ME & MY IPPY!

Seriously—does anyone else have a dog who just has to get in on picture taking? I swear, every single time we grab the camera (video or still), Jake comes running. Sometimes, I think he really does know he's getting his photo snapped...what a camera hog...





Anyway, the reason for getting the old camera out is that my gold medal from the IPPYs arrived! (And it absolutely made me feel like some sort of Olympic athlete...)


Here's the medal (and A BLUE SO DARK, which won the award) at the Flux booth at BEA:

CHASING SPARKS...

Ah, 2010—what an incredible year…And as 2011 gets well underway, all I can say is, "Inspiration is in the air!"

…You know, one of the most difficult jobs a writer has is just finding a great idea. And you guys all proved, during my Flash Fiction Challenge, that you're just brimming with great ideas. So get out there and put those ideas to use…(Never letting a single spark of inspiration go by? Yup—it’s my 2011 resolution…)

Here’s to a daily word count that sends smoke coming out of the keyboard…

GOIN' OUT WITH A BIG OL' BANG

As 2010 comes to a close, I keep bumping into A BLUE SO DARK online...in end-of-the-year reviews and best-of-the-year posts. How cool is that?

Check it all out:

Review from Felicia Howell;

Review from Princess Bookie;

Steph Su Reads Contemporary Adoration;

Claire Hennessy Favorite YA of 2010;

Story Siren 2010 Wrap Up

...The Story Siren called BLUE the "Most Beautifully Written Book in 2010" Now that's what you call ending on a high note. Here I come, 2011!

...And a few more: A cool review at Zoe's Book Reviews, and BLUE is on the 10 Best Titles for 2010 at YA Librarian Tales, and is Fiction Folio's Most Surprising Book of 2010!

HAPPY, HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2010 is wrapping up...and what an incredible, incredible year it's been! I wouldn't change a single moment of it...and I have you guys to thank for that. You're the best. I mean it.

So here's an "in-person" happy holiday message to all of you...from me and "I-Am-So-Above-This" Jake Schindler.







...I'm also going to be doing many more vlog posts in 2011 (vlogs are just about as addictive as dark chocolate), so feel free to subscribe to the YouTube channel...

Happy holidays, everyone...See ya in '11!

A BLUE SO DARK ON BOOKLIST TOP TEN

My local librarian shared the incredible news with me: A BLUE SO DARK is on Booklist's Top 10 First Novels for Youth!

...Talk about ending the week on a high note...

...And be sure to head on over to The Thoughts of a Book Junky to get in on a chance to win a copy of A BLUE SO DARK or a signed bookmark!

FIRST INTERVIEW OF 2010!

I so love these interviews. Got a fantastic interview that's just been posted at MarjoleinBookBlog!

What do I like most about writing for young adults?

If I could be a character from my books for a day, who would it be?

To find out, get yourselves on over to Marjolein's blog!

...By the way, is anybody else feeling like 2010 is going to be the year? You know...the year, as Charlie Brown might put it, that you finally do kick that football?????