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Click on the video below and push the time bar to the 50 second mark.



Ready? Push play and sing along with me as loud as you can:

"AN-TI-CI-PAAA-TION!!!"

That's my life right now. CHAINS will be released officially on October 21st, the day my book tour begins, two days before my birthday. The nice people at S&S have posted a CHAINS excerpt for you to read while you are waiting for the book.

The details of the book tour are in the last stages of being firmed up, but it looks like I'll be visiting:
36 schools (these presentations are not open to the public)
19 bookstores (this includes 2 stores in December after the official tour is over)
3 presentations to groups of librarians and teachers. Maybe 4.

At the end of the tour, I head for San Antonio, TX for the NCTE/ALAN Conference. And then I go home, turn off the phone, and take a nap.

Right now I feel like a basketball player after the warm-ups are over and before the National Anthem has been sung. My stomach is a little jumpy, my hands are sweaty, and I can't wait until the referee blows her whistle and throws up the ball to start the game.

I am doing something new on this tour. I am bringing a portable digital projector so I can show a visual presentation to everyone. The "show" gives a little background about me and my writing, then focuses on my research and writing of CHAINS. If you live in Central NY, you can see a sneak preview of this show next Tuesday at 7pm at the Barnes & Noble in Dewitt, NY, where I'll be speaking at their Educators' Appreciation Night.

While we were running this morning, BH and I saw a gorgeous red-tailed hawk sweeping over a meadow. When we got home (he cooked an awesome ham and egg breakfast), a second hawk about twice the size of the first one perched on the edge of our forest and allowed us to admire him.

It's been quite a day.

First - I am blushing and squirming profusely as I do this, but Betsy Bird posted an incredibly detailed and generous review of CHAINS. Thank you, Betsy!

The weekend sort of didn't exist for me because I spent most of it rushing hither and yon. Saturday morning I flew to Detroit and then took a cab to Dearborn for the Great Lakes Bookseller's Association annual tradeshow. I hung out with Sarah Miller and ran into Jaime Adoff, who has produced both a new book and (with considerable help from his wife) a new baby this year.

Early galleys of David Macinnis Gill's Soul Enchilada were there! (Click on the link to see the real cover, which is v. cool.) I toured the floor, signed a couple hundred copies of CHAINS, soaked my hand in ice-cold water, then spent a looooong time on the treadmill so my legs would be as tired as my signing hand.

The big event was Sunday - the booksellers gathered for one of the nicest conference breakfasts I've ever eaten, thanks to the generosity of Bookazine. While the booksellers enjoyed their sausage, eggs, and way too many pastries, I grabbed the microphone and talked about the reasons I wrote CHAINS, then Suzanne Collins talked about the writing of HUNGER GAMES, and Jerry Pinkney showed us his process and motivation for his new book, THE MOON OVER STAR.

We were all very happy when the speaking part was over.

I also got to meet Kathe Koja, seen here between Sarah Miller and me.

Two weeks from today I leave on the CHAINS book tour! Yikes! I need to write many, many pages before then. I also need to find the appropriate tour sneakers. Anyone know where I can find a pair of sizzling, baby-blue high-tops, women's size 10 or men's 8? Oh, and I need a couple of shirts that won't wrinkle. But mostly I have to write oodles of pages.

Before I climb up on my soapbox and rant, I will try to use my "inside voice" and politely share a few things.

Thing #1 - You can read about why I wrote CHAINS on the Simon & Schuster website.

Thing #2 - Because Simon & Schuster is a totally excellent publisher, you can find a CHAINS Reading Group Guide on their website, too.

Thing #3 - Bookavore weighs in on the demise of the Minx imprint and how publishers might be missing an important segment of teen readers.

Thing #4 - I'm putting together my book tour presentation about CHAINS with Apple's Keynote software and I am loving it so much, I want to dedicate the rest of my life to making Keynote presentations. Seriously. Ditch your PC and switch to a Mac. Today. (Thank you, Officemouse, for nudging me to get this software.)

Thing #5 - I went for my first post-race run yesterday and I have definitely aggravated my left ITB which in turn is tormenting my left knee. I have been stretching it gently many times a day since the race, but it is one stubborn tendon. Do any of you have experience with this?

