Thanks to the lovely and talented Saundra Mitchell (anywherebeyond ), I found out that MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES is in the running for Best Book, Best Author, and Best Debut of February 2009 on the YA reads forum. OMG! Yay!!!

It's in fantastic company--Saundra's SHADOWED SUMMER, Cynthia Leitich Smith's ETERNAL, and Beth Fantaskey's JESSICA'S GUIDE TO  ( Read more... )

 They published a lovely review of MODELS this week...

When Celeste's meddling aunt enters her into the Miss Husky Peach Pageant for "larger sized girls," the eighth-grader quails at the thought of the teasing that's sure to follow, though the idea of modeling has its appeal. Reasoning that if she loses enough weight, she'll be ineligible for the ( Read more... )

I found out last week that MODELS is going into a second printing, thanks to the wonderful people at Scholastic Book Fair.

Wow.

Just....wow.

 1. I have wonderful family and friends--both the online and real-time variety. From the blog posts to the emails and phone calls, thanks for making my day special yesterday!

2. MODELS has a snazzy book trailer, care of Judith Shimer, one of the students at Montserrat, where I teach. She is an incredible artist and did an AMAZING job. Check it out:

Click to view

3 ( Read more... )

 MODELS DON'T EAT CHOCOLATE COOKIES comes out next Thursday! Eek!

And my birthday is the week after! Double eek!

To celebrate, I'm hosting a contest and giving away a Super Cool MODELS prize pack! Yes, you get a giftie on my birthday! Here's what you'll win:

• a signed paperback copy of MODELS
• a CD with the MODELS soundtrack (including two original ( Read more... )

 (So much for my five-day-a-week blogging, right? Teething takes a lot out of a mommy!)

Anyway, there are only 15 days til MODELS releases (eeeek!). And I just got my shiny box of author copies.

That means it's time to start giving stuff away!

This week's contest:

Spot the Book!

( Read more... )

The fabtabulous debut2009 community is giving away swag bags every month to celebrate Debs book releases. You have until MIDNIGHT TONIGHT to become a watcher of our community and leave a comment on this entry (click on the icon below) to be eligible. There is some pretty cool swag in those bags, so don't miss out!


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 Each of the times I've blogged about revision, I've alluded to my elaborate notecard revision element. Here's what it looks like when it's done:


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 (Apologies for the lateness of the post. I have a teether on my hands. Pity me. I'm pitying myself--and feeling badly for her.)

I've read a few posts recently about writers who are unsure about how much personal experience is necessary to write a good story. The question comes uo: you actually have to have done something in order to write about it?

( Read more... )

Here's a recipe for a treat featured in MODELS--one that her family enjoys early in the novel. prncssdidi  actually came up with it, based on the fanciful name I stuck in the book. Try it--it's amazing!

Aunt Doreen’s Butterscotch Apple Crumb Cake of Temptation
(with thanks to Martha Stewart's Cherry-Struesel Coffee Cake)
1/2 stick of butter
1 cup of flour
1/2 tsp ( Read more... )