Wordlings by Justina

New Blog

2010-08-13T20:32:00.000-07:00

Hello! I am now blogging at:

www.justinachen.blogspot.com

Check out my latest musings and adventures there. Thanks!

Tamora Pierce on Readergirlz!

2009-12-16T04:34:00.000-08:00

Join us at readergirlz tonight as we dish with the incomparable Tamora Pierce!

Enjoying Beauty Everywhere

2009-12-07T04:04:00.000-08:00

Life has been super hectic lately. So I love to transport myself to my new all-time favorite urban garden...the one in New York--the one so beautifully captured in Peter Brown's picture book, THE CURIOUS GARDEN. I love how some guerilla gardeners took over this line of overhead railway, abandoned in the 40s. Over the summer, I took my kiddos there for a moment of reprieve. Just look at the furniture built on top of abandoned railroad tracks. These benches are on casters so they can MOVE. How cool is that?

Beautiful, yes?

New Ben & Jerry's Flavor

2009-12-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

My GIRL OVERBOARD book tour buddy, Hannah Teter, has her own Ben & Jerry's flavor created and named in her honor: Maple Blondie.

Enjoy it while you can!

Kerlan Collection

2009-12-01T03:59:00.000-08:00

To my utter astonishment, the Curator for the distinguished Kerlan Collection of Children's Literature in the University of Minnesota contacted me. She asked for my manuscripts and notes. To be added to the collection along with the likes of Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys!

So I sent one of my early drafts of GIRL OVERBOARD, the notes I took while studying up on snowboarding, and some signed first editions and galleys.

The Blessings of the Unexpected Joy

2009-11-29T04:11:00.000-08:00

It's with utter astonishment that on the heels of readergirlz picking up the National Book Award for Innovations in Reading, my editor emailed me twice...

Once, to let me know that NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL was named to the 2010 Texas Lone Star Reading List.

And then again, to tell me that Kirkus named it one of the Best Books of 2009. I encourage everyone who loves a good read to check out the list for fabulous titles, including Malinda Lo's ASH, Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTERGIRLS, Tanita Davis's MARE'S WAR, Kathleen Duey's SACRED SCARS, David Gill's SOUL ENCHILADA, KL Going's KING OF THE SCREW UPS, and Sara Zarr's ONCE WAS LOST.

Thank you ALL for your support.
xoxoJustina

Summer Vacation...Really

2009-11-28T15:48:00.001-08:00

So...ummm...here are pictures from my summer vacation. Which I discovered on my camera when I began the annual scouring for a good Xmas card photo.

I'm telling myself that this summertime photo stash--so recently discovered--is the hidden benefit of procrastination. See. I've been a wee bit stressed and busy lately. And these photos were a mini-vacation for my frazzled psyche. A reminder of a slower time in the Hudson Valley. Where have I been all this time never to have visited the Hudson Valley?

Meet my best friend, Si, from second grade.That's right. Second grade. We spent a few days together, talking non-stop. Her poor husband. Even after 3 days together, we kicked him out of his own sunroom because we still had some catching up to do. And then...she pulled out the yearbooks from hell. Middle school. Some memories are best left collecting dust.

Si is a Major Foodie. You could not imagine the meals she fixed for me, my kiddos, and my mother-in-law. She took us to the CIA--the Culinary Institute of America--and to tell you the truth, I'd eat whatever Si prepares over any restaurant any day.

To good friends who nourish us with conversation, the food of the soul.

2009-09-21T21:05:00.000-07:00

Wowsa! Has it really been 2 months since I last posted? Lots of news of the readergirlz front.

First, there's the National Book Awards...where readergirlz is picking up an Innovation in Reading Award. That's in November and it's been fun to listen to the 2 divas who are going to represent us get all fussy about The Dress.

Next up, there's the rgz Teen Read Week press release over at the readergirlz blog.

Then, there's the banner, in small, medium, large, or side banner! Once again created by the awesome Holly Cupala...check out her debut novel book cover!

Next, there is the rgz Teen Read Week trailer...

David Gray: Fangirl Moment

2009-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

Ohhhh...guess who is playing in town in a few weeks from now? David Gray!

Babylon! Babylon!

Now here's a guy who should be writing a YA novel.

Sweet Memories of ALA

2009-07-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my publisher for sending me to ALA where I had the privilege of signing in their booth... complete with my own sign. I still can't believe the number of people waiting in line, holding my books...

And thanks to Follett who hosted me in their booth as well where I signed another 100 copies of North of Beautiful. Thank you!

And then off to a dinner where I was starry-eyed over the amazing librarians who came out to hear debut novelists Malinda Lo and Sarah Ockler as well as me. I'm not sure I laughed so hard during all those conversations.

The Printz Awards? Phenomenal. It is absolutely inspiring to hear authors detail their journey and the back story to their novels. And even more when they take a stance publicly about young adult literature. The highlight of the evening though? When Jack Martin--he who is all things fashionable...and oh, yeah, a rock star librarian at NYPL--told me he loved my dress.

Hanging with 30,000 Librarians!

2009-07-13T05:42:00.000-07:00

Sweet room looking out over the Chicago skyline and the water. Thank you, Little, Brown! My head is still reeling over last night's wonderful catch-up with Beth Yoke, executive director of YALSA, and Stevie--her PR person of much wonderosity. We're rolling out another very cool teen literacy project together...more soon.

Then, why oh why, have I not learned to keep some ideas to myself? Such as telling the YALSA president-elect (who kicked off this year's party with a Project Runway theme) that NEXT year, we should give people book covers, duct tape, and two hours to fashion an outfit. She stared at me (never a good sign), and said, "WE should have AUTHORS do that."

Ack.
Ack.
Ack.

So today I'll be signing my books. If you're in Chicago, drop by the booths over at ALA:
10:30-11:30 Little, Brown Books
11:30-12:30 Follett booth

And then off for a dinner with some rock star librarians, finishing the evening over at the Printz Awards reception. I heard that Neil Gaiman gave an extraordinary speech last night at the Newbery Awards... I am SO disappointed that I missed it.

Yay, new day!

Move Over, Twilight

2009-07-11T06:50:00.000-07:00

How sweet is The Dreamer Reader's review of NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL?

"Oh my freakin' goodness, what can I say about this book that hasn't been said before?! The characters are amazingly real, the writing is pitch-perfect, and it just resonated with me. It is truly awesome and even when I'm old and on my death bed, I will still remember this book."

On her death bed? Really? But my favorite line in The Dreamer Reader's book review:

"If Jacob from North of Beautiful and Jacob from Twilight (never heard of it? You're my type of person.) appeared on my doorstep I would just grab the Jacob from North of Beautiful and beg him to be mine while the other one can just suck it."

Take that, Jacob from Twilight! LOL.

Justina on The Talking Potatoes!

2009-07-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

And now...I bring you my favorite interview of all. My "celebrity" spot on...The Talking Potatoes, a book blog run by two avid readers, both under four feet tall!

No-bituaries

2009-07-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago, my friends, the DeVaans, surprised me with a full week's worth of meals when I started a new project. So when my writer-buddy Martha told me that her 79-year-old adventurer of a dad jumped off his ATV before it launched into a ravine in Tahiti (yes, you read that right) and critically injured himself, I thought I'd supply her family with a few meals, too.

Which sounds easier than it is. (Need I remind anyone about my crock pot adventure? Who knew that most crock pots don't survive stovetops?)

Lest I food poison my friend, I dropped off some FROZEN MEALS over the weekend and then trekked around Madrona. Martha took me along a fabulous secret path connecting a series of streets, wending through gardens, one chicken coop, a sliver thin house, and a unicycle mounted on a tree stump.

Which, of course, got us talking about miracles--and the miracle of surviving a near-fatal accident the way her dad did. Which led to Martha writing her dad a Nobituary--all the reasons why he had to stay alive.

I love that. However, I am not sure a Nobituary for my crock pot would have done much good.

Reading Recs over in Readergirlz-Land

2009-07-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

Awww...how sweet is this? The postergirlz have selected NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL as a recommended read, accompanying Cecil Castelucci's featured graphic novel, THE PLAIN JANES.

From the readergirlz site:
Many thanks to our postergirlz for the recommends to join the divas' spotlight in July: The Plain Janes and Janes in Love. Every one of these works is a great compliment to the other. Welcome, esteemed authors!

Fiction
The Opposite of Invisible by Liz Gallagher
A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell
Emiko Superstar by Mariko Tamaki and Steve Rolston
North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley
Same Difference by Siobhan Vivian

Non-Fiction
Wreck This Journal by Keri Smith

Chicago-Bound for ALA!

2009-07-05T09:37:00.000-07:00

My peeps of wonderosity at Little, Brown Books have sent me my schedule for ALA (American Library Association). Fun times will be had in Chicago. So if you're in town (hello, Kathleen at Anderson's Books and Robin at Chicago Public Library), please drop by and keep me company:

Monday, July 13:
10:30 a.m.: Book signing at the LB Booth (#2212). (At TLA in April, I was told-ahem-that I chit chatted a bit too much with all the people who wanted a signed book. Me? Chit chat too much? I will henceforth keep all chatting to one quick quip per person, especially if I like your earrings. Or glasses.)

11:30 a.m.: Book signing at the Follett Booth (#4811). (I'm getting a wee bit anxious about finding this booth since, as we know, orienteering is not my strong suit. Especially with thousands of book-hungry librarians milling about a ginormous convention hall. Oh, dear. Will LB be supplying me with emergency flares in the event I get lost?)

And then my publisher is hosting a dinner for me along with debut novelists Malinda Lo (ASH) and Sarah Ockler (Twenty Boy Summer). Just wait until you read these new books; they are fabulous. As for me, I suspect I will probably start tearing up at the sight of Megan Fink (Charlotte Country Day) who asked me to keynote a multiculti conference for her two years in a row--what an honor--but scheduling this year isn't allowing me to make the trek to South Carolina. Disappointment doesn't even cover how I'm feeling.

8:00 p.m. Printz Awards reception, baby, over at the Sheraton! My publisher has promised mucho partying afterwards. So find me and we'll toast another year of very fine literature for young adults.

