It's almost here! Tomorrow is the day!!

I can hardly believe it!

Tomorrow the book will be officially out in the world! I hope if you read it, you enjoy getting to know Rae.

A blog tour for Falling For You starts tomorrow, so I'll share details about that very soon.

For now, wishing you all a new year filled with wonder, joy, kindness, good health, friendship, and love!

2 more days!

Rae's favorite band!!

3 more days!

Book trailer for Falling For You!!!

I'm so excited to share this with you!

   

And here's another countdown photo, taken in a flower shop, like the one Rae works at:

Just five more days!

6 more days

A 6 word teaser from the book:

7 more days

The countdown begins!

Each day for the next 8 days I'll be posting a picture, counting down to the release of FALLING FOR YOU. If you happen to see it in a bookstore before January 1st, please snap a picture and send it to me! I'd love to see it out in the wild - you can e-mail it to lisaschroederbooks(at)gmail(dot)com. Thanks!

Most of the pictures give clues about things in the book. Except for today's. Today's is just because I didn't have anything for 8 days, and there were all these cute little gifts under the tree, and so...

26 random acts of kindness

It is spreading like wild fire.

Kindness.

Something we all need after the sadness and loss we've all felt.

People have been inspired to do 26 acts of kindness to honor and remember the 26 lives taken from Sandy Hook Elementary School.

I found out about it Friday night, and went to bed thinking about what I wanted to do. I've seen all kinds of great ideas: restaurant gift cards, flowers, 26 dimes with some candy in a baggy, dollar bills, buying cups of hot cocoa for children or cups of coffee for adults.

I saw this picture a week ago, and it inspired my idea. Here is a picture of the principal, Ms. Hochsprung, dressed as the book fairy, spreading the love of books with her students. It brought me to tears when I saw it.

This afternoon, my family will go and buy 26 gift cards from Powell's Books and put them in envelopes with the note below, and put them on windshields at a nearby grocery store, where many low-income families shop.

I post about it here ONLY because I think some of my fellow authors and maybe some readers might like to join me and be anonymous book fairies in their town. And it is helpful, when you're strapped for time as most of us are this time of year, to have a template to make it easier. Of course you can change the name of the bookstore and personalize it anyway you want to. You also don't have to write in the names, that's just something I want to do.

***

In honor of the lives of the 26 children and adults that were tragically taken from us at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, I offer you this random act of kindness in hopes of bringing a smile to your face this holiday season. Earlier this year, the principal, Dawn Lafferty Hochsprung, wore a white gown and a gold crown to school one day and called herself the book fairy, hoping to spread the love of reading to her students. She is the inspiration behind this Powell’s gift card, a gift for you that you may use for yourself or perhaps a special child in your life. 

Read. Imagine. Explore.

You are number ___ in honor of ________________________________

Wishing you joy, love and peace this holiday season. Please keep the kindness going!

#26acts #26actsofkindness www.facebook.com/26acts

***

If money is tight, I've heard of some people handing out candy canes or a simple card with a kind sentiment. I even read about someone passing out compliments to people on the street.

Certainly, it is good to practice random acts of kindness all year long, but I love the idea of being part of a kindness movement right now, when it is desperately needed, I think.

So, go forth - spread kindness!!

My Christmas stocking

What will Santa bring me this year?

I love this review from VOYA

VOYA is "Voice of Youth Advocates" and is the leading library journal dedicated to the needs of young adult librarians.

