Five for Friday

The dog is currently going mad from toaster waffle desire in case anyone wants to know. You know the phrase, "Like Pavlov's dog"? Yeah. Like that. Once I toasted two Eggos and gave her a bite. Now every time the toaster oven ticks or dings, she goes insane.

1. Draft 3 of the WIP off to agent this week. Now we wait.

2. So we're having major back yard landscaping done. The guys from the cable company came to spray and put down flags so landscaping people won't dig up cables. They do this. Phone rings. It's my publicist. Who has interesting things to talk about. I let the crazy dog outside to run around. I talk. I hang up. Yeah, the dog has pulled up every little flag. They're in a decorative pile in the middle of the yard. I put them back.... maybe.

3. First time ever, I am going to BEA (Book Expo of America) in NYC in June! More on this soon, but in a thrilling turn of fate, I will be signing advanced reading copies of THE SWEET DEAD LIFE, coming out next year from Soho Press. So if you're going to be there, too, stay tuned. And if you've ever been to BEA and have tips for BEA virgins, let me know.

4. So many books on the TBR pile. But I think next up is the arc of Insurgent that I fought tooth and nail for at TLA!

5. Just to make sure you understand this last one, let me clarify that the amazing Ruta Septys, who will be SCBWI LA in August, wrote an award winning book called Shades of Grey about a young Lithuanian girl fighting for her life w/her family against Soviet cleansing in 1941. It is brilliant and moving and everything a book should be. Got that? Remember it. There is also a very popular and um very racy series out there that has everyone turning the pages of their e-readers, called Fifty Shades of Grey. Got that? Remember it.

Okay here's number 5: my favorite conversational snippet of TxLA12 (and it happened just like this)

Me: So who's read Fifty Shades of Grey?

Person Who Shall remain Unnamed: Is that the Holocaust book?

And with that, I leave you.

Thanks TXLA12 !

Oh TXLA12! What a good time was had by all. I am very grateful to my publisher, Sourcebooks, for inviting me to come and arranging for me to sign advanced reading copies of ANASTASIA FOREVER. And the the YART committee for choosing me for the Texas Author's Tea and TT4L. It was all great fun. And getting copies of Anastasia Forever in readers' hands for the first time before it comes out in August was a huge rush of excitement!

But now I think I'll let the pictures speak for themselves.

My Austin girl Jessica Lee Anderson, rocking her cowgirl hat while Geoff Herbach and our Sourcebooks Director of Children's Marketing and Publicity, Derry Wilkens is thinking: "Oh Herbach, wait till you see *your* hat."

Yup, nothing says Texas like the special Texas author hats at the YART Texas Author Tea. That's what Chris Mandelski, PJ Hoover and I think!

My YART Tea speed dating partner, author Michael Northrup who said, "Oh yeah. Give us all hats and no mirrors." And who writes amazing books like Trapped!

The YAHOUS (Lynne Kelly Mary Lindsey, Jenny Moss, me, Chris Mandelski, Crystal Allen)

Eating dinner with author/blogger Stephanie Pellegrin, Sourcebooks 'brother' Geoff Herbach, Austin librarian extraordinaire Jen Bigheart, and blogger Stephanie Redwine.

hanging with the girls: Amy Fellner Dominy (OyMG) and blogger and all around super human, Maria Cari Soto

and this is when I got 'ferklempt' at the signing with Maria Cari Soto because she's been there through this whole Dreaming Anastasia series journey.

The Sourcebooks team very full after dinner. And laughing a bunch. Melissa Wood and intern Katie Anderson and head publicity honcho Derry Wilkens and me and Geoff Herbach. Geoff ate a manly steak. With beet sauce.

My first ever Nook cover to sign!

And the line kept coming! Thank you. I was overwhelmed with delight that people stood in line for 90 minutes! Crazy talk. Or as my husband likes to say: "If only they really knew you."

My home girl Katie B of Mundie Moms, who has supported me like a crazy woman.

Signing, Signing, Signing!!

So excited to for all that's coming up in the next few days! One of my favorite things to do as an author is to visit with readers. One of my second favorite things to do is to meet other authors. And I'm getting to do both all week!