I Found Paradise...in a Garden

2009-06-12T21:13:00.000-07:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know what I wrote in my last novel: Mother Nature trumps gardens. Well, I was wrong. Hello, Kathy Fries, the Picasso of gardens.

So yesterday my kids and I dropped by Kathy's house with a gift for her husband who helped me recently. (Ed is a legend in gaming!) What do you give a legend? Well, my friend, Ben Boos, autographed a copy of his beautiful book for Ed and his family.

To say Ben autographed the book is a bit of an understatement. I sign my name and call it good. Ben? He drew an elaborate, detailed dragon...and then signed the book.

As a total unexpected treat, Kathy took me and the kids on a tour of her gardens, which have been featured in magazines and the book I've been coveting:

See, I love, love, love small homes and cozy sheds. I dream about having a tiny little shed dedicated as a writer's studio. Absolutely fantasize about walking a meandering path from my house to studio. Small and snug, it would have room for a desk and a chair and that's about it. So Kathy gave me a copy of her book, plus shared her homemade rhubarb sorbet with us. YUM.

Today I am just so grateful for all the cool, talented, generous people I am so lucky to meet. This is something I want my children to learn: every day, every day is a miracle waiting to unfold. There are magicians out there--whether gardeners or gamers or illustrators. You just have to look.

Mrs. Magoo + North of Beautiful Contest

2009-06-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

Pop on over to Mrs. Magoo Reads and enter her North of Beautiful contest. All you have to do is watch the trailer she made for my book and leave a comment on her blog!

My Books in Beijing!

2009-06-09T07:30:00.000-07:00

Awww...to be called the modern-day Judy Blume is high praise. But to be called that from all the way over in Beijing...is utterly amazing. Here's an interview with me in this month's Beijing Kids Magazine.

Thanks to Eveline Chao, the wonderful reporter who asked fantastic questions.

Truth: I Heart Chicago Public Library

2009-06-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

Oh, let's just get it out there: I will play favorites when it comes to the Chicago Public Library. This was one of the first library systems to get behind my debut novel in a big way--inviting me out to meet a bunch of their libraries, sending me to local schools, especially the ones in the inner city, asking me to speak at their conference where I proceeded to CRY onstage!

Anyhow, Chicago Public Library also has this amazing Teen Volume program where teens enact scenes from books. For the last couple of years, they've included Patty from NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH (AND A FEW WHITE LIES). They just took her to a conference in the last week or so.

And then Mrs. Magoo just reviewed the book on her blog.

Today, I'm so grateful to people who are keeping my first novel alive and well. Thank you.

Homework

2009-06-05T03:48:00.000-07:00

Nothing is stranger than being someone's homework assignment. Really. Nothing. Some authors are surprisingly blase about this: "Justina, you'll get used to it." I don't think so.

I am homework.
I am someone's grade.
This is weird.

A librarian sent me this student's work:

So, students, I promise to update the FAQ on my website this summer so that finding info is easier than ever. And remember: the picture of me getting my hair washed in China from an earlier blog post was purely for informative purposes. Not for reports. I will be horrified if anyone uses that photo in a report. HOR-RI-FIED.

Incidentally, to the above student: A+

My Manuscripts in a Library Collection!

2009-06-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Holy guacamole! The University of Minnesota just asked for my manuscript materials to house in their Kerlan Collection. This is so extraordinary to me since I remember trolling the libraries at Stanford, looking at the manuscripts kept there. There was magic in those manuscripts; I could feel the novels taking shape, version after version.

While I can't imagine a single instance where a researcher would want to look at my research notes and scribbled upon manuscript pages, this is still so...surreal...and cool.

Today I am grateful for curators like Karen Nelson Hoyle who relish young adult novels. Thank you.

Love Letters to Authors

2009-05-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

I continue to be amazed and heartened by all the readers who take the time to email me about NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. The readers who review my work. The readers who buy my books...in this economy. And the librarians! The librarians who are stocking my books in their stacks. Thank you.

Here is my fave quote this week:

"This book was one of the best books I have ever read."
--The Book Girl Reviews

That is a sentence every single writer out there deserves to hear about their work. That makes all the early, early mornings (my 4:00 a.m. stints for 6 weeks straight) and my late, late nights (editing at 1:00 a.m. is perilous) to work and rework Terra's story worth it.

Today, I am glad to mark the last weekend over and welcome the new week in on the wings of this sweet review.

Conference Mania!

2009-05-19T15:38:00.000-07:00

Why, oh why, does my voice go all squeaky when I meet my rock star heroes of authors? All I can say is that SCBWI Washington can put on a fantastic conference, gathering together some of the very best of our industry! My head is still whirling with everybody I met and everything I learned. This past weekend, luminaries including my own agent (Steven Malk), Jon Scieszka--our U.S. Ambassador for Children's Lit, Adam Rex and my buddy Grace Lin descended onto Redmond.

Here we are at the Kid Lit Drink Night with our incomparable fleet of indie booksellers, Sue at Mockingbird and Rene at Third Place Books. And at the far right, meet Emily Whitman, a debut novelist.

Connie Hsu, the assistant editor who has worked on my books alongside Alvina Ling, and I popped out to the Borders where we stalked my books. I don't think we were technically supposed to take pictures inside the store, but when Connie found my books both on the main floor and up in the YA section, what could we do? YAY!

And then here are my girls: Sue, MaryJane Beaufrand (novelist AND bookseller and my running buddy), Rene, Janet Lee Carey (whose upcoming STEALING DEATH is going to be hot hot hot), Holly Cupala (ditto with her forthcoming WHAT WOULD XANDA DO) and Peggy King Anderson (my lovebug of a writer buddy whose faith and goodness have saved me these last few months).

I wish I had been able to get pix of everyone else: Laini Taylor and Jim Di Bartola, Katherine Grace Bond, Michael Stearns, Martha Brockenbrough, the entire Ad Com Committee that put on the conference, Nina Laden, Deb Lund, George Shannon, Kirby Larson... SEE? It was a fantastically wonderful and inspirational weekend filled with geniuses!

VOYA: North of Beautiful Review

2009-05-19T15:37:00.000-07:00

This just in from my editor, a review of NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL from VOYA:

“Headley’s characters, both adult and teen, are complex, nuanced, and intriguingly intertwined. Particularly powerful is the depiction of Terra’s growing recognition of her own artistic drive and their deepening connection through her mother’s mirrored recognition of personal worth. The primary metaphors of maps, journeys, exploration, and art as a catalyst for expression and connection are meaningful and beautifully sustained.”

YAY!

NYPL: Book Review!

2009-05-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

All the reviews for my books make me tear up--and it's not just for critical reviews! Honestly. I find it amazing that people take the time to read and then write about my words with all the thousands of books available to them.

This review from the New York Public Library especially touched me because the review was posted on Mother's Day and noted that I had dedicated the book to my mom. My truly beautiful mom. She and my dad are about to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary, which is an accomplishment by any standards. How lucky am I to have a wonderful mom and a wonderful mother-in-law?

Thank you, New York Public Library, for this review, which I will count as a Mother's Day gift to cherish and remember.

http://nypl.org/blogs/2009/05/10/north-beautiful-review

New Math

2009-05-08T05:32:00.000-07:00

My friend, Peter Rinearson--he of the Pulitzer Prize!--sent me this wonderful link for New Math. I love it. Think concrete poetry in mathematical form.

This is why I must celebrate this site on Poetry Friday!

My favorite:
http://www.morenewmath.com/166/botox/

Hometown Heroes: Justina in TV-Land!

2009-05-06T05:53:00.000-07:00

Catch readergirlz and me on the news today. Joyce Taylor, anchor for KING 5 news, interviewed me the day after my birthday for a profile piece in her series, HOMETOWN HEROES.

Justina Chen Headley: Champion for Children.

http://www.king5.com/home-team-heroes/

There will be a short segment on the KING 5 Morning News during the 5AM and the 6AM hours to tease Home Team Heroes coming up on KONG.

Then the Long version (about 3-and-a-half minutes) should air sometime between 8:15 and 9:00 on KONG TV (That's channel 6 or Channel 16 in Seattle.)

The long story will air again on KING-5 News at NOON on channel 5 at about 12:45 - 1:00 pm.

Readergirlz wins an Innovation Prize from the National Book Foundation!

2009-05-05T13:53:00.000-07:00

News of mucho fabulosity!

Readergirlz just won an Innovations in Reading Prize from the National Book Foundation!

National Book Foundation Announces Winners of its First

Innovations in Reading Prize:

Winners Include a Teacher, a Best-selling Author's Website,

a Reading Program in a Correctional Facility,

a Public Library System, and an Online Community for Teens

New York, NY, May 5, 2009 - The Board of the National Book Foundation has awarded its first Innovations in Reading Prizes to one individual and four organizations who are demonstrating passion, creativity, dedication, and leadership in the service of creating and sustaining a lifelong love of reading. The winners include: a teacher; an online resource created by best-selling author James Patterson and literary consultant Judy Freeman that helps identify books for kids; a program that allows inmates to read to their children via CDs that are mailed home bi-monthly; an online book community for teens girls that uses social networking; and a Dewey-less public library. The winners hail from Elroy Arizona, Gilbert, Arizona; Santa Fe, New Mexico; New York, NY; and Tacoma, Washington. Each winner will receive $2,500.00 and a framed certificate.

Leslie Shipman, Director of Programs for the National Book Foundation states, “The Innovations in Reading Prize is the National Book Foundation’s program to discover, promote, and, we hope, help replicate the innovative efforts of individuals and organizations who are sharing their passion for books and reading at the grassroots level, both in their communities and online. The enthusiasm and creativity shown by these five is remarkable. We hope other organizations across the country will be able to take these ideas and put them into practice in their own communities.” Innovations in Reading is supported by a grant from the Ford Foundation.

The Winners are:

Robert Wilder: Robert Wilder is both an elementary and high-school teacher in Santa Fe, New Mexico, and the only individual to receive the prize. His creativity, commitment, and passion for sharing his love of books with his students are exceptional. He is a powerful example of the impact a single, devoted teacher can have on the lives of his students. “Books are my gesture toward a better life for anyone willing to turn some pages,” Bob says. “Like many teachers and writers, I find myriad ways to get good books into other people's hands, whether it's a kindergartner struggling over his first sentence, a high-school student trying to find her voice in the wilderness of adolescence, or an intellectually starved friend at a dinner party.”