This review of FALLING FOR YOU is in the December issue of VOYA:

"Rae lives life around the edges; avoiding the spotlight, hiding the extents of her financial situation and family drama from her friends and teachers. She dreams, though--dreams of being able to move out, of being happy, of being loved unconditionally. When a new guy, Nathan, arrives at school and notices RAe, some of those dreams seem to be within reach, but elation quickly turns to fear as Rae realizes that Nathan has a dark side. Tragedy lands Rae in the ICU floating between life and death, and in that place, she must find the courage to fight for the life she deserves.
     Obsession, neglect, abuse, friendship and love abound in Schroeder's new novel. Each chapter starts with a poem from Rae's poetry journal and the structure of the book leads readers through six months leading up to the hospital. The poetry aspect of this novel gives readers a chance to peek into the depths of Rae's soul and adds dimension to her character. Schroeder has done a wonderful job creating teenage characters from a variety of backgrounds and using those backstories to influence their actions. This novel is ripe for use in a classroom or book club; discussion points include: healthy relationships, poetry as expression, relationship boundaries, and more. Readers looking for a realistic teen read saturated in emotion with love Falling For You." ~ Rebecca Denham

A simple reminder

I became familiar with Sara Teasdale's work when I was writing Falling For You, and I am now a big fan of hers.

I love this poem. I post it today as a reminder that life isn't always ugly and sad, though right now, it may feel that way. And our children, "with faces looking up," need us right now. They need us to be there for them, to love them, to play with them -- to be a light in a dark time. Let us show them the loveliness.

Barter
by Sara Teasdale

“Life has loveliness to sell,

All beautiful and splendid things,
Blue waves whitened on a cliff,
Soaring fire that sways and sings,
And children's faces looking up
Holding wonder in a cup.

Life has loveliness to sell,
Music like a curve of gold,
Scent of pine trees in the rain,
Eyes that love you, arms that hold,
And for your spirit’s still delight,
Holy thoughts that star the night.

Spend all you have for loveliness,
Buy it and never count the cost;
For one white singing hour of peace
Count many a year of strife well lost,
And for a breath of ecstacy
Give all you have been, or could be.”

Happy National Cupcake Day!

Do you know that December 15th is a very special day? Why yes, it is!

It's National Cupcake Day!!!

photo credit: cakemommy

I'm going to be busy tomorrow shopping and baking and wrapping and all of those fun holiday things, so I thought I would put up a post today, a day early, to say:

HAPPY CUPCAKE DAY - GO FORTH AND EAT CUPCAKES!

and maybe give the gift of a cupcake

book this holiday season...

Look what Santa sent me a little early...

It smells really good!

I love the excerpt my editor picked out for the back:

Only a few more weeks until you can own your very own copy.

An official countdown with all kinds of fun begins on December 22nd, 

10 days before the official release!

YAY - a new book, a new book, a new book!!

A note about Advanced Review Copies

Some reviewers have early copies (called Advanced Review Copies or ARCs) of FALLING FOR YOU (releasing 1/1/13) which is very exciting! A big thank you to those who read it with the intent of talking about it in the coming days or weeks.

If you'd like to try and win a copy, my publisher is giving away five of these early copies over on goodreads. You only have until December 10th to enter, so hurry!

I know, like every book, some will love this one, some will like this one, and some may not like it so much. And that's okay - whatever you end up thinking of the book, please know I'm thankful you took the time to read it.

I do want to mention one thing though. An ARC is NOT the final book. And it's not just typos that are an issue in ARCs, it's actual changes to the story. I made some content changes during the first and second-pass pages and those changes are NOT in the ARC.

If something didn't sit right with you, or you wanted more of an explanation about something, or... whatever, keep in mind you *might* get that in the final book.

Just something I wanted to mention, and something for reviewers to remember about ARCs. In order to get them out early enough for the professional reviewers, it's just not possible to get all changes in before they're printed up. It's not ideal, but it would be much worse, I think, to not have any early copies at all.

In the coming days, I have lots of fun things to share! In a couple of weeks, I have a fun countdown planned counting down the days for the release of FALLING FOR YOU. I have the book trailer I will share with you sometime in the next month. And there is a HUGE blog tour happening in January, that Gabrielle over at Mod Podge Bookshelf has coordinated for me.

It's going to be an exciting month!!

Thanks and Happy December! ho ho ho

November in Review

My friend, Jen, does a blog post at the beginning of every month talking about things that happened the previous month, and I LOVE them. I have decided to copy her and do them too. I'm not sure if her categories change every month, but mine may, we'll see. Also, I think she adds to it throughout the month, as things happen, and that is definitely what I'm going to do from now on, since this hurts my brain trying to remember everything!

