Okay–so now that The Aristobrats #1 is on the shelves and The Aristobrats #2 is safely tucked away under my editor’s pillow, the big question is…should there be more? Hmm. Will Parker have to leave Wallingford Academy and move away from the Lylas? Will James and... [+]

We talk about The Aristobrats, the populadder, and leaving a very, very large Carbo Footprint. (Am I proud of how many times I say the word “exactly”? No, I’m not…but the interview is fun anyway!) Listen here.

A testament to you: fine friends, talented and tenacious bloggers and lovely family, I just received the following notice. (Keep in mind, The Aristobrats was barely on shelves anywhere…so this is ONLY because you called, demanded, had a hissy fit and asked for it by... [+]

Okay, so today, in less than ONE day, it would appear that we’ve sold out of every copy of The Aristobrats in existence. It’s an OMGasp moment and a testament to what bloggers can do because not a single newspaper or magazine (even Publisher’s Weekly) gave... [+]

Check out Lizzy Burns lovely review! “A perfect middle school read: fun and breezy with depth…Each Aristobrat is true to herself and they respect their differences. I look forward to more books in the series.”

A small painting by Shari Elf sits above my desk and shines down on me everyday. Some days I take its message literally. And on those days I wear lots of feathers and something sparkly and see-thru. But on most days, I take it metaphorically. What... [+]

Okay, so I get this email from my dad this morning. It says, “Thanks for your nice wishes on our anniversary. I feel so lucky that your mother and I have had forty-seven years together. Tomorrow is your mom’s first day back at school and... [+]

I love hearing from new friends but when I get really busy I forget to let them know how very much I appreciate it. So I got this note from The Preppy Princess (I know her real name but it may in fact be classified... [+]

My most completely popular blog entry of all time is  “The Surefire Query Letter is Here.” Who knew? But the question I get asked about all the time is “What’s the surefire way to get a literary agent?” Okay – so here’s the answer: 1. Write a... [+]

Now I love to hate/hate to love Massie Block as much as the next Clique chick, but can’t a popular girl actually be a nice person? Ever since Lindsay Lohan was taken in by “The Plastics” a.k.a. “Mean Girls” and Blair Waldorf planted her pointy-toed... [+]

I have a dirty little secret. I have no middle name. My mom explains it to me thusly: “My mother, your grandmother, gave me the middle name ‘i.’ which is humiliating. i-what? i-robot? i-likey? No. just i, period. This is why,... [+]

Are you like me? Sitting in the library in your JLo’s, not really thinking about much else other than your current manuscript, the fact that your car is parked in the 20 minute zone and you’ve been there for 6 1/2 hours,... [+]

So, it’s been a while since I’ve said bonjour and I wanted to let you know what’s all happening. I was in the middle of my next book and my agent came to me with an idea I jumped on. Here’s the dealio: I’m writing... [+]

Okay, so Candace has a few New York Times bestsellers…AND a few movies and television shows under her belt…AND she is WAY skinnier than I am…AND married to a ballet dancer with really hot buns…AND maybe you can’t really see it from the photographs, but... [+]

It’s that special time in a writer’s life: The new manuscript is done and has been turned into the agent. The agent will not be done reading said manuscript for at least a few days, possibly an entire week! For these delicious, yet fleeting moments, life... [+]

Move over Eva Gabor, Green Acres is the place to be! I’m not sure if this is very cool of me or slightly weird and kind of old-lady-ish, but I’ve taken up all sorts of farm-girl stuff at my new house in upstate Podunkapalooza. I’m 1.... [+]

Every girl needs a break. Mine was Thailand and a yummy little hotel called Sala Samui. It was hot and gorgeous and I braved the beaches in something they call a micro-tini, a thing a woman of my age and buttock jiggle shouldn’t be caught... [+]

I do not believe a party is truly a party until the go-go dancers get the cage a rockin’. (Remember my 30th birthday in Tribeca?!). Saturday night was no exception. The gorgeous party at the over-the-top home of Jillian (no relation to The-Booster-Jillian) Manus and Alan... [+]