We've MOVED! And we're doing another giveaway!

Check it out: http://sarahdessen.com/blog/

Hi LJ friends!

We're doing a giveaway on the new blog. Check it out!

here

Have a good day, everyone!

It's been a great ride, LiveJournal. But it's time to move on:

Find us here, now:

http://sarahdessen.com/blog/

Thanks for reading!

So if you checked in on this blog this weekend, you saw the message below saying that we're in the progress of switching it (and my entire website) over to Wordpress. What does this mean, you ask? (I did too!) Well, for now it means that I've had to turn off comments here, but in the long run it really means the blog will just be at a different URL address, which I WILL link to from here. So hopefully you won't notice too much of a difference...other than the fact that I may be more excited to blog, because I am told it will be MUCH easier. And we'll still have comments, you'll just have to leave them here instead of on LJ. Okay?

Okay.

So, two things to share before I get back to...well, mostly dyeing Easter Eggs, which my kid is obsessed with. But I have to tell you about this. Now, I know just about EVERYONE is familiar with the phenomenon that is "Friday," the song by Rebecca Black that is both terrible and insanely catchy all at once. It's been in the news forever, it's basically over, but I say "just about everyone" because my husband, who I know doesn't live under a rock, had never heard of it. So in case you, too, have better things to do than keep up with annoying internet trends, you can watch the video here.

Why am I writing about this, you ask? Because this weekend, one of my babysitters shared this . Yes, that IS my daughter singing "Friday." No, I did not teach it to her. The blame apparently goes to babysitter Kelsey, although I have yet to get official confirmation about this. Now, this is a child who I have been trying to teach to say "Please," and "Thank you," for MONTHS now. I am like a broken record, and it's still totally hit or miss whether she does it. But this, she apparently picked up instantly. Sigh.

I can't really judge, though, as I AM the one who named her Barbies Snooki and JWoww, names that have, to my horror, actually stuck. Oh, I'm too embarrassed to keep writing about this at all.

Oh, oh, but here's something good, though! Remember what my goal was for this weekend?

I did it! I was terrified but I picked up that chicken. And then I picked up three more. Like it says at the beginning of Just Listen, "The best way out is always through." Now, I have to conquer everything ELSE I am afraid of. Like Wordpress.....

Have a good evening, everyone!

It's been a fun ride here at LiveJournal, but it's time to move on. For right now comments are disabled as we shift everything over to my new site. More details to come..... Read the rest of this post

1. Whew! This has been a nutty week. I did my first school visit in AGES (to East Chapel Hill High, which was awesome), saw the paperback for ALONG FOR THE RIDE hit the NYT paperback Bestseller list at #6 (YOU guys are awesome) then participated in the Readergirlz Rock the Drop bookdrop on Thursday, which was like a crazy scavenger hunt, full of adventure. Here's the idea: it was YA Lit Day, so to celebrate, you were supposed to drop some YA books out in your community for someone else to find and read. It just so happened that I had just realized I had a bunch of books I needed to give away, so this was perfect timing. I printed out my Rock the Drop bookplates, taped them in, and set off:

I dropped the first one at Weaver Street Market in Carrboro, outside in the cafe. I got some weird looks, but there's a guy who dances on the lawn there on a regular basis, so no one was really that fazed. I shot a pic, put it up on Twitter, and headed to my NEXT drop:

For this one, I had to 1) double park at UNC, risking the most vigilant parking police known to man 2) do said double parking OUTSIDE South Building, where the chancellor was probably watching and 3)run across traffic to leave the book while people stared like I was a crazy person. But I did it, because this is the Old Well, on the UNC Campus, and is pretty much the most famous landmark there. It had to be a drop. As did in front of the Student Union, where I almost got hit by a bus dashing back to my car. Danger! Excitement! Next was:

This wall in front of the Franklin Street Post Office in Chapel Hill. I cannot TELL you how much of my teen years I spent sitting on this wall. Entirely too much. It was where we hung out when we weren't across the street at Hector's, drinking fruit punch, bothering the guys who worked the grill, and waiting for something to happen. I also got odd looks here, but I did back then too, so no biggie.
Next up, I went down MLK Blvd (formerly Airport Rd) to another serious blast from my past:

Yep, that's the Flying Burrito. Correction: it's the NEW Flying Burrito, as it's been totally redone inside. But that sign that says RESTAURANT is still the same, and those are the same doors I unlocked every day at 11:30 or 5pm when I was opening wait. It was so crazy to remember that as I put my books on that chair. Back then, if you would have told me someday I'd be getting ready to have my TENTH book out, I would have laughed in your face. Unless you were my customer, in which case I would have smiled politely and refilled your iced tea, as I was broke and needed every tip I could get. But I digress.

I was having so much fun, but it was time to pick up my kid from preschool. On the way home, though, we swung a BIT out of the way for one last drop:

This is the front porch of the Maple View Farm Ice Cream Store, which has the most gorgeous views of pasture and cows you ever saw. I was a bit worried about this one, as nobody was really there yet, but it was a nice day so I hope it got busy later and someone took this book home.

I hope, actually, that these ALL found homes, as did the few others I dropped later that day: one that I gave to a girl getting on the U Bus, asking her to leave it on a seat there; one in the Pit and two at Meadowmont, at Brixx and Cafe Carolina (Best!Cupcakes!Ever!) respectively. My husband pointed out that people might NOT take the books, as they might think they belonged to someone else. But hopefully someone was bold enough to open it up and see they could have it. Otherwise...well, I just hope it doesn't rain anytime soon.

2. Okay, so that was a LONG number one. I'm going to keep these other four short. In ot

Today, I'm doing an appearance at a local high school. It's the first time I've done a reading or talk since....well, I can't even really remember. Does the Read-A-Thon a few months ago count? Probably not. I have been totally Off the Circuit, but with the pub day for WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE coming up in less than a month (gulp!) I clearly need to get back on my game. And I was lucky enough to have some willing folks at the local high schools to give me the chance to do just that.

The first step to getting ready is picking what I'm going to read from the new book. This always makes the release really seem REAL, finally, but it's not the easiest process. I used to read a a long section, so people could get a good taste of the book. But then, during the Just Listen tour, I was down in Florida where I got to work with an AWESOME media escort named Joan Robbins, who told me she thought maybe I should try reading less and taking more questions. People who buy the book will read it, she pointed out, but they can only ask questions when they're at the reading and I'm there to answer them. It was good advice. So now I do a shorter reading so I can talk about the book more and then do my favorite part, which is the questions. I LOVE to hear what people want to know about the books.

