and jasmine tea.



Over lunch Justina asked some interesting questions like, “What do you love most about the book?” I shared my favorite scenes. Then she asked, “What did you learn writing it?” Another good question and one most folks (other than fellow writers) often don’t ask.

My answer: Before this tale my books have highlighted ‘the lone hero’ facing the plot on his or her own.



This reflected how I’ve lived my life, always thinking I’ve had deal with things by myself. In the last few years, life’s surprising challenges have driven me to the point of having to ask for help – what a revelation it’s been. So in Dragonswood



when Tess escapes from the witch hunter and goes on the run, she’s not a lone heroine, she’s running with her friends Meg and Poppy. The three of them share the dangers, the hunger, and the need to find safe sanctuary. Of course they fight along the way and get in lots of trouble, but the key thing is, Tess is not alone.

We talked more about Justina's books


Walden Award Finalist. Best Book of the Year (Kirkus Reviews and Barnes + Noble)
*starred* reviews - Publishers Weekly,Kirkus,Booklist

Chatted about her novel Return to Me (A beautiful book I've had the privilege to read due out Jan 2013) and her work-in-progress. Justina was All Dragonswood, but I like to talk about Her work so we took turns :)

After lunch we popped over to Bellevue Barnes & Noble for a look-see.

“I don’t think they’ll have any Dragonswood copies in yet,” I said. Justina just smiled and headed for the information desk where she asked about Dragonswood. They produced a stack for me to sign. Very nice!

It was already a Perfect Book Birthday, but there was more. In the afternoon I headed for my favorite second hand store to find something for the book launch party. I already have my party dress and didn’t know what I was looking for, just something magical. What did I find? Shoes that match the dress – and not just any shoes – fairy slippers.



Then headed to the Asian Market for dinner supplies and found a particular party treat – seaweed.

Tess Meg and Poppy eat seaweed on their journey so the Dragonswood Party goers will have the chance to nibble some. I happen to love it!



Finally, the late afternoon light was golden on the trees as I drove home and the moon was out. It made me want to view the sky from Phantom Lake. My husband and I paddled out in our canoe among the birds.



Canada geese, and cormorants flew overhead. Little buffleheads skimmed across the water and we saw an eagle with its black wings and white tale spread as it soared over Phantom Lake.



Perfect end to a perfect Book Birthday.

To all you fellow authors out there, I highly recommend celebrating your Book Birthdays in some special way that’s just right for you and your book. If you do, or if you plan to for your next book – tell us how you’re going to celebrate.

P.S. One week left on the Teen Book Scene book tour. Full Tour Page

Warmest thanks to Kari for putting this 3 week blog tour together!