James Patterson’s ReadKiddoRead: ReadKiddoRead.com is a hassle-free online resource that helps parents, teachers, adults, and librarians identify books that kids will love. When Patterson found out that his son Jack did not share his passion for books, He took it upon himself to fix the situation by choosing books he knew his son would love. He even started writing books for kids to get Jack interested. The author's motivation led him to create ReadKiddoRead.com. “There are millions of kids who have never read a book they’ve liked. There are also thousands of children’s books out there. This site lists the ones they won’t be able to resist,” Patterson says. Children’s literature consultant Judy Freeman also works on the site, writing a bulk of the reviews. Even though the original target audience was to be grownups, kids are using the site as well. “We’re ecstatic over winning this recognition,” says Patterson. “The site is working. And with the National Book Foundation on our side, I hope many more adults will be inspired to take their kids’ reading habits into their own hands.”

Fathers Bridging the Miles: Fathers Bridging the Miles is a program of Read to Me International, a Hawaii-based non-profit devoted to children's literacy. The program provides children of incarcerated fathers in the Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona, with a unique and meaningful way to develop a love of reading by recording inmates reading children’s books onto CDs. The recorded reading and a copy of the book are mailed to their children bimonthly. This program works on many levels. Incarcerated men maintain a strong bond with their children through books, as well as improve their reading skills. Their children are able to hear their fathers read stories to them, despite the miles between them. According to Pat Mizuno, the Program Director, “It is amazing to see the relationships between fathers and their children bloom over books and reading. The children enjoy getting the books in the mail and love listening to their fathers’ voices. We know our program is having an impact when we meet former program participants after being paroled and they are still reading to their children!”

Maricopa County Library District: Maricopa County Library District of Gilbert, Arizona, dropped the Dewey system two years ago to make their library more user-friendly. Based on customers' surveys, Maricopa decided that organizing the library into “neighborhoods,” the way bookstores are organized, was a better way to meet customers’ needs, and as a result, circulation has doubled. Maricopa has received national attention as well, from the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and NPR, that has opened a serious discussion about how libraries can best serve the needs of the reading public. “The library is customer centric,” states Harry R. Courtright, the Director. “The Innovation in Reading Prize for the Dewey-less approach to organizing libraries may inspire other libraries to also try new ways to get people to read.”

readergirlz: readergirlz is an online book community for teen girls that is designed to make reading hip, compelling, and fun, as well as to promote teen literacy and leadership. Their mission is to get teens to read, reflect, and reach out. Using social networking sites, YouTube, and other online resources, teens are able to chat with their favorite Young Adult authors. readegirlz is led by five Young Adult authors: Dia Calhoun, Holly Cupala, Lorie Ann Grover, Justina Chen Headley, and Melissa Walker. When told that readergirlz was one of five winners, Dia Calhoun, author and co-founder, stated, “With this amazing and generous Innovations in Reading Prize, readergirlz can continue to find new ways to connect teens with the best authors in young adult literature, making reading hip and appealing using the latest technology.”

# # #

The Mission of the National Book Foundation is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of good writing in America.

About the National Book Awards
The nation’s most prestigious literary prize, the National Book Awards has a stellar record of identifying and rewarding quality writing. In 1950, William Carlos Williams was the first winner in Poetry, the following year William Faulkner was honored, and so on through the years. Many previous Winners of a National Book Award are now firmly established in the canon of American literature. On November 18th, the National Book Awards will be presented in the categories of Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature.

And the Winner of the Find Beauty Challengeis...

2009-04-26T06:42:00.000-07:00

The judges of the North of Beautiful: Find Beauty Challenge have spoken. Based on the criteria posted on my website, countless viewings of the video essays on YouTube, the winners are:

Grand prize winner of the iPod Touch is... Miss Erin for her Truly Beautiful, professional, and profound testament to Beauty.

1st prize winner of books is... Too Beautiful for Words.

2nd prize winner of books is... Grace Lin.

3rd prize winner of books is... Beauty Is...

Today I am thankful for each and every one of you who have taken your time to tell the world what you think True and Real Beauty means.

Best Friends in the World

2009-04-25T21:27:00.001-07:00

Call me lucky. I have the best friends on the planet. On my birthday--Income Tax Day--I received quite possibly the meanest email of my entire life, and no, it wasn't from the IRS. A few days later, my girlfriends threw me a surprise party at Frenchy's: pedicures for all.

I walked into the spa, filled with my friends...and--duh!--it didn't occur to me that every single one of my StrataGem group was there...for ME I'm sure it was comical how stunned I was that my girls were all in one place, a miracle of champagne! And strawberries! And chocolates! And treats! And so, so, so much love.

Above are Cindy--little miss FBI. And Miss Molly, finance guru.

And Niki (TV producer!) and Julie (anchorwoman!) and Kim (graphic designer!). And there's me (stupefied!).

And then, on a very hard day, Martha Brockenbrough met me for a writing date, bought me tea and a little cakey birthday treat. And then let me write my heart out next to her until I felt better. Now, that's a friend.

Today, I feel grateful for women who are there when a friend needs them to be.

Hometown Heroes: Rwanda Girls Initiative

2009-04-23T21:03:00.000-07:00

Two of my friends, Soozi McGill and Shal Foster, are building a ground-breaking girls' secondary boarding school in Rwanda. How amazing is that? I've just been so impressed with how they conceived the idea and are making Rwanda Girls Initiative come true--30 acres of gorgeous land, architects who are donating time to draw the plans, partnerships with universities, doctors, experts to ensure that the school serves the whole girl.

Today, I had the privilege of working with them on their presentation. Not that they needed my help. These women are rock stars.

Aren't we all grateful for people in the world who see the Big Picture, who see challenge as exciting, who see the YES in other people's NO? I am!

Nikki Grimes: A Hurricane of Change

2009-04-23T12:23:00.001-07:00

Meet one of my writer-mentors, Nikki Grimes, a NY Times bestselling author and Coretta Scott King award winner. She is brilliant and fierce and 100% heart.

She called me last night to check in on me, shored me up with some solid advice, and then told me her chilling story. Just nine days after speaking at a school in Arkansas, the entire town was leveled by a hurricane. "Cherish every day," she told me. "Every day."

Nikki is a woman after my own heart. She is singlehandedly spearheading her own Operation Teen Book Drop by trying to replenish that school's devastated collection of young adult titles. So if you didn't rock the readergirlz drop and still have YA books lying around that are in need of a good home, consider sending a few of them here:

Jimma Holder
Literacy Specialist
Mena Public Schools
501 Hickory
Mena, AR  71953

Today, I am grateful to be surrounded by friends who are changemakers. Who are forces of nature. Who live by their words and actions.

Sweet Talk!

2009-04-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

How sweet is this book review? Thank you, Miss Print!

http://missprint.wordpress.com/2009/03/25/north-of-beautiful-a-chick-lit-wednesday-review/

Shout Outs & Book Acknowledgments

2009-04-20T20:13:00.000-07:00

I have been teased for my rather lengthy acknowledgments. As my editor said, "There will be other books, you know." Which is true. Acknowledgments aren't necessarily tied to a single book. I think of mine--all three of them--as a linked continuum of love. Anyway, since I listen to everything Alvina says, I made a decision with North of Beautiful to attempt to thank people who had not been included in my previous books aside from my family, publisher (that alone was a tome), agent, and mentors (Janet Carey, Janet Wong, and Nicole Ueland).

So at a birthday luncheon for my 90-year-old neighbor--who is as sharp and witty as they come--I gave her a copy of NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL and told her to skim the last paragraphs of the acknowledgments. She started to cry when she saw her name. My Lydia, a woman who keeps more than my keys.

And then there are friends...like my buddy, Linda Myrhvold. She was noted in GIRL OVERBOARD, but really, could have been included in NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL since she is Truly Gorgeous and Generous.

I was having a hard moment recently, and she told me to haul on over to her hotel to celebrate Easter together. Can I tell you how much I love this fiercely protective woman? And talk about witty. Linda is the female David Sedaris, only not at all dysfunctional. I just need her to sit still long enough to get her hilarious riffs into Word for the rest of the world to enjoy.

North of Beautiful: Reviews

2009-04-18T22:28:00.000-07:00

Awww...I'm just so touched by all the reviews North of Beautiful has been receiving. Thanks to everyone for reading my work--and spending your precious money in this economy on my book. Honestly! It's amazing.

Here are the two most recent reviews, including Story Siren who gave the book a Luminous Pearl Award. So sweet.

http://www.thestorysiren.com/2009/04/north-of-beautiful-by-justina-chen.html
http://jkrbooks.typepad.com/blog/2009/04/north-of-beautiful-justina-chen-headley.html

Operation TBD: Rocking the Drop!

2009-04-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Second Annual Operation Teen Book Drop, brought to teen patients in Children's Hospitals all around the country by readergirlz,

GuysLitWire, YALSA, and amazing publishers, including my own (Little, Brown Books!).

The morning started with an interview on KING 5 News. Egads, I hate TV and radio interviews. Anchorwoman, Joyce Taylor, wanted to do a short segment on me for her Hometown Heroes show. While flattering, it was also very awkward since while I am glad to be back in my Hometown, I am not feeling very heroic. I asked if she might want to shoot the Seattle-area divas dropping books off at our Children's Hospital. Thankfully, Joyce was interested. So I was flanked by my girls: Lorie Ann Grover, Holly Cupala, and Dia Calhoun. And we all very much missed our Melissa Walker.

Deep breath. Bright lipstick. And then Lorenzo the camera man started shooting every breath, um, and er as Joyce and I chatted about my books, community service (including the Find Beauty Challenge), and readergirlz.

Since I hate watching myself on TV, chances are I won't catch the feature story when it airs in 2-3 weeks. But for now, here's the crew:

Kira Haller (Children's Hospital), Holly Cupala, Dia Calhoun, Lorie Ann Grover, me, Joyce Taylor.

Photographs all captured beautifully by S.Y. Headley.

My Birthday Thoughts

2009-04-15T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today's my birthday! I used to consider it a bummer to share my big day with Income Tax Day. But now I know the twinning of those events is really a blessing in disguise because the people who truly love me can never forget April 15.

