It's finally here! The Class of 2k12 is a group of twenty middle-grade and young adult debut novelists working in concert to promote our books and reading, and we're ready to begin.

In honor of our friends debuting this year, we're giving away a huge prize pack of all seventeen Class of 2k11 titles for a deserving class, school, or public library. If you'd like to nominate your favorite library, stop by our Facebook page and tell us about it. The winner will be announced November 12.

Be sure to visit our links to find out about 2k12 books, authors, and events:

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Me with Erin Morgenstern at Lemuria Books!

The Night Circus opens at nightfall …and closes at dawn.

The circus is here!

Nine of Cups!

This week is the 3rd Annual Random Acts of Publicity (September 6-8, 2011) hosted by Darcy Pattinson. It's a week to celebrate our favorite books. All you have to do is commit a Random Act of Publicity.  Sounds ominous, doesn’t it? But it’s really painless.  You can blog, tweet, post a status update, link, like, review, or talk about the book. Just get the word out!

Vicky Alvear Shecter is another Southern writer who likes to write books about long ago and far away.Her first YA novel, CLEOPATRA’S MOON, is about the only surviving daughter of Cleopatra.

Here’s the description from Goodreads:

"The Luxe" meets the ancient world in the extraordinary story of Cleopatra's daughter.

Selene has grown up in a palace on the Nile with her parents, Cleopatra & Mark Antony—the most brilliant, powerful rulers on earth. But the jealous Roman Emperor Octavianus wants Egypt for himself, & when war finally comes, Selene faces the loss of all she's ever loved. Forced to build a new life in Octavianus's household in Rome, she finds herself torn between two young men and two possible destinies—until she reaches out to claim her own.

This stunning novel brings to life the personalities & passions of one of the greatest dramas in history, & offers a wonderful new heroine in Selene.

Want to participate in Random Acts of Publicity? BLLuRT (Blog, Link, Like, Review, Talk) this week for one of your favorite books!

BLLuRT’s for CLEOPATRA’S MOON:

Visit Vicky’s blog, where you can follow the adventures of DQC (aka Drag Queen Cleo)!

Follow Vicky on Twitter

Add CLEOPATRA’S MOON to your Goodreads

Become a fan of Vicky Alvear Shecter on Goodreads

Buy CLEOPATRA’S MOON at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or <

Here are a few paintings of the garden rooms in the Winter Palace by Russian architect and painter Konstantin Ukhtomsky.  (A very important scene takes place in this first room in THE GATHERING STORM!)  For more Katerina-inspiring pictures, please visit my website. 

The Winter Garden

By Konstantin Ukhtomsky, c. 1860’s

                      by Konstantin Ukhtomksy

by Konstantin Ukhtomsky

I’ve started a section on my website where I post old photographs and paintings that I’ve come across while researching Imperial Russia for the Katerina Trilogy.  Today I added several featuring Tsar Alexander III.  If you’d like to see more, please visit www.robinbridges.com.

(Painting by Ivan Kramskoi, 1886)

Maria and Alexander in Denmark, 1893

The Imperial Family, 1888

Back: Maria, Nicholas, Xenia

Middle: Michael, Tsar Alexander, George

Front: Olga

Bad Robin.  I was supposed to pick the winner of the signed copy of BAD TASTE IN BOYS by Carrie Harris on Friday. 

But without further ado, the winner is

Tasnim Sheikh!

Congratulations, Tasnim!!!

And just in case you’re wondering, here are a few of my favorite undead characters:

I have to admit to a certain partiality for the walking dead. So I’ve been eager to read fellow Delacorte author Carrie Harris’ zombie debut, BAD TASTE IN BOYS. And I’m excited about supporting Carrie’s auction to raise money for the Giving Library at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Michigan. To check out how you can help provide books for sick kids and win amazing prizes, check out Carrie’s

NIGHT OF THE GIVING DEAD!!!!

To help celebrate BAD TASTE IN BOYS’ debut, I’m giving away a signed copy! The winner will be chosen randomly from comments posted before midnight Friday (CST). Tell me who your favorite zombie is (from books, movies, songs, etc.) or tell me which historical figure you think would make a cool zombie.

Anastasia seems to be the most popular Romanov!

I have to thank Sarah Miller for her lovely interview and also a thank you to Pooh’s Corner: A Children’s Bookstore in Michigan for the signed copy of THE LOST CROWN.

And the winner is…

jasouders

Congratulations! Please email me at robin at robinbridges dot com with your mailing address!

Finally, thank you to everyone who stopped by and commented!

If you haven’t guessed by now, I’m rather fond of books about Romanov history. Today is the launch day for Sarah Miller’s novel THE LOST CROWN, about the four daughters of the last tsar. Knowing Sarah from both Verla Kay’s Blue Boards and the Alexander Palace Time Machine, I was delighted when she agreed to answer a few questions about the Romanovs, THE LOST CROWN, and writing in general.

Happy book birthday, Sarah!

From Sarah’s website:

THE LOST CROWN
by Sarah Miller

Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. Like the fingers on a hand - first headstrong Olga, then Tatiana the tallest, Anastasia the smallest, and Maria most hopeful for a ring. These are the daughters of Tsar Nicholas II, Russian grand duchesses living a life steeped in tradition and privilege. For these young women each on the brink of beginning their own lives at the mercy of royal matchmakers, summer 1914 promises to be a precious last wink of time to be sisters together - sisters that still link arms and laugh, sisters that share their dreams and worries, and flirt with the officers of their imperial yacht.

But in a gunshot the future changes - for them, and for Russia.

As World War I ignites across Europe, political unrest sweeps Russia. First dissent, then disorder, mutiny - and revolution. For Olga, Tatiana, Maria and Anastasia, the end of their girlhood together is colliding with the end of more than they ever imagined.

At the same time hopeful and hopeless, naive and wise, the voices of these sisters become a chorus singing the final song of Imperial Russia. Impeccably researched and utterly fascinating, acclaimed author Sarah Miller recounts the final days of Imperial Russia with lyricism, criticism and true compassion.

Welcome, Sarah!

How are yo