Thing #6 - I would like Congress to pass a bill that allows Americans to "do over" the month of September. I am currently running a 700 billion minute deficit and I need some help.

Ooops, the rant is beginning. I cannot hold back any longer. If you aren't in the mood, you should leave the room now.

::climbs up on soapbox::

Ahem.

Is anyone else worried about the lack of checks and balances on the authority of the Treasury Secretary under the proposed socialization bailout of Wall Street? And is anyone else as angry as me that the same people who don't think we can afford - or should even consider - providing basic health care to all Americans because that would be socialist, are in such a gol-darned hurry to bail out the irresponsible greedy SOBS who were permitted to bring our economy to the brink of disaster?

And why does it all have to happen so quickly? When politicians want to make not-quite-Constitutionally approved decisions this fast, I get very nervous. And angry.

If you're feeling the same way, please write to your Congressional representatives today. And don't forget to register and vote!

1. Central New York Literary Event Alert! To celebrate Banned Books Week next week, the Onondaga County Library System is hosting a reception for and presentation by Carolyn Mackler, author of wonderful books like The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, and Vegan Virgin Valentine next Wednesday. BH and I will be there - why don't you join us?

2. Central New York Literary Event Alert #2! I will be speaking about Chains at the B&N Educators' Night on Tuesday, October 14, at 7pm.

3. I love Strange Maps.

4. Thank you to TeensReadToo for a lovely review of Chains. And to KLIATT, too, for the pretty star.

5. I believe that the concept of "gluttony" when applied to eating apples just picked at the farm around the corner is better described as "celebration."

So my mom spent a week in the hospital, but she didn't die. Yay, Mom! Now she's at the "spa" which is what we're calling the facility where she is staying for the next month because "rehab center" doesn't sound right. She's working with physical and occupational therapists every day to regain strength and mobility. The goal is to get her walking again. If ferocity and determination count for anything, she'll make it.

Whew!

I picked more than 50 tomatoes from my garden this morning, which means we'll be eating gazpacho all week. Has anyone tried to freeze gazpacho?

I received the ARC of the British version of CHAINS.

Here's the British cover.


This is the American version.

Opinions?

When I read, I read not only as a lover of story, but also as a writer and a teacher.  Some books really speak to the writer in me…the one who loves a beautifully turned phrase, a well-placed detail.  Some books speak to the teacher…the one who loves the historical details, believes in “the truth inside the lie,” as Stephen King described fiction, and takes frequent breaks from reading to fantasize about how much fun it will be to share the text with students.  And some books…well…some books speak to the story lover and carry her away on wings of words.

Once in a while, I read a truly unique book that speaks powerfully to all three.  In the past few weeks, I’ve read advance reader copies of two of those amazing books, both by writers named Anderson, coincidentally, and both about the choices faced by slaves during the American Revolution.



CHAINS by Laurie Halse Anderson tells the story of Isabel, a slave trapped in New York City in the early days of the Revolution.  Sold to Loyalists when her former owner dies, she’s offered the chance to spy for the Patriots.  But does their talk of liberty really include her?  What about the British, who promise freedom to slaves who join their fight against the rebels? 

This book is impeccably researched in a way that not only convinced me I was getting “the real deal” as far as the historical details are concerned but also transported me straight back into the 18th century.  Some historical novels that have tackled this issue in the past  have made it overly simple, but CHAINS is different.  The historical context isn’t simplified, the Patriot cause isn’t glorified, and the characters are flawed, complex, and rich.  As a reader and as a teacher, I am in serious book-love, and I already have plans to use this novel in my 7th grade classroom next year.  CHAINS is a well-researched look at choices made by individuals during the Revolution, a coming-of-age story for a girl and a nation, and an absolute page-turner.  It’s everything that historical fiction ought to be.

While I read CHAINS in two days, it took me several weeks to get through M.T. Anderson’s THE ASTONISHING LIFE OF OCTAVIAN NOTHING, TRAITOR TO THE NATION, VOLUME II: THE KINGDOM ON THE WAVES.  Not because it wasn’t good.  It was amazing.  But it was a difficult book to read on a few levels.  M.T. Anderson is right up near the top on the list of the smartest people I’ve ever encountered, and his prose is dense.  The 18th century language of this series occasionally requires a dictionary.  More than that, though, Octavian’s story is difficult to read because it feels so, so raw. 