So I pick a short part, but WHAT part? You don't want to read something that requires a lot of backstory/explanation, but at the same time you don't want to just read from the first chapter every time. What I've found is that what I think is often a good excerpt will sometimes fall flat when you read in front of a crowd. Also, for me, funnier parts work better than more serious ones. So it's a process. I have something picked for today, and the other early appearances I'm doing this month, but it may not be what I end up reading on the tour. It just depends.

It's been two years since Along for the Ride came out, more or less. I know for some YA writers that is a LOOOONG time between books. And there's always pressure to have something in progress, or done, or ready as a follow up. But to be honest, I'm glad I had this little break. I had a kid, then published two books in two years. It was....intense. To say the least. I was really burned out, both when it came to writing and doing publicity. Now, though, I've had this nice break. I've spent a full year just writing and hanging with my kid at the park and Whole Foods. So I'm excited to put on my book tour shoes (I've bought, um, THREE pairs this time so far, but have sworn I am sending two back...once I decide which ones are the best. It, too, is a process, people!) and get back out there. Today, my local high schools. Tomorrow---or, um, in 41 days, actually---I'll be up in front of a HUGE amount of booksellers with Brian Selznick, Kevin Henkes and Julianne Moore. Whoa. Actually, better not think about that yet.

Finally, I have to say there's been a lot of fun stuff happening over at the Dessen Racing Facebook Page. We're doing a photo contest/t-shirt giveaway, and we've also been giving some shirts away on our Twitter page. Confession: I'm so busy dealing with this blog, the family stuff and other publicity that I was VERY happy to hand over the Dessen Racing stuff to my friends Christina and Evan. Evan's the driver of the 117 car, Christina is our crew chief, and they are both flat-out awesome. Also, they are having SO MUCH FUN doing these giveaways. They are blown away by how awesome and enthusiastic my readers are (something I of course already knew) and I love how you guys are responding. We have all this fun stuff we want to do with the page, like profiles of the Dessen Racing crew so you can get to know Evan, Christina, and our other driver---who prefers to keep his identity secret, so we're coming up with a supersecret name for him right now---as well as everyone else. So stay tuned for that. As well as more t-shirt giveaways both there AND here. Because really, my g

Greetings from Sunday afternoon, where the biggest breaking news is...that I just saw a Monarch butterfly buzzing around my snapdragons. I haven't wanted to believe it, but really---REALLY---Spring IS here. Although maybe not everywhere. A friend of mine in New York called the other day, sounding wholly discouraged, asking, "Do you have ANY crocuses down there? Any sign at all of Spring?" I was, like, YES! I mean, check out what I get to drive by every day:


Interesting note: these are actually collard greens that have bolted and bloomed. This field was FULL of greens in the late fall and late winter. Whoever planted them left a big sign that said PICK FREE GREENS and every time I drove past, someone was doing just that. Out in the field, bent over with a plastic bag, picking away. This is just one thing I love about where I love. Who planted them? Why? No idea. But it's just plain awesome. As is seeing them like this, now.

Anyway. It's Sunday, I have (yet) another load of laundry drying, and my husband is loading up the fire pit for a hot dog party we're having with friends. It's a nice, calm end to what has been a busy weekend. First, on Friday, I received the Distinguished Young Alumni award from the General Alumni Association of my alma mater, UNC. There was a reception, and speeches, and I got a plaque and everything. So awesome! Even MORE awesome, however, was that I got to meet Sam Perkins, former UNC basketball player, who was like a GOD to me when I was a kid. Still kind of is, actually, which explains why, when he casually said hello to me, I almost passed out. Luckily I was able to compose myself enough later for a picture. Although I still look like a crazy person:


Now I've met Phil Ford, Dean Smith and Sam Perkins in person. Still left: well, James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and about a million others. But I'm getting there.

Then, the next day, it was off to a bridal shower for my husband's cousin and his fiance. It was at their church and featured my favorite kinds of Southern party food: pimento cheese and chicken salad sandwiches with the crusts cut off, cheese straws, and layer cake that melted in your mouth. Whoa. Oh, and also there was, you know, the whole gift thing, which I LOVE to watch, especially when it's young couples just starting out. I swear they received the entire contents of Bed, Bath and Beyond, and the organizer in me is SO jealous they will get to put everything away, brand new, in their new apartment after the wedding. New towels! Spatulas! Chip and dip sets! Fresh beginnings are almost as good as free greens.

Okay, dogs are barking, someone must be here. Have a good evening, everyone!

1. I hate it when my husband is right. And what's worse is: he's right a lot. Does this mean I am WRONG a lot? Well, not necessarily. But I am often on the receiving end of more I Told You Sos. The latest example is the chickens. He was the driving force, I was resistant. He was full speed ahead with feed and coops, I dragged my feet. And now they are here, and....oh, man. They are just really cute and fun to watch. Like SO fun. I could sit out there all day and watch them peck around, not even kidding. I know, they are CHICKENS. Yet there is something so intriguing about them. Does this mean I will agree to a goat, which is his next goal? NO. No, no, no. At least, I hope not.

2. On the WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE front, we've added a couple more tour stops (in Asheville, NC and here in Chapel Hill, at Flyleaf Books) and confirmed that the B&N where I'll be speaking in May in NY will be on Long Island. Specific details are on my appearances page here. The event at Flyleaf, here at home, on June 20th will also feature Dessen Racing: the cars will be there! And hopefully we'll have some t-shirts to give away as well. Stay tuned.

3. More signs that spring and summer are on their way turn up here every day. This morning, I got a whiff of fertilizer as I walked out to my car, which means the farmers nearby are getting their fields ready. I bought my first bottle of fresh bubbles for my daughter (all our others were dried up, the wands busted) AND have already purchased one totally worthless toy from Rite Aid that I regret. This one was a bubble gun that promised, on the package, HOURS OF FUN! and worked NOT AT ALL. Hello, warm seasons. I missed you.

