fourteen days

In exactly two weeks, Winger will finally be out in the world (a bit sooner if you're in Southern California, because it will be available at the Ontario Teen Book Festival on Saturday, May 11).

So, for the next two weeks, I am going to post little teaser lines from randomly selected parts of the book. Here is my first offering from Winger.

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finally

I came home today to find that the first copies of Winger had been sent to me by my publisher, Simon & Schuster. It's been a long road, but this is one of the most beautifully designed books I have ever seen, inside and out.

And if you happen to be in Southern California, it will be available here three days before the rest of the world gets it, also thanks to Simon & Schuster who are giving permission to Mrs. Nelson's Books to sell copies on May 11 at the Teen Book Festival in Ontario, California.

Hope to see you there:

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going to texas

I'm really looking forward to finally getting to Texas next week for the Texas Library Association Annual Conference in Fort Worth. It's been a long time coming, and I have such great support from readers, schools, and librarians in Texas.

So here are some of the events I know I'll be doing:

On Wednesday evening, April 24, I'll be a "featured author" at the Nacho Average TLA Party, from 5:30 - 7:30 at the Reata Restaurant in Sundance Square. What does being a featured author mean? It means an embarrassing photo opportunity for someone. That's all I'll admit to at this moment.

On Thursday, I'll be speaking on a panel called YART: "New YA Literature to Entice Readers" at the Convention Center, Room 202 AB from 3:00 - 3:50.

Following the panel, I will be signing with two of my publishers: Simon & Schuster (COPIES OF WINGER!!!) and Macmillan (signing Passenger and The Marbury Lens -- I'm not really sure, since I have 5 books with them) from 4:30 - 5:30 at Author Signing Aisle #9.

Then, I'll be at the Macmillan Publishing dinner with some amazing authors (I'll be seated with Marissa Meyer), and I'll be doing a kind of speed-dating thing at a couple tables, talking about my books.

Afterwards, off to meet the Simon & Schuster authors and staff for drinks.

I know. It's rough.

On Friday, at the Omni Fort Worth in Ballrooms 5 - 8, I'll be at another speed-dating event, the YART Texas Tea Event, from 12:00 - 1:50 (that's a lot of tea).

Then, from 5:00 - 8:00, I'll be at the TT4L -- Texas Teens for Libraries, where I will be signing books as well as doing a Readers' Theatre with Jennifer Echols and John Corey Whaley, whom I will go all fan-boy on.

Looks like a rocking time in Texas next week.

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the actual book

After all this time, Winger is finally here.

The first batch of finished, bound books have arrived at the warehouse, and the book will officially be available in less than a month, on May 14.

The great news is I'll have one in my hands this week, possibly tomorrow.

And some really great news: Simon & Schuster will be sending out copies of the book this week to some fortunate folks. If you happen to be one of those people, please feel free to be as much of a loudmouth as you'd like.

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the feeder of minds

 
I know I've been absent for a very long time.

So here is my list of what's going on at the moment:

1. Four weeks from Tuesday, Winger will be out. Exactly four weeks from today, May 11, I will be speaking on three panels at the Ontario (California) Teen Book Festival, which will be held at Merton E. Hill Auditorium, located on the Chaffey High School campus,  211 West 5th St. Ontario, CA 91764.

The festival starts at 9:00 AM and will include the following authors: Carrie Arcos, Jessica Brody, Morgan Matson, Lex Thomas, Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo, Suzanne Lazear, Jennifer Bosworth, Gretchen McNeil, Gregg Olsen, Ann Stampler and Sara Wilson Etienne--quite an amazing list.

More amazingly, though, is that Winger will make its debut there, three days before you can get it anywhere else. The people at Simon & Schuster are allowing Mrs. Nelson's Books to sell the hardcover edition BEFORE its official release date of May 14. 

2. On Wednesday, April 24, I will be heading out to Fort Worth, Texas for the annual Texas Library Association Conference. I'm not sure of all the events and signing times they've scheduled for me, but I know it's going to be a very busy four days there.

3. I received my first, on-paper, stamped and delivered piece of hate mail last week from an adult who was offended by my novel, Stick, and, in particular, the language used when the two boy characters--brothers--are talking to each other (about sex--the hate-fan provided the exact page number).

I suppose publishers have to forward those things on if they are actually addressed to authors, but they sure bum me out. It concerns me that the folks at the Flatiron Building opened and read the letter. It very well could have contained anthrax or some shit like that.

My hate-fan closed the letter with the following:

If this is the kind of trashy language that sells books then I'm not surprised that the morals and character of our children is on a rapid downturn.

As a writer, you can be making a remarkable difference in our society by feeding the minds of our children with good decent values and morals without the vulgar language.

Ugh. No comment.

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through a filter

This is the entire novel of Winger, run through the filter of Tagxedo.

The long version is much better, but this is pretty cool.

Just 39 days to go.

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