Hanging by a Moment

(Me, Marlene Perez, Mary Pearson, Mary Anne Ramsey)

So yesterday's talk & sign at the Mission Viejo Reader's Festival was an absolute blast! Not only did I get to hang out with good friends Marelene Perez and Mary Pearson (and at the lunch beforehand, Debby Garfinkle!), meet Jennifer Kogler who is as nice as she is hilarious, catch a slightly stalkerish, glimpse of one of my childhood icons, The Fonz, but I also got to meet a ton of really awesome readers--thanks to all of you who showed up!

I'm seriously so impressed with the way it turned out, I can hardly believe it was their very first event. Though I'm sure that's due in good part to the wonderful volunteers who kept it running so smoothly and for the efforts of Mary Anne Ramsey, young adult librarian extraordinaire!

After the signing I headed straight for Peralta Hills for the third annual Paws for Cures Benefit where I hung with my good friends (shout out to Snarky, O'malley, and Sue!), and meet some very cool celebrities like Tillman the Skateboarding dog who is so nice and down to earth, it's clear he's just doing what he loves and isn't in it for the celebrity despite his red carpet pose!

I also got to meet Ben Carey, Lifehouse guitarist, who is also really nice and down to earth (and really cute too!), and whose songs just so happen to appear on the BLUE MOON playlist, which I will get up on my website, um, soon--very soon!

Oh and he even took to the stage and played a few songs which was a total treat!

All in all a really great Saturday--and now, back to work!

Happy Sunday Everyone!

A

xoxo

EVERMORE's First Review!!

EVERMORE just got it's first review, and it's a 5 STAR GOLD AWARD from TeensReadToo, stating:

" . . .Every once in awhile, a book comes along that I end up getting sucked into and become addicted. EVERMORE was one of those books. When I wasn’t reading, I was thinking about how I could sneak away to read some more. I couldn’t put it down. I dreamt about this book. When I finished, I couldn’t get it out of my head. This book was simply breathtaking.

Ever is a wonderfully realistic character that grows throughout the novel. The guilt she feels over her family’s accident and her grieving process are heart-wrenchingly real, as is her growing acceptance of her new psychic gifts. I also loved the scenes with Riley, Ever’s little sister. Who knew a ghost could be so funny and charming? I know she’s just waiting to have her own series written about her. And Damen…well, what can I say - I’m in love. If you’re looking for a new lit-boy crush, Damen is it.

Alyson Noel knows how to write for and about teens, and this is one of her best books yet. I can’t wait to find out more about the mysterious Damen and step into Ever’s world again.

Combining mystery and romance, EVERMORE is the beginning of the next must-read paranormal series. Be sure to get your hands on this one - you’ll be swept away." Sarah Bean, TeensReadToo

To read the entire review, click HERE!!

Also, thanks to everyone who showed up to my book signing last night! I had a great time meeting new people like the sisters from Canada and Gabby the future author, and talking with old friends like Jolynn & Patrick and the talented Debby Garfinkle! And while I forgot to take pictures (despite my camera being right there in my purse), I was thrilled to see so many people out buying books on a Thursday night!

After, we went back to my house for a little post-book-signing-celebration, where my husband put out an amazing spread of Greek delicacies in honor of CRUEL SUMMER (I am sooo lucky to have married a man who cooks!), and Jessica Brody and her partner in crime, Charlie, uncorked a bottle of German champagne to celebrate the EVERMORE and BLUE MOON German translation deal, and then there was more eating, and more champagne, and maybe some red wine . . .and, well, you can imagine how I'm feeling today. (If you are under 21 and reading this-- it is a cautionary tale! If you are over 21, then you probably already know what I mean!)

But with a good supply of aspirin and a steaming hot mug of green tea beside me, I'm off to tackle my BLUE MOON revision!

Have a good weekend everyone!
A

Weekend Update

So, I had a great time yesterday, participating in the Taft High School PASSPORT TO READING event


Where I caught up with friends, hung out with the funny, sweet, and talented, Debby Garfinkle, and spoke with some really great students about the publishing process. Everything that happens between the initial idea that sparks the story, to the final product--the book on the shelf-- with lots of visual aids to illustrate the journey.



After that I met up with the amazing, Jessica Brody, whose poised to make her author debut, and who also happens to be so cute, so talented, so sweet, so funny, so smart, so nice, so gifted, so genuine, you can't help but like her. I was lucky enough to get an early peek at her debut novel, THE FIDELITY FILES (coming June 10), and I'm telling you, it's so good-- I could barely put it down. It's about this girl who works as an infidelity inspector, and then, well, why not click HERE to watch the best book trailer you've ever seen (seriously), and read more about it!

Later that evening, my husband and I met up with some friends for a special premier screening of the TV show, GHOST WHISPERER, which was so fun to watch on a movie theater sized screen. Then after the credits rolled, the show's executive producers, writers, directors, costume designers, set designers, actors- including Camryn Manheim, David Conrad, and that hunky young new guy who plays Camryn's son (sorry, his name escapes me, but just know he's even hunkier in person), and, of course, the amazing James Van Praagh, took the stage where they engaged in a really fun and super informative Q&A.

And best of all--well, aside from hanging with friends and having fun, it totally qualified as research! I swear, ever since I started writing my EVERMORE books, the research gets better and better!

But since today is turning out to be far more humble, and hardly worth writing about, filled with all manner of laundry and other household "to-dos," I'll just go about my business, and try not to bore you with the details!

Happy Sunday everyone!
A

PS- Oh, and I wanted to add that for those of you looking for autographed copies, yesterday I stopped by the Barnes & Noble in the Westside Pavillion, chatted with the super friendly and knowledgeable staff (seriously, like the nicest, most helpful employees evah), and signed multiple copies of LAGUNA COVE, KISS & BLOG, and SAVING ZOE!