In case you haven’t heard yet (because you’re one of my rare followers who doesn’t also follow my much more entertaining and blogosphere-savvy friends)  brace yourselves:

The Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Workshop is now open for registration!  For those not familiar with this workshop, click the link, of course, but here’s the shorthand:  This is a week-long conference, June 14-June 18. It will  be held at a great new venue, the Waterford School in Sandy, Utah.  You will meet and work with some of the best writers, illustrators, editors and agents in the business.  Seriously.  I know tons of writers who’ve gotten their start at this conference–including me!

Which makes it all the sweeter that this year I’ll be  an instructor, teaching the Beginning Novel class.  So whether you’ve just started writing for kids/teens, already have a completed manuscript, already have several completed manuscripts–basically wherever you are in your career, there is a class for you and you will benefit!  Register now and tell me in the comments so I can look out for you!

Also in Sandy, but coming up much sooner, is the Authorpalooza at the SouthTowne Barnes and Noble on Saturday, February 6! Come hang out with a bunch of Utah authors anytime between 1-4 p.m!  I’ll be there, but more importantly, so will Bree Despain, rock star of The Six,  James Dashner, andso many others I’m not sure who they all are.  If you haven’t gotten a copy of my book yet, this is an excellent opportunity because they will definitely have it in stock!

Meanwhile, my brother left for his mission in Des Moines, Iowa last week.  He gave me his phone while he ’s gone.  Apparently no one wanted it because it was a “girl phone.”  Which prompted me to ask: “Why didn’t the girls want it?”  He didn’t tell me, so maybe something is wrong with the phone I don’t know about but still.  My own phone.  That I don’t have to pay for.  That has TEXT.  That I may or may not ever use.  Just having possession of it is full of possibilities.

First off, a big wahoo to the award winners in yesterday’s announcement by the American Library Association.  For those who don’t know, the ALA choose the Newbery Award winners as well as the Printz Award winners (like a Newbery–but for young adult books) and a bunch of other award winners.
I am delighted that Rebecca Stead’s [...]

Now, for the post that I planned to post last week, wherein I discuss the debut of my friend and fellow Sixer Bree Despain’s YA paranormal romance THE DARK DIVINE. The book is doing so well it’s already in its second printing! Check out the book, and check out Bree’s blog. If [...]

There was a post I was planning to post that I realized I could not post until I had posted this post.

For awhile now, my BFF writers group has needed to come up with a name.  Back in 2005, when we first formed the group, didn’t need a name.  We were smaller then–it was just [...]

December is busy for everyone.  It’s a lame excuse for not posting, so I’m not even gonna try it.  I mention the insanity of December only to highlight the most insane part of it: My Trip to Spokane,Washington For the Marriage of This Guy:

Just so you know, I went to a lot of [...]