Marilyn Brant's Blog, page 23

I just got the page proofs for Friday Mornings at Nine and have been working hard to make sure every line is free from errors. Well, that's the plan, anyway ;). I am left in awe of copy editors and proof readers each time I do this...they've helped me catch so many niggly things already...and it just makes me want to say THANK YOU!!

So, because it is indeed a "Friday morning at nine" right now (I'm probably the only person who doesn't tire of this joke--LOL), I just feel like giving something ...

The upcoming summer months seem to be the season for high-school reunions and, while I'm not especially big on them myself (read: I haven't gone to one, nor do I anticipate doing so, but never say never, right?), I've been contemplating them with some interest over the past few weeks.

Doesn't help that I recently read Twilight for the first time. (I know, I know--it's been out for 5 years--but I was busy...) It was a story that piqued my curiosity for a number of reasons, not the least of whi...

So, the RWA National Conference is going to be in ORLANDO!! Holy Disney Passes, Batman! I've got some rearranging to do...

Still trying to work out departure details here, but this'll be a first for me. I was in Disneyland (CA) once when I was 15. I've never been to Disney World. I was, however, a big fan of "The New Mickey Mouse Club" when I was in about 4th grade. Who else remembers those toe-tapping musical numbers "Discovery Day" and "Climb Aboard to a Dream," hmm?

Anyway, I just wanted to ...

The past couple of weeks have been a rollercoaster of events and emotions, some things tipping delightfully in my favor, others not so much. I'm overwhelmed and saddened by all that's been going on in the world lately: The volcanic eruptions in Iceland, the strains on the global economy, the BP oil rig explosion in the Gulf and, most recently, the horrible flooding in Tennessee, Kentucky and Mississippi...including Nashville, of course, where our summer RWA National Conference was supposed to...

The Chicago-North RWA Spring Fling Writers' Conference was this past weekend and, oh, was it ever action-packed and fun! (Pictured left are Pamala Knight and June Sproat, our amazing conference chairs, with author Cherry Adair between them!)

I'd intended to try to organize my notes and write up a semi-coherent list of things that went on in the 48 hours I was there...but guess what? I don't have to! The wonderful, incredible Pamela Cayne did such a comprehensive job of hitting the highlights, ...

Just wanted to shout out to all of the Blogosphere about the fabulously wonderful news my good friend/critique partner/fellow Chicago-North member Simone Elkeles got yesterday: Her just-released sixth YA novel, Rules of Attraction, will be debuting on the New York Times Bestseller List at #3!!!!!!! Check it out on Amazon and don't miss the really great "movie" trailer of the book on the page! I loved it!!

And Perfect Chemistry, the first book in the series, is a novel I read in draft form abo...

Racing. I have just been racing all last week, during the weekend, today... It's one of those odd time periods when I have too much packed into it without even the excuse of it being "the holidays" or a book-release week. Maybe it's simply more often this way as we get older and have more to juggle??? I don't know. I'm open to theories if anybody has one to share...LOL.

Anyway, I have the winning names for my latest contest and they are (drumroll):
Tonya Kappes for a signed copy of According...

Yeah, it's here. April 15th already. For those of us in the States, our taxes have to be filed by midnight...sigh.

However, a bunch of restaurants have special deals today, and if you visit any Starbucks and bring a to-go mug with you, you can get a cup of free brewed coffee all day long!!!

Also, the lovely ladies at Magical Musings invited me over for a visit--along with Cynthia Eden, Karin Tabke and Lesley Kagen--to talk about "the greatest joy and greatest angst" of publishing. It was fun ha...

It's wonderful to have fellow GCC'er April Henry back here to visit! She and Lis Wiehl have co-authored a new book, HAND OF FATE (Thomas Nelson, April 2010). April Henry grew up in a little town in Southern Oregon where the main industries were timber and pears. When she was was twelve, she sent Roald Dahl a short story she had written about a six-foot-tall frog named Herman who loved peanut butter. He not only wrote her back - he showed it to the editor of an international children's author...

Donald Maass wrote a wonderful Writer Unboxed post on the "Elements of Awe" this week. Excellent stuff!

Girlfriends Cyber Circuit pal Ellen Meister is giving away a $25 Amazon.com giftcard in a drawing for her mailing list subscribers. Her upcoming novel, THE OTHER LIFE (Putnam/2011), is already getting great early buzz. NYT bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen wrote, "THE OTHER LIFE is a provocative and unique tale of the road not taken. Ellen Meister puts a magical, masterful spin on one o...