KICKIN' OFF THE PLAYING HURT TOUR!

Who better to start off the next leg of the PLAYING HURT Tour than Angela at Reading Angel? She's been one of my absolute biggest supporters...And she's got some super-fun questions...

Head on over to Reading Angel to find out about my multiple run-ins with fame (aka Brad Pitt). Who's the biggest star you've ever bumped into?

SNOW IN SPRING

Okay, so the backyard didn't look quite this snow-covered this morning...this is a winter pic. It really did snow quite a bit last night, though...sigh...

But to make up for the fact that winter came roaring back like an ex on a social networking site, a great interview went live today at The Ending Unplanned. Remember that Amazon review I received for PLAYING HURT that I was raving about? Rachel at The Ending Unplanned wrote it. Love her. Really. You can check out her full review and the interview.

...And, while we're talking reviews, check out what Liza Wiemer said at Goodreads!

NEW BLOG + NEW TOUR

I'm so incredibly thrilled and flattered by all the positive attention PLAYING HURT'S been getting! (And also incredibly sad that the tour at Teen Book Scene's coming to a close...) Right now, you can check out my guest post + contest at A Good Addiction, and Shut Up! I'm Reading's just posted a review of my firstborn, A BLUE SO DARK...

Also, Kayla at Midnight Twilight's Book Blog is running a character interview with Clint himself, for all you Clint junkies out there...

In the midst of all the PLAYING HURT excitement, I'm also looking forward to the release of my next novel, which is a (yet untitled) middle grade, due out from Dial in '12. In fact, I just put together a new blog with a group of super-cool fellow MG authors, called Smack Dab in the Middle. We're actively looking for followers (hint, hint, nudge, nudge). Here's the first post, a vlog, which explains what we're all about:




I'm also in the midst of organizing dates for my own PLAYING HURT Tour, so stay tuned!

SUPER COOL REVIEW + SNEAK PEEKIN' (PLAYING HURT)

I just got one of the coolest reviews of all time on Amazon. Seriously. Check out this last paragraph in the review for PLAYING HURT:

“In the book, Chelsea and Clint vow to "never live timidly," and to never take the coward's way out again. As a storyteller, Holly follows her character's advice. She doesn't hold anything back, whether it's exploring sexuality, living with regret and pain, or hurting the ones you love the most and dealing with the fallout. Her characters live and breathe, and in the end, become a part of you.”
—R. Harris

Really. How incredible is that?

I’m also proud to announce I’ve got my PLAYING HURT reading finished!

You have no idea what I had to go through to get this reading. Really. No idea. Every time I opened my mouth, kids started screaming in the street. Construction trucks parked outside and honked. My dog started snoring.

I honestly expected some of Dr. Seuss’s tanktookas and bambloozas to start blaring!

But here she is, finally: my reading of PLAYING HURT…

Those of you who’d like to read more (especially from Clint) can check out the sneak peek at The Serpentine Library!

JANNY SPEAKS + AUTHOR INTERVIEW, PLAYING HURT REVIEW

The fabulous Candace has a fantastic author interview at Candace's Book Blog...and she's giving away a copy of either A BLUE SO DARK or PLAYING HURT (winner's choice)! I'll also be sending a signed bookplate to the winner. Contest ends April 12!

Blkosiner's Book Blog also posted a character interview with Janny, Aura's best friend from A BLUE SO DARK (of all the character interviews I've done, this just might be my fave).

And a sweet review of PLAYING HURT's gone live at I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read!

FALLING AROUND CORNERS...

Said it before, I'll say it again: I'm no athlete. I'm pretty sure I can fall around corners. Not exactly the portrait of physical grace.


And if you'd told me, two or three years ago, that my second book would feature a couple of athletes, I would have laughed in your face.

So why did I choose to write about athletes? Check it out at Potter, Percy & I!

ON BOOK COVERS + 2 GREAT REVIEWS, GIVEAWAYS

Wow-zahs, the reviews are so positive for PLAYING HURT! Addicted 2 Novels has posted a great review (and, I believe she's also the first to mention Brandon, Chelsea's brother), as has Stuck in Books; at SIB, Valerie's also got a PLAYING HURT giveaway!

Mindful Musings is also featuring my guest post on the covers for A BLUE SO DARK and PLAYING HURT, and why I love PLAYING HURT's cover even more than BLUE.