As those same peeps know, this has not been the best year of my life. I am grateful for my children, family, friends, readers, and the team or professionals who've become my surrogate family, assembling around me to guide me through these last 6 tumultuous months.

So as I blow out the many candles on my cake tonight, I won't be wishing or regretting, but thanking:

Thanks for being patient and gentle with me.
Thanks for emailing me when you've read my books and letting me know that my humble words have touched you.
Thanks for helping me see the beauty in everyday blessings.

We only have to look to find beauty. And sometimes, as I learned with the sea turtles on the Big Island this last week, we have to look behind us, too.

But today, I am looking forward, not behind, to a wonderful year of healing and adventures. And quite possibly both.

Ben Boos: My New Hero!

2009-04-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite parts of writing is doing the research. I love finding out about things I have no knowledge whatsoever about. So imagine my joy when I found the exact book I was looking for by none other than a legend in the gaming industry, Ben Boos (formerly of Blizzard).

There were a few swords in his fabulously rendered artist's devotion that intrigued me. So I emailed Ben...and he responded back with a ton of research notes. He actually sifted through his own research materials to find the answers for me. I still cannot believe how generous he was with his time and knowledge.

Swords is a Candlewick book. So you know it's beautiful. Check it out!

Today, I am just thankful for Ben. For people who help just because.

TLA: More Thoughts

2009-04-11T00:48:00.000-07:00

A few more pictures from my publicist, Rachel Wasdyke, from last week's TLA conference. One of my faves: Rachel and me after our dinner.

And here are the other authors at the Little, Brown dinner: Justin Somper (VAMPIRATES) and Sara Zarr (SWEETHEARTS).

Today and always, I am thankful for Rachel.

Remember the Alamo + the Kindness of Strangers

2009-04-10T19:32:00.000-07:00

The Big Island of Hawaii is known to be the Healing Island, so it's apropos that I felt called to visit.

Healing Moment #1: Girlfriend time. I know, I know. You're not supposed to meet people in person who you find over Facebook and MySpace. However. There's Mia King, my FB and MS friend and writer-buddy. We finally got some real face time over a long, long lunch at Huli-Sue's in Waimea. Coconut curry with rice. Chocolate tart. Ice Tea. YUM. The sweetest part? Mia signed a copy of her last novel for me:

I couldn't sleep, so I finished her book off at 3:00 a.m. It's one of those reads where you say: wow, how did she know about my life?

Healing Moment #2: As I drove off after lunch, my jeep began lurching bumpily. Yup, flat tire. *sigh* This is not the healing moment.

However, I pulled into the first driveway, which happened to be the Keck Observatory--a place I wanted to visit anyway. There, I was taken under the wings of three amazing women (including the librarian!) who made sure I got a ride back to my condo. I'm having dinner with the CFO tonight!

Healing Moment Most Momentous: the Alamo car rental people? Nothing but wonderful and kindness from the moment I got my vehicle and the man gestured around the parking lot: choose whatever you want! Jasmine and Whitney in the Help-Me Department completely took care of everything. Everything. They worried that I was traveling alone. They worried that night was falling. They worried that the tire couldn't be changed. So what did they do? They had a new jeep delivered to me this morning. Free of charge. (Take note: Hertz. When I had a flat tire with that company in Nebraska, I had to pay for the tow truck and the replacement tire. Never to Hertz again.)

Today, I am just so thankful for the kindness of perfect strangers (and I do mean perfect).

Big Island: Hime Sushi

2009-04-10T00:44:00.000-07:00

Meet my new obsession: Hime Sushi in Hilo.

Here's the Pink Lady roll. Avocado, crab, sweet gourd, pink tofu skin.

While the spam sushi at the Farmers' Market was surprisingly tasty (in Hawaii, eat what the Hawaiians do), this was more my style.

YUM.

Today, I am thankful for sushi. I just am.

Big Island: Sea Turtles

2009-04-09T09:36:00.000-07:00

According to the locals on the Big Island, Richardson State Park is the place in Hilo to find sea turtles. So guess where I went?

There I was, scanning the shoreline, the horizon. No sea turtles. I settled myself on a large hunk of lava rock and began writing my new novel. A teen girl asked what I was up to and I wailed, "Looking for sea turtles!"

She said: "They're right behind you."

Lo and behold, in the tide pool behind a hill of rocks...there they were...

my sleeping sea turtles disguised as boulders.

Just like beauty. Hidden right under my nose. All I had to do was look behind me.

Big Island: Farmer's Market

2009-04-09T06:27:00.000-07:00

A few years ago, I interviewed a woman who led tours of Nepal for a book that has yet to be finished. She told me that you don't have to go farther than your backyard to have an adventure. I love that philosophy... To find the new, to experience the different, right where we live.

At a gallery yesterday, the artist and I struck up a conversation. Ira told me about the Farmers' Market in Hilo, a must-see, so he said. So today I took myself off the volcano and drove to town. The flowers at the market were absolutely, mind-blowingly beautiful. They're about as far from a fussy rose as you can imagine. Primordial in their beauty.

Soursops, bread fruit, watermelon papayas, apple bananas...and the world's largest avocados ever seen.

Today, I am just so thankful for the enomous variety of fruit produced on our planet.

Chilling--Doctor's Orders

2009-04-09T00:08:00.001-07:00

You know it's time to take a vacation when five people who don't know you tell you to take one. When your sister (who happens to be studying for her nursing degree) cites one study after another about how stress takes its toll. Its fatal toll. Which implies that I might just keel over any second. (This just goes to show that too much knowledge can be too much knowledge.)

So nurse's orders: Go relax.

The weird thing is, I had a calling--that's exactly what it was--a calling to go to the Big Island in Hawaii. Airfare was cheap! I called up a girlfriend, Mia King (GOOD THINGS, SWEET LIFE), who happens to live on the Big Island. One phone call later, and she set me up with the most outrageously gorgeous place to stay.

Which leads me here. On a volcano:

That's the Kilauea Iki crater where I hiked yesterday morning, still steaming. Yes, you are allowed to walk across the volcanic floor. Traipse across it. Clomp across it. 24/7. I'm not joking.

After devastation, growth. That's how tenacious life is. Flowers thrive atop lava. Gorgeous.

Find Beauty Challenge: Let the Judging Begin!

2009-04-06T06:04:00.001-07:00

Judging has begun for the Find Beauty Challenge on YouTube! It'll take my distinguished panel of judges a few days to view and rate all the videos.

Winners will be notified shortly!

Thanks to all who created a video AND those who watched them.

Fangirl: Gary Schmidt & Wednesday Wars

2009-04-05T04:31:00.000-07:00

One of the best parts of attending librarian conferences has got to be meeting beloved authors. For me, this just doesn't get better than going to TLA and meeting Gary Schmidt who wrote two of my all-time favorite middle grade novels: The Wednesday Wars and Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy. Pitch perfect in humor and pathos, these books should be on everyone must-read list.
Pictured with me are Gary, Lorie Ann Grover, Lucy (librarian), Dia Calhoun.

Find Beauty Challenge: Another Beautiful Video!

2009-04-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

Judging begins soon for the Find Beauty Challenge where one lucky winner will take home an iPod touch!

Declaring a winner is going to be so tough when all these testimonials on true beauty are so incredibly touching! So get in there and rate your favorite videos at the North of Beautiful YouTube channel here or http://www.youtube.com/northofbeautiful.

In the meantime, check this video essay out by our own readergirlz diva, Holly Cupala:

Texan Librarians Know How to Party!

2009-04-03T16:13:00.000-07:00

All I can say is that Texan Librarians sure know how to make an author feel welcome. Yes, ma'am!

After spending 3 days in Houston at the legendary Texas Librarian Association with two of the other readergirlz co-founders (Dia Calhoun and Lorie Ann Grover), let me just say, I looooove Texans as much as I missed our other divas (Holly Cupala and Melissa Walker).

Trip Highlights in no particular order.

1. Toiling late at night with the divas on getting our swag bags ready for our presentation on Making Literacy Hip + Relevant for Teens. (This brought back memories of the early days where I spent hours upon hours hand-cutting and crafting hundreds of goody bags for various readergirlz events...)

2. Kibbitzing with amazing YA authors, including Meg Cabot,

Sara Zarr, Ally Carter, Justine Larbalestier, Margo Rabb, John Green, Scott Westerfeld (ooohhh...confirmed a readergirlz feature month with him!)--it was a veritable readergirlz reunion...LIVE! And then to top it off, I met some of the Brown Bookshelf co-founders! THAT was a thrill. My fleeting glimpse of Cynthia Leitich Smith made me so mad at myself for not snagging some time with her for a coffee. Next time.

3. Meeting the incredible editor-visionary Sharyn November! In person! I literally squealed. Vaguely embarrassing.

4. Oh! Oh! MAJOR highlight: Hanging out with my marvelous Little, Brown peeps--Victoria Stapleton and Zoe Luderitz (amazing library marketing dynamic duo), Kate Sullivan (watch for ASH!), and at last meeting Rachel Wasdyke (I teared up! She's my publicist!!).

I wish I had taken a photo of Victoria's sassy, HIGH patent heels. Oh, my! I had the honor of meeting Justin Somper (VAMPIRATES--also proud wearer of the most rocking pair of men's shoes I've seen. Ever.) and Svetlana (graphic novelist).

5. Meeting every single one of the Texan powerhouses...like Professor Nana (my hero and the woman who kicked my behind to get readergirlz off the ground) and what must have been the entire TAYSHAS braintrust. You ladies are truly amazing.

6. All the teens and librarians who stood in line for me to sign my books. Wow, that's all I can say, WOW. Thank you.

7. Meeting with Loreine Roy(past president of ALA) and Beth Yoke (executive director of YALSA).

8. Spending a wonderful evening at the YART dinner with my dining companions. I now have a list of must-read Latina authors, which I am absolutely psyched about!

9. Walking the showroom floor and being absolutely wowed by the number of fantastic books I still have yet to read and showcase on readergirlz!

