Good News Friday!

I absolutely love the month of October. Mainly because it's so beautiful weather- and scenery-wise, and also because Halloween is my favorite holiday. This October in particular has been even more wonderful than ever, and here's a quick summary of what all has been going on.

First, YA and MG author Sydney Salter (who wrote My Big Nose and Other Natural Disasters, Swoon at Your Own Risk, and Jungle Crossing) and I have been chosen by one of the most inspirational teachers I've ever met, Cassie Cox, to instruct a writing course at an alternative high school in Ogden, Utah. The class is made up of about 20 students who are serious about writing, many even want to be professional writers someday. So every Tuesday for 12 weeks, one or both of us show up bright and early and demonstrate what it takes to write a novel, short story, poem, etc. Here is a newspaper article about it if you want to know more: CLICK HERE. Anyway, if you can't tell, I'm over the moon about this opportunity and it's truly one of the best things to happen to me since having become a published author.

Second, I've been editing an anthology for a fascinating group of professionals, the majority of whom are Asian American and living in California. The book, Pho for Life: A Melting Pot of Thoughts, comes out in December and even though it's been a lot of hard work on many different levels, the final product is going to be simply amazing. People are always asking me how I became involved in this particular project and it all goes back to the MySpace days, when Mai Bui, who's heading up the project, asked me to do some light editing for Thirteen Minutes magazine. We've kept in touch all this time and I was deeply honored to be asked to edit their first book. (Yes, there will be more to come.) Here's the web-site if you want to take a peek and/or get involved: CLICK HERE.

Third, October has been a great month for hanging out with some of my favorite authors, including our very own Linda Gerber! (Alas, I forgot to take a photo.) Linda was kind enough to squeeze me into her busy schedule and we had a tasty lunch at Thaifoon in Salt Lake City where she told me all about her upcoming (March 2012) middle grade Celebrity series and its fantabulous heroine, Cassidy. I also got to see Brandon Mull, who was signing Beyonders at a library in Ogden, UT. I brought an entire mommy-mobile full of fan-boys and as always, Brandon was Mr. Rock Star. I also got to hang out with the beauteous and talented Becca Fitzpatrick, author of the Hush Hush saga, whose Silence tour brought her through Utah. Though I was unable to go to their book launches, I was there in spirit to welcome book-babies How to Save a Life by TFC friend Sara Zarr and The Death Cure (book 3 in the Maze Runner series) by James Dashner. And even though the Pen Fatale Tour, starring TFC darlings Alyson Noel and Jessica Brody didn't come to Utah, I was also there in spirit and my mom was able to catch them at the Tattered Cover (one of my fave indie book stores) in Highlands Ranch, CO.

Has your October been as exciting and memorable as mine? Do tell! :)

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Indie Bookstores: Gotta Love 'Em!

First off, don't forget to comment on Lauren's post below for a chance to win 2 signed copies of her books!

This week we're talking about Favorite Haunts and I've decided to dedicate my post to indie bookstores. We all have our favorites, whether a local one or one that we love to visit when we're traveling. Today I'm posting some photos I've taken at The King's English, a bookstore located in the Salt Lake City, Utah area that's full of wonderful character, genuine book lovers, and of course great books.


In the below photo, you'll see YA authors and Utah residents Sara Zarr on the left, me in the middle, and Emily Wing Smith on the right. The King's English is great about celebrating local authors.


Recently, Emily Wing Smith launched her highly anticipated Back When You Were Easier to Love and I was lucky enough to get to come to the party The King's English threw. (Bottom photo)

Do you have a favorite indie bookstore? If you're looking for one close to you or in the next town you're visiting, check out this cool web-site: http://www.indiebound.org.

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Movies and Books

MOVIES

The holidays are a great time to catch up on movies and books. Recently I watched a movie with my boys that left me with that "What a blast!" feeling. It was "MEGAMIND." Yeah, it's a silly and cartoonish flick, but it's also creative, has quirky characters (including a kick-butt heroine and a heroic villain), cool music, and is fun for all ages. And what's more, it's actually kinda meaningful in that sticks-with-you-after-the-final-credits kind of way.

Movies I've watched at home recently (as I'm a brand new Netflix subscriber, even though our internet service has been sketchy at best these past few weeks due to avalanche problems) include: "The Good Heart" (love those quirky characters), "Letters to Juliet" (sweet, but maybe too sweet), "When in Rome" (cute with some LOL bits), and "Ira and Abby" (Abby is quirky to the point of being crazy).

As always, there are lots of movies I want to see, including: "Easy A," "Tron," "Little Fockers," and "Life in a Day," which will be shown at the upcoming Sundance Film Festival here in Utah.

BOOKS

I've also had a chance to dig a little deeper into my TBR pile, including Glimpse and The Chosen One, both by Carol Lynch Williams, Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr, and Sisters of Misery by Megan Kelley Hall. I loved every page of each of the aforementioned novels and am happy to say every one of these authors is a talented and amazing person to boot.

So ... what movies have you seen over the holidays? (And is it just me, or is Russell Brand everywhere you turn?) What books have you read lately? (And is it just me, or does trying to keep up with all of Lauren Baratz-Logsted's book releases make you dizzy?)

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Good News Friday: Charitable Authors!

Happy Friday, everybody! One of my favorite things about being an author is being involved in charitable causes. Sara Zarr and I belong to a great group of Utah-based authors and illustrators called the Rock Canyon Writers and tomorrow (Saturday, August 21) we'll be doing our 3rd annual Writing for Charity event, "A Book for Every Child," in Salt Lake City, Utah. Click HERE for more information. It's a really great opportunity not only for readers to connect with their favorite local authors; aspiring authors can have their writing read and critiqued by a nationally published author!

