wrap ups

My Year in Books!

Dec 31, 2015 | balancing act, books, don't you mean voracious, goals, Goodreads, this is how we read it, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, wrap ups

Thanks to Goodreads, it’s easy to step back and look at your year in reading. Here’s mine:

So many great books, and I kept up with my personal reading goal of a book a week.

Per the handwritten book log I keep in my planner, it looks like I read 20 MG books, 9 YA, and the rest were adult. Only 5 were nonfiction–although I may have read a few more titles as research that didn’t make it into my Goodreads/booklog.

Goals for 2016? Keep trying to read more diverse books, more books in genres I don’t usually gravitate toward (like fantasy), and a little more nonfiction. I’m also planning to read the Elena Ferrante novels because I haven’t met a single reader who hasn’t gushed about them.

And I’d always love to read more, in general. But considering I revised Summer of Lost and Found twice, finally sent a shiny new manuscript to my agent, presented at a conference, and worked hard at my day job–I’m proud of how many titles I still read!

How was your year in books?

What I Read in 2014

Dec 31, 2014 | ARCs, books, covers, read free or die, this is how we read it, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, wrap ups

I had a most excellent year in books:

What about you?

A Happy Debut Year

Dec 29, 2014 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, ALA, audrey and alice, authors, Class of 2K14, conferences, feel the love, gratitude, happy happy joy joy, heaven aka bookstores, lets take this show on the road, school visits, slightly incoherent due to revision brain, Summer of Lost and Found, Uncategorized, wrap ups

It’s hard to believe that the year is coming to a close. It really does feel like yesterday that I was welcoming 2014–and eagerly anticipating my February 4 book birthday.

It has really been a delightful experience sharing Audrey’s and Alice’s stories.

Author copies arrive!

Author copies on a shelf [they’re all gone now–in libraries, where they belong :)]

Signing at my launch party

A great panel at Books of Wonder, my indie home

Class of 2K14 celebrating after ALA in Vegas

Barnes & Noble panel with Tara Dairman, Polly Holyoke, and KA Holt in Fort Worth, TX

Awesome panel at The Book Spot in Round Rock, TX

Working on an Amelia Earhart story with young writers at the NYSL

WAMA projects by the great students at St. Francis Academy

I’m so grateful to all the people who have supported me along the way, to all those who work tirelessly to get books produced and shelved and sold and checked out and taught, and most of all to readers. Because of all the wonderful moments along the way, the best have always been about them.

First up in 2015 is finishing revisions for my second book, Summer of Lost and Found (which might be undergoing a slight title change–more on that in the new year). Then I’ll be back to work on a brand new story.

Have a safe and happy new year!

Superlatives for 2014

Dec 18, 2014 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, books, treat this post as evidence of procrastination, Uncategorized, wrap ups, YA Superlatives

Class of 2014_Banner

Katy Upperman, Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, and Alison Miller, hosted this interactive blogfest in 2011, 2012, and 2013 with the hope of highlighting favorite YA novels, covers, characters, and story elements. They’re hosting it again, and dedicating this week to promoting awesome young-adult books!

Today’s the last day of the blogfest: Best in Show. Here are my picks from the books I read in 2014*:

Favorite Cover: Open Road Summer by Emery Lord. It’s beautiful, and it captures the summer season and dreamy mood of a road trip. Plus, the couple on the cover are married in real life!
Cutest Couple: Wish You Were Italian by Kristin Rae. I’m not going to spoil anything by naming names, but I loved the sweet, thoughtful romance in this gem.
Most Likely to Succeed (Pick a Printz Winner): A Death-Struck Year by Makiia Lucier. This book is amazing. The historical detail, the timeliness of the topic–and the very strong and brave female protagonist. I loved it.
Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime: Pointe by Brandy Colbert. I am generally not someone who reads an entire book in a 24-hour period, but this one I did. I really, honestly, could not put it down. It’s heartbreaking and powerful.
Romance Most Worthy of an Ice Bath: One, Two, Three, by Elodie Nowodazkij. Swoonworthy!
Best Breakout Novel (Favorite Book by a Debut Author): Push Girl, by Jessica Love. But Push Girl has the distinction of being a really great contemporary YA that also has an important message. It’s so well done, and I can’t wait for Jessica’s next book.
Best Old-Timer (Favorite Book Published BEFORE 2014): Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson. A beautiful story that takes the characters and world from Peter Pan and makes them entirely new. I think about this one a lot, and it’s been months since I read it.
Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry: The Impossible Knife of Memory by Laurie Halse Anderson. An impactful story about family, addiction, PTSD, and love.
Sleeper Hit (Novel So Awesome I Wish It’d Been Hyped More): Hostage Three by Nick Lake. Technically, this published in late 2013, but I read it in 2014. An intense thriller/survival story that delves into socio-political issues, with well-developed characters and a compelling voice.
Favorite Outlier (Best 2014 Picture Book, MG, NA, or Adult Novel): I loved Yes Please. It was the self-help book I didn’t know I wanted to read. Amy Poehler is my hero.
Create Your Own Superlative!: Since I was lucky enough to read some 2015 ARCs this year, my superlative is: 2015 Book You Want Everyone to Read. And I’m picking The Forgetting by Nicole Maggi, which pubs in February.

