Category: 2009 Debs

Where all my words are going

Where are they going? Clearly, not in this blog. But! I’m up 5,800 words this past week and 4,300 the week before that (these would be revised, new, and “blended” words).

And even though I know this won’t be my only trip through the manuscript (Oh, revision, you have just begun), I’m pleased with my progress and process of finding time to work every single day.

Of course, yesterday I thought to log on to RWA National to see if I had any Rita books coming my way for judging. It turns out that somewhere out there, a box with seven books has my name on it. Seven books I must read/judge by February 28. And I don’t have them yet.

Oy.

But thanks to the magic of Kindle, I’ve started reading. (And yeah, I’m thinking these seven anonymous authors all have a Kindle sale in their future. It’s worth paying for the convenience.)  

Last, but not least, the 2010 American Library Association award winners are in!

Huge congrats and serious squees to 2009 Deb L.K. Madigan for winning the Morris Award for her debut novel Flash Burnout.

I also want to congratulate my friend Nora Raleigh Baskin for winning the Schneider Family Book Award for her middle grade novel Anything But Typical (which I just finished and knew it was going to win).

I also want to mention the Michael L. Printz Award, which goes to Libba Bray this year for Going Bovine—which was one of my favorite books last year.

What do you think of the finalists/winners this year?

Debs do good!

Every year the technical writers sponsor a silent/not-so-silent auction to support Second Harvest Heartland. One year, I put together a booklover’s gift basket. This year, I put together a basket featuring Debs books:

You can’t see all the books (although I love the way the eyes peek out from over the edge and from behind the pillow), but included in the basket are:

  • Shadowed Summer by Saundra Mitchell
  • My Big Nose & Other Natural Disasters by Sydney Salter
  • TMI by Sarah Quigley
  • Silver Phoenix by Cindy Pon
  • The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance
  • My Invented Life by Lauren Bjorkman
  • Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler

The basket created a lot of interest. Even though I made a printout of all the books w/descriptions, every time I walked by, the basket was in disarray from people picking up the books, looking at the books, not returning the books neatly to their spot, and so on.

High bid was $150.00! When the auctioneer announced that all the books were signed, there was an audible gasp from the crowd. Of course, no donation could touch the four Taylor Swift tickets our CEO donated. In all, we made about $7,500, all of it going to Second Harvest Heartland.

Debs = made of awesome.

My book (signing) report

Things I learned at my book signing:

Kirstin Cronn-Mills, my never camera-shy daughter, me, West Jr. High principal
  • Nerds are much more popular than Smarties. (Note level of candy in red bowl vs. blue bowl.)
  • Giving away free candy is hard. (Don’t take candy from strangers still runs deep, apparently.)
  • Even if you sit at a table with a large stack of the same book, a sign that says you’re signing the book, most people will not realize you’re the author.
  • Some of these people will ask for directions to the restroom (straight back, take a left at information, then a right at the blue frog).
  • Having someone shake their head and wrinkle their nose after you describe your book to them is more funny than awful.
  • Spending fifteen minutes recommending every book you can think of for someone’s reluctant reader son is a lot of fun.
  • Talking to a fellow debut author (Kirstin Cronn-Mills) is both fun and therapeutic.
  • Signing all the stock is also lots of fun.
  • Sitting by the door, during a Minnesota winter, is not.

Most important, I learned that it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be to talk to people and that I’d do this again in a heartbeat.

How many more shopping days?

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The Debs are everywhere this holiday season!

As you can see, Darcy is working overtime on December 5th in Chicago. I guess I will be too, since I’ll be signing–and volunteering–at the fundraising book fair for Andrew’s Jr. High. You know what that means, don’t you (other than the fact I have ample opportunity to embarrass my offspring)?

Not only will I sign your copy of The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading, but I will wrap it for you. (Because I’m also scheduled to work the gift wrapping table, if you haven’t already guessed.)

Hope to see you there!

And for more information on Debs signings this holiday season, check out the link below.