There's also a silent auction. Click HERE to see what all is up for auction (though more will be added for the event itself). Some items that are already proving popular are lunch with James Dashner, lunch with Brandon Mull, a picutre book critique by Kristyn Crowe, the not-to-be-missed opportunity to have Shannon Hale brag about you on her blog, a chance to be murdered in one of Dan Wells' novels, and getting to be a character in a Jessica Day George novel. The money earned from this event will go to putting books into the hands of underprivileged children.

Anyway, this is my Good News Friday post because yes, I wanted everyone who can come to come, but also because I am SO thankful to belong to a group that's so gung-ho about making a difference.

Photos: 1. Here is the Rock Canyon Group at last year's charity event which was at the Treehouse Museum in Ogden, Utah. 2. 8 of us sharing the love at the Purple Cow, an indie bookstore in Tooele, Utah (Mike Knudson, Wendy Toliver, Randall Wright, Emily Wing Smith, Kristen Landon, Sara Zarr, Jessica Day George, and Anne Bowen). 3. Emily Wing Smith, Sara Zarr, and James Dashner. 4. Anne Bowen, Emily Wing Smith, and Wendy Toliver at the Provo Library.

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Beach Books and Plane Ride Flicks

Aloha friends! This week at the Cafe, we're talking about Books, Movies, and TV. And since I just got home from a lovely (though windy) week in Maui, I actually did have a little time to (partially) watch some movies and read books.

I've had TFC's own Sara Zarr's Sweethearts for a while and I've been dying to read it so I brought it along and read it in about 3 sittings. I also brought the HUGE but worth-lugging-around book, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I only got about 1/4 through it while there, but I am looking forward to finishing it. Not only is it totally interesting, it's written so incredibly well!

Now, back to Sweethearts. Have you read it yet? If not, I totally recommend it. It's about a girl named Jennifer who used to be the chubby girl kids made fun of. She had only one friend, a boy named Cameron, who had a terribly disfunctional family life. As 10 year-olds, they realized how much they needed each other and knew their friendship was deep and special. They stuck together and survived the horrific events life threw at them. And then Jennifer got the news that Cameron was dead and a huge chunk of her died along with him. She reinvented herself and became Jenna, the girl people liked, the girl with a boyfriend, the girl who hid her true feelings within her new non-chubby self. But then something happens to disrupt this new life she's built around herself, opening old wounds, her eyes, and her heart.

Another thing I really loved about Sara's book is that like my own Miss Match, it takes place in Salt Lake City, Utah. Lots of fun, familiar references for those of us who've lived or visited the beautiful, quirky city.

Disclaimer: If my review sounds lame, keep in mind I've been on an all-night flight! :)

And speaking of flights, our flight from LAX to Hawaii had a problem with the entertainment system so we weren't able to watch movies; but on the way home, I watched half of "Precious" (I do not recommend only watching the first half because you only get the sad parts and I hear it has a happy-ish ending) and about five minutes of "Did You Hear About the Morgans," which seems like a cute romantic comedy. That's what you get when you've got 3 little boys with you, haha!

What books have you read lately? And if you've seen "Precious" or "Did You Hear About the Morgans," do you recommend I watch the rest of them?

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more good news for Good News Friday...

First, congrats to Alyson for her #1 BEST SELLER, woot!!

My good news for the week:

Story of a Girl will be coming in Italian sometime in the next year or two (it must be the week of Italian rights!), the audio rights for Once Was Lost were sold, also, and that will be a simultaneous release with the book. If you missed it, I posted the cover earlier this week on my blog. And finally, the very first blog review for Once Was Lost turned up this week---power librarian Professor Nana liked it, PHEW! The book doesn't come out until October, and I'm never quite psychologically ready for a book to be Out There. It always feels a bit like you've got an exposed nerve that keeps bumping into things unexpectedly. But, it is Out There, and I might as well celebrate that, too. Have a great weekend!

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Is "The Diva" the Universal Jean?

Last month, I was in Utah and I got to meet up for breakfast with fellow TFC ladies Sara Zarr and Wendy Toliver in Salt Lake City. Obviously, it was super fun.

And then we went shopping.

Wendy had read that Old Navy's "Diva" jean could fit all body types, that it was a magical Traveling Pants type of situation. So the three of us decided to try it on:


That's Sara, me and Wendy, left to right. Same jean style. We did not find it created equal, though Sara did pick up this pair, so it was a win for one of us.

And, actually, the original goal of our Old Navy stop was to find Sara's favorite jeans of all time, the Sweetheart jeans (I kid you not). She bought a couple of pairs, and I bought a pair too, because they fit so well and they cost... wait for it... $19!! And even though Wendy didn't buy a pair of jeans, she looked good in everything she tried on.

The lesson here on TFC's Fashion Week is that Old Navy has something for everyone. And some kickass prices.

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DEATH BY DENIM Winner

Thanks, everyone for your comments! By random drawing, the winner of the DEATH BY DENIM signed ARC is:

Khy

Please drop me an email at gerb at lindagerber dot com with your mailing address and I'll get it sent off to you!

Everyone else, I'll be giving away ARCs each month on my blog until the release in May.

In the meantime, stop on by my blog before Tuesday for a chance to win Sara Zarr's SWEETHEARTS and again next Friday for two freebies - SOMETHING HAPPENED by Greg Logsted and SISTERS EIGHT #1: ANNIE'S ADVENTURES by Lauren Baratz Logsted, Greg Logsted and Jackie Logsted.

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