Guess what's going around the office?

Yesterday, someone sneezed.

Instead of the usual, "Bless you" or "gesundheit" two people, at the same time, said, "Uh-oh."

Did you hear that big sigh from Oregon?

I have done this book thing before.

It does get a little easier with each book, I think. I haven't had any BIG freakouts this time around.

And yet, waiting to see what those first readers think, when only you and your editor and perhaps a couple of others at the publishing house have read the final thing, is a teeny bit nerve wracking. I mean, you just don't know what actual readers are going to think!

So yesterday, not one, but two readers shared their thoughts about CHASING BROOKLYN! And after hearing what they had to say, I breathed a happy sigh of relief.

One reader, who doesn't want to post a review until closer to the release date, e-mailed me and said, "I feel like jumping up and down from the awesomeness of this book. I loved I HEART YOU, YOU HAUNT ME and FAR FROM YOU, but CHASING BROOKLYN totally kicked both of their butts."

hahahaha

and

Whew!!!!!

The other review is over at The Compulsive Reader's blog, as she was the first stop in the Chase Across the USA contest. You can read that review HERE.

I know not all reviews will be sunshine and roses. Did you see this awesome post by Cynthia Leitich Smith about negative reviews? If not, you should read it!! And I also know better than to search for validation of my work too hard outside of myself. But I feel like now, I know it will be okay. No matter what, some readers WILL enjoy the book. I feel like I can step away and really let the book fly by itself.

it's like the baby bird stepping out to the edge of the nest, and looking around and Mama bird wanting to let him go, but also, wanting him to stay just a little longer. Finally, when he decides its time to fly away, she knows her work is done, and life goes on.

And so it does as a writer too. It's time to put my head down and work on the next project. To continue to strive to make each book better than the last, which is hard and scary and exhilarating all at the same time. But it's what we writers do, right?

Happy Teen Read Week!

The marvelous Readergirlz are celebrating Teen Read week all this week. Make sure and check their site on Friday, 10/23 when they'll post a bunch of vlogs from authors!

Here's mine!

Happy Release Day L.K. Madigan!!!

Don't be left out - get your copy of FLASH BURNOUT today!

My copy has two post-it notes with initials as place holders - one for me and one for my husband! How often does THAT happen?

Thoughts on Where the Wild Things Are

As I watched this movie, I was a 10 YO kid again.

And as that 10 YO, I was mad because my mom and dad weren't married anymore, and my mom was spending time with another man.

I know some feel it's too violent for kids, but you know, it hurts to be that kid. It hurts, and out comes the anger, because anger is really sadness and fear in disguise.

My favorite scene is toward the end, after Carol, one of the monsters, has done something terrible, and Max surveys the scene. Your heart aches as you watch and know how upset Carol had to have been to have done it.

Max does something so very simple in response, and yet, it is exactly right. Kids and adults can both understand what it meant and why he did it. And it made me cry like a crazy person.

It took me back to this one time when I read a note my mom had written her boyfriend and left it on the counter. It started out "Dearest..."

I read that dearest to mean exactly that - no one dearer to her than him. I asked her, next time you write a note to me, will you please write Dearest Lisa?

What Max did was Max's way of writing - Dearest Carol. After all that had happened, he knew that's what Carol needed. And really, isn't that what we all need?

My takeaway from this simple, yet complex movie is this: More than anything, kids want to know their loved. No matter what - they are loved. We cannot tell them enough. We cannot show them enough.

I hope parents get that. And I hope some little Max's leave the theater feeling a little less alone in the world.

Question

Do YOU believe the more books that are sent to book bloggers on-line, the better?

Do YOU think lots of exposure via free books ultimately equal sales? (Is this the million dollar question everyone wishes they had the answer to?)

Would love to hear your thoughts. And any experiences you authors have had that you'd like to share...

Thanks.

ETA: Look what Editorial Ass has to say about this very subject:

How many book bloggers does it take to create a buzz?
All of them. Get as many as you can; never stop. They'll be your second wind, and the reason your books stays in print.

But the good news is book bloggers work on their own time, and will always be available to you. You can keep reaching out to them later at less busy times of your life.

You can read the entire post HERE.

Next Stop for CHASING BROOKLYN

The Compulsive Reader just let me know that she's drawn a name for the next stop of the Chase Around the USA.

I'm going to guess my ARC is on its way to the state of California!

If I'm right, the winner's book store gift card is doubled to $20.00.

If I'm wrong, well, the winner still gets to read the book and a $10.00 gift card to the bookstore of choice, and hold the next contest!

I'll continue to post here and point people to blogs as the contest continues until the book is released! Thanks for playing everyone!