What do you guys think? Do you like covers to feature metaphorical, poetic interpretations of a book's content (like A BLUE SO DARK), or do you prefer more literal interpretations (like PLAYING HURT)?

KISS ME, I'M A WEE BIT IRISH

…And I’m wearing my green blouse and shamrock pin, so no virtual pinching!

Speaking of kissing, though, I’ve been feeling the love around the blogosophere. Angela at Reading Angel (who has been so, so, so supportive) has just posted a wonderful review for PLAYING HURT. (The book is also her recommendation for March!)

If you haven’t dropped in on Angela yet, do it now. She’s truly just one of the absolute best bloggers out there. Seriously. Authors needing a review or interview should definitely shoot her an email.

Also, Jessica at Shut Up! I’m Reading has an excerpt (from a chapter in Clint’s POV, for those of you who have been hearing that Clint is swoon-worthy)…You can also check out her review here.

FINALIST FOR FOREWORD MAG'S BOOK OF THE YEAR

Yes, we take a break from our regularly-scheduled PLAYING HURT programming, for this incredible announcement:

A BLUE SO DARK is a finalist for ForeWord Magazine's Book of the Year! Check 'er out here.

ROCKIN' READERS #2 + AUTHOR & CHARACTER INTERVIEWS

I repeat: my readers ROCK! Patty at Yay! Reads posted this cool pic of the moment PLAYING HURT (and my letter filled with illegible serial-killer-style chicken scratches) appeared:

Check out her post here—and be sure to follow! Patty’s incredible.

Also, Alisia Leavitt’s got a brand spankin’ new author interview, and Andye at Reading Teen’s got an interview with none other than Clint Morgan himself, one of the dual protagonists in PLAYING HURT! (I really love the character interviews. Seriously. Love.)

…In the meantime, I’m on a mad rewrite. Hoping to get this thing cranked out by the end of the week and bounced back to my agent. Send me good writing vibes!

MY READERS ROCK

I'm totally serious. My readers are the best. First of all, Amaterasu Reads is hosting a Philippine Tour for PLAYING HURT...and even put together this super-cool banner to advertise:

And...speaking of tours, Readers Unite is also hosting a Canadian Tour...

And this hit my inbox over the weekend—an incredible fan letter from Jessica in NY; Jessica graciously allowed me to share her words:

"Hello holly! My name is Jessica, and I'm a freshman in highschool. I went to the book store wednesday and picked up a copy of playing hurt, and I instantly wanted to buy it! I finished it yesterday! I just wanted to tell you that it was by far the best book I have read! I'm going back to read your other novel too!! I'm so excited to get that one started!! I can't wait till you come out with more books!!-much love! Jessica"

What author's not going to get excited over that?

...Of course, Aura would be a bit peeved if I didn't mention a fantastic review of A BLUE SO DARK went live at Lost For Words, along with a giveaway of the book!

COUNTDOWN WIDGET: THE NEW CHRISTMAS TREE (+ PLAYING HURT SNEAK PEEK & GIVEAWAY!)

I'm seriously beginning to think the post-release countdown widget is a little bit like the post-Christmas Day tree. I had such an incredible time (excitement running amok) looking forward to PLAYING HURT's release, it pains me a little to take my widget down.



...I know I must, though. So...know it's with a little sadness that I'm removing it from my sidebar...



But: Cool stuff abounds: Mundie Moms is hosting a giveaway (and a top-10 list of some of my favorite love songs)! And, you can catch a sneak peek of PLAYING HURT at Only Sexy Books Allowed!

PLAYING HURT REVIEW

And the Teen Book Scene Tour rolls on...Kari at A Good Addiction just posted her own review of PLAYING HURT this morning...a lovely review...

And by "lovely," I mean both positive and beautifully written. You should absolutely check it out.

PLAYING HURT B-DAY PARTY, A BLUE SO DARK GIVEAWAY, + SELLING YOUR BOOK

My kitchen smells like flowers and there’s a song in my heart. Yep, PLAYING HURT’s release has been incredible—how cool was yesterday’s Twitter book birthday?

Also: don’t hesitate to check out my guest post, “Costumes, Glitter, and Blank Checks: What it Takes to Sell Your Book” at the Parking Lot Confessional.