10. Looking out at a ballroom filled with librarians who rocked with readergirlz at our presentation... WHY, oh WHY, did I start to cry when the video trailers for Operation TBD rolled? Holly has done a spectacular job with them, for sure! But I also think it's because we at readergirlz move so fast from project to project that we don't celebrate enough!

AND that is what Texans know how to do: celebrate. In style.

Any time I get an invite to go to a book event in Texas where there will be librarians? I will so be there. Yes, Ma'am!

Find Beauty Challenge: Last Day!

2009-03-31T10:08:00.000-07:00

So today is the last day for the North of Beautiful Find Beauty Challenge.

Get your 90-second video essay in! Tell the world what's Truly Beautiful to you. You'll be helping children in the third world since I'm donating $10 (up to $1000) for every uploaded video to fund reconstructive surgery for kids with cleft lips.

Here's some inspiration...a Valentine sent to me from Little Willow, another song about beauty.

Hi, Y'all! Off to Texas Librarian Association

2009-03-31T04:00:00.000-07:00

The readergirlz co-founders--Dia Calhoun, Lorie Ann Grover, and I--are off to TLA in Houston today for a whirlwind of presentations and dinners!

If you're planning on attending this conference, join us at our key events:

Wednesday, 4/1
6:30-8:30 YART Dinner

Thursday, 4/2
10:30 a.m. TT4L Discussion with Teens

2:00 p.m. readergirlz: making literacy hip and relevant for teens

3:00 p.m. Book Signing in the Author Plaza

Please join us! We'd love to see you there, TLA-ers!

Today I am thankful for my publisher, Little Brown, for sending me to TLA and hosting a dinner for me and Sara Zarr.

Grace Lin: A Work of Beauty!

2009-03-30T19:27:00.000-07:00

Check out what my friend, Grace Lin, thinks is Truly Beautiful...her homage to happiness in honor of the Find Beauty Challenge.

ONE MORE DAY to create your 90-second video telling the world what True Beauty means to you. For every uploaded video, I'm donating $10 (up to $1,000--thanks to my in-laws!) to fund reconstructive surgeries for kids with cleft lips in the third world.

The winning video will win its creator an iPod touch... ooooooooohhhhhh!

So create your video essay now!

Twilight Mania: Forks Geocache 2.0

2009-03-30T07:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, all you Twihards, listen up!

That geocache (high tech treasure hunt) of amazingness in Forks, Wa? The one with 10 different stops and 10 different clues? The clues you had to solve to get the final latitude and longitude coordinates to find the TREASURE BOX of amazingness? The one I blogged about here? The one with the clues printed out above?

I have confirmation from the people who placed the treasure box that I have the CORRECT coordinates.

I am now officially committed to going back to Forks, WA, to claim that cache. Heck, I have cutie pie readergirlz buttons that I want to put in the box!!

Compass Rose

2009-03-30T04:47:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the publication of a book, I usually buy something for myself that symbolizes my story. I was so pleased to find out that Nancy Pearl has the same tradition, as I learned when I was openly ogling her ring. She told me that she had bought it for herself in honor of Book Lust. (Do other authors do this? Please tell!)

The recent months have been hectic-hard, so I haven't had the wherewithal to shop. (Not my favorite thing to do in the best of times; it's even more of a chore now.)

But one of my hipster librarian friends, Brenna Shanks, wore a compass rose pendent

to my book party for NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. I was so taken with the piece that she very generously shared the site where she purchased it.

What do you think? Is this the piece that I need to have to celebrate NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL?

Find Beauty Challenge: The Playlist!

2009-03-30T04:34:00.000-07:00

Little Willow and Miss Erin have unofficially declared themselves the personal mix masters for NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL.

Here's another song that Little Willow has sent to me, which is perfect for the Find Beauty Challenge.

So get yourself together there... Create a 90-second video and tell the world what's truly beautiful to you.

I have the most glorious iPod touch ready to give the winner of the Challenge.

AND my in-laws have contributed to the cause. We're giving away up to $1000 to fund reconstructive surgery on kids with cleft lips and palates in the third world.

So now you think we're ugly,
like I don't have enough to worry about.
Why do you think I'm ugly?
Which magazine did ya read so you could judge me now?

Find Beauty Challenge: Last Call!!!

2009-03-29T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hello, peeps!

We've got just a few more days before the Find Beauty Challenge officially ends. So take 90 seconds and tell the world what you think is truly beautiful.

You might win an iPod Touch.
AND a child wins, too, because I'm donating $10 (up to $1,000) for every uploaded video to fund reconstructive surgeries on children with cleft lips in third world countries.

Set the world straight on True Beauty.
Help a kid.
90 seconds and you can change someone's world.

Watch this powerful video for proof!

readertotz love

2009-03-28T16:35:00.000-07:00

How sweet is this? Readertotz, the little sister organization to readergirlz, included North of Beautiful as its older sib book pick.

http://readertotz.blogspot.com/2009/03/for-older-sibling-north-of-beautiful.html

Today I am just so darn thankful for people who champion literature in all its forms for the very youngest readers to those with creaky knees.

Publishers Weekly: Book Covers Separated @ Birth

2009-03-28T11:45:00.000-07:00

PW ran an interesting article about my book cover, which features the same girl as the one on Alyson Noel's Evermore.

Personally, I love both treatments, which I think serve the stories equally well. For the record, sharing the same cover girl doesn't bother me one bit.

http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6646736.html?nid=2788

Today I am thankful for Saho, the book designer, who did a supremely, truly beautiful job.

Big Brother at the White House

2009-03-28T08:23:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? My spikey-haired, motorcycle riding big brother, Dave Chen,

spent some time at the White House with one of Obama's chief strategists!

http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/issues/current-issue/articles/0409-green-machine/1/#

Twilight: This & That Thoughts

2009-03-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Wow, Twihards! Thanks for all the feedback here on my blog, on Facebook, and through Tweets about my Twilight Mecca to Forks.

YAY to Jennifer who is bringing her Girl Scout troop to Forks to do the Twilight Geocache!

YAY to Gypsy Wings for returning to Seattle soon. I am *so* going to take her on the Twilight Geocache.

YAY to all of you for indulging in my geekiness.

Quick thoughts about something that's been eating at me. Has anyone else noticed that in interviews, Stephenie Meyer seems to be almost...apologizing for her writing? Like this about a much quoted, much tattooed line in her book: "I know it's cheesy." Or again when she talks about not always choosing the best words. Or that she sees herself as a storyteller more than a writer.

I just want to tell her to STOP!

I don't think I have ever heard of a best-selling male author apologize for his writing. To call a single one of his lines as "cheesy."

I don't think millions of people would be buying and quoting and wearing and tattooing her words if they didn't think those words were good.

So female authors out there: can we just make a pledge to ourselves? Whether romance writers, YA writers, horror writers--let's just be proud that we're creating!

Today I am thankful for my ever-growing community of YA authors. An amazing community.

Find Beauty Challenge: Another Beautiful Video!

2009-03-26T20:57:00.000-07:00

The video essays for the North of Beautiful: Find Beauty Challenge are coming in!

Check this one out!

Remember to vote for your favorite video! Better yet, make your own video essay and tell the world what you think True Beauty really is. The winner gets an iPod Touch...and I'm donating $10 (up to $1000) for ever uploaded video to fund reconstructive surgery for kids with cleft lips in third world countries.

A huge shout out to my in-laws for donating $100 to the Challenge! Thank you, Bill & Robbie!

Twilight: Mecca to Forks + Geocaching (of course)

2009-03-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

A day off of school? Precious time with a Twi-struck kiddo? What's a mom to do? Why, pack the stationwagon for a mecca to Forks, WA, to celebrate all things Twilight.

And of course, while at it, squeeze in a geocache. Yes, folks, there is a Twilight geocache, placed in Forks, WA just a few weeks ago. Now, I've done some seriously crazy-making geocaches, but this one was pretty strenuous given our time constraint: 10 stops, puzzles to solve at every single one of them, and then a final challenge...

We fortified ourselves at Sully's after the 3.5 hour drive + ferry ride. Thanks to Gypsy Wings who made her mecca to Forks earlier this year, I was armed with the inside scoop, including indulging in a Bella Burger. Did I miss a reference in the book--but why was there pineapple wedged in the burger? Was it because Bella is a little prickly? A little tart?

The geocache began at the Chamber of Commerce with Bella's truck. (The clue involved a few bolts, adding digits together, and division.)

Next, we zipped over to the hospital where Dr. Cullen had his own parking spot. (Those jaded among you might be rolling your eyes. However, just think: a book spawned all of this fandom. A book! That is worth celebrating!) I personally loved how the town has thrown itself into the characters.

And then a trip to the Swan house, followed by a quick stop at the Cullen house. (I have to admit, the Cullen house used in the movie completely captured the family. Bravo, location scout!)

We braved the perfect vampire conditions of rain and wind to make it to Jacob's stomping grounds where we claimed the last clue: counting those orange balls above the water.

Bummer! After all that, we were skunked by the final coordinates. We tromped around in the mud and muck in prime Twilight woods for half an hour before we gave up. The ferry was calling and we had to run...despite the readergirlz buttons we were going to drop into the cache. With the movie coming out in November, there will be a next time.

Twilight Mania: The Geocache

2009-03-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

With all the Twilight DVD mania going around, my sis who's on spring break and I are taking the newest Twiharder in the family to Forks, WA tomorrow, bright and early. Even better, there's a Twilight GEOCACHE that we're going to find.

Wish us luck!

Sending Love to Book Chic!

2009-03-19T13:26:00.000-07:00

How amazing is this... Book Chic made a vlog for Seven Book Babes. Not only did he wear the Girl Overboard / Burton Snowboards T-shirt that I had sent him many moons ago, but he talked about two fun inside stories nested within NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. Talk about super astute reader. He truly is Mr. YA Book CSI.

Find Beauty Challenge: The Janet + Molly Show!

2009-03-19T04:46:00.000-07:00

Check out what two of my critique group partners have to say about True Beauty: Janet Carey and Molly Blaisdell. I love these women. I love what they have to say.

Pull your video essay together for the Find Beauty Challenge. Your 90 seconds can change a kid's life! I'm donating $10 (up to $1,000) for every uploaded video to fund reconstructive work on kids with cleft palates in third world countries.

Oh, Beauuuutiful: The Official Ad!

