Speaking/signing at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on 5/19

I will be a featured speaker at the Gaithersburg Book Festival, in Gaithersburg MD, on Saturday 5/19/2012. I'm scheduled to speak at 3:20 in the Willa Cather tent, and will be signing books immediately afterwards at the festival book store.

If there are any schedule or venue changes that day, I will be sure to announce it via Twitter, so keep an eye over there if you're planning on coming.

My talk will focus on how I use setting in my stories, but I will be sure to leave plenty of time for general Q&A too. So come on out!

DROUGHT nominated for Amelia Bloomer Project list

I am thrilled to announce that DROUGHT has been nominated for the Amelia Bloomer Project list. This is an annual list of the best feminist books for readers ages 0-18; the final list will be selected during the January ALA Mid-Winter meeting.

The committee members are a part of the American Library Association's Feminist Task Force. Anyone who knows me understands that this is a particularly sweet honor. I insisted on being called MS in fifth grade, and that was the birth of my determined feminist outlook. 

Ruby says thank you too.

DROUGHT Prize Pack Winners announced

Thanks to all who entered the DROUGHT prize pack giveaway! I drew the winners by using random.org, which is definitely a step up from sticking numbers in a hat!

The winners are:

1. GRAND PRIZE PACK: Twitter user @chelleyreads

2. PRIZE PACK #2: Twitter user @amandahoving

3. PRIZE PACK #3: Twitter user @AERought

I will DM all of you today to get your address so I can send that pack out to you ASAP!

DROUGHT named a YALSA Teens' Top Ten Nominee for 2011

I am thrilled to announce that DROUGHT is one of 25 titles included in the YALSA list of 2011 Teens' Top Ten nominations. 

Teens' Top Ten is a "teen pick" list. Titles are nominated by teens who get to read advance galley copies through programs at their local libraries. At the end of the summer, voting opens for all teen readers. Ten titles will make the final list.

Many, many thanks to the teens who included DROUGHT in their nominations. I am so honored!

CANDOR nom'ed for Cumbrian 2011 Spellbinding award

I am so happy to announce that CANDOR is nominated for the Cumbrian Secondary Schools' 2011 Spellbinding award, along with 9 other titles. Students across Cumbria County, UK, will vote for their favorite amongst the ten nominated titles.