*As a 2014 debut author myself, I know a few authors on my list. I admit to being a little biased–but that doesn’t change the fact that these are all great books!

What were some of your best 2014 books?

Texas Tour!

Aug 20, 2014 | audrey and alice, authors, AWESOMENESS, book people, Class of 2K14, eventful, gratitude, heaven aka bookstores, I talk about food too much, IRL, libraries, middle grade, PIE, please excuse the jet lag, wrap ups

Last weekend, fellow debut author Tara Dairman (whose book ALL FOUR STARS is delightful and delicious, and one of my favorites of the year) and I traveled around Texas to visit a library, a B&N store, and an indie bookstore. It was incredibly fun, and here are some of the highlights.

We started out with the Fort Worth Library’s Author Roundup:

The beautiful Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth

Gorgeous, light-filled library

How cool is the “reading rainbow” that welcomes you to the children’s section of the Central Library?

Alice’s “Red Devil” inspired my dress

Happy to see fellow Class of 2K14 author Christine Kohler at the library!

Tara, 2015 debut author Jenny Martin, and I are modeling Tara’s ALL FOUR STARS temporary tattoos.

Afterward, we headed to Roanoke–not the island, but the town in Texas with great BBQ and the best pie shop I’ve ever visited. (Seriously. And you know how I feel about pie.)

The sign doesn’t lie–Roanoke, TX had really unique–and delicious–food!

I am going to dream about the cherry pie I had here. Fantastic.

The next morning, we checked out the Fort Worth Stockyards and the Dallas Museum of Art.

I loved this historic part of Fort Worth.

Chihuly glass at the Dallas Museum of Art

Then we headed to Barnes & Noble for a panel with Polly Holyoke and K.A. Holt.

Excitedly posing with our sign!

Me, Tara, Polly Holyoke, and K. A. Holt getting ready for our panel

The next day, we explored Austin.

More barbeque! Is it possible to eat to much? No.

Presidential limousine on display at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum.

On our last night, we had a great MG panel at The Book Spot in Round Rock, with K. A. Holt, Nikki Loftin, and Jennifer Ziegler.

Tara, me, Nikki Loftin, K. A. Holt, and Jennifer Ziegler

That is a literal “cake with a unicorn”!

We quizzed the audience with trivia related to our books–and had lots of prizes.

A celebratory dinner afterward, with 2015 debut author Donna Bowman Bratton.

(If that’s not enough photos, there are even more on my Facebook page.)

It was a wonderful weekend. Thank you to the librarians and booksellers who invited us; the readers and fellow writers who came out to support us; our hilarious, insightful, and charming co-panelists; and especially to Tara’s husband, who drove us around the state and took lots of great photos to document our authorly adventure.

ALA Annual in Pictures

Jul 8, 2014 | ALA, ARCs, audrey and alice, authors, AWESOMENESS, book publishing, Class of 2K14, conferences, debutanting, gratitude, gushing, IRL, lets take this show on the road, libraries, please excuse the jet lag, Sourcebooks, Uncategorized, wrap ups

ALA Annual was amazing! It was fun, surreal, and humbling to be around so many wonderful readers, librarians, authors, and publishing professionals.

Here are some of the highlights (at least the ones for which I have photo documentation):

So I learned what “but it’s a dry heat” means.

AKA, still hot, but pleasantly so. Unless you get kind of lost on the way back to your hotel and have to circle a massive casino a few times to find the entrance . . .

Anyway, shortly after I got to the conference on Saturday, after a very early but thankfully uneventful flight, I got to meet fellow debut author Jessica Love!

Who is just as lovely in person as I knew she’d be. And I now have a signed copy of Push Girl. 🙂

I also got to meet fellow Sourcebooks author Nancy Cavanaugh! Very serendipitously, as I was getting to the conference just as she was leaving.

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I headed over to the Sourcebooks booth to finally meet (and thank!) the wonderful marketing and S&L team. And I saw my poster in person!

I stopped by the Egmont booth to say hi and also meet author Len Vlahos, who was about to do the coolest author event, in which he played songs from his book on the PopTop Stage. Then I went back to the hotel with my ALA roommate, Lauren Magaziner, and crashed until it was time for the Class of 2K14 dinner. (Sadly, I didn’t think to take any pictures at that!)