2009-03-18T16:14:00.000-07:00

Look at what Little, Brown Books put together in this week's issue of School Library Journal:

This spot of beauty was most welcome on a day that included a visit from pest control (sigh) and one to a dentist (grimace).

Isn't the ad purty?

Find Beauty Challenge: Beautiful Statement

2009-03-18T04:45:00.000-07:00

Here's another submission to the Find Beauty Challenge, shot at my North of Beautiful book launch.

Find Beauty Challenge: Miss Erin

2009-03-17T15:40:00.000-07:00

When I think of True North, I think of Miss Erin. Just listen to what she and her friends have to say about Beauty for the Find Beauty Challenge.

You've got until March 31 to create your own video essay about True Beauty. So challenge yourself! Tell the world exactly what you think.

Operation Teen Book Drop: Press Release

2009-03-17T12:51:00.000-07:00

For more information contact:

Sara Easterly, Publicist for readergirlz

Sara Easterly & Friends

sara@saraeasterly.com

206-632-8588

READING STIMULUS PLAN FOR HOSPITALIZED TEEN PATIENTS
LAUNCHES JUST IN TIME FOR “SUPPORT TEEN LIT DAY” APRIL 16

Despite economic downturn, generous publishers have donated
thousands of young-adult books for readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and YALSA
to deliver to teens in America’s top pediatric hospitals

March 17, 2009 (Seattle, Wash.) – Teen patients in pediatric hospitals across the United States will receive 8,000 young-adult novels, audiobooks, and graphic novels next week as readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) celebrate the third annual Support Teen Lit Day on April 16.

In its second year, “Operation TBD” (short for Teen Book Drop), puts free books donated by 18 book publishers into the hands of many teens most in need of escape, inspiration and a sense of personal accomplishment. Books with exceptional characters and fabulous stories can provide just that for teens and their families dealing with difficult, long-term hospital stays.

At a time when philanthropic giving is down, readergirlz co-founders have been inspired by overwhelming industry support for Operation TBD. “readergirlz is always looking for innovative ways to connect teens with literature, “ said Dia Calhoun, co-founder of readergirlz and acclaimed young-adult author. “We’re honored that publishers have supported this goal by giving so liberally this year.”

Operation TBD also aims to encourage all teens to choose reading for pleasure as a leisure activity, over other entertainment options. Inciting the broader teen community to participate in Operation TBD in its drive to spur reading on a national scale, readergirlz has launched a trailer on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/readergirlz) inviting teens and YA authors to leave a book in a public place on April 16. When visiting www.readergirlz.com, participants can download bookplates to insert into the books they’ll leave behind, which explain the surprise to the recipient and tell them to read and enjoy.

“This event is such a special one because it not only raises awareness about teen literature, but it also truly helps those teens most in need. Teens facing illnesses will be able to find an age- appropriate new book to read while in the hospital — teen books matter and not just any old book will do,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Our thanks to the publishers, readergirlz, and Guys Lit Wire. It’s wonderful to unite with these organizations to forward this cause.”

Participating book publishers who have donated books or audiobooks include Abrams Books, Bloomsbury/Walker Books, Candlewick Press, Full Cast Audio, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Hyperion, Milkweed, Mirrorstone Books, Orca Book Publishers, Peachtree Books, Perseus Book Group/Running Press, Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Soft Skull Press & Red Rattle Books, TOKYOPOP and Tor/Forge/Starscape/Tor Teen.

“Putting the right book into the hands of a teen can turn that teen into a reader for life, “ said Suzanne Murphy, VP and Group Publisher, Scholastic Trade Book Publishing. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to help Operation TBD show teens firsthand just how much fun reading can be.”

Pediatric hospitals that have signed up to receive books include Phoenix Children's Hospital (Phoenix, Ariz.), Rady's Children's Hospital (San Diego, Calif.), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Hospital and Research Center (Oakland, Calif.), All Children's Hospital (St. Petersburg, FL), Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago, Ill.), UM C.S. Mott Children's Hospital (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics (Kansas City, MO), The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center (Tacoma, Wash.) and Seattle Children's Hospital.

“Our teen patients here at Seattle Children’s loved the books donated through the Operation Teen Book Drop last year,” said Kim Korte, Child Life Manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Books are a wonderful avenue for our patients to be distracted from the pain and stress of hospitalization. We are always in need of books and greatly appreciate the generosity of the publishers who donated.”

Everyone who participates in Operation TBD is invited to celebrate at the TBD Post-Op Party on April 16 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on the readergirlz blog: http://readergirlz.blogspot.com.

About Support Teen Literature Day

For the third consecutive year, Support Teen Literature Day will be celebrated April 16, 2009 in conjunction with ALA’s National Library Week. Librarians all across the country are encouraged to participate in Support Teen Literature Day by hosting events in their library. The purpose of this new celebration is to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today’s teens. Support Teen Literature Day also seeks to showcase award-winning authors and books in the genre as well as highlight librarians’ expertise in connecting teens with books and other reading materials.

About the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, visit www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390, or email, yalsa@ala.org.

About readergirlz

readergirlz is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by five critically acclaimed YA authors—Dia Calhoun (Avielle of Rhia), Holly Cupala (A Light That Never Goes Out) Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Justina Chen Headley (North of Beautiful), and Melissa Walker (the Violet series). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award.

To promote teen literacy and leadership in girls, readergirlz features a different YA novel and corresponding community service project every month. For more information about readergirlz, please visit www.readergirlz.com and http://readergirlz.blogspot.com, or contact divas@readergirlz.com.

About Guys Lit Wire Guys Lit Wire brings literary news and reviews to the attention of teenage boys and the people who care about them. Working to combat the perception that teen boys aren’t as well read as teen girls, the organization seeks out literature uniquely targeted toward teen male readers in hopes of bringing attention of good books to guys who might have missed them.

Ó2009 readergirlz

###

Find Beauty Challenge: My Editor

2009-03-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

My editor, Alvina Ling, is Pure and True Beauty. Need proof? Just watch her submission to the Find Beauty Challenge.

Operation TBD: The Contest!

2009-03-16T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dear readergirlz, the time has come for a contest! Actually, five weeks of contests!

Here's the deal: each week from now until Support Teen Literature Day on April 16th, we'll be awarding a package of books to one winner. To enter, you just comment at the readergirlz blog (comments on older posts count - a point for each comment!) and get an extra ten points for taking up the week's challenge. Get ten more any time by becoming one of our blog followers!

Report your post at the readergirlz blog with the URL (and get eleven points!). We'll keep track of the comments and urls and award the winners each week. Books! Prizes! And you'll be supporting teen lit and hospitalized teens across the country.

This week's challenge:

Post the Operation TBD trailer on your blog (trailer below). Spread the word about Operation TBD!

Remember, for your posts to count toward the contest, you must post at the readergirlz blog. Hope to see you there!

Twitter Mosaic

2009-03-15T07:48:00.000-07:00

Saw this over at the readergirlz blog and had to make my own. Thank you, Twitter followers!

Get your twitter mosaic here.

Today, I'm so thankful for the fun, little things that bring joy. Like Twitter Mosaic.

Find Beauty Challenge: Another Beautiful Video!

2009-03-14T04:16:00.000-07:00

I'm so loving the video essays people are composing for the Find Beauty Challenge, telling the world what's truly beautiful! Check this gorgeous one out care of Traci. My favorite line: beauty is jumping into life.

Remember: you've got until March 31 to create your own video. I'm donating $10 a video (up to $1,000) to fund cleft lip surgeries in the third world. So tell the world: what is True Beauty?

Find your way to Your Beautiful. Today.

Poetry Friday: Scarlet

2009-03-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

Scarlet
by S.Y. Headley

Scarlet is bold and strong.
Scarlet is a banner flying in the wind,
leaping, soaring, mocking.
It stands like a general,
waiting to fight to the death.

Scarlet is the blood shed by our ancestors,
thick and warm.
Scarlet is the fire, dancing
and flickering.

Scarlet is the story that your grandmother tells you,
ancient yet not defeated.
Scarlet is your ally,
prepared to defend you.

Scarlet is wine,
sometimes sour, sometimes sweet.
Scarlet is a rose,
beautiful but deadly.

Scarlet is free,
running with the wind,
sarcastic and jubilant.

I am Scarlet,
prepared for anything,
a stronghold.

She Walks Beautiful--Amy Studt

2009-03-12T17:13:00.000-07:00

How sweet is this video valentine that Little Willow sent to me in honor of North of Beautiful? I couldn't agree more with my blogging buddy that the chorus is fabulous:

She walks beautiful
She walks beautiful
She walks beautiful
By herself

Find Beauty Challenge: Another Beautiful Video!

2009-03-12T04:40:00.000-07:00

I love what the photographer who shot the cover for my debut novel--Nothing but the Truth (and a few white lies)--had to say about True Beauty in her video essay for the Find Beauty Challenge. Let's hear it for Heidi Pettit!

Create your video essay today and then send an email to north@marthabee.com. We'll upload it on the North of Beautiful channel on YouTube.

Indie Bookstore Love: Random Idea #2

2009-03-11T04:03:00.000-07:00

The Seattle Times reported the closing of another indie bookseller in town. So. In my on-going quest to brainstorm ideas for indies, here's another random idea...

RANDOM IDEA #2: PARTNER WITH LOCAL NON-PROFITS
Partner with organizations that serve a community near your store--children's hospital, moms' groups, food bank, foster kids, cancer research, etc. More likely than not, these groups send newsletters to their members. Why not pitch a quarterly column, creating a round-up of books on a topic that's pertinent to the specific group?

For instance, say the local hospital is within a mile or two of your store. October is Breast Cancer Prevention Month. So put together an article listing 10 books (fiction and non-fiction) that feature breast cancer. Or, say, the Children's Hospital is close by. Create a list of the 10 best read-alouds for pediatric patients. Use your store's name as the byline ito drive traffic to you. And create a table with the offerings in one easy-to-find spot.

What are the benefits?
1. It's a win-win. These groups are looking for content; you have books that are relevant to their members.
2. You reach a broader audience than your own base! At no mailing / production expense to you.
3. You're helping your community and building one at the same time.

Awww...a love letter...to me!