So, here is my review of November, 2012.

Special days I celebrated this month and how:

• My mom and step-dad came down over the Veteran's Day weekend, so we had brunch at our house with my sister-in-law and niece. My brother was sick, so he didn't come, and we missed him. It was sort of an early Thanksgiving celebration, but not on Thanksgiving and there wasn't any turkey.

• For the real Thanksgiving holiday, we went to my brother-in-law's house and had dinner with him and my husband's parents. It was a nice, relaxing day and this time we DID have turkey. And pie. Oreo and pumpkin, if you're curious. I made the Oreo pie and it was a big hit!

Gifts I gave and received this month:

• I put five copies of Sprinkles and Secrets, signed, along with a box of Legos under the giving tree at church. Tomorrow my youngest son and I will be volunteering to wrap gifts for kids in the area who might not otherwise have a very good Christmas if it weren't for the generosity of the Christmas basket program at our church.

• I sent out a whole bunch of goodie bags to members of my street team for helping to spread the word about FALLING FOR YOU (coming January 1).

• I got an Advanced Review Copy of Linda Urban's next book, THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING, that I'm really excited to read. 

Movies and TV shows worth mentioning:

• My husband dragged me along with him to see Lincoln. It had a slow start, so I took a little nap. After that, I enjoyed it, though I do see its faults. I'm pretty easy to please, however.

• The four of us saw Wreck-It Ralph and we all loved it. A really fun movie.

• I rented a really fun, quirky movie that I highly recommend, if you like romantic comedies. It's called Take Me Home.

• Movies out now I want to see: Life of Pi, Argo, Anna Karenino and Silver Lining Playlist. Most likely will not see them in the theater, so will have to wait for the DVD. Movies coming in December I want to see: The Hobbit and Les Miserables. 

• I am still enjoying Nashville immensely. As someone on twitter said so well, I'm pretty sure my love of the show comes down to 50% Connie Britton and 50% cute boys in plaid shirts who sing.

• Let the countdown to the third season of Downton Abbey begin, please!! It returns January 6, so that is only 37 days from today! 

New recipes or restaurants we tried:

• I made this parmesan chicken, and we all enjoyed it.

• My oldest son finally tried the chicken pot pie that I make and LOVE, and he said, "It's not bad."

• I think I'm going to attempt something different and special for gifts this year. I'll let you know how it goes next month! Wish me luck!!

Special or unusual purchases I made:

• The floor in my office is covered with Christmas gifts, and I'm not going to tell you any of them. 

• I bought four new pillows at the Black Friday sale at Fred Meyer because they were 50% off. No one likes them because they are way too puffy and need to be broken in. The only thing I can think of doing is to rotate them and sit on them while I'm watching TV.

• I bought two pairs of shoes from shoes.com that I'm waiting for, and I fully intend to return one of them, because I couldn't decide and finally just ordered both. I've never done that before - ordered two with the intention of returning one. Clearly I am getting more comfortable with the ways of on-line shopping. Lord help me.

• I pre-ordered Lifehouse's album, releasing December 11th, titled Almeria. I am so excited for this, I cannot even tell you.

My accomplishments:

• Finished a middle-grade manuscript and sent it on its way. Go, little book, go!!

• Wrote 20,000 words on a new YA novel.

• Revised about 1/3 of a contracted MG book. This is one of the hardest, if not THE hardest, revisions I've ever done. I hope the book is better for it!

• Personally, the only thing I can think of is that I lost five pounds. And I'm sure I'll gain it all back  in December. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

Anything else noteworthy:

• One of my son's best friends spent most of November in the hospital. We've been so worried about him. He's truly one of the nicest kids I've ever known. He is back home now and we are hoping he continues to improve.

• My husband's uncle passed away November 8th. He was 76 and lived a good life. We couldn't make it to Arkansas for the service, but my mother-in-law said the church was packed, many of them people he had helped throughout the years through A.A. 

