From my mail

Thank you, readers, for your letters and e-mails to me. I read each and every one and try to respond to all of them as well. I appreciate you taking the time to write to me!!!

Here are some wonderful snippets from letters and e-mails I've received over the past month or so.

"Our teacher asked us to do a book report on our favorite book. So of course I chose your book It's Raining Cupcakes! You are an amazing author. I love how you ended the book with a cliff hanger making me very excited to read Sprinkles and Secrets. For my report I made a new book cover. I'm making cupcakes for my class when I present my book report." ~Janine, age 9

"In 4th grade our book club read It's Raining Cupcakes. I could not wait to read it because my favorite thing to do is bake. After everyone read the book in book club we got together, and our teacher made the s'mores recipe on the back. The cupcakes were delicious!" ~Emily

"I first wanted to own a florist shop but then I read It's Raining Cupcakes and now I want to own a cupcake shop! I really hope you will make a third book in your series." ~ Veronica, age 10

"Hi! I'm reading your book, It's Raining Cupcakes. I love it. I'm reading chapter 8. My friend told me that it's a really good book, and I should read it. I think your imagination is really out of this world." ~
Annie

"Hi there. I'm a fan of your books from Malaysia. I've bought Chasing Brooklyn from Scholastic. It was so amazing and interesting to read. I really love the way you made the story line. I'm going to buy your other books to keep me entertained. Keep writing amazing books, okay?" ~Rhidga

"Just wanted to tell you that I LOVED The Day Before and the first thing that I after I was finished with it was to go to your website to see if there was going to be a sequel. Although I was disappointed to figure out that you weren't going to, I respect your decision not to, because I get that you wouldn't want to find a different conflict to put into words." ~Hannah, your obsessed Cade fan

On thinking positive

When my oldest son was 12 or 13, he had to wear head gear to bed every night for eight long months. It was not fun, as you can imagine. The day the orthodontist told him he didn't have to wear it anymore was a happy day. 

We stopped in at his favorite card/gaming shop to buy a pack of figures for this game he had as a reward for his diligence.

While we were walking inside, he said out loud, "I really want Captain America." (He has many, many Captain America comic books and has been a die-hard fan long before the movie).

These packs had random figures in them. You never knew what you're going to get. 

So, we went into the store with both of that in our brains. I thought, it would be so great if he got Captain America.

He told the guy he wanted a Hero Clicks pack (or whatever they're called) and we both stood there, and I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

The guy opened a brand new pack with a LOT of boxes. And he picked one from the middle. He handed it to my son, who smiled and pointed to the picture of the Hero on the box. They were all random as well. The Hero on the box was Captain America. I could tell my son was thinking, this is a good sign. 

When we got to the car, he opened the box. 

Not only did he get a Captain America figure, he got one that is REALLY rare. He was so excited!

I know we don't always get what we want. And my kids know that as well. They've had plenty of times when they've opened a card pack or a box of figures or whatever and not gotten what they wanted.

So what's my point?

My point is - think positive! Don't send that manuscript out thinking, why am I doing this, no agent/editor is even going to want it?

Send it out thinking, someone is going to love this! 

Today, for myself as well as for everyone out there wishing and hoping for good things, we need to remember

Captain America IS possible!!!!

The cover of Frosting and Friendship!!!

Coming September 24, 2013!!!

What do you think?

I LOVE it! I love the purple and red and how the fun streamers make it feel like a celebration. And check out the charm bracelet that once again gives little hints about what's in the story.

So excited to share this with the readers who have gobbled up IT'S RAINING CUPCAKES and SPRINKLES AND SECRETS. A huge thank you to Aladdin who said, yes, let's do a third book!

In January, I'll share more about what the book is about. But for now, we can gaze at the delicious little cakes and drool, haha.

Kidlit Cares

There's an auction going on right now with authors and editors donating their time and talents to raise money for the victims of Sandy.

Round one recently ended and over $36,000 was raised!

Round two began yesterday and I want to make sure my readers are aware of what I'm offering up.