2009-03-10T04:56:00.000-07:00

People are uploading their Find Beauty videos! It's so exciting...and here's one from the readergirlz divas:

Awwww... I beg to differ. But what are you waiting for? Make your voice heard! Tell the world what True Beauty really means. You've got 90 seconds. And for every video that's uploaded, I'm donating $10 (up to $1,000) to fund cleft lip surgeries in the third world. Help a kid, make a statement. Do it now!

YouTube Love Letter to My Peeps

2009-03-08T20:39:00.001-07:00

At last, I created my own video for the FIND BEAUTY CHALLENGE even if I can't win the iPod Touch myself. It's my love letter to my family and friends, an homage to Maya Angelou whose PHENOMENAL WOMAN inspired my book, North of Beautiful.

You have until the end of March to create your own YouTube video of what true beauty means to you. For every uploaded video, I'm donating $10 (up to $1,000) to fund cleft lip surgeries in the third world. So please help me spread the word!

Geek Fest

2009-03-08T04:16:00.000-07:00

Please join me for Geek Week at Not So Closet Geeks. I'm today's guest blogger along with Cassandra Clare. The rest of the week includes some of my favorite authors, geeks like me: Deb Caletti and Lisa Ann Sandell.

Geek Fest Schedule:

Day One (Sunday)

Author Guest Blog- Zoe Marriot

Contest- Daughter of the Flames and The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

Author Note- Cassandra Clare

Author Guest Blog- Justina Chen Headley

Day Two (Monday)

Author Guest Blog- Lisa Mantchev

Author Guest Blog- Laurie Faria Stolarz

Contest- Signed 666 OR Signed Love is Hell (Both include a short story by Laurie Faria Stolarz...winner chooses which book they'd like to recieve)

Day Three (Tuesday)

Author Guest Blog- Eileen Cook

Contest- What Would Emma Do? by Eileen Cook

Author Guest Blog- Jillian Cantor

Day Four (Wednesday)

Author Guest Blog- Tina Ferraro

Contest- How to Hook a Hottie by Tina Ferraro

Blogger Guest Blog- Hope of Hope's Bookshelf

Author Interview- Deb Caletti

Day Five (Thursday)

Author Guest Blog- Lauren Henderson

Contest- Kiss Me Kill Me and Kisses and Lies by Lauren Henderson

Author Note- Nancy Werlin

Blogger Guest Blog- Adele of Persnickety Snark

Day Six (Friday)

Author Guest Blog- Jody Gehrman

Author Guest Blog- Lisa Ann Sandell

Contest- Song of the Sparrow and (ARC) A Map of the Known World by Lisa Ann Sandell

Acknowledgments: Spotlight on Lydia Golston

2009-03-07T20:48:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I thought it would be fun to introduce some of the people in my acknowledgments for North of Beautiful. So please meet Lydia Golston, my former next-door neighbor who always believed that I could and should write. Just look at her. She is one of the most truly beautiful women I know. A survivor. A woman of heart and loyalty. A woman who knows how to live and laugh.

Poetry Friday: That Man

2009-03-06T11:00:00.001-08:00

These song lyrics moved me beyond words. My son, the poet laureate of my heart.

THAT MAN
by T.Y. Headley

He sat upon the windowsill, shrouded in gloom,
and sighed to himself, Life's sure enough a doom.
The clouds passed by,
watched from the corner of an eye,
slow, but surely, meandering high.

Just like a rock,
he was all alone
without a sock,
an unwanted felon.
Nobody knew him,
nobody cared,
in depression
and just so scared.

Three days passed: he kept looking out
for a kind soul who would not shout.
Looking about, he saw a friend,
called to him at the bend.
But the friend turned away,
and the wind seemed to say,
Give it up,
go home today.

Just like a rock,
he was all alone,
without a sock,
an unwanted felon.
Nobody knew him
nobody cared,
in depression
and just so scared.

All alone in the universe,
feeling trapped in his hearse,
hoping for something,
anything at all.
Nothing came,
not even a doll.

Just like a rock,
he was all alone,
without a sock,
and a wanted felon.
Nobody knew him,
nobody cared.
In depression
and just so scared.

Just so scared to be all alone.

The Book that Must Be Published

2009-03-05T04:29:00.000-08:00

Liv's Book Reviews hosted me on her blog and asked me a question that I just loved. I'll share a bit here. You can read the full interview if you're so inclined at her blog.

If everyone had to read one book, what would you have it be?

I would love it if Bill and Melinda Gates wrote a book about philanthropy, inspiring everyday people to take up community service. The book would kick off with a foreword by Bono (and each book would include a CD with a song that Bono wrote to activate people to help the world in an unpreachy but compelling way).

Acknowledgments: Spotlight on Dia Calhoun

2009-03-04T20:33:00.001-08:00

Am I the only one who loves to read an author's acknowledgments--our version of credits, homage to everyone who touched our book? (Personally, I prefer to read the acknowledgments at the end of the book since it feels like a grace note--the thank you after sharing the work with the reader. I simply don't get acknowledging people at the front of the book.)

I always wonder about the people who are included in that thank you--what made them so special to be immortalized in a book? Who are these people? Perhaps it's the writer in me. But I want their story, too.

So I thought I would share the inside scoop on some of the amazing people who helped shape NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL. First up is Dia Calhoun--Dia, my Dia--an award-winning author, co-founder of readergirlz, and one of my peeps!

What many of her readers don't realize is that Dia is also a brilliant artist, a lettering artist who created the Alaska Airlines logo. For my homecoming from China, she created a piece of art for my entry, words taken from my latest novel: Feed Hope.

How can hope not be fed with that glorious piece of art in my home?

And now Dia has launched a new website for her lettering business. Tell me, can't you just see this on a book or video game?

Happy Anniversary, readergirlz!

2009-03-04T04:49:00.000-08:00

readergirlz is two years old! Two years old! Two years since that fateful school visit in Chicago gave me the idea to start the club. Two years since Dia Calhoun, Lorie Ann Grover, and Janet Lee Carey agreed to co-found it...not knowing just how much work it would be to launch and run our community. (Worth every minute, right, girls?) And then the postergirlz came on board to advise us. And then the street team. And then Mitali Perkins. And now look at us with new divas (Holly Cupala and Melissa Walker)! We even have a little sister: readertotz.

So much to celebrate AND so much to look forward to. Thanks to every member of the team and every person who contributes and READS, REFLECTS, and REACHES OUT!

The Most Beautiful Things: Winners!

2009-03-03T04:23:00.000-08:00

Last week, I hosted a geocache-o-rama, sending the readers of my blog all over the Internet to the places I found most beautiful. Here's the round up of the answers and winners.

Day 1: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
A boy with a cleft lip is featured in my novel. So which Oscar-winning short documentary focuses on SmileTrain, the group that fixes cleft lips? And the Oscar goes to Smile Pinki and Seeking Neverland for sleuthing it out!

Day 2: Bedazzled Beauty
So I'm holding a Find Beauty Challenge on YouTube and asked which marvy videographer loaded the first entry? Woo hoo to friendsvslovefans and to Mrs. F-B's Book Blog for winning the challenge!

Day 3: Divas Divine
Who are the four amazingly amazing YA authors who run readergirlz along with me? Let's give it up for Melissa Walker, Lorie Ann Grover, Holly Cupala, and Dia Calhoun. Congrats to Paradox!

Day 4: Shaping Beauty--and I'm Not Talking Spanx
Which high-powered, high-energy, high-intellect woman is rocking the Internet with her lobbying to use media in smart ways? Let's give a shout out to Amy Jussel at Shaping Youth!
Congrats to Stacy Nyikos!

Day 5: Beauty--One Etsy Step at a Time
Who created the beautiful custom jewelry for Girl Overboard and readergirlz? None other than rgz member Gypsy Wings who adores all things Twilight. Congrats to Lisa all the way in Korea!

Find Beauty Challenge: Beautiful Video!

2009-03-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

Here's another absolutely, truly beautiful video that was uploaded to my FIND BEAUTY CHALLENGE.

Check out this touching tribute to friends. Love it. Aren't you inspired to make your own video? I'm working on mine... Remember, contest ends at the end of March.

COMPLETE DETAILS:
Tell the world what you find to be Truly Beautiful! Just upload a 90-second video describing what real beauty means to you...and you could win yourself an iTouch! PLUS, for every uploaded video, I'll donate $10 (up to $1,000) to Global Surgical Outreach, an amazing group that helps kids with cleft lips and palates in the third world.

Here's what to do:
1. Record a 90-second video essay about what's truly beautiful to you!
2. Upload the video onto YouTube.
3. Then...send a link to north@marthabee.com. (Martha Brockenbrough--tech guru and my friend of much wonderosity--will link your video to the North of Beautiful YouTube channel.)
4. Tell all your friends to RATE your video.

The Official Rules for the NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL: FIND BEAUTY CHALLENGE:
1) The Top 5 videos will be chosen by YOU based on the most views and highest ratings. So be sure to tell all your friends to vote for you! Any ties will be broken by the North of Beautiful team.

2) The North of Beautiful team will score the five finalists on A) 40 percent emotional appeal (humor, pull-on-the-heartstrings, incites activism, etc.); B) 40 percent content (clean, widespread appeal across audiences, plot – if applicable, scriptwriting – if applicable); and C) 20 percent professionalism (smooth transitions, stable video, non-jarring editing cuts, constant audio levels).

3) All videos must contain original content. Your entry indicates you understand this and have the legal rights to distribute your video.

4) Any videos deemed inappropriate by the North of Beautiful team will be removed. Please don't upload anything that wouldn't, say, be shown on television during prime-time hours, or anything you wouldn't want to watch with your first-grade teacher. So no nudity, profanity, or racial slurs.

5) The contest will run from 12:01 a.m. Feb. 1, 2009 until 11:59 p.m. Mar. 30, 2009. Anything submitted before or after the deadline can't be considered.

6) Justina will donate $10 for every uploaded video (for a maximum of $1,000) to Global Surgical Outreach to help fund facial surgeries for kids in the third world.

7) The Find Beauty Challenge is open to people over 14.

8) The Grand Prize winner will receive one iPod Touch. 3 runners up will receive fabulous gifts, such as an autographed collection of Justina's novels, other free books, etc.