• My mother-in-law turned 75 on November 29th. Yay!!!!

Happy December to you - may it be merry and bright!

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!)

Call for Street Team Members coming Nov 1st!

Want to be on my street team to help spread the word about FALLING FOR YOU, my next YA novel coming January 1, 2013? (cover is on the sidebar to the left)

If you aren't sure exactly what that means, it's easy. You hit the street (or hallway, which is probably a bit safer and more effective) and pass out the signed bookmarks I send you, telling friends about my upcoming book.

If you want to, you can also talk about it on-line, where ever you like to hang out - tumblr, facebook, twitter, etc.

For your help, I'll send you some cool book swag to keep, and enter your name in some drawings I'll hold to win Advanced Review Copies of FALLING FOR YOU as well as some other upcoming books.

See? TOTALLY easy!!

I'll be putting the call out on Thursday, November first at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. So grab your Halloween candy and wait for the post to appear at http://lisaschroederbooks.com, and when it does, simply comment on the post with an e-mail address where I can contact you and I'll give you all the details. I'll be looking for 40 people to join the street team (US only, sorry)

See you next week!

The Intent to Win

I am a big fan of Michael Jordan. Did you ever watch him play? That guy never gave up. His team could be down 20 points with one minute left, and he went out there with the intent to win.

Think about that.

THE INTENT TO WIN.

Where are thoughts go, our energy flows. 

That's why it was so fun watching him. He played to win. ALL the time.

When Michael Jordan was in the tenth grade, he was cut from the varsity basketball game. But this only pushed him to work harder at perfecting his game. As he later said on his Web site, "I think that not making the Varsity team drove me to really work at my game, and also taught me that if you set goals, and work hard to achieve them—the hard work can pay off."

Why do some people get up and work harder when they fall down, while others don't?

I think it's all about how you react to those obstacles. It's about your attitude and what you're visualizing for yourself. It's about knowing that you can get better if you try and you just have to get up each day and keep trying. 

Do you intend to win, whatever "winning" means for you? Finishing a manuscript? Finding an agent? Having an editor say, "I love this book?" 

This intention to win is most important, I think, when we're writing or revising. I believe that's why nanowrimo works so well for a lot of people. They go in with an intention to win - 50,000 words in 30 days. They have a goal, they have a timeframe, and they want to succeed really, really badly. They want that winner's certificate at the end of the month. I've never participated in nanowrimo because I try to have an intent to win with every manuscript I start and believe in. No matter how hard it gets, no matter how awful I fear the manuscript is at times, I wake up each day with a word count or page count goal and I work until I meet that goal. 

I want to finish that manuscript! In other words, I want to win. But it's even more than that. It's never doubting that I *will* win.

Michael Jordan understood that when he went on the court, it didn't matter what had happened the past three quarters. What mattered is what he did in that moment, and his attitude about it. 

So, why not play to win? See what happens!?

Tweens Read in Pasadena, TX Saturday 10/20/12

On Saturday, October 20th, I'll be in the great state of Texas for a really fun event!

It's the Tweens Read Book Festival at Bobby Shaw Middle School in Pasadena, Texas.

The day starts around 9:30, when you register and get seated. At 10:00, the authors will be introduced and there is a keynote talk by Heather Brewer.

After that, there are two chances to attend panel discussions and ask questions of your favorite authors, and the day closes with an hour of book signing.

All of the information can be found on the Tweens Read website HERE.

If you are in the area, I'd LOVE to see you! Come and say hi - and yes, while books will be sold at the event, it's okay to bring books from home to be signed as well!

Forget Me Not Ghost Tour

Welcome to STOP #5 of Carolee Dean’s

FORGET ME NOT GHOST TOUR!