4. I'm getting my hair cut this weekend and have, as of about yesterday, officially reached that point where I can't do ANYTHING but wrench it into a sloppy ponytail and make apologies. Seriously, it's that bad. Of course, now I am also tempted to cut it super short, layer it, color it, do SOMETHING different just to shake off this winter, but I know that would be a big mistake. This is just a long way of saying if you see me in the next few days, I'm sorry. There's nothing I can do but wait for Lars to fix it, and me. And maybe I will go a LITTLE shorter? Maybe? No? Oh, okay.

5. More and more, I am reminded that I am getting older. If it's not one of my babysitters bemoaning the fact that she'll soon be turning 20 ("I'm so OLD!") it's seeing a guy bent over their car today at the mall, checking the engine, with their pants bagging WAY DOWN to reveal more than anyone wants to see and having to fight the urge to yell, "Get a belt, for God's sake!" Soon I'll be shouting at kids to get off my lawn. I want to be young and hip. I mean, don't I? Okay, maybe I don't want to be YOUNG exactly. My twenties were tough, my thirties better, and forty has actually been really good. That said, I wouldn't mind my twenty-five year old body, especially since I am looking at the cover of the new book constantly, which features a person who has most likely not had a child. Oh, well. Age is nothing but a number: attitude is everything. That said, I REALLY wish people would pull their pants up. If that makes me old, so be it. And so there.

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Drumroll, please....

....okay, maybe not. But it IS time to announce the winners of my ALONG FOR THE RIDE paperback and T-shirt giveaway! Here they are:

Amy H. from Wakarusa, IN
Jenny C. from Urbana, IL
Sara S. from Jackson, TN
Denise B. from Ontario, Canada
Whitney H. from Port Orchard, WA
Alyssa C. from Worcester, MA
Sarah C. from Knoxville, TN

Thanks to everyone who took the time to enter. And if you didn't win, don't worry. We will be doing another giveaway for T-shirts and books next month when WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE is released. I am a tshirt giving away MACHINE! Well, sort of. You get the idea.

In other news, our lives just aren't chaotic enough around here, so we have new additions to our household:

Yes, people. My husband has gotten chickens. I mean, WE have gotten chickens, but even he admits that he is the one driving this train. They are Buff Orpingtons and Araucanas, and as I write this they are out in their little coop, under their heat lamp, doing...whatever it is chickens do. I have to admit, they are cute, and my daughter is over the moon. But I know my husband. Now that he has chickens, he's going to want goats. And then a peacock. The next thing I know, we'll have an alpaca roaming around. I mean, I can't even deal with my dogs on a daily basis!

Okay, I might be getting ahead of myself. See, this is what I do. I take whatever is going on, times it by twenty or so, and then fully take on the stress of whatever theoretical scenarios I come up with. It's just not healthy. Everyone keeps telling me to be present, do yoga, go on top of a mountain to breathe and commune with nature. (Okay, that last one I made up. Although it doesn't sound so bad, actually.) But it's hard to do all of those things while juggling the mom thing, the writer thing, the daughter thing, etc. So I'm working on finding little pieces of peace, here and there, and taking a moment to just savor them. It's a work in progress, like everything else, but at least I'm making an effort. Maybe the chickens will help? I can only hope.

Finally, to celebrate the paperback release, we went out last night to our favorite Chapel Hill restaurant, Lantern. My friend Andrea, who is the owner and chef there, ALSO had a book out yesterday: her first cookbook, Cooking in the Moment. I got to look through a copy and it is just gorgeous, full of seasonal recipes you can use throughout the year. It made my mouth water, and I was already eating. THAT is saying something.

Also released yesterday (it was a big day!): the final season of Friday Night Lights on DVD. Now, it will be running on NBC starting pretty soon (I think?) but if you're impatient like me and can't wait, you can get your hands on it now. All I can say is, have some tissues handy. The last episode had me TOTALLY verklempt. Sniff! So, so good.

Okay, this entry turned out to be MUCH longer than I planned. Now GMA is starting, my daughter needs breakfast and the day is already going, so I better as well....

Have a good day, everyone!

Hi.

It's Sunday, I'm back from vacation, and now the real fun starts. And by real fun, I mean Monday. (Cue rimshot! See, when rested I am just HILARIOUS.) Really, though, it was a great to have a week off to spend with the family just sitting by the pool (wrapped in a sweater, but still nice) and doing all kinds of what my husband referred to as "Griswold-esque" vacation activities. We did mini golf. We bowled. We went to the aquarium. These are all things I would not EVER have done at the beach pre-toddler, when my activities were limited to swimming, sleeping, and reading. But life changes, and sometimes, you get to bowl! Honestly, I was thrilled that I got BOTH a hole in one and a strike during this vacation. You can't ask for more than that.

And now, it's April. APRIL! Which means that everything is starting to kick into gear as far as the books go. First up: ALONG FOR THE RIDE comes out in paperback THIS Tuesday, April 5th. I, however, have a connection, so I got my copies early:


SO exciting. (Yes, I know it's my ninth book being released in paperback, but this kind of thing still thrills me. I literally squealed when I saw the box waiting on my front porch. I am such a nerd. When the new book arrives, the whole NEIGHBORHOOD will hear me. But I think, by now, they are kind of used to it.)

I'm so excited that I have decided to do a giveaway of a few signed copies AND some of the super cool Colby Beach Bash T-shirts I had made up back in 2009 when the book was released. The front looks like this:

And this is the back:

When you wear it, you, too---like many of my friends, family, various people from Penguin and some booksellers---will look like you attended a completely fictional event in a made-up beach town. It's a virtual keepsake!

Here's how to enter: send an email to [email protected]. Put ALONG FOR THE RIDE in the subject line, and your name, address and T-shirt size (S, M, L) in the body of the email. (The contest is open to US and Canadian residents only. We are slowly working towards global!) You will get an autoresponse, which will let you know your entry was received, and we'll accept entries until 9AM EST on Tuesday, April 5th. We'll pick seven random emails, declare them winners, and announce them on Wednesday. One entry per person, please. Then we'll get your books and shirts out in the mail, which will make YOU happy, and clear some room in the garage from my sagging shelves of copies of my books, which will make my husband happy. (I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to my book stuff. Sad, but true. I cling! Trying to change, though.)

After Tuesday, and the contest, I'll turn my attention to WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE's release and my book tour. I am thinking of taking some yoga classes to prepare, doing some deep breathing, watching a lot of Bravo. You know, all those important things. I know things MAY get nutty and I will probably feel my stress level spike more than once (a day, or hour) but if and when that DOES happen, I'll just think of that mini golf ball clunking right into the hole. Or my pink bowling ball whizzing right down the middle of the lane. Or, this, which I saw just as I was leaving this morning:

Ahhhh. That is just so nice.