Indie Bookstore Love: Random Idea #1

2009-03-02T05:42:00.000-08:00

Out for a run with a girlfriend who's a longtime bookseller, she shared the sobering news that her independent bookstore might not make it past the summer. Okay, folks, I'm still mourning All for Kids Books in Seattle and cannot grieve for yet another neighborhood institution to shutter.

So! After ignoring my umpteenth invitation from Facebook and Blogger friends to divulge 25 Random Things About Me, I thought I'd rather share some Random Ideas for Indie Bookstores to keep them going in this economy. (Note: I'm no expert on retail, but as an avid reader and stalwart book buyer, these are simply ideas that would make me eager to patronize my local bookstore...and to bring my friends.)

INDIE BOOKSTORES: RANDOM IDEA #1
With layoffs a reality and unemployment high, why not create a Career Seminar Series? Invite a local Life Coach to share his / her expertise on figuring out life's purpose and positioning ourselves to find, interview, and secure a new job in these economic conditions. THEN have the Life Coach book talk 10 awesome books about this very topic.

These career self-help books are the ones that people ought to BUY and use as a workbook, marking them up, scribbling notes, etc. They are INVESTMENTS, well worth the cost of the books.

Consider this: one of my acquaintances is a Life Coach. She had 20 clients in January, now she has 4. I would bet she would be motivated to conduct such a seminar for FREE.

Potentially partner with your closest library so you can work together to spread the word about the series to their patrons and your customers. Then, let local alumni groups (who maintain fairly large email lists) and organizers of local job fairs know about the seminar to generate more word-of-mouth.

Notify the press. This is hugely topical and relevant. I would be surprised if this didn't get you a feature story in the local section of your paper.

Today I am thankful for tenacious booksellers who enrich our communities.

North of Beautiful: Geocache-o-rama #5

2009-02-27T04:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Day 5 (the final day...sob! sob!) of the North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama. One of my favorite, if not most neurotic, things to do is...to change up my house. Rearrange furniture! Create new displays! Move my artwork!

So in today's cache--Beauty: One Etsy Step at a Time--I take you to one of my favorite sources of inspiration. And to one of my favorite jewelers of all who created readergirlz pendents for my divas divine as well as Girl Overboard necklaces for my editors.

How to play:
1. Visit the coordinates listed below.
2. Find the answer to the question, also below.
3. Drop a comment on this blog with the answer, your name, and your email.
4. Winner receives...a mystery cache of galleys! Woo hoo!

Coordinates:
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5068559

Clues:
Inspiration comes on wings for her.

Question:
What is the working name of this artist AND can you tell which YA novel she luuuuurves?

North of Beautiful: Geocache-o-rama #4

2009-02-26T04:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Day 4 of the North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama! Can I just say how fun it is to share my true geekiness with all of you?

Come play with me!
1. Visit the coordinates below.
2. Answer the question by commenting on this blog. Include your name and email address.
3. I'll choose a winner randomly who shall receive...one of the last limited edition North of Beautiful geocaching tins! Woo hoo!

So...today's virtual cache, SHAPING BEAUTY and I'm not talking about Spanx, takes you to one of the most beautiful, powerful, and empowering women on the web. I absolutely love how this woman advocates for us to use the power of media to make positive change.

Coordinates:
http://blog.shapingyouth.org/

Question:
What is the name of the organization and who is its incredible executive director?

North of Beautiful: Geocache-o-rama #3

2009-02-25T04:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Day 3 of the North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama--your virtual treasure hunt for True Beauty on the web. Today's cache: Divas Divine. (Oh, the photo is there just to throw you off.)

Play with me!
1. Visit the coordinates.
2. Figure out the Answer!
3. Drop me a comment here with the Answers, your name, and your email.
4. Winner today wins a SIGNED copy of North of Beautiful. Woo hoo!

Coordinates:
www.brimstonesoup.blogspot.com
www.readertotz.blogspot.com
www.myspace.com/diacalhoun
www.melissacwalker.com

QUESTIONS:
a. Which Diva is no shrinking violet when it comes to fashion?
b. Which Diva also created readertotz?
c. Which Diva has Brimstone running in her writerly veins?
d. Which Diva won the Mythopoeic Award for Fantasy--alongside Tamora Pierce? (www.readergirlz.com)

North of Beautiful: Geocache-o-rama #2

2009-02-24T04:45:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Day 2 of the North of Beautiful Geocache-o-Rama! Today's virtual cache? BEZAZZLED BEAUTY!

How do you play?

Visit the link that I provide below.
Read the clue(s).
Drop me a comment here with the Answer plus your name and email.
A lucky winner will be chosen at random.

What will you win?

Limited edition readergirlz buttons today!

Coordinates:
http://www.youtube.com/northofbeautiful

Clue:
What does beauty mean to you?

QUESTION:
What is the name of the videographer who created the FIRST (and awesome) entry to the FIND BEAUTY CHALLENGE?? (Bonus points to those who drop on a comment on her video!)

Geocache-o-rama Day 1: WINNER!

2009-02-24T00:01:00.000-08:00

Congrats to Finding Neverland for having the correct answer to the first North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama! She'll be receiving a limited edition North of Beautiful geocache tin, a la Terra and Jacob.

Thanks to everyone for participating. Check back for the second geocache in this week of fun, tooling around the web looking at things I find Truly Beautiful.

The Question:
What is the name of the winning movie for Best Short Documentary?

Drum roll, please.

The Correct Answer:
Smile Pinki!

North of Beautiful: Geocache-o-rama #1

2009-02-23T04:55:00.000-08:00

My editor emailed with great news last week: North of Beautiful is going into its second printing! It humbles me that in this economy, readers like you are buying books. My books.

So to celebrate, I'm hosting a week of virtual geocaching with fun prizes of mucho fabulosity! Think of geocaching as high tech treasure hunting. Armed with a GPS device and coordinates, you hunt for thousands of stashed treasure boxes around the world. Hmmmm...aren't you curious what my North of Beautiful geocache tins contain?

So. This week we'll try high tech treasure hunting with clues I'll give to you--sending you to places that I think are Truly Beautiful. Post your comment with your answer and your email address, and I will randomly select a winner of the above geocache tin.

The North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama #1: Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder
In my book, Jacob had a cleft lip--a condition that can be fixed with a relatively simple surgery. I find it truly beautiful that the winner of this year's Oscar for Best Short Documentary is about this very condition.

Coordinates:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CamEXQ8x72c

QUESTION:
What is the name of the winning movie for Best Short Documentary?

Today, I'm thankful for readers--whether book buyers or library patrons or both!

The North of Beautiful Geocache-o-rama!

2009-02-22T11:11:00.001-08:00

I realize that for most people, hauling out to the incredible North of Beautiful geocache that Dia Calhoun created and placed in the Methow Valley (central Washington state) is almost as impossible as hauling up to Mt. Everest. As well, I recognize that most people do not have a GPS device of their own. (Although I must say that my Garmin GPS is my accessory of choice.)

So.

This week, I will present the North of Beautiful virtual geocache-o-rama. I will be giving away fun prizes of much fabulosity. Check back here for more details!

Poetry Friday: Captive

2009-02-20T05:01:00.000-08:00

A lovely poem by my daughter's amazing teacher.

CAPTIVE
by Joyce Standing

A thought
captured by a pen
memorizes
a moment.

North of Beautiful: The Official Geocache!

2009-02-20T04:50:00.000-08:00

One of the most truly beautiful gifts anyone has ever given to me was made by the multi-talented Dia Calhoun. (She creates art! Writes fantasy! And verse! And fights off cougars!) A few weeks before I left for China last summer, she and Lorie Ann Grover met me in Winthrop--the setting for North of Beautiful.

They spirited me to Dia's favorite fishing hole...where Dia presented me with the official North of Beautiful geocache! Not only did she create a cache--stuffing it with keepsakes and symbols from my book, but she had scoped out a site for the cache, too.

We were giggling as we took the coordinates... N 48° 08.290 W 120° 01.022.

Your mission: Go to the Methow Valley. You won't be sorry. And now can you find the cache?

Today I am grateful for friends who know my heart.

Operation Teen Book Drop

2009-02-19T17:11:00.000-08:00

Get ready for the second annual Operation Teen Book Drop, brought to you by readergirlz, GuysLitWire, and YALSA.

Last year, my online book community, readergirlz, worked with 21 publishers to drop 10,000 FREE books into Children's Hospitals around the country. (Thank you, publishers!) We're psyched for a repeat performance. Check out the video below and get ready to Rock the Drop with us!

North of Beautiful: Tour de Auburn

2009-02-19T05:38:00.000-08:00

There are no cooler people on the planet than YA librarians. I mean, look at Rachel, the YA librarian for the Auburn Public Library. Roller derby queen. Articulate as anyone I've ever met. An intrepid traveler. And rolled up in a covet-worthy outfit.

Meeting people--whether librarians or readers or booksellers--has got to be one of the best perks of being an author for teens. My tour schedule this year is more limited than my previous years, which made my first foray out so special. The teens in the library were especially prepared with excellent questions about North of Beautiful and my writing process.

The support I receive when I visit schools, like Auburn High School, is equally amazing. Can you even comprehend the hours the school librarian must have spent to create this display for readergirlz and Guysread? I'm so glad that she took the time to include guys. (I talked up Guys Lit Wire, too, while I was there--and if you haven't checked that resource out, you really ought to!)

Today, I'm thankful for librarians who think teens can benefit from authors visiting their schools and libraries.

Valentine's Everyday!

2009-02-18T08:30:00.001-08:00

My girlfriends and family were buzzing around me on Valentine's Day, making sure that I felt beloved. Like my writer-buddy, Holly Cupala who read an early version of North of Beautiful. And Girl Overboard. AND my WIP. Anyway, Holly took me out for tea where she and her daughter gave me the most divine pair of coral-red gloves. And then she walked me over to Sephora and personally picked out a lipstick color for me (horrified, no doubt, by my blog post when I admitted I was down to two lipstick tubes. TWO.).

Today I am grateful for friends and family who have made me see that everyday is Valentine's Day.

By the way, NARS Flamenco? The lip shade rocks! Highly recommended.