Ever heard of WriteGirl? http://www.writegirl.org/publications.html It's a nonprofit organization for high school girls to mentor them with creative writing and self-expression. The anthologies produced have won numerous awards, like winner of the London Book Festival for anthologies, Honorable mention in the New England Book Festival, and Finalist in the USA Best Books Non-Fiction Anthologies-all in 2011, and many more garnered over the years. Check it out.
My seeds are sprouting! I'm looking forward to moving them outside in their new planting bed (which hubby has to help me set up and soon!) I think they say it's safe to move them around May 1st, so I'll keep you updated on my little darlings and my attempt to eat healthy and not have to food shop as much this summer.
On Sunday I was signing books at the NYC Teen Author Festival At Books of Wonder. Those people know how to throw a signing and I met people with whom I've interacted via FB, email and Twitter, but hadn't met until then, like Jennifer Hubbard (The Secret Year, Try Not To Breathe), KM Walton (Cracked), Wendy Mass (The Candymakers, 13 Gifts and over 40 other works). I missed fellow Kidlit author Alissa Grosso (Popular, Ferocity Summer), but caught up with Margie Gelbwasser (Inconvenient, Pieces of Us). Others were there, but I didn't have much time to chat between signings and having lunch with my niece, Lauren, who works in the fashion industry and yes, was a muse for Sirenz (she wants a pair of Christian Loubotin shoes for her wedding that are studded with Swarovski crystals- over $3,000! That is a fashionista more than my character Sharisse!)
The rain cut short our visit, and it being Sunday, people had work on Monday morning, so back at home I was met with an email from our publicist, Kirsten Cappy of Curious City, with renderings from 9 art students on possible covers for Sirenz 3. What creativity these students have! We will be unveiling characters and covers, and some background on the students in the future, so stay tuned!
My kids are on Spring Break and we're hoping to get in two college visits for my middle son. (I just finished this with the older one!). Will have to drag the youngest, but at least I have a few years before that! We'll be looking at NJIT and maybe NYU, and if I can squeeze it in, Rutgers (my alma mater!) Wish my luck and fortitude...
And finally, Nat and I are finishing up our preparations for the Romantic Times convention in Chicago. It's going to be crazy-fun-chaotic-unbelievable, and I'm hoping to get one of my fave authors Anne Rice to sign a book (I have almost the complete collection!) and my fave humor writer, Mary Janice Davidson (Love the Undead series!) to sign something, but it will probably be too mobbed. There will be many other things to see, do, people to meet. Nat & I are hoping to escape one day and see what Chicago has to offer. Will take pics!
So, that's today. Hope you have a great week, with a little of this (good) and not too much of that (bad).
Char