And, my firstborn, Aura, stopped by Lost for Words for a character interview…Be sure to get in on the A BLUE SO DARK giveaway!

Also, check out my post on the Writer’s Digest Blog (“5 Ways Writers Kid Themselves,”) which includes a chance to win a copy of A BLUE SO DARK and PLAYING HURT!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, PLAYING HURT!

It’s here, it’s here, it’s here! PLAYING HURT’s official birthday!

To celebrate, I’m hopping all over the web today. You can check out the story of my path to publication and tips for children’s writers at One Writer’s Journey. Or, if you’re itching for some swag, you can enter to win a PLAYING HURT button (and a personalized note from the author) at Adventures in Children’s Publishing.

…And: be sure to check out the excerpt of PLAYING HURT, which has just gone live at the Flux website!

I also had to share this, in my post at YA Outside the Lines: the moment my author copies arrived! (Excitement ran amok…)

GUEST POST, INTERVIEW, REVIEW (ON THE EVE OF A BIRTHDAY)

I've got another book birthday coming up...tomorrow, in fact! Yep, March 8, PLAYING HURT will be officially "born."

Of course, this means that I spent the weekend sending out 200 mailers (and more emails), while organizing distribution of author copies of PLAYING HURT, putting together posts for my own PLAYING HURT Blog Tour, and juggling revisions of a yet-to-be-acquired novel.

I’m telling you, in all seriousness, anyone who thinks writing is a leisurely occupation is (as we say here in the Ozarks), a stark-raving idgit.

…But you know who makes it all worth it? You guys. My incredible bloggers. I just want to give you all enormous bear hugs.

…Speaking of: A guest post went live today at Reclusive Bibliophile, in which I comment on how hard it is to write a publishable novel before you’ve gone through the development process yourself.

Flux, my publisher, also put up a hot-off-my-computer interview.

And—just so my first baby doesn’t get too jealous of all the attention my newborn is soaking up, a review of A BLUE SO DARK can be found at The Serpentine Library.

...See you guys tomorrow: On PLAYING HURT's birthday!

ON MY VIRTUAL TOUR...AND PLAYING HURT GIVEAWAY!

On a pretty (yet, slightly windy) day last September, I hopped in the car with the idea of taking my readers on a tour of some of the landmarks that show up in both A BLUE SO DARK and PLAYING HURT. The result is the fun video below:

Read Sam, Read! is hosting both my guest post on the subject of book trailers (anybody else think a trailer can run the risk of outshining a book—the same way that, say, a video can sometimes outshine a song?), and she’s hosting a giveaway!

Get yourselves on over there; check out the post and enter to win!

ADVICE ON REJECTION, MAJORING IN ENGLISH...AND...A PLAYING HURT SNEAK PEEK!

Several super-cool guest posts are live right now…Katie at Call Me Crazy is running my advice to those of you who wonder if you’re wasting your time majoring in English (you’re not)…Check out that fantastic blog header at Call Me Crazy—great quote there from somebody who wrote a book called A BLUE SO DARK.

Donna at Bites is also running my advice on getting through rejection (and I know plenty about rejection—7 ½ years of it)…

And—drum roll, please—as part of the Teen Book Scene tour, Books Complete Me is now running a sneak peek of PLAYING HURT!

Thanks to Donna, Katie, and Cindy for having me over at their incredible blogs…

PLAYING HURT GRATITUDE

Guys, guys, guys, guys, GUYS! Expecting a package from Amazon to hit your doorstep? You’re not the only one…

This morning, Amazon listed PLAYING HURT as having only 7 more copies in stock (more on the way, of course). PLAYING HURT doesn’t even “officially” release until March 8!

Who’s responsible for this incredible turn of events? You. My bloggers. I can’t begin to tell you how much I truly appreciate and love you guys…

RABBIT, RABBIT! (+ INTERVIEW AT I JUST WANNA SIT HERE AND READ)

I repeat: "Rabbit, rabbit!" (supposed to bring you luck in March, you know)...And we all know I've got reason to want to be lucky in March! PLAYING HURT's official release date is one week away (but is already "in stock" at Amazon)!

This is such a fun interview: I Just Wanna Sit Here and Read is hosting an interview with Chelsea, one of the protagonists in PLAYING HURT. I loved this interview...gave me a chance to get back in Chelsea's head. It felt incredible to get to hang out with her again.