Ten *signed* copies of my latest young adult novel, FALLING FOR YOU, and a 30 minute Q&A Skype visit for your library, classroom, book club, etc.

Here is a brief description of what FALLING FOR YOU is about:

Good friends, her poetry notebooks, and a mysterious "ninja of nice" give seventeen-year-old Rae the strength to face her mother's neglect, her stepfather's increasing abuse, and a new boyfriend's obsessiveness.

I realize the cover (which I didn't choose, by the way, my publisher did) makes it seem like the book is all about romance, but I promise, there's more to the book than that.

Here is a link to the auction: http://joannelevy.com/2012/11/12/auction-2-kidlit-cares-lisa-schroeder/

To place a bid, you simply bid higher than the last person in the comments.

Thank you and of course check out the other auctions going on too: http://joannelevy.com/2012/11/02/kidlit-cares/

Scholastic Book Fair

I've been hearing from people across the U.S. that they've found SPRINKLES AND SECRETS at the Scholastic Book fair.

Here's a picture a nice author named Melissa Buell sent to me:

I'm so glad many more kids will get to read Sophie's story and find out what happened to Isabel and the baking contest in book one. If you've read one or both of the books, and you tell your friends you think they should get the books too, I want to say THANK YOU! The best thing you can do for an author whose books you love is to tell your friends to read them.

There IS going to be a third book, coming in 2013, called FROSTING AND FRIENDSHIP. As soon as I have a cover image to share, I'll post it here.

Happy reading!

Thank you street team!

Thanks to everyone who commented on yesterday's post!!

The forty spots are filled and I'll be contacting you all very soon via e-mail to get your addresses so I can send out your packages!!

Thanks again!

Call for Street Team!

Only *two* more months until Falling For You hits shelves.

Eeeeeek! Ackkkkk!!

Yes, on January 1, 2013, you can splash some water on your face, stumble out of your house and down to your local bookstore, grab a BIG cup of coffee and a delicious, fattening muffin, and buy the book. Or, pre-order it now so you'll get it in the mail on or around January 2nd. Whatever works for you.

Now, it'd be great if I had thousands of people reading this blog who did one of those two things. But I'll be lucky if three people read this post and do one of those things.

That's why I need your help!

I am looking for FORTY enthusiastic and motivated YA readers who want to be on my exclusive Street Team for the upcoming launch of Falling For You.

What do you have to do? IT'S SO EASY! You don't even have to have a blog to participate. I'll send you a special package with bookmarks, a few signed bookplates, and a little surprise gift just for YOU. Then be excited and give the stuff away to your best YA-loving friends, teachers, and/or librarians.

And please, PLEASE, if you join the team, do give some of the stuff away, okay? I wish I made a ton of money and I could just give a bunch of swag away for the heck of it, but I don't, so I really need people who will be dedicated street team members and not just a "oooh, I want free stuff" members, haha.

To make things interesting, I have *five* Advanced Review Copies of Falling For You I'm going to give away plus some other AWESOME Advanced Review Copies, like Going Vintage by Lindsey Leavitt, Poison by Bridget Zinn, and hopefully a couple of more I can wrangle from my publisher. These special gifts are reserved for the people who do the most to spread the word about my book. What does "doing the most" mean? I don't know yet, so be CREATIVE! Wow me! On-line stuff totally counts, you can send me links. In-person stuff totally counts, send me pictures!

Okay, so, you in? GREAT! Here's what you have to do. Sign up in the comments with your e-mail address. THIS WILL ONLY BE AVAILABLE TO THE FIRST FORTY PEOPLE WHO COMMENT.** (Sorry, US only). Teens are VERY welcome to sign up, just make sure that if you're under 18, your parents/guardians are okay with you giving me your mailing address, because I'll need it to send you your package.

Ready, set, GO...

** (To be counted, comments must be left on the official blog at http://lisaschroederbooks.com. Please don't leave them on Goodreads, Tumblr, Twitter, Facebook, etc., where the blog will be cross-posted. Only the comments on the blog count!)