International Makeover

First of all HAPPY STAR WARS DAY and May the Fourth be with you :)

Exciting news from across the pond - my UK publishers Atom Books have just announced their cover redesign for Nightshade and Wolfsbane. Check out the lovely shininess!

I also was delighted to receive my first copy of the US paperback, which will be in stores on June 14.

It is sooooo pretty! The wolf seems to jump off the cover - so Calla! This summer is going to be so much fun and very, very busy :) I can't wait!

Wishing you all a great week.

ALA: Take 2

Wow! I've been home two days now and I'm still reeling from the awesome that was ALA.I've already blogged about the wonder that was spending time around writer heroes. I also had the joy of meeting more Nightshade fans!

Big shout out to Mitali (Alley of Books), Amy (ReadingTeen), Andy (Reading Teen Too) who spent loads of time chatting in the Penguin booth. I couldn't believe how many people showed up. The line was so long that the actually ran out of Nightshade ARCs! Yikes!

On the one hand I'm so sorry to those of you who waited for an ARC and were unable to get one, on the other hand OMG I can't believe so many people showed up that they ran out!!!

Meeting readers and librarians who are so excited for Nightshade's release was such a gift. Thank you to all the librarians who are bringing Nightshade to their teens and book clubs. Having spent so much of my life in libraries, from summer reading programs as a wee one to my first job in high school, I can't thank you enough for all you do!

In addition to meeting writer heroes I also had the geek-out of the millenium when I showed up at Penguin to find this:
Wow! Darth Vader and Storm Troopers. Wow!! Wow!! Wow!!

As you can tell I had a blast. Fingers crossed that they invite me back next year :)

Another Side of Star Wars

For intergalatic giggles:

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Let's All Breathe a Sigh of Relief

President Obama has a light saber, everything is going to be okay now.


Getting health care reformed and the finance industry fixed should be a piece of cake; he can just use Jedi mind tricks to defeat the Dark Side... except that I think Jabba the Hut might be heading up the opposition, along with Voldemort, Sauron, and the Woodland Critters from South Park.


Uh oh. May the force be with you, Mr. President!

Happy Endings (?)

How does one create the perfect (or best) finish to a book?

At the moment I'm struggling with this problem in my writing. Writers often worry about the "hook" at the beginning of a novel, or live in dread of the "sagging" middle section. Neither of these issues have dogged me, but finding the right way to tie everything together and send the story on its merry way has become a nagging question.

Part of the problem derives from the fact that my novel is the first in a series. Therefore the crisis at hand becomes my ability to wrap up the tension and key problems of the first book in a satisfying way (for both the reader and myself), while simultaneously opening the door to the second book. I know what's going to happen in the next books, I'm already deeply invested in the plot and character developments that occur AFTER the conclusion of the first book.

So how can I then make sure the first book ends in such a way that editors are convinced it not only has a life of its own, but also begs for a follow up? Since so many best-sellers are series I know this achievement is possible. I also remind myself of the way that The Empire Strikes Back leaves so many questions unanswered, but is far and away my favorite of the Star Wars trilogy. And features this epic-win romantic dialogue:



How do you bring your writing to the finish line. What are the key components of a truly good ending?