all san diegans are cordially invited to the
chinese brush painting society’s art show.
i can’t believe it’s just next week–i’m very
excited, especially since i’ll be selling my cards
for the first time this year. they have been well
received and i hope people enjoy them!

i finished The Glass of Time, which i enjoyed,
but didn’t find as compelling as cox’s debut,
The Meaning of Night. probably because i found
the first protagonist more interesting as well
as the storyline. having said that, i would still
recommend both novels.

for those who don’t know the books, michael
cox’s debut was critically acclaimed in england.
he finally wrote the debut that had been lurking
in his mind for the past three decades–the thing
that drove him to action was an illness that would
soon steal his eyesight.

he died before seeing his sequel published.
in an interview i found online, cox said that he
had a third companion novel in mind–which
did sadden me, because it obviously would never
be written. however, i’m glad that he DID write these
two books, that he finally sat down to realize his dream,
tho he didn’t have it in him all those years before.

i’m glad that he found the courage.

currently reading :

perchance to dream by lisa mantchev

congratulations to travis, who won copies
of Demon’s Lexicon, uk edition, and the arc to Mistwood!

i had the pleasure of meeting and having a lovely
lunch with sarah. she’s living my dream life, getting
a doctorate at cambridge AND also writing historical
fiction in the elizabethan era that i REALLY want to read.
i hope some smart editor buys her novel(s) soon!!!

mmm. the english fudge stand at camden town!

camden town is one of my favorite markets!
here, diners sit on moped seats along the
camden loch. i couldn’t find the antiques section
of camden town. was searching very hard for it
to find…a tarot card reader. yes! i had a very
interesting reading by her in september 2007
about my writing career. but she wasn’t meant to
be found! boo.

and no, i don’t usually get tarot readings. my best
friend and i did it on a lark and then got scared
by how accurate she was. haha!

fruits made from marzipan in the food hall at
harrod’s! also glimpses of turkish delights–which
i always buy. i love their turkish delights!

walking from piccadilly to leicester square.

a fancy version of the english breakfast.
always a favorite indulgence while on holiday
in england! just say no to bacon! i never eat the
stuff. bleah!

and this was a foto from our last day in london.
the bubs near liverpool street station. =)

have been working diligently to prepare for our art
show in balboa park’s spanish village in mid march!

will leave you with some great links :

kirsten lesko, a fabulous critique friend, launches her
blog “sell your novel, not your soul”. she discusses all things
regarding writing and marketing yourself and your books!
click over and say hi at disobedientwriter.com!!
(can’t decide which is cooler, her tag line or her url!)

we’re trying to raise some money for YABC (young
adults book central) so it can get a much needed make
over. there’s an auction going with signed books (including
Silver Phoenix and three of my note cards of your choice!)
as well as critique of pages by authors. so check it out!!

i also interview fellow greenwillowite david macinnis gill
on his great debut, Soul Enchilada, over at the enchanted inkpot!

blech, it’s monday again!
i think it’s time to give away some
more awesome books to help us get
over the weekend. weekend, why do you
run away from us so fast??

i’m very excited about both these books i’m
giving away!

first off is sarah rees brennan’s The Demon’s Lexicon,
which is one of my top ten reads from 2009. my short
and sweet review :

loved the atmosphere of
the book, the twists and turns.
and *definitely* love nick!

this giveaway will be the uk edition with
it’s both dark and sparkly cover!! awesome!

the second book given away today is
a, erm, gently used arc of Mistwood by
leah cypess. =D one of the first novels i
read in 2010–it was a page turner for me
from the first to last. hoorah for young adult
high fantasy!!

to enter the contest, simply tweet, fb status
LJ or blog and link back to this post. also be sure
to comment with link in this post to enter!
contest runs through some time this sunday, 3/7,
when i’ll choose a winner randomly.
this contst is open to everyone! good luck!

today, stacy jay is stopping by on the debs tour!

Book Summary:

Even Zombie Settlers with Super Hot Boyfriends get
the Blues…

A few months ago I was a normal girl with a normal life.
But that was before my power to Settle the Undead returned
and someone tried to kill me with zombies.

