Updates!

Hello friends. I’ve been blog silent lately. The biggest explanation is that my laptop crashed and burned. Most of my writing was saved and backed up, but I lost enough to be discouraged. Honestly, I haven’t had the heart to start on new things and/or come up with funny blog posts. 

All is well now. New computer = organization = reinvigorated writing. Here is the shiny. I do not let the crayons distract me often.

In January, I went to my regional SCBWI conference in Miami. I roomed with the delightful Megan Rebekah and we had a blast attending all the intensives and seminars. All the speakers were phenomenal and we both left inspired. The Dragon Slayer’s Ball was a costume party and a lot of fun. I went as a fairy. Megan, Cruella Deville.

Author Alex Flinn was at the conference. Her book BEASTLY is being made into a movie out this year and I got a chance to talk to her while waiting in line to buy books. I read her book, really enjoyed it, and got to thinking about all the rights the author gives up when they sell their book to a film maker. She was very kind and approachable, so I collected my courage and basic social skills to ask her about the process.

“You know your book Beastly?” After hearing the idiocy of that sentence (did Alex Flinn know about her own book Beastly?) I decided to run with my dumbassness. I rolled my eyes. “Yes, that book you spent hours writing and editing? Someone published it? That one? You’ve heard of it?” 

She laughed and went along, “Why, yes. I have heard of my book Beastly.” (See? So kind and gracious to me, the drooling idiot)

Anyway, we talked a bit about that. Buy the book! Read it! And then go watch the movie!

Another reason for my internet silence was the very welcome visit of Tawna Fenske. One of the great things about living in Florida is that people from the cold and snowy north say things like, “So, I’ve got these free air miles I want to use and I’m planning a southern tweetup, would it be an inconvenience if I stopped by your place?”

“Are you kidding?! YOU CAN STAY FOREVER. COME VISIT AND DON’T EVER LEAVE ME!”

Ahem.

We had a great time! Only I could not provide her with manatees. Typically, when my family goes to the beach we see an assortment of Florida wildlife: pelicans, fish, sting rays, skates, and manatees. I assumed there would be no shortage of creatures for Tawna, but there were no manatees.

After she left, twitter and facebook friend Boudreau Freret posted this photo of a bushel of manatees from a park he visited.

Manatee Party

Tawna, please come back. I know where the manatees were that day.

Another quick thing before I leave all you delightful blog readers, the gorgeous Carolina Valdez Miller commented on my review of Trent Reedy’s WORDS IN THE DUST. She’s great with the book reviews, so I asked if she wanted my copy of the book to read and review. She instead offered a guest slot on her Bookanista blog. So it is up here. Please go check her out. She’s great. Far too cute and ambitious for her own good.

Thank you, blog readers. I love and miss you all.

If you were going to a manatee party, what gift would you bring?