Like CHAINS, this book looks at the experience of slaves in the American Revolution through the eyes of an individual – in this case, Octavian Nothing, who grew up as the subject of scientific and philosophical experiments by a group of elite Boston men and in this latest volume, joins Lord Dunmore’s Ethiopian Regiment to fight the Rebels.  Octavian’s life and his choices are based on the experiences of many slaves during this time period.  Anderson tells his story with a detachment that is somehow analytical and yet deeply personal and emotional all at once.  It’s an amazing, amazing book.   And I especially love the way it ends – with an author’s note that challenges us to consider not only the past but the present.

If you have any interest at all in American history, read both of these books when they come out this fall.  You'll be transported by the masterful storytelling.  You'll come away with a deeper sense of our history as a nation -- for better or for worse. And you'll be thinking abut Isabel and Octavian for a long, long time.

Remember how I moved up here because I love ice and snow? I'll be crawling inside the freezer shortly. This will be the third day with sticky temperatures in the 90s. Ack. I hate heat. Ack. Ack. Ack.

I have a couple of freshly-chilled links to distract you, if you are sticking to your chair the way I am sticking to mine this morning.

My local newspaper, the Post Standard, has a nice article about our upcoming half-marathon and how I became a runner. (Thanks, Laura!)

Richie Partington has written a wonderful and moving review of CHAINS.

The Mad Woman in the Forest Writing Challenge starts July 1. If you'll be joining us, it's time to sharpen your pencils. In preparation, I'm going to recommend you check out a few books about the business of writing and the artistic process. If you want to publish a book for kids or teenagers, I really think you should buy Harold Underdown's Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, 3rd Edition. Seriously. You'll read it until the covers fall off.

Office Mouse got the camera talking to the computer yesterday! (I am still learned how to size the photos correctly. Another obvious fact.) What do you want me to put on a video?

Here is the Creature With Fangs all dressed up for our anniversary last week.


Oh! And I can show you

The lovely Erika Davis, owner of Creekside Books in Skaneateles.

Line of readers!

Bethy, came out, too! That's her (the tiny one), her husband, their son, and me. Bethy and I were best friends when we were little kids.

Random shot of me in the garden a few weeks ago. Such glamor and sophistication.

I am standing at the mouth of the Cave of Revision, impatiently waiting for the coffee pot to finish making coffee. I think I have a few more long days on this revision before I turn it in.

So. Here are my rambling, hurry-up-coffee-pot notes:

1. Yesterday, I corresponded with readers in Brazil and Norway. How cool is that?

2. My latest obsession is worm castings. Yes, that is a polite word for worm poop. I am gardening organically this year and worms are my new best friends. I am looking for a source in Central New York, if anyone knows of one. So far, I've been ordering them from Vermont, and am having a friend's family (who are in the business of producing worm poop, don't ask) bring me some on their next visit to the area.

Go ahead, laugh, but you should see what it is doing to my broccoli plants.

3. If you live in Michigan, please vote for the Thumbs Up! Award by May 30th! (twistedtwistedtwistedtwisted)

4. Little birds have been reporting that the TWISTED paperback version is turning up in stores in one of those cardboard stands. (Those are called dumps, but after my discussion of worm poop, I am not going there.) Have you seen one?

5. When you are in the bookstore, be sure to buy Tanya Lee Stone's newest wonderful picture book: Elizabeth Leads the Way: Elizabeth Cady Stanton and the Right to Vote. It has been named a Book Links Best New Books of 2008, and a Booklist Top Ten Youth Biography, and is sure to garner more awards soon.

Not only is it a wonderful book, but Tanya just made a generous contribution that brought my Beloved Husband's fund raising efforts to his goal of $2,500!!! ALL HAIL TANYA! (Please give her some love on her blog!)

The fund raising is done! The fund raising is done! Our nice friends chipped in $5000 for cancer research! ::dances around the cave!!

Now all we have to do is run 13.1 miles on June 15th! ::sits down on cave floor::

No, really, our training has been going very well, so it shouldn't be a problem. We ran 13.3 miles two weeks ago, and had a hilly 10.5 mile run on Sunday. That one aggravated some tendon issues, but everything will heal in time because I said it would.

