Slow Learner

I’m a slow learner. I don’t mean that I’m stupid-slow, I mean that I have to process things for a while before they sink in. Also, I need to learn things in layers, building upon what I know, kind of like when you update a computer program. It...

Last post…zzzzz

Good job all of you who plan to stay up for the last 4.5 hours of the readathon, but I’m outta here. Just finished FOR KEEPS and loved, loved, loved it! Nighty-night!

A Great Line

Had to share this great line from the ARC I’m reading – FOR KEEPS by Natasha Friend Because no matter what those sex-ed teachers say about how great condoms are, there’s not a condom in the world that can protect you from heartbreak. I was hooked on...

One book & 2 hours later…

I finished the Paula Danzigger book. She’s quite a writer. She uses rhythm in neat ways. Like this: Is this a plot of her mother’s? How’s Jim going to take this? What will Mindy say? I look around at everyone at the table. No one’s saying...

Readathon Update

I know everyone else is about 13 hours into this, and I’ve just started, but I’m going to stay up late! The fire’s roaring, the popcorn’s gone, and I’ve just read for an hour. After discussing Woodstock and Paula Danzigger with the...

I’m back to read

It’s all about popcorn, tea, and something to read from here on out…oh, wait…I might have to go chop a little firewood. And then I’m on it. I’m changing books. I’m picking from my ARC pile, or I might go for the comfort of...

Better Late Than Never – Readathon

Somehow, even though I saw tweets and twitters about this, I neglected to check it out. Today is the 24 hour readathon! I’m joining up a bit late, I should’ve started reading at 5am (which would’ve been hard since I slept until 9am!). However, better...

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

My friend Kim recommended this book to me ages ago. There were a zillion and one holds on it at the library, but luckily another friend just called the other day and offered to lend me her copy. This is an amazing book. I know, I’m late to the game, but...

Wild Card Wednesday with Sara Zarr

I have to admit, when I first heard of Sara Zarr, my immediate thought was, “Wow. Is that the coolest writer name ever? Yes, I think so.” Sara and I share an agent, which is how I first found out about her, but I know her fantastic books, Story of a Girl...

ARCs and AFTER YOU by Julie Buxbaum

I am never quite sure when to blog about ARCs, and since that is primarily what I’ve been reading lately, I haven’t posted. Is it more helpful to hear about them early so you can add them to your TBR list? Or when the book comes out? I have decided to just...

Betsy, Tacy & Sunday Soup

If you’re a fan of the Betsy-Tacy books by Maud Hart Lovelace, then you’re probably wondering why the title of this post isn’t Betsy, Tacy & Sunday Lunch. I shall reveal all. Just stick with me here. In honour of the re-release of the Betsy-Tacy...

Leaping over at The Debs

Hi All, I’m over at The Debs today talking about leaping and falling and landing. Stop on by and tell me what chances you’ve taken that have paid off.

Wild Card Wednesday – I need your help!

Welcome to my new-ish Wednesday feature. For the most part, you will find interviews on Wednesdays with authors who I can coerce into answering my questions. However, as many of you know, my computer crashed last week, so I’m a bit behind trying to play catch-up...

Canadian Thanksgiving

Today is Canadian Thanksgiving, although most people had their big dinners yesterday. It’s sort of optional here which day of the three-day weekend you choose to pig-out. We chose yesterday. That way we can eat well again today by digging into the leftovers. You...

Wild Card Wednesday

Today’s interview with author Sara Zarr has been postponed due to illness (mine, not hers). Also, on Monday, my computer bit the dust, taking her interview with it. The computer gurus promise that while the computer itself is history, Sara’s interview can...

Publishing & The Cubs – a complementary combo

I’m a lifelong Cubs fan. Assuming you believe life starts at fourteen, which because I’m a YA writer,  that works for me. Yesterday was the last day of the regular season for 2009, and naturally, the Cubs lost.* This didn’t bother me because at the...

We have a winner!

I’m saying nice things about my agent over at The Debutante Ball today, but before you pop over there, I have an announcement! I have chosen a winner for the name my feature on Wednesday contest. Thanks for all the entries, everyone! I have decided to go with...

Gorgeous by Rachel Vail

Summer is over. There’s a fire in the woodstove and I have a big TBR pile, so it’s time to get back to Need To Read. The first book I’ve read in almost a month (I know!) is Gorgeous by Rachel Vail. This is the companion book to last year’s...

An interview with Suzanne Selfors!

You may have noticed that the blurb for my book is by Suzanne Selfors. I feel particularly lucky about this, not just because of what she said, but because I have been a fan of Suzanne’s fantastic writing for a very long time. Her YA, Saving Juliet, was one of my Fave...

A contest!

Unless you’re head’s buried in the sand (or a book), then you probably know it’s Banned Book Week. And while I feel very strongly about this, I can’t really think of anything new to say on the subject. I did write about it here last Friday on...

In celebration of Betsy-Tacy

Readers the world over love Maud Hart Lovelace’s Betsy-Tacy series. Everyone from the little girl whose librarian handed her Betsy and Tacy Go Downtown yesterday, to celebrities like Bette Midler and writers Anna Quindlen and Meg Cabot sing the praises of this series....

Be Prepared For Good Things!

My book has taken on a life of its own. I know this happens to books, but it never occurred to me it would happen so soon. To be honest, I think I thought that maybe a month before it came out, there might be a little buzz on the internet, but I never thought this...