Now I work magic and practice kicking butt while trying to
find time for pom squad and my boyfriend, Ethan, and trying
NOT to think about how freaky my life has become. It can be
tough. Still…things could be worse…

Oh yeah, right:

1. Feral new super-strong zombies. Check.

2. Undead psychic hottie predicting a zombie
apocolypse. Check.

3. Earth-shattering secrets that could land me in
Settler prison for life. Check.

4. Cheerleader vs. pom squad turf war threatening the
end of the half time as we know it. Check.

I’m going to need therapy (and a cookie) if I live through
the week. Unfortunately I’m learning that’s not something
Zombie Queens can take for granted.

Author Bio:

Stacey Jay is a workaholic with three pen names, and a
sick sense of humor. She loves creepies, crawlies, and of
course, romance. What would a zombie novel–or any
novel–be without kisses that make your toes tingle?

Stacey has been a full time writer since 2005 and can’t
think of anything she’d rather be doing. Her former careers
include theatre performer, professional dancer, poorly paid
C-movie actress, bartender, and waiter.

and the cindy interview!

1. what was your favorite childhood book?

“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. How I cried when
Beth died! I wept every single time I read it, which must
have been at least a dozen times.

2. if you could win a gold medal in any olympic
event, which would it be?

Figure skating. Like dancing but slicker-ier, lol.

3. if you could buy a lovely writing retreat/cottage
anywhere in the world, where would it be?

I’d sort of like to live in that little cottage in the Canadian
garden at Epcot and have the people at the steakhouse
across the way bring me dinner every evening. But then…
I think the fireworks would get loud after awhile.

So maybe somewhere in the mountains of Oregon or
Washington. Somewhere with a beautiful, mountain view.

the first answer best answer ever. haha! earplugs
for fireworks display??

congratulations on another book release, stacy!
doesn’t it sound like so much fun?

to learn more about stacy : stacyjay.com

amazon link.

i know spring is near when i begin to spy
my bunny in the back garden during the
afternoons. =) she disappears months in
the winter but continues to eat her carrots at
night.  who knew bunnies could be nocturnal?
well, i hope it’s her and not
a skunk or giant palm tree rat! =O

so spring must just be around the corner!

i had a rough rough week last week. they say
bad things happen in threes and sure enough.
we started on monday by taking sweet pea to the
ER. she was rammed from the back while on her
bike and went flying. thank goodness she had
a helmet on as the love said her head bounced
off the concrete. =( parents, make sure your child
has a helmet on always when biking or scootering, etc!

her left knuckle was really swollen and she has a splint
for two weeks. next monday, we’ll see how much
she’s healed. they think that nothing is broken, but
it’s hard to tell at her age, as their little bird bones
aren’t fully grown.

on wednesday i found out the mom of my childhood
best friend died. =( we lived across the street from
one another so our families knew one another well
and i loved her mom. i flew into phoenix same day
for the funeral service. and alas, another good friend
from high school lost his mom this past sunday.

i am well and my family is well, but my heart goes
out to my friends. <3 <3 <3

as always, painting was my therapy and quiet
retreat, as i worked more on my etsy shop as
well as painting pandas. to my chagrin, the panda
painting i did a couple of years ago sold without my
ever making a high res copy of it. so i painted
another (and i think better!) baby panda to be printed
into a card–yes, going into the etsy shop!

i continue to love the blobby quality of this new
one and a half shuen rice paper. i hope the panda
makes you as happy as it does me! =D

currently reading :

the glass of time by michael cox

eta : the winner of TGIFBM uk edition was sarah keery!
sorry, as i said, i do pick winners and contact them, but
i’m not so good about announcing here. *sheepish*

today, i’m featuring erin’s second novel out!
don’t you love that title and cover?