Have a good evening, everyone!

...will return. Promise!

Have a good weekend, everyone!

I know, I know, I am BEHIND on the blog. But I have a good reason:


I'm at the beach, soaking up some family time before everything speeds up with the paperback release of Along for the Ride (a week from today!) and the pub day for What Happened to Goodbye (on May 10th, in a little over a month, oh, my goodness). It's a bit chilly (we had frost last night) but I so don't even care. I'm just happy, happy to be here. Although I think I have already eaten my weight in french fries and onion rings. But so it goes...

Of course, the news is not all good. My beloved Tarheels lost to Kentucky on Sunday afternoon, ending the basketball season for them and for me. SIGH. But what a great run! Especially considering we, um, didn't even get a bid to the tournament last year. Now, though, I am faced with the dilemma of not knowing who to pull for to go all the way. I am leaning towards VCU, because I know a lot of folks from Richmond and/or who went there, but it's so hard to pick someone once my guys are out. Personally I'm so exhausted from the stress of the season I will have to rally to watch any more games. But of course I will do it, for the team. Even if it's not MY team. SIGH.

Finally, thanks to everyone who weighed in on our T-shirt designs for Dessen Racing. it was SO HARD to pick a favorite, as each one had its fans, but in the end, after MUCH debate, we went with number #4, which incorporated all of our favorite elements:


I'm hoping to do a giveaway with these at some point, and also bring some with me on book tour (if my luggage can stand it). One thing I learned teaching undergraduates at UNC: everyone loves a free T-shirt. That, and free food. If I promised a T-shirt AND food to my students for showing up at an event on campus, they would STORM the joint. True story!

Now, I have to go, so I can look for dolphins, bundle up to go pick up shells with my daughter AND, um, watch Britney Spears perform on GMA. (She's coming up right after 8am, and I KNOW some of you out there love Brit as much I do! Don't even try to pretend otherwise.) Blogging might be sporadic this week as I may be too busy stuffing my face with shrimp burgers. You have been warned.

Have a good day, everyone!

1. Okay, so this Five is going to be scattered, and for that I apologize. My daughter came down with some kind of crazy cold/flu bug that busted out of nowhere and hit like a tidal wave. WHOA! Runny nose, fever spiking, terrible cough, up all night. You know the drill. I am literally seeing trails off of everything I am so sleep deprived right now. But at least SHE is feeling better this morning. Me...wait, what was I saying?

2. Oh, right! The Five. In other numbers news, the Sweet Sixteen and Elite Eight are decided this weekend, and already my bracket is shot. First Pitt went out, which I had picked to go to the Final Four, and now Duke is out as well. Duke! You might be thinking, why would you, SUCH the UNC fan, pick Duke to go to the Final Four? Well, because we had to play them three times this year. I don't have to like them, but I do sort of have to admit they are a really, really good team. Which, apparently, lost last night while I was immersed in pairing Motrin and Tylenol and managing vaporizers. Whoa.

3. You know how your life seems to go in phases, the same things happening again and again? The last two weeks, for me, have been all about the car swap. Call it vehicle karma or whatever, but just about EVERYTHING has had to be in the shop, or loaned out, which means coordinating this intricate system of, "Okay, I'll follow you there and then give you a ride here and then, later, we'll reverse it and...." I think it's a testament to my tired brain that all of these logistics are enough to put me over the edge. I am drowning in scheduling, even WITHOUT all these new wrinkles. I've read that out in LA and other cities they have services where, if you have a drink and need a ride but don't want to leave your car, someone arrives via scooter, folds it up and puts it in your trunk, then drives you home, retrieves it, and takes off, leaving you and your car in the same place. I'm thinking I need to develop a service like this for auto repair. Although we live SO far out a scooter isn't exactly a viable transport option, unless you have a lot of time. Maybe one of those super small cars you could then tow or something? Oh, God. Why am I even thinking about this? No idea...

4. Thanks to everyone for your positive responses to the tour dates I posted. I know, I know, I'm not coming to several places I've usually hit in the past, like CA and FL, and I'm not making it to Canada, AGAIN. I wish I could go everywhere. (Actually, I don't wish that, because I'd miss my family WAY too much. But you know what I mean.) Tours are intricate things, which is why I have been lucky to have such good publicists who know what they are doing. While I will miss the places I've come to know, I've never been to Colorado, Nebraska OR Utah, so I'm kind of excited about finally seeing them. I just hope those of you who are there will come out and say hello. Even if I'm not coming to you, I promise the tour will be covered here on the blog, so it will be LIKE you were there. Virtually. You know what I mean.

5. Okay, one last thing: again, I need your help. So we're developing a new round of T-shirts for Dessen Racing, and we can't decide between three designs. (I'm also doing some shirts for What Happened to Goodbye, more on that---and some giveaways!---coming up in the next few weeks.) We narrowed it down to five, then to three of the five, but now we are stuck. So I'm going to post them here, and if you have a sec, weigh in:

Here's Design #1:

And #4:

And #5:


Thanks for your help. Oh, toddler's sneezing. Gotta go!

Have a good weekend, everyone!

Okay, so I've gotten the go-ahead to put up the dates for my book tour. There may be a few tweaks here and there in terms of times/places but these are pretty much confirmed, and any big changes I will report here as soon as I hear of them.

I look at this and think: So exciting! Also: better rest up now so I am READY. Whew!



Sarah Dessen’s WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE Tour


Durham, NC
The Regulator Bookshop – 720 Ninth St – Tuesday, May 10, 7pm (pub day!!!)

Boulder, CO
Boulder Bookstore – 1107 Pearl Street – Wednesday, May 11, 7pm

Highlands Ranch, CO
Tattered Cover– 9315 Dorchester Street – Thursday, May 12, 7pm

Salt Lake City, UT
The King’s English at 15th Street Framery, 1519 So 1500 East – Friday, May 13, 7pm
*this is a ticketed event, please check the bookseller’s website for details

Raleigh, NC
Quail Ridge Books & Music – 3522 Wade Avenue – Monday, May 16, 7pm

Naperville, IL
Anderson’s Bookshop – 123 West Jefferson – Tuesday, May 17, 7pm

Omaha, NE
The Bookworm at Millard Branch Library, 13214 Westwood Lane – Wednesday, May 18, 7pm

Dallas, TX
Dallas Museum of Art – Horchow Auditorium, 1717 N. Harwood – Sunday, May 22, 3pm

New York, NY
Barnes & Noble – TBD – Monday, May 23

Bethesda, MD
Politics & Prose at The Bethesda Library, 7400 Arlington Road – Thursday, June 16, 5pm

Houston, TX
Blue Willow Bookshop – off-site tbd – Friday, June 17, 7pm

If I'll be near you, hope you'll come out and say hello.....

