I'm brainstorming now for next year. Care to join me ( Read more... )

Sometime, maybe a few years ago, Lisa and I discovered that we both love AbFab. Soon, a running joke evolved that she was Patsy and I was Eddy - or maybe it was the other way around - and she said that when we meet in person, she'd buy me a margarita. I'm counting on that margarita, but until then, this AbFab is for you, Lisa.

Click to view

Over at the Mixed Up Files blog Elissa Cruz asked us what literary character are we most like. Here was my answer ( Read more... )

Last month I wrote a locked post about an 11-year-old friend of mine who has P.A.N.D.A.S., which stands for Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal infections. Now that the family is doing well and I have good news to report, I have unlocked the entry and I deleted the private posts from my readers in the ( Read more... )

(September 17, 2010 -- Edited to add: Today I am posting an update on Julie and her PANDAS treatment and I am unlocking this entry. Since this will now be open to the public, I am deleting the private posts from my readers in the comments section.)

I am locking this post for now because the subject matter feels too personal and private to share yet ( Read more... )

I have been writing for about five or six years, and when people ask me how I got started, I always tell them about the time I met Korean-American author Helie Lee who said to me, "You've got a story to tell, you should write it," and so I did. We were living in Costa Rica at the time and I wrote a children's novel that was loosely based on our ( Read more... )

1. A big group of amazing writers and I have a surprise for you all. We'll unveil on Monday. Stay tuned ( Read more... )

Listen to this: Author Deborah Halverson (HONK IF YOU HATE ME and BIG MOUTH) is offering her critique expertise in a contest at her blog, Dear Editor. Before writing her own books, she was an editor at Harcourt, so she clearly knows her stuff. To enter the free edit contest, follow the rules listed on her blog. Read more... )

I wish I could be greedy and hog up all my time this week with writing, but, alas, I can't. My children need my attention and, honestly, I'm grateful to be able to give it to them. A very wise author friend sent me a loving email reminding me to enjoy my kids, right now, in the present. Good advice, dear friend, thank you. Publication will come for ( Read more... )

My current wip really wants to be a tween in spite my agent's advice to keep the story smack dab in the middle of MG. It's a funny, upbeat, and non-message-y story about a boy and girl who've been close friends since they were toddlers and they discover something in their past that makes them become uncomfortable with each other. (I can't tell you ( Read more... )