It's with the usual mingling of excitement and dread that I prepare to head out on the road for DIE FOR YOU this coming weekend. I'm excited because the release of a new book is always wonderful, because I love hanging out with readers, booksellers, seeing the friends and family that turn that out for events. I dread it too because putting an author on the road is like throwing a cat into water. We can survive it, but it's not pretty -- lots of hissing and back-arching. Most of us would rather be in a hobbit hole somewhere making up stories. If we weren't naturally introverted, borderline hermits, semi- agoraphobic, we would never finish our books.

Because I go everywhere with Ocean, going on the road requires the mobilization of a small army. My husband, of course, and my parents all head out with me. It gets a little hairy, but I am so glad that everyone is willing and able to be a part of this. And Ocean still finds it all very fun and exciting -- which I guess will change as she gets older. She'll say, "Mom! I have a life, you know." But now she says every day, "Guess what? We're going to NEW YORK CITY!" Of all the places she's been, it's her favorite.

This year, in the ultimate surrender to technology I'll be "tweeting" from the road. So if you're interested in how things are going, sign up to follow me on Twitter. I'll admit to being new to this and a little reluctant to do it. I am worried that the constant stream of information -- from cell phones, email, social networks, television news feeds -- is frying our brains. But, hey, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Naturally, I'd love to see you when I'm out and about. Click here for the most up-to-date list of appearances. Some of the events will be readings followed by a question and answer session. And at some stores -- like at the Bookmark Shoppe in Brooklyn and the Clinton Bookshop in New Jersey -- I'll just be stopping by to hang out with the bookseller and sign their stock. At any of the stores I visit you can pick up your signed copy, whether you can make it when I'm there or not.

Today, it is exactly seven days to the release of DIE FOR YOU. I look forward to seeing you and hearing from you. And if you do plan to buy the book, I'd be thrilled if you bought it next week. Those numbers in the early weeks mean a lot for the overall success of the release. Pre-orders count, too, of course! So thanks again to all of you who have already done that.

Hope to see you in June!


What I'm reading:
Drood by Dan Simmons

What I'm listening to:
Lily Allen/ It's Not Me, It's You

Most recently watched film:
The Girlfriend Experience
Directed by Steven Soderbergh