Not one but two bidders have earned a spot in Nancy's next novel, as a result of the charity auction for YALSA at the ALA Midwinter Meeting (see the January 5 post for a fuller explanation).

Blogger/librarian Cindy Dobrez won the bidding, but runner-up Ellen Dando bid so spiritedly, and is such a committed fan of Nancy, that Cindy graciously lobbied on Ellen's behalf for her to be included as well. So Nancy is going to work both names into Unbreakable.

Not one but two bidders have earned a spot in Nancy's next novel, as a result of the charity auction for YALSA at the ALA Midwinter Meeting (see the January 5 post for a fuller explanation).

Blogger/librarian Cindy Dobrez won the bidding, but runner-up Ellen Dando bid so spiritedly, and is such a committed fan of Nancy, that Cindy graciously lobbied on Ellen's behalf for her to be included as well. So Nancy is going to work both names into Unbreakable.

I love this picture in the Chicago Tribune, a reaction shot to one of the award announcements at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Across the front row we have librarian Walter Mayes (who officiated at our wedding!), Nancy, author Jennifer Jacobson, her agent Barry Goldblatt, blogger/librarians Lynn Rutan and Cindy Dobrez, and teacher Monica Edinger, collectively displaying a wide variety of emotions. It's fun to speculate about what different thought bubbles might be placed above each head -- I leave this as an exercise for the reader -- but the one constant across the group is obvious passion, for the results and for children's literature generally.

I love this picture in the Chicago Tribune, a reaction shot to one of the award announcements at the ALA Midwinter Meeting. Across the front row we have librarian Walter Mayes (who officiated at our wedding!), Nancy, author Jennifer Jacobson, her agent Barry Goldblatt, blogger/librarians Lynn Rutan and Cindy Dobrez, and teacher Monica Edinger, collectively displaying a wide variety of emotions. It's fun to speculate about what different thought bubbles might be placed above each head -- I leave this as an exercise for the reader -- but the one constant across the group is obvious passion, for the results and for children's literature generally.

At its Midwinter Meeting, the American Library Association presented its 2011 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In the "Thrillers & Killers" category appears The Killer's Cousin, first published in 1998. Great to see that it's still going strong.

At its Midwinter Meeting, the American Library Association presented its 2011 list of Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In the "Thrillers & Killers" category appears The Killer's Cousin, first published in 1998. Great to see that it's still going strong.

Librarians, are you going to the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego? If so, you'll have a shot at getting your name in print, for as long as Nancy's next book is in print, or exists (perhaps) in electronic form.

YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, is sponsoring a fundraising Not-So-Silent Auction, and among the many items up for bid is the opportunity to get your name applied to a character in Nancy's upcoming novel, Unbreakable.

Click here to see the inset in today's blog post. The auction takes place this Friday evening, January 7, from 8 to 10 p.m. in the San Diego Convention Center, Room 7. It's for a good cause, but more importantly, your grandkids will be impressed.

Librarians, are you going to the ALA Midwinter Meeting in San Diego? If so, you'll have a shot at getting your name in print, for as long as Nancy's next book is in print, or exists (perhaps) in electronic form.

YALSA, the Young Adult Library Services Association, is sponsoring a fundraising Not-So-Silent Auction, and among the many items up for bid is the opportunity to get your name applied to a character in Nancy's upcoming novel, Unbreakable.

Click here to see the inset in today's blog post. The auction takes place this Friday evening, January 7, from 8 to 10 p.m. in the San Diego Convention Center, Room 7. It's for a good cause, but more importantly, your grandkids will be impressed.

Here's a nice review of Extraordinary on the Mother Daughter Book Club site.

Here's a nice review of Extraordinary on the Mother Daughter Book Club site.

Things have been quiet here on the blog lately -- not much news to report, no trips or appearances in the last few weeks -- but that doesn't mean Nancy hasn't been busy.

In the ebb and flow of working on her next novel, there was a period where there seemed to be a bit too much ebb and not enough flow, as she kept running into difficulties, and found that she had to remove a section here or rewrite a section there. But just lately, Nancy has gotten rolling again, and the words have been pouring forth.

The activities surrounding her books are nice, and she values them, but Nancy seems at her happiest when she's in writing mode, and it's all just working...

Things have been quiet here on the blog lately -- not much news to report, no trips or appearances in the last few weeks -- but that doesn't mean Nancy hasn't been busy.

In the ebb and flow of working on her next novel, there was a period where there seemed to be a bit too much ebb and not enough flow, as she kept running into difficulties, and found that she had to remove a section here or rewrite a section there. But just lately, Nancy has gotten rolling again, and the words have been pouring forth.

The activities surrounding her books are nice, and she values them, but Nancy seems at her happiest when she's in writing mode, and it's all just working...

Blogger Kailie Lynne, guest-posting on the blog The Ramblings of a Book Addict, lists Are You Alone on Purpose?, Nancy's very first book, among her top five favorite novels ever. She hasn't read the rest of Nancy's stuff yet, so I'm thinking she's in for a treat...

Blogger Kailie Lynne, guest-posting on the blog The Ramblings of a Book Addict, lists Are You Alone on Purpose?, Nancy's very first book, among her top five favorite novels ever. She hasn't read the rest of Nancy's stuff yet, so I'm thinking she's in for a treat...

Amazon has selected Extraordinary as one of its top ten teen books for 2010. Their editors put their heads together and picked it as #7 out of all of the YA books published this year. Thus far I have resisted the temptation to use the obvious adjective to describe either Nancy or her latest book. And I will continue to resist. But you know what I'm saying.

Amazon has selected Extraordinary as one of its top ten teen books for 2010. Their editors put their heads together and picked it as #7 out of all of the YA books published this year. Thus far I have resisted the temptation to use the obvious adjective to describe either Nancy or her latest book. And I will continue to resist. But you know what I'm saying.

Thanks to the good graces of the University of Tennessee Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Knox County Public Library, Nancy will be discussing Extraordinary and signing copies in Knoxville, Tennessee at the East Tennessee History Center at 601 S. Gay Street on Friday, October 29, at 7 p.m.

Rocky Top seems like a good place to spend the Halloween weekend. Lots of people will be wearing orange (it is the home of UT, after all), but you can go one better and show up in costume. As the song suggests, it remains to be seen whether she'll ever come down.

Thanks to the good graces of the University of Tennessee Center for Children's and Young Adult Literature and the Knox County Public Library, Nancy will be discussing Extraordinary and signing copies in Knoxville, Tennessee at the East Tennessee History Center at 601 S. Gay Street on Friday, October 29, at 7 p.m.

Rocky Top seems like a good place to spend the Halloween weekend. Lots of people will be wearing orange (it is the home of UT, after all), but you can go one better and show up in costume. As the song suggests, it remains to be seen whether she'll ever come down.