Have a good day, everyone!

I'm back from New York, it's Sunday, the trees are blooming in my yard, and there is basketball on ALL DAY LONG. What is not to like?

I had so much fun in New York, even though it was a TOTAL whirlwind from start to finish. I've said here before how I am such a small-town kind of person, so to be in a city like that is like injecting me with about a million cups of coffee and then setting me loose. WHEEEEE! I get so overstimulated I'm like my daughter after eating a cupcake, heavy on the icing. On Thursday, I got to see the huge crowds for the St. Patrick's Day parade on my way to a great lunch with my editor and publicist. It was also close to Time Warner Center, where there was an Esprit store. Esprit! Holy 1984, Batman! But I went in and the clothes were SO CUTE. Why isn't there one of these, like, anywhere near me? Then it was off to my agent's new digs at Writer's House, out to dinner, and back to the hotel to collapse.

The next morning, I wanted to sleep in, but of course my eyes shot open RIGHT at 5:55am, the exact moment I am sure my daughter began calling for me back here at home. I'd waited SIX MONTHS to have a morning all to myself to sleep as long as I wanted and....I was up. UP! Honestly. So of course I HAD to grab some coffee and walk over to the GMA Studios, where they were just about to shoot an outside cooking segment with Mario Batali. I was too short to see everything---and too Southern to elbow my way up front, as many people on my Twitter feed suggested---but I did get to see Robin, G-Step AND Sam, as well as the back of Mario Batali's head. He was wearing a purple scrunchie, which kept making me think of that Sex and The City episode where Carrie said no women in NY wear scrunchies. Which may be true. But the chefs do, apparently.

Then, it was onto the subway---where I had to transfer, and ALMOST got totally lost and had to go up on the street to panic-call Susane Colasanti before figuring out I was on the wrong platform---and to the Penguin offices. Went to a GREAT lunch (can you tell I mostly just eat when I'm in New York?) then a meeting where I got to see ALL the cool stuff that is planned for when What Happened to Goodbye is released. And there's so much of it, I can't even tell you. I mean, I literally can't, because they'd probably kill me. But hopefully soon I can fill you in AND I think I'll be able to put up my tour schedule this week. Oh, and look at the new jacket, which now features some PINK background:


Then I got to eat ANOTHER huge amazing dinner, went to watch the second half of the UNC game at a sports bar before calling it a night. (Thanks to the everyone at Penguin, by the way, but especially Lisa DeGroff, who stayed out and watched the game with me so I didn't have to cheer alone.)

The next day I was up, out, and home by noon. It's like cultural whiplash going from a huge city to pasture land in less than three hours, and I mean that in the best way. AHHHHHHH the country. New York, you are wonderful. But I need my bright stars and cows.

Now, I am home for awhile, gearing up for the paperback release of Along for the Ride in early April---with a new cover:
.

And, while I am doing links, here's the video I was TRYING to embed via my iPad and failing royally on Friday. I love it especially because it is like a commercial for my hometown, featuring one of my favorite restaurants AND lots of UNC basketball:



Okay, I think that's all I had to tell you. New York, Mario Batali purple scrunchie...OH! I also had TWO celebrity sightings, which I know I can share with all of you if no one else. First was Terrence Howard, who walked BEHIND me on his way to the bathroom when I was out for a sushi dinner with my agent. And second was Nick Swardson, the actor and comedian, who was at the table RIGHT next to us at lunch. I w

...posting my new video for WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE. Featuring 411 West AND UNC basketball:

Please work this time....

Posted via LiveJournal.app.

I need to be packing for my trip tomorrow. But....

1) I spent the morning at the Museum of Life and Science with my daughter and my mom, racing down the dinosaur trail, looking at snakes, goats and bears, and while it was fun, I am exhausted.

2) My husband keeps sending me videos from StumbleUpon that feature a dog jumping on a trampoline, or riding in a kiddie swing, and while I KNOW they are silly and time wasters, I CANNOT LOOK AWAY. So cute! The dog is bouncing!

3) I got the BEST assignment from the publicity folks at Penguin for an upcoming thing they are planning, and it basically REQUIRES me to look at shopping sites online. I mean, if it's work, I can't say NO, can I? Of course not.

4) I'm entirely distracted by the fact that even after the Bachelor finale, I can't really tell if Brad and Emily are still together, or even happy. It's my first time watching so maybe there is something I'm missing, a way to tell based on whether other pairings lasted or not? If so, clue me in, because I'm lost.

5) The world is so scary now, with all the news from Japan and elsewhere, that really all I WANT to do is watch a dog jump on a trampoline. Which makes me a totally rotten person, I know. But there it is.

6) I'm too busy checking the page for the design contest we're having for our next round of Dessen Racing Spec E30 T-shirts over on 99designs.com. Are you a designer? Feel like taking a shot? Check it out here.

7. IF I start packing, then I have to start thinking about how I am the last person in the world (or so it feels) who still checks a bag when they fly. Does everyone else really carry on? Don't you get tired of dragging your suitcase to the bathroom with you if you have to go? And what about liquids? Oh, I'm going to look at more shoes on Bluefly.

8. Packing involves somehow deciding what I am actually going to wear, and I hate everything in my closet right now. Okay, maybe not my rain boots and my Theory pants. But I think, even in New York, I need to wear more than that.

9. Ummmmmm......

Okay, I am out of excuses. Which means I guess I have to get down to it. Blogging will probably be sporadic for the rest of the week, but I'll be back when I can. In the meantime, here's that dog on the trampoline. You're welcome.

Have a good day, everyone!