FORGET ME NOT is a paranormal verse novel about a young girl, Ally Cassell, who makes a rash and desperate decision after compromising photos are texted around the school. She finds herself on an abandoned hallway of Raven Valley High School, writing in her journal, trying to figure out what went wrong. She’s made a habit of writing letters to Ernest Hemingway. She has too many secrets to share with anyone else and she knows she can confide in him, since he’s dead. Besides, he wrote in a Moleskine notebook just like she does.

I read an Advanced Review Copy of this book and I really enjoyed it. There are lots of twists and turns to the plot and the last 1/3 of the book really took my breath away.

I highly recommend it to teens ages 14 and up, especially if you enjoy verse novels. Carolee is a brilliant writer.

Here’s an excerpt from Ally's journal followed by an interview with Ernest Hemingway. 

I HAVE A MOLESKINE NOTEBOOK

I keep in the back

pocket of my jeans.

It’s just like the one

Hemingway used to write in,

before he blew out his brains.

It’s filled with poems

and letters to Ernest.

I started writing to him

in September,

when everything started

with Davis.

Ernest was dead,

so I knew

he could keep a secret.

Maybe if I tell him what happened, 

he’ll help me figure out what to do.

I don’t even know where to start,

but I open the notebook anyway,

because I don’t have anywhere to go,

and I know, it’s gonna be

                                     a long,

                                              long day.

 (from pg. 25 of FORGET ME NOT by Carolee Dean copyright 2012)

Contact the author (caroleedean@yahoo.com) for permission to reproduce

INTERVIEW WITH ERNEST HEMINGWAY

LISA: What do you think about the fact that Ally’s been writing to you, even though you’ve been dead since 1961.

ERNEST: I feel sorry for the poor kid. She needs to get a life. Writing to old dead guys like me isn’t healthy.

LISA: That seems a little harsh. She thinks you’re the only one she can confide in.

ERNEST: You noticed I never wrote her back.

LISA: I don’t think she expected you to.

ERNEST: That’s good. Expectations usually disappoint you.

LISA: You seem a little testy.

ERNEST: I guess I resent the whole “Nine Circles of Raven Valley High” concept.

LISA: Are you referring to the poem that was on stop number one of the ghost tour?

ERNEST: Yes. I understand the basic idea. People who died in and around the school grounds gravitate to one of the nine circles based on how they met their end, but what about the rest of us?

LISA: Who are you talking about?

ERNEST: Dead poets and authors.

LISA: Are you saying there are dead poets and authors at Raven Valley High School?

ERNEST: I'm saying there are dead poets and authors at every high school.

LISA: Where?

ERNEST: In the library. If you want to talk to dead people, that's where I suggest you start. You don't need special powers or a near death experience to be able to hear us, just go open a book.

Well, you’ve heard it straight from Ernest. If you want to hear what dead poets and authors have to say, you know where to look. 

By the way, if you’d like to win this hand painted journal to write your own thoughts and feelings, a copy of Forget Me Not or other unique prizes created especially for the Ghost Tour check out GHOST TOUR CENTRAL where you will also find links to other stops on the tour. Go to the bottom of that page to enter the contest.

And check out the amazing book trailer at

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XmRD2FoueqM

No regrets

I was listening to a radio program the other night as I drove into downtown Portland to pick up my son, and the radio host talked about a survey that had been done asking people at the end of their lives about their regrets.

He said most people replied that they wished they'd taken more risks, but not in the sky diving way. They wished they'd done more to see if they could make their dreams come true.

It reminded me of one of my favorite quotes:

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." ~ Les Brown

I know it can be scary putting yourself out there, and doing things where you might fail. On a twitter chat last night, one writer said she was afraid to put her heart and soul into writing a novel only to have it suck.

But see, you can't go into it afraid to fail, you have to go into it knowing you probably will fail, and that's okay. Because it's not like it's a one-shot thing. I told her, so you write another book and another one after that, and with each one you get better. And at least you've tried, so you know you did something about getting closer to that dream. If you don't try, won't you always wonder?

Another author pointed out that an Olympic gold-medalist gymnast didn't simply walk onto the balance beam and win, just like that. There are years and years of practices and competitions, and do you think she won every single one? No. Of course not.

