To Sarah Bennett-Wealer: Her book RIVAL was listed in the 
April/May issue of Girl's Life magazine as a "must read". Yay, Sarah!You can read about Sarah, her writing journey, process, characters, etc. on Sara Zarr's blog this week--and even enter to win a copy of RIVAL!--HERE.
To Lenore Appelhans: She just made her first sale!!! YAY!!! Her YA novel, LEVEL TWO just sold to Simon and Schuster and CBS Films at the same time! You can read the official announcement HERE.Lenore is a book blogger extraordinaire and one of the sincerely nicest people around. Huge congratulations to Lenore!
To Nancy Herriman: Another first sale! Her inspirational, THE IRISH HEALER, will come out spring, 2012!! Nancy's a local writing pal and a beautiful songstress. Congratulations, Nancy!!!
Oh... more good news!
Edited to add:To Simone Elkeles: Her book, RULES OF ATTRACTION is a finalist for the RWA RITA award in the Best YA Romance category. Yay, Simone! (I love any excuse to post this awesome cover again.)
ALSO
DEAR BULLY is up in the Harper Collins catalog. Here's the final cover art. I'm so honored to be a part of this anthology and I'll be talking a lot more about it, and about bullying, as we get closer to the August release date.And now, for your spring break reading pleasure... it's Spring Cleaning Time at my house, which means I have to part with some of my favorite books to make room for my TBR pile. This week's choices are:
CRYER'S CROSS by Lisa McMannHere's the official blurb:
But when Cryer's Cross is rocked by unspeakable tragedy, Kendall shoves her dreams aside and focuses on just one goal: help find her missing friends. Even if it means spending time with the one boy she shouldn't get close to... the one boy who makes her question everything she feels for Nico.
Determined to help and to stay true to the boy she's always loved, Kendall keeps up the search--and stumbles upon some frightening local history. She knows she can't stop digging, but Kendall is about to find out just how far the townspeople will go to keep their secrets buried....
UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand
The offical blurb:
In the beginning, there's a boy standing in the trees . . . .
Clara Gardner has recently learned that she's part angel. Having angel blood run through her veins not only makes her smarter, stronger, and faster than humans (a word, she realizes, that no longer applies to her), but it means she has a purpose, something she was put on this earth to do. Figuring out what that is, though, isn't easy.
Her visions of a raging forest fire and an alluring stranger lead her to a new school in a new town. When she meets Christian, who turns out to be the boy of her dreams (literally), everything seems to fall into place—and out of place at the same time. Because there's another guy, Tucker, who appeals to Clara's less angelic side.
As Clara tries to find her way in a world she no longer understands, she encounters unseen dangers and choices she never thought she'd have to make—between honesty and deceit, love and duty, good and evil. When the fire from her vision finally ignites, will Clara be ready to face her destiny?
UNEARTHLY is a moving tale of love and fate, and the struggle between following the rules and following your heart.
THE IRON DAUGHTER by Julie KagawaOfficial Blurb:
Half Summer faery princess, half human, Meghan has never fit in anywhere. Deserted by the Winter prince she thought loved her, she is prisoner to the Winter faery queen. As war looms between Summer and Winter, Meghan knows that the real danger comes from the Iron fey—ironbound faeries that only she and her absent prince have seen. But no one believes her.
Worse, Meghan's own fey powers have been cut off. She's stuck in Faery with only her wits for help. Trusting anyone would be foolish. Trusting a seeming traitor could be deadly. But even as she grows a backbone of iron, Meghan can't help but hear the whispers of longing in her all-too-human heart.