I'm writing this at the end of a perfect March weekend. It's warm and sunny and still really light outside (thank you, Daylight Savings!). I watched a lot of great basketball (even though my team lost the final game) hung with good girlfriends and got alternately suspenseful and hilarious updates from Road Atlanta, where my husband and my friend Evan were racing the Along for the Ride and Lock and Key cars, respectively. Now, my daughter is pouring water to make puddles on the deck, then jumping in them as the dogs bark at the deer passing through the back yard.

And yet, of course, across the world, terrible tragedy is unfolding, minute by minute. Ever since the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, I've felt this horrible sense of guilt for enjoying ANYTHING while so many are suffering. How DO you find that balance between living in the moment and being happy for all you have and yet still being aware and empathetic to those in pain or need? I know, I know, I am by FAR not the first person to ask this question, and maybe there is no good answer. I just know that writing about the Real Housewives or Charlie Sheen or The Bachelor (or even watching basketball) doesn't feel the same.

I'm not sure where I am going with this. Just saying it, I guess.

Anyway. This week, I shift BACK into professional mode, taking my first work trip since the fall. Which means I have to Up My Game and Not Dress Like I Normally Do. As in, looking a bit better than when I go to Whole Foods. I don't know about you, but whenever I'm in New York I'm blown away by how good people look. The fashion! The hair! I remember, years ago, I was walking to a dinner in New York when this couple stepped in front of me. I couldn't see their faces, only their backs, but the woman looked SO PERFECT---her hair, her little black dress, strappy heels---that I have never forgotten it. It's like this glamorous image I can't shake. Who knows what this woman was really like, her life, any of that. It's just like one of those snapshots you remember. Especially when you are surveying your own winter-damaged hair and the circles under your eyes from having a toddler who is a super early riser. Thank goodness for concealer, is all I have to say.

I mentioned earlier that my race cars were at Road Atlanta this weekend. I know some of you are like, "I don't get the race car thing," and I have to say, I hear you. I don't know NASCAR from the Indy 500 (okay, I do NOW, but before my husband got into this I was clueless) and I really just signed onto sponsor these cars because I thought it would be fun to see my covers on the hoods. But now, I feel myself getting totally sucked in. This weekend, it was a blown head gasket on the Along for the Ride car, but every time it is something crazy, and the people I've met so far from the various races and tracks have been GREAT. Who knew there could be crossover between YA and BMW racing? Not me. Anyway, if you want to know more, we've set up a Facebook Fan page for the cars
here and I'm hoping to set up a Twitter account as well. I'd also LOVE to do a local event here in Chapel Hill with the cars parked out front so we can give away T-shirts. It might be crazy, but it is just MY kind of crazy. Gotta love that.

Okay, my daughter just spilled spaghetti sauce all over herself. So much for the idyllic Sunday. Duty calls....

Have a good night, everyone!

1. This week, I went on my first vacation in AGES---since October, actually. Me and the fam hit the road to Asheville, NC, which is one of my favorite places. First, we have friends we LOVE there. Also, there are great bookstores. And the FOOD! Oh, my goodness. I had grits at the Early Girl Eatery that were the best I have had, seriously, ever in my life. And that is saying something, as I have lived here in the South, Grits Central, since I was 3. Of course, my family never ate grits, as my parents are from New York and Baltimore, respectively. We did not do biscuits for breakfast, either. But all it took was spending the night at other people's houses a few times for this to become my breakfast of choice:

MMMMM. And now I'm hungry again. Maybe I should do Brinner tonight?

2. It used to be when we went to Asheville, we went out to late dinners, then for a drinks and maybe to see music before crashing and sleeping in. Then, breakfast and coffee and shopping and milling around, just taking in the sights and breathing in all that mountain air before doing it all again the next night. Now, though, it is a family vacation, which means: early to bed (at least for me and the toddler), early to rise (6am! just like at home!) and then breakfast, bookstore and several other outings all before lunch at 11:30. On the downside, I didn't get to buy any cute stuff at the clothing and jewelry stores I love there. On the upside, my credit card is now sufficiently cooled off for when I head to NYC next week. And anyway, before my daughter I NEVER would have been at the Nature Center when the DOORS OPENED, first there to see otters and black bears and wolves. Who needs sleep when you can experience that kind of wildlife? Not me. Apparently.

3. Yes, so, next week I am heading up to New York for a bunch of meetings about my new book. I'll get to hear tour details and marketing plans, all the fun stuff, so I'm really excited. (I'm not doing any public events, but will hopefully be back to do a reading in May sometime.) As usual, it will be a total whirlwind: I can't seem to go anywhere (especially for work) without packing in as much as possible. In fact, I think as of now I have ONE meal free for the entire trip, a random breakfast I may very likely eat standing up outside the window of Good Morning America. Although what I SHOULD do is order room service and sleep in. But can I resist GMA? It's so hard when I know they are just a few blocks instead of many states away. But sleeeeeep. Hmmm. Stay tuned....

4. I am usually late to any party, which is why I know you all probably have LONG ago discovered the ultimate timesuck that is StumbleUpon. Oh, my goodness. This is just what I DON'T need when I have a million emails to answer, newsletters to write, and errands to run. And yet, I can't look away. Where else can I take a virtual visit to the Sistine Chapel AND find a great recipe for onion rings, all from the comfort of my office? If you haven't checked it out, you should. Although I am warning you: if you're on deadline, or behind on your taxes or anything else, STAY AWAY. It will not help. Trust me.

5. Finally, an update about the blog. Can I tell you that to post that breakfast picture, I had to 1) copy it from YFrog 2) reduce the size in Preview 3) open Filezilla and upload it to my website 4) link to it? This is why blogging exhausts me sometimes, because I am using sort of antiquated ways to do it. But last week, I met with my super web design guy Mark, who showed me how it will all work if we move everything over to Wordpress. My favorite part was how quickly he could upload pictures, something he punctuated by hitting keys EXTRA hard and then loudly proclaiming, "DONE!" I think we were getting weird looks at Panera, where we met, but what can I say, we were excited. I think this cleaner, more efficient way might be just the change I need. For those of you who were worried I wouldn't still have comments, never fe

Remember a few weeks back, when I was stressing out about the videos we were shooting for the new book? (I know, I am always stressing out here about something. But this was particularly notable. At least for me. For you, it probably all runs together, I know.)