The next morning, we were up bright and early for the MG vs. YA Trivia Showdown, hosted by the charming and talented duo of Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini.

We had so much fun playing trivia and sharing our first lines. The librarians, no surprise, impressed us all with their knowledge!

Later on Sunday, I signed When Audrey Met Alice in the Sourcebooks booth.

I had so much fun meeting librarians and talking about my book. And we actually ran out of copies by the end of the line! I was so touched by the enthusiasm of everyone who came by–it was a dream experience. And author Marissa Moss stopped by–I am a huge fan of her work, and I was so excited to meet her!

I had another fangirl moment when I got to meet Ann M. Martin.

I have been dying to read Rain Reign, and now I will always treasure this signed ARC. I kind of wish I could travel back in time to tell little Rebecca that someday, she’d be at ALA meeting the authors she loved.

After the conference wrapped up on Sunday, some of the Class of 2K14 members who were still around went out on the town to celebrate.

We did find the most amazing doughnut soap while wandering around.

Truth: I went into the store after seeing that in the window and thinking I could eat it.

And then bright and early the next morning, I was on my way back, jet-lagged and happy and grateful. I didn’t win any money, but I did carry home a suitcase bursting with books.

Kids Author Carnival!

Jun 2, 2014 | authors, book people, eventful, gushing, heaven aka bookstores, libraries, middle grade, wrap ups

I had the best Saturday. Just look at this lineup, and you’ll understand why:

Thirty-seven fabulous middle-grade authors took over the gorgeous Jefferson Market Library (which used to be a courthouse and the site of a lot of famous trials; check this out for the library’s history) and turned it into a celebration of kid lit. I was part of the “Creating a Character” group, and I was blown away by the creativity and talent of our kid writers!

After the fun and games, we raffled off prize packs and then did a big, happy signing, with books provided by Books of Wonder.

I wish I had pictures, but I was too busy carnival-ing to take any. So use your imaginations! Picture a lot of smiling kids, caregivers, and authors.

A huge thanks to Claire LeGrand, Lauren Magaziner, and Heidi Schulz for organizing!

2013 in Reading

Jan 5, 2014 | ARCs, books, covers, this is how we read it, Uncategorized, wrap ups

What I read in 2013, more or less*:

(How much do I wish I’d read two more books to get a nice, neat last row?)

*Based on Goodreads–I didn’t join until summer, so I might’ve missed a few books.

Superlatives Blogfest 2013: Best in Show

Dec 19, 2013 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, authors, books, covers, this is how we read it, Uncategorized, wrap ups, YA Superlatives

It’s time for the 3rd Annual YA Superlative Blogfest! Jessica Love, Tracey Neithercott, Alison Miller, and Katy Upperman host this blogfest, which highlights favorite YA novels, covers, characters, and story elements. It’s fun to go through the list of 2013 YA releases I’ve read, and it’s even more fun to get a bunch of new titles to add to my TBR list. Today wraps up the blogfest with Best in Show.

Best in Show

Favorite Cover: I loved the cover for The Art of Wishing–it was dreamy but grounded, and it had a lovely script-inspired font.
Most Likely to Make You Miss Your Bedtime (Book you couldn’t put down): The 5th Wave, definitely. Once I started reading, I should’ve cleared my calendar. It was truly unputdownable.
Best Repeat Performance (Favorite sequel or follow-up): This feels like a cheat, but Just One Year. Both books were their own stories within a closely tied pair. I suppose Just One Year could’ve felt redundant, but instead it built on the story in Just One Day, beautifully.
Best Old-Timer (Your favorite read of the year published BEFORE 2013): I finally read Code Name Verity this year, which was worth the wait. (Or maybe I shouldn’t have waited, because it’s a really excellent, powerful book.)
Book Most Likely to Make a Grown Man Cry: Probably Second Chance Summer, which is such a tearjerker that the book should be shrink-wrapped with a big box of Kleenex.
Most Pleasant Surprise (Book you didn’t think you’d like, but totally did): I’m going to have to give this one to The 5th Wave, too–I don’t like aliens, and sci fi/dystopians are not usually my thing. But I really enjoyed this one.
Favorite Outlier (Favorite picture, middle grade, or adult 2013 book): A favorite MG of this year was Tim Federle’s Better Nate Than Ever, which is hilarious and heartwarming, and should be required reading for mildly disgruntled New Yorkers. It made me want to go kick up my heels in Times Square–and that’s saying something!
My superlative: Best Friendship: And that goes to Red. I love reading about strong, honest, and supportive female friendships, and that’s exactly what Felicity’s trio is!

What were your picks for Head of the Class? I skipped over a few categories, so I’d love to hear your picks for those!