I still write novels that don't get published. Yes, it's disappointing sometimes, but I also feel so blessed to be doing what I love and learning something new every day. You win some, you lose some, and you keep on going because you love the life you're living and the journey you're on.

Anyway, I googled to see if I could find something that talked about the survey more, and I found THIS ARTICLE, titled "The Top Five Regrets of the Dying" published in "The Guardian" back in January. So, click on over if you want to know a little bit more about what people said about regrets. 

Wishing you the courage to live the life you want to live with no regrets!

One of my books coming to Brazil!

Look, look! Isn't it pretty?

This is THE DAY BEFORE, brazilian style. When I plug the title into google translator, it comes up as HAPPENED YESTERDAY.

If you speak portuguese, you can read all about it here. I believe it says it will be released October 11th, so not long at all!

I'm so excited - I've had people from Brazil e-mailing me over the years, asking when my books might be published there. These things aren't up to the author, so I'm thrilled it's finally happening!

Thinking about motivation and inspiration

It's pretty easy to start a novel. It's a whole other thing entirely to finish one. So where does the motivation come from to finish it, to see that which you started through to the end? 

Sometimes teens write to me and ask me how to keep going with a novel. The doubts start to creep in, and it doesn't take much to make someone stop and wonder, wait, why am I doing this again? I'm never sure what to say, other than, all writers have these doubts. It's normal. The middle is hard. The initial excitement is gone and now, it's just a whole lot of work. Really, it becomes a question of, how badly do you want it? 

I think motivation is something that comes from within. There's nothing anyone can say to make you finish the book. You have to have a desire to sit down and write every day, and you have to be able to push the negative self-talk away.

When I'm writing a book, most of the time, there is enough motivation from inside of me to finish it. I love that feeling of accomplishment. I WANT to finish it. All I know is that I don't have trouble (usually) finding the motivation to finish a book, once I have a solid idea with a solid beginning.

Now that I'm published, I'm also motivated by having editors who want to see other things from me. And I'm motivated by wanting my career to grow.

It seems to me inspiration is more about the act of creating, and it can be found outside of ourselves, unlike motivation. When I'm in need of some inspiration, I look for nuggets of experiences that speak to my heart; that move me in such a way that I, in turn, want to work hard to move others with my words. It might be a pretty sunrise, or a walk on the beach. It might be a movie that brings me to tears, or a song I can't get enough of.

It's important to realize when we need inspiration. Because maybe we can find the motivation inside to finish and slog through the writing and get a book written, even if it takes a year or two to do it. But it's the inspiration, the flutters of the heart we find in life, that makes the book something worth sharing with others.

Basically, it takes both motivation and inspiration to finish a novel. And it's often necessary to get out into the world and away from the computer to find some inspiration. We shouldn't feel bad about doing that - our books will be better for it.

Wishing you lots of motivation AND inspiration this week!

From my mail

I have probably said it before, but I don't think it's something that can be said too much.

I LOVE MY READERS!! They make me over-the-moon happy!

Thank you, wonderful readers, for reading my books, telling your friends and writing me sweet notes to share what my books mean to you. As long as you keep reading, I will keep writing!

"Right now I am in the middle of reading Sprinkles and Secrets. I love it as much as the first. I think you should keep writing kids fiction books about baking or any other kids fiction books. Also, I loved the idea of S'mores cupcakes and it made me hungry reading the recipe. Since it sounded delicious, I decided to make them myself for the family. They turned out really good! I made them the day before my grandparents came over for diner, and all 15 were gone in two days!" ~Victoria, age 11 (photo courtesy of Victoria - don't they look good?)