ANYWAY, it all went fine, and now two videos are up, one on the WHAT HAPPENED TO GOODBYE Amazon page (scroll down to see it) and on YouTube:



Please don't dwell TOO much on how crazy I look above, as I hold up my phone like I am about to throw it at you. I think I just got a bit too excited about the whole "taking questions from Twitter" thing. Penguin of course HAD to choose that pose as the one everyone will see before clicking. Oh, well....

Okay, back to our mountain family vacation. LOVE Asheville!

Have a good day, everyone!

A few days ago, one of my babysitters arrived clutching a piece of paper. "Look!" she said to my daughter, holding it up. "Want to see an old picture of Mama?"

This, I thought, will not end well.

But of course I HAD to see what it was, so she handed it over. (Daughter was entirely uninterested in anything having to do with me: she's already a teenager in so many ways!)And there, right in my face, was a picture of myself from 15 years ago, accompanying an essay I wrote for the local paper about being a waitress/writer. THAT SUMMER, my first novel, was not even out yet. Whoa.

Of course the first thing I noticed was my hair, which was doing some sort of weird half-bang, half not thing. Was I actually going for that look? (I fear I was.) There's the fact that my arm in view looks like a big, shapeless loaf of french bread, attached to my shoulder. (Wasn't I working out then? Good Lord.) Then, peering more closely, I recognized the office from our old place, the little yellow farmhouse in Durham (which has reappeared, in various incarnations, in several books since). There's the halogen lamp I used because the room was so dark, as it (and every other one) had dark fake-wood paneling. There's my UNC diploma, hung up proudly behind me, and the little angel made out of paper towels (yes!) that one of my mom's dearest friends made for me. It was like falling headfirst into a pit of nostalgia. I'll say it again: whoa.

And that was before I even read the article, which I BELIEVE appeared in the Raleigh News and Observer sometime in 1995 or 1996, although I can't be sure exactly. It's all about how I was having trouble calling myself a writer, even though I'd already sold a book, and how waitressing was such a good job for me at the time. By this point, a lot of these same ideas and quotes have been recycled for other interviews, becoming what my father affectionately refers to as "my schtick," but at this point, nobody knew any of it.

I can tell you EXACTLY where I bought the outfit I am wearing (which I spent a LOT of time picking out): the skirt was from TJ Maxx, I believe, the top maybe from Marshall's or Upton's. I was not smiling with teeth because then, as now, I was worried about the fact they are slightly crooked. I hadn't even started teaching at UNC yet. In fact, I remember calling the person who was editing this piece for the paper from the office at the Flying Burrito, where I worked, before my shift began to go over his suggestions for changes. Now the Burrito's had a total renovation and I don't even know where that paper towel angel is. These things I have left behind, although it does NOT feel like 15 years since they happened. It's just so weird.

Odder still is that while so much has changed---different house, I'm a mom now, ten books done---a lot has not. I STILL have a hard time calling myself a writer, something I think the 25ish me that wrote this piece would be surprised to hear. And one of the quotes, about how I spend a considerable amount of my time---"writing, thinking about writing, and thinking I've lost any ability I ever had to write in the first place (Not necessarily in that order.)"---is still pretty much dead on, except that now I have to think about things like Team Umizoomi and goldfish crackers as well. Also, my hair is still doing strange things I feel I will regret later on.

But maybe---at least I hope---that this is a good thing. I can recognize these my insecurities as quickly and easily as my clothes and halogen lamp. They are mine, for better or worse, and God knows we're been together long enough to get used to each other. I AM a writer now, and IT is what I do. But in the end, I am grateful to my babysitter, even with the cringe factor of the photo, for putting this in front of me. If you can't look back, you can't move forward. That's still true for me, too.

If you want to check it out---and this I will probably regret, but oh, well---you can squint at it

1. I just deleted MORE spam entries from the comments here. Which means that adding a CAPTCHA (i.e. that annoying thing where you have to write in the letters you see, even if you can't always tell WHAT they say--or maybe that's just me?) did not solve the problem of people peddling pharmaceuticals and other things on the blog. Sigh. SIGH. Oh, LiveJournal, I have been with you almost ten years! But tomorrow I am meeting with my fab web design guys to talk about moving the blog over to my site and using Wordpress. Don't worry, LJ folks: I will make SURE we can do a feed here or provide some other easy link. But it's going to be the end of an era! And you know what that means: lots of LJ nostalgia in the lead-up to the switch. Maybe I should do a greatest hits, or a montage kind of thing, set to something like, "I Will Remember You," or "Time of Your Life." Hmmm. Anyway, it won't be happening immediately and ideally, you won't notice THAT much of a difference. Until then, prepare for me to be more sentimental than usual. You have been warned.

2. I am currently multitasking as I write this, trying to also get my daughter to eat a decent dinner. She is lobbying for a lollipop, her newest addiction, and I am telling her that she needs to eat some actual FOOD before I will even consider that. I swear, her palate is so limited it's ridiculous: peanut butter and jelly, bananas, canned green beans and carrots, ham, chicken nuggets, cereal, macaroni and cheese, and alphabet soup. Oh, and any cracker or cookie. I know, I know: Michelle Obama would NOT approve. I see kids out at restaurants eating all kinds of stuff and think: why, why, WHY can't I get her to venture out a bit? I was at a sushi place and saw a kid her age eating seaweed salad. SEAWEED! And this one won't even eat string cheese. Or mashed potatoes. Isn't that, like, a rule, that as a kid you have to like those things? I can hear my wiser Mom friends right now, though, saying it again: "Don't live laterally. Your kid is your kid." (Thank you, writer Leah Stewart, who gave me this mantra to repeat, endlessly.) My mother maintains that my brother, who is now the healthiest eater I know (vegetarian, whole grains, formerly macrobiotic) once subsisted on Ho-hos for breakfast and canned Vienna sausages the rest of the day. So maybe there is hope?