Book Summary:

Hamlet Kennedy just wants to be your average, happy,
vanilla eighth grader. But with Shakespearean scholar parents
who dress in Elizabethan regalia and generally go about in
public as if it were the sixteenth century, that’s not terribly easy.
It gets worse when they decide that Hamlet’s genius sevenyear-
old sister will attend middle school with her– and even worse
when the Shakespeare project is announced and her sister is
named the new math tutor. By the time an in-class recitation
reveals that our heroine is an extraordinary Shakespearean
actress, Hamlet can no longer hide from the fact that she–
like her family–is anything but average.

Author Bio:

Erin Dionne’s debut novel, Models Don’t Eat Chocolate
Cookies, was inspired by events that occurred in seventh
grade, when she wore a scary peach bridesmaid dress in her
cousin’s wedding and threw up on her gym teacher’s shoes
(not at the same event). Although humiliating at the time,
these experiences are working for her now. Erin lives outside
of Boston with her husband and daughter, and a very insistent
dog named Grafton. She roots for the Red Sox, teaches English
at an art college, and sometimes eats chocolate cookies.

the cindy interview!

1. what was your favorite childhood book?

My favorite childhood book…I had so many!! I went
through a Greek myths phase, and carried around D’Aulaire’s
Book of Greek Myths for a while (oh, how I would have LOVED
the Percy Jackson series!!). Harriet the Spy was another favorite.
I started keeping a notebook because of Harriet, so I give her a
lot of credit in my development as a writer.

anne frank really inspired me to begin diligently keeping
a journal! we read her in 8th grade.

2. if you could win a gold medal in any olympic
event, which would it be?

Well, if talent and ability were no option, I’d have to say
gymnastics. I failed miserably at gymnastics as a kid (too
tall, too gangly, couldn’t do a straight cartwheel), but would
love to be able to flip and fly and dance like those girls. *sigh*
Winter Olympics? Definitely luge. I love sledding!!

3. if you could buy a lovely writing retreat/cottage
anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Maui, Hawaii. Tropical, beautiful, pineapple capital of
the world…’nuff said. : )

Great questions, Cindy! Thanks for having me!

congratulations on your second book release, erin!!!

you can find out more about erin :

erindionne.com

and indie book love!

About A Match Made in High School

When a mandatory marriage education course forces
Fiona to “try the knot” with super-jock Todd Harding,
she’s convinced life could not possibly get any worse.
Until moments later, when her long-time crush is paired
with her arch-enemy (otherwise known as Todd’s
obscenely hot, slightly sadistic girlfriend). But that’s nothing
compared to her best friend’s fate – a year with the very shy,
very goofy, very big Johnny Mercer.

A series of hilarious pranks and misunderstandings
leave Fiona wondering: is there something her supposed
“best friend” hasn’t told her? Could there be more to Johnny
Mercer than a deep voice and an awesome music collection?
And perhaps most intriguing of all, is it possible that Todd
Harding could actually have a heart – and a brain – beneath
his pretty-boy exterior?

About Kristin Walker

Kristin Walker grew up roaming the Pennsylvania
countryside. She finally landed at Penn State, where
she earned a BA in Theatre Arts. In addition to being actor,
Kristin was many things on her way to becoming an author,
such as a lifeguard, a nanny, a beginning ballroom dance
instructor, a library circulation clerk, and very nearly a nurse.
A Match Made in High School (Razorbill/Penguin Group) is her
first novel. Her work has appeared or is forthcoming in Ladybug,
Wee Ones, and two Chicken Soup for the Soul books. Kristin lives
in a Chicago suburb with her husband and three sons.

and the cindy interview! these are 2009 questions
as kristin was originally a 2009 release deb!

1. who is your literary character crush?

I’m sure many many Debs (like me) will pick Darcy,
Mr. Darcy, Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mr. Darcy as played
by Colin Firth, or Colin Firth playing a guy named Darcy
in Bridget Jones’s Diary.

So let’s just eliminate the outlier. Other than HIM, my
literary crush would have to be… oh, yes. Gilbert Blythe.
Ahhhhh.

2. who is your author crush? (does not have to
be romantic!)

There are so many. Richard Peck, Anna Quindlen,
Markus Zusak, JK Rowling. *heart flutter*

3. what is your favorite pastry?

