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Dear Friends,

At the risk of her turning a scorching violet, please join me in congratulating Robin as Houghton Mifflin releases the second in the already-madly-successful series, with Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris. Robin's first Theo book, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, garnered her two starred reviews, and Booklist nailed it with "A sure hit with the Harry Potter fans!" That is so the kind of thing a girl likes to hear (le swoon)! School Library Journal called Theo a "combination of Nancy Drew and Indiana Jones."   It was also a Junior Literary Guild Pick and a BookSense (now Indie Bound) Summer Pick.

From the new release's bookflap: Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Allowed to attend a reception given by one of the directors of her parents' museum, she stumbles across Mr. Tetley of the British Museum—in most unusual circumstances! Since Theo has last seen him in a showdown in an ancient Egyptian tomb, his reappearance could mean only one thing: the Serpents of Chaos are back. Once again Theodosia will have to take on secret societies, evil curses, and dark magic too sinister to imagine, especially if it falls into the wrong hands. Blocked at every turn, Theodosia will have to rely on her own skill and cunning—along with a little help from the most unexpected places. 


The art is stunning. Illustrator Yoko Tanaka is a wonder. The cover screams Pick.Me.Up.Now! Which is exactly what I did when I was at LAX recently, and saw it in their bookstore. I was so excited I had to immediately take a picture of it with my yell phone, and email it to Robin. It thrilled me LOT.  She's the first airport author I've ever known.  One for my bucket list!

Robin will be doing her inaugural signing this Sunday, November 23rd from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. at our local favorite Indie, Chaucer's Books in Santa Barbara. I will be signing my newish release from Wendy Lamb Books alongside her, as well as making up stuff to embarrass her with customers. She's resigned herself to it by now. :-]

Contest Alert! I will send a signed copy of Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris and a stick-on Egyptian tattoo to the first person who can tell me who Robin dedicated her book to.   If you are the winner, and you'd like this book for your local school or library, I am happy to send it to them directly.  But feel free to keep it for your private collection.  :>

Robin and I worked on this lift all weekend long. For god's sake, it couldn't possibly be any more uncomfortable. You need the neck and ankles of Iron Man. But, we'll do just about anything to rouse up some whooping and hollering for our Independent Bookstores. Uh, like asking a lot of introverts to make some N-O-I-S-E!

As you can see, we've started our daily posting of the indie bookstores that we want to recognize-- cool places that you've recommended. And uh, it's as quiet as a church on Monday around here. Would you help us start a cyber wave here?

Every time we post about a new indie, will you reply with an e-cheer? We're inviting all the booksellers to come on by and wallow in the groovy love. And, if you'll click on the indie's link and give them a personal wave, even cooler.

SHOP your indies this month! If you can't get out, and you don't have an independent near you, you can orders books through Booksense, your on-line connection to all the independently owned bookstores. Please help us support these heroes of our literary world.

Let's hear it! Robin and I have vowed to stay in this godawful lift until we've got some happy noise going! (And, a-hem, one of us has a very busy little bladder--and her name doesn't start with an "R". Please don't leave us like this.)

So, here's to Chaucer's in Santa Barbara, the Toronto Women's Bookstore, and Maria's Bookshop in Durango! You're all THAT and a bag of books!

~(:-])
Mary

Dear Friends,

As promised, we are kicking off our non-stop parade of indies during the entire month of May in celebration of our 2nd Annual National Independent Bookseller Month here at Shrinking Violets. Keep those names of your favorite indies coming. All of you that submit a bookstore name and the 4-1-1 on it will be entered into our drawing for a gift bag that starts with ten new children's books. . . but that's not all!

Taking a well-deserved lead in our parade is my favorite local indie-- CHAUCER'S BOOKSTORE right in my own 'hood. I'm just fresh in from a visit, where I was thrilled to see the new paperback edition of Robin's book, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos, along with a host of other titles from friends and children's writers that I admire. (Hey, Bruce, I just read your new Snoring Beauty. It's a riot--yada yada hippity hop!)


All the best books kids need access to are there. The staff in the children's section read-read-read, and they love books. What a concept, huh? They know their stuff. No sooner than a title inquiry is out of my mouth, it's in my hands. My sidekick made our first, but not last, purchase of the month there. Let the shopping and love-in begin! If you are ever in Santa Barbara, check them out. I know you'll love them as much as Robin and I do!

Chaucer's Books
Loreto Plaza
3321 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
(805) 682-6787
events@
chaucersbooks.com

Link to Chaucer's


Stay tuned! We'll be back each and every day-- no kidding. =-]


Mary Hershey