Monday Stuff

Well, it's October 3rd, and so far I'm doing really well with NaBloWriMo - Blogging every day of October. Of course my blog titles are already suffering. Sigh.

Let's see, what do I have to blog about today...

I added a new little widget highlighting some blurbs and review excerpts for LOSING FAITH at the top of my blog. Do you like it, or is it annoying?

Also, very exciting news for me over the weekend...Several months ago LOSING FAITH was nominated for an INSPY award (An award for faith-driven literature). I just found out that my book was short-listed for the award!! The winner will be announced in December, so please cross your fingers and toes (and your eyes) for me :-)

I finished reading MOONGLASS by Jessi Kirby. I really enjoyed it. As you probably know, I don't usually do reviews on this blog, but as a challenge to myself, I thought I'd see if I could convince you to read it in five words or less (because it really is a very good book!) Okay, here it goes...

Hot lifeguards cliff-jumping naked.

Did it work? Are you going to check out this book???

But seriously, it has a lot more going for it than naked lifeguards, I promise. Here's the summary from GoodReads:

I read once that water is a symbol for emotions. And for a while now, I've thought maybe my mother drowned in both.

Anna's life is upended when her father accepts a job transfer the summer before her junior year. It's bad enough that she has to leave her friends and her life behind, but her dad is moving them to the beach where her parents first met and fell in love- a place awash in memories that Anna would just as soon leave under the surface.

While life on the beach is pretty great, with ocean views and one adorable lifeguard in particular, there are also family secrets that were buried along the shore years ago. And the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide means that nothing- not the sea glass that she collects on the sand and not the truths behind Anna's mother's death- stays buried forever.
That's all the news I have for you today. Catch you back here tomorrow (probably).

Auction For Japan and a Special Honor!

Write Hope has put together an auction to support the relief efforts in Japan. They have gathered kidlit items including signed books and critiques to auction off. Yesterday a signed copy of LOSING FAITH was offered, and I believe that auction will be up for 72 hours. The book will be provided and signed by yours truly, and I'd be happy to sign it to you directly if you win. If you were thinking of buying some new books anyway, please check out the auction for some other great choices of books and let your money go to a good cause.

Since I've been seeing info about this all around the Internet, and because there is now an official listing, I think it's fine for me to announce the following...

LOSING FAITH is a finalist for the SCBWI Crystal Kite Awards! This is an award voted on by SCBWI members in each region, and I'm very thankful that many people in my region (Canada, Mexico, Central & South America) felt that my book deserved this honor. I'm thrilled to see my name among the awesome list of finalists!

If you're a SCBWI member, make sure to stop by the SCBWI website and vote for a finalist in your region.

Here's the full listing if you're interested, and congrats to many of my writer friends --Eileen Cook, Irene Latham, Sydney Salter, Holly Cupala, Christina Diaz Gonzales, Jandy Nelson, Jessica Leader, Matthew Kirby, Kimberly Little, Tammi Saurer-- to name a few, who are also on the list!