1. See those books up there? Last week, Simon & Schuster sent them to me because they are from the second printing of Winger. All authors love it when their books go into successive printings, especially when the book has only been out for about 2 months.
2. And Winger has been named to yet another list on YALSA's The Hub. This list (which is very neatly organized in a kind of flow chart) is a Guide to YA Novels with LGBTQ Characters. Really, honestly, if you are a teacher (especially one who keeps a classroom library) or a librarian, do yourself and your readers a terrific favor and download the YALSA chart that is available in the article. It is fantastic.
You can read and download YALSA's Guide to YA Novels with LGBTQ Characters here.
3. Speaking of Winger, I will be speaking of Winger (and signing books, too) next week. I'll be appearing at Mrs. Nelson's on Thursday, August 15 at 5:00 P.M. and I will be speaking with my good friend John Corey Whaley about our books and what we've got coming up in the future. Mrs. Nelson's is located at 1030 Bonita Avenue, La Verne CA 91750.
4. Everything is moving forward quickly with my NEXT Simon & Schuster book, one that I have not spoken about hardly at all. The novel is currently going into the copyedit phase, which means my work is nearly finished. The title of the work is 100 Sideways Miles, and, as you can probably anticipate, it's pretty strange and quirky--it includes plays, a song, a shadow-puppet performance, and an entire book inside the book, which is what the book is kind of all about.
If that makes any sense.
As soon as I know the release date, I will naturally post the hell out of it. But I received the dust jacket's flap copy--the novel's summary that goes on the inside front flap--a few days ago, and I absolutely LOVE the flap copy, which is something strange for me because I usually do not like flap copy (with the exception of 100 Sideways Miles and Grasshopper Jungle).
5. And speaking of Grasshopper Jungle, I have been informed that the release date has been moved up. This makes me squee. The new official release date for Grasshopper Jungle is February 11, 2014. Awww... three days before Valentine's Day (and it would be such a loving and green gift to give). I don't know if I ever revealed this, but it was on Valentine's Day when I first spoke to Julie Strauss-Gabel (the book's editor and publisher) about how damn much she desperately needed to get this book.
6. I know I'm forgetting something.
Damn.
