Good-bye, Summer!

Well, it has been a pretty amazing summer. I've been busy, busy, busy! I'm not even sure where to start...

I guess I should first mention that the Princeton Public Library's 5th Annual Children's Book Festival on September 11 was a raging success! I got to meet a ton of new fans who had me sign their books. I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see so many kids come to a book festival like this one, excited about reading. You can see all the pictures I took there on my Facebook Your Life, But Better fan page, but here are just a handful.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day outside, and I had the best time meeting with my fans. I got to be a fan too! I met R. L. Stine and Henry Neff--and they couldn't have been nicer. Thank you to Allison Santos for organizing and including me in such a wonderful event, the Princeton Public Library for hosting, and to Barnes & Noble for providing the books. (Their copies of Your Life, But Better sold out!) If you ever get a chance, definitely swing by the Princeton Public Library and check out their children's books section on the third floor. It's a sight to see. 

After the book festival, my parents and I headed over to the Jazz Feast, which was going on just a few blocks away. I'm so glad we did too. The place was packed! We got to listen to some great jazz while eating deeeelicious paella that was made right in front of us in enormous skillets. 

My mom and dad enjoying the paella.

I had a really good time in New Jersey. The weekend before the festival was pretty fun too. I went to Milwaukee on September 4 to attend my friend Tom's wedding. For those of you who read my blog or my acknowledgments pages, you've heard of Tom before. He's one of my friends who has talked me through a couple of bouts with writer's block. He's a writer too, so his help definitely comes in handy. He's also the one who had his four nieces read an early draft of my first book so they could write me reviews. (I posted them in earlier blogs.) Well, I finally got to meet all four of them. They were as psyched to meet me as I was to meet them, which was nice. And they're all such sweethearts! As a thank-you for being my very first reviewers, I brought each of them a copy of Your Life, But Cooler. 

Megan, Valerie, me, Hannah, and Olyvia

All of us laughing at something one of the guests said
about my entourage. 

I am currently awaiting their reviews of the second book in the series. I hope they like it!

Meanwhile, I have finished writing the next book in the series, Your Life, But Sweeter, which will hit the stores this December. And more great news: Starting next month, my books will be available in Targets everywhere! I'm very, very excited about that. 

I have one more author appearance coming up on September 24 to tell you about. I'll be on a Writing Matters panel along with a great group of children's book authors at the Watchung Booksellers bookstore in Montclaire, NJ, at 7 pm discussing the children's book market. So if you happen to be in the area, come on by and feel free to ask lots of questions. I'll do my best to answer them! 

Until next time!