6. INDEPENDENT DAMES received another awesome blog review. This one is of particular interest to middle school teachers.

7. CHAINS has been chosen as a Junior Library Guild selection!

8. Did I mention how great my broccoli looks?

The coffee is done and my characters are whining for me to hurry up because they have a lot to do today. See ya!

It's time for an update about our Team for Training run. My husband and I are running the Lake Placid Half Marathon on June 15th in honor of my cousin, Darcy Skinner, who is fighting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. We joined the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training and decided to raise a total of $5,000 for the cause.

Thanks to readers and friends across the country, my part of the effort has reached its goal of $2,500. Now it's time to support my Beloved Husband. He needs to raise $1485 to meet his goal.

Simon & Schuster has offered to help. Starting today, the next ten people who donate at least $20 to Scot's run will receive a free Advanced Reading Copy of my next book, CHAINS. The book doesn't come out until October. If you are one of the lucky donors, you'll get your copy in June! (One rule - you must be at least 18 years old qualify.)

Donate right now! It's so easy! Click! Click! Click!



Thank you!

I am writing this in the Springfield, IL airport, which is wrapped in fog so thick the planes can't land or take off.

Yesterday was a crazy busy wonderful day at one of the best state reading/English teacher conferences I have ever been privileged to attend. Thank you to everyone in IL who greeted me to kindly and made a long day a lot of fun. I gave the lunch speech, a workshop on revision, and a workshop in which I divulged the "stories behind the stories"of my novels. And met a lot of very enthusiastic teachers at three book signing sessions. AND, last night, I read a chapter of CHAINS for the first time in public, which went over very well.

I ran into a couple of old and new friends, but didn't have much time to chat.

Lisa Yee and her traveling Peep.

Richard Peck and I chatted while waiting for our suitcases and in line for coffee.

I just gawked at Brian Selznik

This teacher was so, so, so sweet because she looked through DAMES and made all the right cooing noises and exclamations. And I am a heel for forgetting her name, but I will always remember how happy she made me.

I met Liz last year when I was in St. Louis on book tour; we got to hang out a bit and talk about historical fiction.

OK, fog is lifting, plane is boarding. Thank you, Fine Teachers of the Land of Lincoln! I salute you!

Busy weekend writing. Busy week ahead.... you guessed it, writing. My cold is gone but it woke up the asthma dragon who sleeps in the deepest lobe of my lungs, and we've been wrestling a lot. I tend to lose these battles. I've been getting my running in, but veeeeery sloooooowly because of the hacking and sputtering. I am trying to convince myself that running with a reduced flow of oxygen is a cool new conditioning technique. And I am off to the doc today to see if he can prescribe a nostrum that will put the dragon back to sleep.

I hates lung dragons. (Does anyone remember the Yosemite Sam quote?)

In much happier news, I can share the cover of my fall book with you!!



The story follows the adventure of a slave trapped in New York City in 1776 while the city is torn back and forth between Patriot and British occupations. It doesn't come out until the fall, so more details later. (Thanks to perfykt for the nudge.)

Last week mousesnovel asked in response to my announcement that I left a character on the cutting room floor: Was it difficult to eliminate the character? I'm not sure how much you can tell me, if it will give spoilers, but I know I get very attached to mine.

The different parts of the writing process feel like different countries to me. The etiquette and customs of one country is extremely different from the next. In the early drafts, I include everything that falls into my head and I love it all. I could never cut out a character at that stage. When I get to later drafts, that changes. The only thing that matters is what works best for the story. if I fall in love a character and she doesn't work in the story, she's gets cut. I can always send her flowers, take her to the movies, or go out for coffee with her. But if she isn't a vital thread in the fabric of the story, out she goes.

Andrew Smith, our go-to American Food guru is back again this week with a look at American food trends. What trend do you think has been, and will be, the most influential: Fast Food, Slow Food, Factory Farms or Organic Farms? Be sure to let us know in the comments what you think! Check back on Thursdays throughout May for more great posts by Andrew Smith, editor of the Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink, who teaches culinary history and professional food writing at The New School University, serves as Chair of the Culinary Trust and as a consultant to several food television productions.

A. Fast Food
White Castle, launched in 1916, successfully used Henry Ford’s principles of the assembly line to make and sell inexpensive hamburgers. (more…)

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