All Sorts of Really Cool Stuff that You Must See

My friend Lauren Strasnick and her friend Jade created the absolutely postively best book trailer ever with stick figures for Lauren's book Nothing Like You - out now in paperback as well as hardcover. I would have imbedded the video itself but I am having lame-o computer issues so here is the link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uw1RqofWZK0

In other news, if you're a regular blog reader, you've read my musings on the "shit, what do you mean I have cancer; I'm trying to write another book" journey. In honor of Dreaming Anastasia's one year anniversary, I've gone a little broader with the audience and so you can read my crazy debut author journey (bits and pieces of which have appeared on this blog in other forms and posts) in today's Huffington Post essay. Thanks you HuffPo!!
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joy-preble/after-the-debut-or-one-ye_b_698542.html

Nice feature in PW on the delightful Suzanne Morgan Williams' Bull Rider and a summer reading book club in Pflugerville Texas (which if you don't live here is not quite as far-flung as it sounds and is acutally not far from Austin.) http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/44346-in-brief-september-2.html

A really nice review on the fabulous Roecker Sisters blog (Lisa and Laura Write) of The Duff by Kody Keplinger. It's now on my must read list. http://lisa-laura.blogspot.com/2010/09/duff-by-kody-keplinger.html

Dreaming Anastasia is being printed again - with a NEW FONT for Anastasia's journals!! Yes, if that pesky but authentic looking font was not your favorite, you will LOVE the new font in the edition now filtering into stores. I actually had input this time (how freakin' cool is that?) and although there was some mourning and teeth gnashing by Editor Kelly and Copy Editor Kristin about the old font that they tell me the miss, I think you guys are going to like the new one. More on this soon....

Beyond that - I've made it through week 2 of school. The three day weekend beckons. Husband and I just downed our celebratory Starbucks coffees and sat outside and split a somewhat stale piece of coffeecake. Its condition did not deter us from the picking up stray struesel crumbs with our fingers.

I'm waiting anxiously for ARC's of HAUNTED. Will post pictures as soon as one exists. Hopefully this will be soon.

If you're reading this and that hurricane is coming your way, stock up on water and batteries. And don't assume your cell phone will work. (Just saying; if you don't believe me, scroll back to 9/08 and the entries about Ike) And if they tell you to evacuate, please please listen!

Til next time...

Fried Oreos and other stuff

So that's what a bag of fried oreos looks like. And let me say, they were one of the highlights of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. (Okay, Keith Urban was really the highlight. Plus this event called Mutton Busting, where 4-6 year olds- wearing protective vests and helmets - cling to the backs of sheep and try to ride them as far and fast as they can. Which, if you've never seen it is as odd but enjoyable as it sounds) But back to the oreos... the chocolate part gets all mushed and dense, the fried outside is as grease-ilicious as you'd ever want, and the powdered sugar just ties it all together. The guy hands the bag o' goodies to you warm from the fryer...

Beyond the rodeo, I've been finishing my copy edits for Dreaming Anastasia. Suzy Williams (author of the delightful and recently released Bull Rider) described the copy edit process as sort of Zen like. Basically, you have to go through everything your editor/ copy editor/production editors have marked and either ok it or fix it or comment on it. After the pull it apart and stitch it back together of revisions, this is definitely different. But very exciting because it's the last big step. And also because this cool team of people have read your book and helped make it as smooth as it can possibly be. (plus tell you things you ought to have known, like that lightning always comes before thunder, for which I am very very thankful)

Also got to see two very fine films with two very fine actors - Sean Penn's amazing performance in Milk and Anne Hathaway's oh so emotional starring role in Rachel Getting Married. Neither ends happily. But I was blown away. Even more than by the fried oreos.

Til next time...