Darcy:

December 5th, Holidaze with the Debs:

1-3 p.m.
Borders
161 N. Weber Road
Bolingbrook, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

7-9 p.m.
The Book Cellar, Inc.
4736-38 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL
Including: Cynthea Liu, Saundra Mitchell, Aprilynne Pike, Kristina Springer, Darcy Vance, Lara Zielin

Charity:

December 5th, First annual Hopkins West Jr. High Book Fair:

10 a.m. – 2 p.m. and 4 – 6 p.m.
Barnes and Noble Ridgehaven Mall
13131 Ridgedale Drive
Minnetonka, MN 55305

Debs 09 Music giveaway

Jordyn over at Ten Cent Notes has put together two playlists based on 2009 debut novels.

A:

  1. Glamorous – Fergie (Exclusively Chloe, by J.A. Yang)
  2. Breathe – Taylor Swift (Breathing, by Cheryl Renee Herbsman)
  3. The Not-So Pretty Princess – Jude (My Big Nose, by Sydney Salter)
  4. The Reason – Hoobastank (The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading, by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance)
  5. Love Like This – Natasha Bedingfeild (Shrinking Violet, by Danielle Joseph)
  6. Anti-Pop – Matthew Good (Cracked Up to Be, by Courtney Summers)
  7. Just Like Heaven – The Cure (This Is What I Want to Tell You, by Heather Duffy-Stone)
  8. California Stars – Wilco (20 Boy Summer, by Sarah Ockler)

B:

  1. Anyone at All – Carole King (The Espressologist, by Kristina Springer)
  2. In-Between Days – The Cure (Flash Burnout, by L.K. Madigan)
  3. Little Boxes – The Shins (Candor, by Pam Bachorz)
  4. Love Story – Taylor Swift (Prada & Prejudice, by Mandy Hubbard)
  5. Over My Head – The Fray (Lipstick Apology, by Jennifer Jabaley)
  6. Make Your Own Kind of Music – Cass Elliot (The Secrets of Truth & Beauty, by Megan Frazer)
  7. Mario Kart Love Song – Sam Hart (The Geek Girl’s Guide to Cheerleading, by Charity Tahmaseb and Darcy Vance)
  8. Time Turned Fragile – Motion City Soundtrack (Break, by Hannah Moskovitz)

And between now and the 15th, you can win one of these playlists–all for a comment. So, hurry on over.

I’m pretty psyched Geek Girl is on both playlists. I think Mario Kart Love Song must be Darcy’s contribution (either that, or I was contributing in another dimension–cuz I don’t remember suggesting that song).

The Reason by Hoobastank is my contribution, and it’s the song I associated with Geek Girl’s Guide. Well, that and it’s fun to say Hoobastank. Go on. Try it.

Anyway, Geek Girl never had a full playlist. There’s a few songs that I when I hear them, I’ll think of Geek Girl, but The Reason is the song. Every time it came on the radio, I’d take that as a good omen: it meant: I should write/revise/query and so on.

So … enjoy. And be sure to enter Jordyn’s contest.

Help save Shrinking Violet

2009 Deb Danielle Joseph could use everyone’s help. Shrinking Violet is about an extremely shy high school senior trying to find her voice and reach her dream of becoming a DJ, despite the obstacles that stand in her way.

The book is about to go on back order and in order for more copies to be printed, more people have to place orders for the book.

Read more about Shrinking Violet:

High school senior Teresa Adams is so painfully shy that she dreads speaking to anyone in the hallways or getting called on in class. But in the privacy of her bedroom with her iPod in hand, she rocks out doing mock broadcasts for Miami’s hottest FM radio station, which happens to be owned by her stepfather. When a slot opens up at The SLAM, Tere surprises herself by blossoming behind the mike into confident, sexy Sweet T to everyone’s shock, she’s a hit! Even Gavin, the only guy in school who she dares to talk to, raves about the mysterious DJ’s awesome taste in music. But when The SLAM announces a songwriting contest, and a prom date with Sweet T is the grand prize, Sweet T’s dream could turn into Tere’s worst nightmare. . . .

Want to help? Here’s what you can do:

Please tell anyone that you think might be interested to place an order now before it’s too late. Guys, girls, grandmas. grandpas, you’re never too old to read humorous teen fiction!

Can’t afford to buy another book? You can still help. Check to see if your school and/or public library carries a copy of Shrinking Violet. If not, request it! (A lot of the time, you can even do this online). Write a review and post it on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, GoodReads.

Danielle also running a contest for those that want to have some fun! There will be four winners, each receiving a $25 gift certificate to iTunes or the bookstore of their choice. For all the information on what to do, head on over to Danielle’s blog.