"I absolutely love It's Raining Cupcakes. It is my favorite book ever. I just wanted to let you know how much I enjoy your books. Every time I read them, I get filled with such a happy feeling." ~Julia, age 10

"I can't wait until your next book is published. You write the BEST books ever. I have a dog named Belle who would probably chew on a leather jacket like Sophie said!! I love reading good books." ~Mackenzie, age 11

"I am in the sixth grade. I love books and sheep. I was once looking through the Nook store and saw It's Raining Cupcakes and Sprinkles and Secrets. At once I decided I would read them. I enjoyed both books and I was wondering if you were going to write another book about Isabel and Sophie." ~Hala


"I have a BIG pile of unread books and my dad said no more til they're done. Well flu shots are coming and he wants me to get the shot so I asked if I got the shot if I could have a book, and guess what? HE SAID YES! So this weekend I ordered The Day Before. It came yesterday and I loved it." ~Ashlee

"The Day Before was the best book I've ever read. Words can't describe how much I love it. I really admired admired how both Amber and Cade were so different from others, but so much like each other." ~Kaitlan

"I really love your books. I have read three of them and hope to read all of them. I just wanted to tell you that you are a great author and my favorite. And because I started to read your books even though I didn't read a lot before now I just can't stop." ~Mariah

"I hated reading until I got a book at my school book fair! That book was called I Heart You, You Haunt Me. Ever since then your books are the only books I like to read. I wonder if you know of other authors who write in the same format?" ~Olivia, age 12

Yes, I gave Olivia suggestions on other books to read. I often do that even when I'm not asked, because I love sharing books I've read and loved!
Happy reading everybody!

Sprinkles and Secrets out in PAPERBACK

Yay, today is the day!

For only $6.99, the paperback of Sprinkles and Secrets can be yours!! That's like less than a price of a large pizza. Well, most of the time. It's less than the price of a movie ticket and a small popcorn! And you can keep it and read it over and over again, as many times as you want. What a deal, right?

The cool thing is that even though Frosting and Friendship wasn't quite finished when the paperback needed to go to print to be ready in time, the first chapter was finished, So, the first chapter of Frosting and Friendship is in the back of the paperback version, and will give you a good idea of what the new book is about.

You definitely get to find out who the main character is, see how she's quite different from Sophie and Isabel, and  at the same time, see Sophie and Isabel in that first chapter too. 

If you've read it, I hope you'll tell your friends about it. Thank you!!!

Can a sense of fashion be learned?

Hey, thanks to everyone who entered the contest for the ARC of KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES and a signed paperback of SPRINKLES AND SECRETS. The winner has been notified, and she has replied, and I'll be sending her the books in the next day or two. I wish I had lots of copies to send to everyone!

So this morning, I was thinking about fashion, and I wrote this little post over on tumblr, and thought I'd post it here as well.

The last time I flew, to LA, there was this beautiful young woman a couple of rows ahead of me. Every time I looked up from my book, I couldn’t help but look at her. She read a fashion magazine the entire 2-hour flight. When she got up to go to the bathroom, I saw that she wasn’t only beautiful, she was really put together. Like, she knew how to dress, and I thought about how envious I am of that ability.

Since I was in middle school, I’ve struggled with “style.” Some people know exactly what they like and know how to put clothes together in a way that works. I’m not one of those people. 

I think part of is that because I’m short and stocky, not a lot looks good on me. The beautiful young woman was tall and thin with legs that went on for a mile. She had leggings and heels on, and a strange knit shirt that was half a cape or something. But on her, it totally worked. 

On me, the whole outfit would have been a disaster.

Anyway, today I’ve been thinking about clothes and fashion, as we are close to heading into a new season, and how so many people love fall and the clothes that go along with it. For me it’s like, well, time to go back to wearing jeans and hoodies. As a writer, most of the time, it works and I’m fine with it. But those times when I have to venture out, to do appearances or school visits or just go out with friends, I wish I had a better sense of style. I wish I could walk into a store and not get stressed out trying to figure out what to buy. 

I really try to be appreciative of all that I have and to not live being envious of what other people have or whatever. But a fashion sense? Some days, I reallywish I had one, and I have to admit, I often envy other people who clearly have one.

I wonder if a sense of fashion can be learned, and if so, how? And if it can, is it worth all of the time it would take? What do you think?