Here's the details below. If you stop by, please tell me you're a blog reader so I can thank you! (Plus there will be candy! Lots and lots of candy)

Saturday April 14th

2-4 PM

Katy Budget Books

Signing and reading with CC Hunter

http://www.katybooks.com/event/cc-hunter-joy-preble

Wednesday April 18th

TLA

YART Texas Author's Tea

noon-1:30

with many amazing authors!!

YAHOUS (YA HOUSTON)

Reception at Pat Anderson's Overlooked Books Booth #2629

3-4

Snacks, Raffle for Basket of books/swag from the YAHOUS

(Joy Preble, Sophie Jordan, CC Hunter, Jenny Moss, Lynne Kelly, Dotti Enderle, Crystal Allen, Mary Lindsey, Christina Mandelski)

http://yahous.wordpress.com/

Thursday April 19th

TLA

TT4L

11-11:30

(at the Hilton Americas)

Signing Advanced Reading Copies of ANASTASIA FOREVER

Sourcebooks Booth #1902

2-3 PM

(Want to find out how the trilogy ends before anyone else? This is your chance!)

More coming in the next months as we approach August and the Anastasia Forever release!

But this is enough for now.

ANASTASIA FOREVER TEAM: Opportunity of a Lifetime!

The ANASTASIA FOREVER STREET TEAM wants you!

If you would like to be part of TEAM ANASTASIA FOREVER, email me at joypreble at gmail dot com, putting ANASTASIA STREET TEAM in the subject title and let me know. This would mean you would be part of my street team, spreading the word about book 3. You will get all sorts of extra goodies (bookmarks and t shirts and other stuff) and early info about everything that happens as we lead up to August. This is a limited opportunity, so let me know soon.

And in other news, TLA is coming! I will be signing advanced reading copies like those in the picture from 2-3 on Thursday 4/19 at the Sourcebooks Booth #1902 at TLA in Houston. And giving away candy. Ooooh. Candy. Chocolate candy.

Anastasia Forever arcs (a limited amount) will also be available during TT4L from 11-11:30 also at TLA on Thursday 4/19.

And I am thrilled that I finally also get to meet Sourcebooks Fire author Geoff Herbach, who wrote the witty STUPID FAST, who will also be in TLA attendance. Yay!

Happy Friday! Happy Passover! Happy Easter! Happy Spring!

Look What's Here!

Just back from SCBWI Houston(more on that in a separate post) and look what was in my mailbox!! Advanced reading copies of ANASTASIA FOREVER! I wondered if it would feel any different with book 3, and the answer is: it's just as amazing. Even Lyla the basset/boxer was excited!

For those of you who don't know, advanced reading copies, often abbreviated as 'arcs' go out to reviewers and booksellers and librarians to help promote a book pre-publication. Sometimes in addition, books are available to those folks electronically through a service called Net Galley. I think AF will be on Net Galley at some point, but that is all up to my publisher, Sourcebooks.

Authors get a small amount - in my case, five -- that we use for contests and such.

If you want to get your hands on one of these babies, come to TLA on Thursday April 19th from 2-3 at the Sourcebooks booth. I'll be signing a whole bunch of them until we run out. And giving chocolate! I think they will also be available for those attending the Texas Authors Tea hosted by Young Adult Round Table on Wed. April 18th at TLA!

If you can snag one, you'll be able to find out what happens to Anne and Ethan in book 3! And Tess! And Ben! And Viktor! And Baba Yaga and Lily the rusalka. And did I mention that Anastasia herself is back? You'll have to see how that is possible! And you can do it early and taunt your friends if you come to TLA!

Also, if you would like to be part of TEAM ANASTASIA FOREVER, email me at joypreble at gmail dot com, putting ANASTASIA STREET TEAM in the subject title and let me know. This would mean you would be part of my street team, spreading the word about book 3. You will get all sorts of extra goodies (bookmarks and t shirts and other stuff) and early info about everything that happens as we lead up to August. This is a limited opportunity, so let me know soon!