Superlatives Blogfest 2013: Head of the Class

Dec 16, 2013 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, books, this is how we read it, Uncategorized, wrap ups, YA Superlatives

Head of the Class

Favorite Science Fiction: I was a little iffy on how to categorize The 5th Wave, but I’m pretty sure it fits best as Science Fiction. This book is riveting, and I can’t wait for the sequel, out this spring. Coming from someone who regularly has nightmares about alien invasions, that says a lot.

Favorite Contemporary: Sure, Just One Day/Just One Year are technically romances. But what I loved about this contemporary duo was how the very romantic story was about self-discovery (for both characters!) as it was about love and passion. The journey, both literal and figurative, that we went on with Allyson and Willem was as sweetly compelling as the romance.

Favorite Historical Fiction: Out of the Easy is full of secrets and strong women and a really great setting (the French Quarter of New Orleans in the 1950s). Ruta Sepetys again has created characters and places that you can’t soon forget.

Favorite Comedy: Alison Cherry’s Red is technically a satire–and it’s a wickedly funny one. IMHO, the best humor is smart humor, and the pageant shenanigans in Scarletville are full of that.

Favorite Paranormal: Speaking of funny, The Art of Wishing is also hilarious–and full of action and romance. Margo is a relatable, funny, and smart narrator, and I adored her passion for music. I’m excited for The Fourth Wish this spring, so I can figure out what happens next with gender-bendy genies.

Favorite Family Drama: Bring your tissues for the family drama in Second Chance Summer, which tackles very tough subject matter with grace, empathy, love, and just the right amount of humor. This one is moving and memorable.

What were your picks for Head of the Class? I skipped over a few categories (Favorite Dystopian, Favorite Fantasy, Favorite Action/Adventure, Favorite Mystery, Favorite Romance, Favorite Genre Bender), so I’d love to hear your picks for those!

What I read in 2012

Jan 4, 2013 | Adventures in Bloggysitting, books, deja vu, this is how we read it, wrap ups

State of Wonder ~ Revolution ~ The Fault in Our Stars ~ The
Disenchantments ~ The Handmaid’s Tale ~ True Grit ~ Love? Maybe ~ The
Future of Us ~ Rebecca ~ The Snow Child ~ All These Lives ~ The
Thirteenth Tale ~ Hemlock ~ Enchanted Ivy ~ A Young Wife ~ The Guernsey
Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society ~ Wanderlove ~ The Art of
Fielding ~ The Espressologist ~ Dear American Airlines ~ American Born
Chinese ~ The Book Thief ~ Promise the Night ~ Amelia Anne is Dead and
Gone ~ The Time it Snowed in Puerto Rico ~ The Wilding ~ Jellicoe Road ~
Insurgent ~ The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer ~ How Should a Person Be? ~
Laura Rider’s Masterpiece ~ Audrey, Wait! ~ Skinny ~ So Much Closer ~
Monstrous Beauty ~ The Conscious Bride ~ Moloka’i ~ The Bungalow ~ MWF
Seeking BFF ~ Between Shades of Gray ~ Prairie Evers ~ Laura Lamont’s
Life in Pictures ~ Liar & Spy ~ Roanoke: The Abandoned Colony ~ Gone
Girl ~ Mark Twain in Hawaii: Roughing It in the Sandwich Islands ~
Roanoke: Solving the Mystery of the Lost Colony ~ The Butterfly Clues ~
The Age of Miracles ~ Beautiful Ruins ~ Life As We Knew It ~ The Raven
Boys ~ The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy ~ Samantha Sutton and
the Labyrinth of Lies ~ Frost ~ Ask the Passengers ~ Rules of Civility ~
My Very UnFairytale Life ~ Catching Jordan ~ The Year We Left Home ~
Real Mermaids Don’t Wear Toe Rings ~ Mira’s Diary: Lost in Paris ~
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of Universe

That’s 62 books!
27 were YA, and 8 MG. I think 17 of those were 2012 releases.

How did I do on some of my reading goals?

1. Read more books than in 2011: Achieved! I read 52 books in 2011.

2. Catch up on classics: Not much progress here, although I did finally read Rebecca, and I read some obscure Mark Twain.

3. Read some YA Nonfiction: I did! I read The Pregnancy Project.

4. More genres: I read fewer scifi/fantasy books than in 2011, but more thrillers and more historical fiction.

5. Reread old favorites: Total fail. I didn’t reread anything. Can you blame me, though, when there are so many wonderful books to read?

This year, I want to keep up my book-a-week pace, read more debuts, and even out my MG-YA reading ratio.

Next Entries »

Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

wrap ups

My Year in Books!

What I Read in 2014

A Happy Debut Year

Superlatives for 2014

Texas Tour!

ALA Annual in Pictures

Kids Author Carnival!

2013 in Reading

Superlatives Blogfest 2013: Best in Show

Superlatives Blogfest 2013: Head of the Class

What I read in 2012

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