Ice cream. What? Okay, a little piece of pastry in
a bowl of ice cream.

ice cream has its place and all but at least deep
fried ice cream? haha!

4. what is the favorite scene from your novel?

The last one.

congratulations on the release of your
debut, kristin!!!

more on kristin :

kristin-walker.com

and indiebound love!

i am very excited to start the 2010 debs
tour today with shani’s bedeviled!

Book Summary:

Angel Garrett knows two things for sure. The
first is that she inherited her devil-dad’s powers.
The second is that she wreaks havoc whenever she
tries to use them. Especially  when she’s trying to
impress her crush, Cole. Angel’s only solution is to
stay as far away as possible from him until she learns
how to harness this new gift. But how do you avoid
someone and get him to ask you to the school dance
at the same time?

Author Bio:

Shani Petroff is a writer living in New York City. In
addition to tween and teen books, Shani writes for
news programs and several other venues. When she’s
not locked in her apartment typing away, she spends a
whole lot of time on books, boys, TV, daydreaming, and
shopping online. She has no devil lineage as far as she knows.

and the brand new cindy interview!

1. What was your favorite childhood book?

I really liked A Little Princess. Although, I will admit
I watched the movie on TV first. And this was where I
learned you really should read the book and not count
on a movie for a book report. I actually read a lot as a kid,
but for some reason didn’t get around to A Little Princess
in time for the assignment. So I wrote it up based on what
I remembered seeing on TV. Big mistake. One of the
characters was a scullery maid. I had never heard that
word before—and was convinced that they had called
her a scuttery maid or something like that—which I used
all over my report. And that was just one of my mistakes!
In the end, I did end up reading the book and really liking it!
And now it forever holds a little place in my heart—and my memory.

omg, a little princess also an absolute favorite of mine.
tho i have never seen the movie? scuttery maid, haha!

2. If you could win a gold medal in any Olympic event,
which would it be?

I’ve always been so impressed by the figure skaters and
the way they can do the turns and jumps and all those fancy moves.
I’ve only been on ice skates a couple of times—and each time I barely
let go of the wall or the person I was with. So I would love to win a
gold medal in that—but for now I’d be happy if I could to do a couple
of circles around the rink without stumbling!

3. If you could buy a lovely writing retreat/cottage
anywhere in the world, where would it be?

Somewhere warm, near the water, semi-secluded, with a nice
breeze, and beautiful view—but not so far away from society
that it would be hard to get back to (not looking to end up on
that island in LOST or anything!).

*sighs dreamily* yes! some day…

thanks so much for stopping by and congratulations
on your sequel release!

to learn more about shani :

http://www.shanipetroff.com

and amazon linky love!

hoorah! i’m very excited!
was a bit frustrated that most of my art cards
were cut off, but you can see them at the etsy site! =)

http://www.etsy.com/shop/cindypon

rebelspirit.com

happy sunday, everyone!! xo

my review of knife :

what an absolutely delightful read. you always
know when a book has found its way into your
heart when you are filled with regret when the story
is over. faery rebels is a middle grade novel–a genre
i have not read in some time–but it is a book to be
enjoyed by all ages.

knife is a fearless faery intent on finding out the truth
of her people’s past, when she befriends a human friend, paul.

with evocative prose and wonderful storytelling, anderson
slowly unravels the mystery behind the faeries’ unhappy
circumstance, as knife does all she can to help her kind.
knife is the perfect heroine for this fantastic debut. i
recommend highly!
…

r.j.’s debut has received much critical acclaim including
being nominated for Hillingdon Book of the Year Award,
a program which promotes literacy in schools in the London,
UK area. students read the nominated books and vote on the winner.
how awesome is that?

win BOTH uk editions of this novel by tweeting/fb/blogging/LJ’ing
about this contest and linking to this post. be sure to come back
and COMMENT in this post with your link to tweet, etc, by this
sunday, 2/14. i’ll choose a winner some time on sunday. good
luck to all and TGIFBM!! =D

contest is OPEN TO EVERYONE!