So many fun things to share this week, I hope to cram them all in here.
1. I finally got the nerve to officially Follow YA Highway, a Young Adult Fiction Writers blog. It's going to be fun haunting this amazing site as a regular visitor. My writer-friend, Samantha Mabry, introduced me to it. If you love YA books (openly or as a closeted 30-something reader), you might love this site, too.
2. Some advice for other writers who have novels recently released or forthcoming. (I love that word "forthcoming"--it's so full of possibilities and optimism.)
3. Pics from The Hunger Games film are out. Squeee! Very happy about this, having recently read it.
4. Almost finished (yep, you read that right) with my summer YA novel manuscript. I heart my Beta Reader, who keeps me energized. I'll have to think of a special thank you for her.
5. I discovered a great little site called Inkubate that provides a platform for established agents and publishers to contact writers with manuscripts. It sounds very forward-thinking and exciting.
6. If you LOVE to read (and I know some of you do), consider joining the September Read-A-Thon. You know you want to. Brag a little. Serve a microwave dinner to the fam and enjoy an extra chapter or two.
7. Finally, here are some pics of a cozy reader's group, who read my novel last month. Note the beautiful orange juice cake, in honor of the book. The sweet host, Dixie, served three different dishes that reflect the three main characters' cultural backgrounds. That seriously rocks, people. I felt special, indeed.