3. I think I've written here already about how my local Borders is one of the ones that is closing. I wasn't a regular there, but I did go in with my daughter from time to time, as she loved the children's section. We went back the other day and it just made me so sad. Everything's on sale and picked over, and I just wanted to buy ALL the books that were left, they looked so bereft. I mean, there was Goodnight, Moon! And some Pigeon books! And Knuffle Bunny Free! I told the woman who was working the children's section that the whole thing made me so sad, and she nodded. She said she felt like she'd spent all this time sculpting this perfect thing, this great place for kids, and now she was having to watch it just get dismantled right before her eyes. I'm not here to preach but I will say, love your local bookstores. They need it. I'm still haunted by this one Leslie Patricelli book (Higher! Higher!) sitting alone on the shelf, hoping for a home. See, there I go, being WAY too sentimental again. *sniffle*

4. In encouraging news (and don't we all need that) today at the grocery store, I saw lawn chairs and potting soil piled up outside for sale. YES! We are getting closer, closer to spring. I can feel it---even though it's going to be in the twenties tonight. NO MATTER! Another sign of warmer times coming: today, my husband and I went out and cleaned out our pond pump and filter, pulled out all the leaves, and got it running. Which is great, because I was really thinking our feng shui was suffering since it had been turned off. (Yes, I realize I sound like a crazy person. But I do believe in that stuff. I just...do.) I'm happy, the fish are happy, and I can hear the waterfall at night again. Now it

Today, my plan was to write. Actually, you know, on a novel. I waited until the sitter came, took a breather to read and reset for a little bit (still on Franzen's FREEDOM, which is amazing) then settled in at my desk. I always allow myself about five minutes of web surfing before I buckle down, so I popped over to my Facebook page, which I've been sort of avoiding for a few weeks. The inbox: PACKED. Replies: woefully late. Miss Manners: would not be happy. So I dove in. And now...well, now it's an hour later and I haven't written anything but emails and lists and responses. How did this HAPPEN?

I used to be very productive. I swear! I wrote every single day when I had a book in progress and still managed to stay on top of everything. But now with Twitter to update, and Facebook messages to reply to, and the blog, and the website, and lions and tigers and bears....oh, my.

*takes deep breath*

There is a way to balance all this. I know it! Toddler, husband, dogs, building company (that's my other job, doing books for my husband's business) extended family, the upcoming tour, feeding the continually ravenous birds in my yard, cooking dinner, doing laundry, finding assorted lost plastic action figures, and all the rest. Oh, and writing. WRITING! Of course. I'm just not exactly sure what that solution is, right now. I think I will sleep on it and wait for a solution to present itself. Although..that's what I have been doing. Huh. Oh well, at least I am optimistic.

And why is that? Well, partially because it's warming up here. In fact, my daughter and I planted pansies this week, which is a certain way to make it FEEL like Spring even if it isn't quite yet. I used to be really into gardening, actually: I was the one who handled all the beds, and poured over seed packets, and drew diagrams of what I would plant and when. But then we moved here, and I planted all this stuff, and the deer annihilated EVERYTHING. I was totally bereft and discouraged. My husband got interested in conifers and trees (which the deer won't eat---usually) and I left the garden to him. Now, though, we have this deer fence, and a big plot that is just for me and Sasha to work together. Hooray! I am thinking daisies, coneflowers and black-eyed Susans for sure. Veronica Speedwell also, one of my favorites (I wanted to name my daughter that, actually, but was soundly voted down). Zinnias from seed, maybe mixed with some cosmos. When we went to buy plants, though, I found the toddler had other ideas.

First, she wants everything pink. (Disclaimer: she has never even SEEN any princess TV or movies, I swear to you. This just happened.) What was not pink had no flowers at all. In fact, she wanted cacti. Oh, and ferns. And a fountain made up of two small, big-eyed children, peering over to look at some assembled birds. Lord help me.

I know, I know. This is our project, together! I have to not micromanage. If she wants Venus Flytraps (sigh) then she can have them. ON HER SIDE. See, though, this is just like the whole Facebook/Twitter/Blog/Life balance thing. It can't be done quickly, or cleanly. The days of everything lined up and labeled neatly in my life are OVER---if they ever even existed---so I need to stop yearning for them.

The best I can hope for, and what I SHOULD want, is a mix of both worlds. A day of writing, followed by a day of catch-up. A plot of zinnias, bordered by strange succulents. A successful book tour this spring and summer, followed by a fall where (hopefully) my next novel will be waiting patiently for me. You can learn a lot from the garden: that's something the deer couldn't take away from me. Instead of spinning in my brain, trying to work things out, I probably should just step outside. Get some dirt under my nails, dig up some worms. Can't hurt, regardless.

That said, I will not have a creepy children fountain in my yard. There, I draw the line.

Have a good night, everyone!

Quick update here, on this Monday morning, when my head is swimming for several reasons. First, there's the fact that my daughter was up every two hours last night, coughing and needing my attention. Then there's the post-Oscar roundup, which I am trying to watch even though I missed most of the awards due to the fact that I went to bed at 9:30 (I think I knew I wouldn't be sleeping much, somehow). Then throw into the mix that I woke up all blurry and sleep-deprived, only to see Charlie Sheen on GMA having what looks like some sort of extended manic episode. Clearly I am not the only one whose brain is a bit muddled right now.

I just don't know what to think about Charlie. The way he's acting now reminds me WAY too much of when Britney went through her public breakdown, complete with renegade interviews (with Matt Lauer, remember?) and shaving her head, and attacking cars with umbrellas. It's hard to watch because you know they're sick, somehow, and need help, and yet they are not getting it. I think it's ironic that during a break in the midst of the Charlie craziness this morning on GMA, they featured an ad from Britney, announcing a live performance next month. She's somehow pulled it together: hopefully he can, too. It just makes me sad for his family and especially his kids. Can't be easy to watch.

Okay, I need to stop writing about this. Probably need to stop writing altogether. Sleep deprivation makes me, in a word, NUTS. When my daughter was an infant I couldn't even put two words together. I was a danger to myself and others. But she's three and a half now! Shouldn't sleep (or lack of it) no longer be a problem?

No, says my mother. And, to add insult to injury (or sleeplessness to sleeplessness) this issue isn't going away anytime soon. "But eventually," I argued, "she'll sleep later, and not wake up so much. She has to!" My mom considered this. Then: "Well, perhaps. But, see, then she'll be out late with her friends, or not calling when she should, and you STILL won't be sleeping."

See, these are the things people don't tell you when you're all pregnant and rubbing your belly and, "Ah, I am the miracle of life, behold me." When I see women in that phase now, carrying their first and worrying about burp cloths and birthing classes, I just want to say, "WHY AREN'T YOU SLEEPING RIGHT NOW?"

*reads over entry, slowly, with bleary eyes*

Okay, now I DO sound like Charlie Sheen, i.e. a bit unhinged. Time to sign off. Will update again once I get some sleep. Which will be....well, someday. Maybe?

Have a good Monday, everyone!