15 Jul 2009 @ 1:59 PM Tons of Super Sparkly News!! edit | +mem I have so much sparkly news to share! First, and most important! Info on the NYC signing on July 25th -- thanks to Mandy Hubbard for putting it together, and designing such an awesome announcement with all our book covers! Now here's the event you've been waiting for! Nine authors will be at Books of Wonder in New York City on Saturday, July 25th, from 2pm to 4pm. Stop by and buy a book or nine and say hello!     Participating Authors: Lauren Barnholdt, author of Two-Way Street, The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney, Four Truths and Lie, and others Sarah Cross, author of Dull Boy Erin Dionne, author of Models Don't Eat Chocolate Cookies Heather Duffy-Stone, author of This is What I Want to Tell you Mandy Hubbard, author of Prada and Prejudice Julie Linker, author of Crowned, Disenchanted Princess Sarah MacLean, author of The Season Mari Mancusi, author of Boys that Bite, Girls that Growl, Stake That!, Gamer Girl and others Michelle Zink, author of Prophecy of the Sisters I am so excited! It is all part of our Text In The City extravaganza, which I'm sure I will be blogging and twittering about more as it gets closer to next week. Second, I just found out that FOUR TRUTHS AND A LIE has gone into a SIXTH printing! You guys!!! That is so amazing, thank you so much to everyone who bought it! And as if that weren't enough, I also found out that FOUR TRUTHS AND A LIE has been chosen by the tween store Justice (which used to be The Limited Too) as their featured book club pick for September, and will be in all the Justice stores! So exciting! Third, DEVON DELANEY SHOULD TOTALLY KNOW BETTER will be out in just a little over two months! That is .. wow. I can't believe it's so close. To celebrate, I've been ordering tons of fun stuff, like postcards and bookmarks and even some jewelry. Once I get everything, I'd love to share it with you guys! So check back for a post on how you can get free Devon stuff! Okay. End of sparkly post, and back to your regularly scheduled blog about stuff like Nick and Jessica maybe getting back together. (It could totally happen! Do you think it was a COINCIDENCE that they both ended up single within weeks of each other?) More later, xx 8 Hits | Hit Me Up!

9 Jul 2009 @ 2:07 PM And The Winner Is... edit | +mem And the winner is......... Whitney Miller! Whitney, please email me your address so I can send out your prize pack... Thank you so, so much to everyone who entered! I have more ARCs and books to give away (maybe even another copy of Catching Fire!) so if you didn't win, there will be more chances.. 2 Hits | Hit Me Up!

7 Jul 2009 @ 9:12 AM Review: L.A. Candy by Lauren Conrad (Spoiler Free) edit | +mem   I wanted to hate it. I really, really did. I picked it up the day it came out, read the first page, scoffed, and then put it back on the shelf. It wasn’t because I have a problem with Lauren Conrad writing a book, or with someone publishing that book and giving her tons of money for it.  I try not to get too caught up in things like that, because a) it is one of those (many) things about publishing that I cannot control, even if I wanted to   and b) I’m all for anything that gets kids in the bookstore, since maybe while they’re buying that “OMG, LC book!!”  they might take a look around and buy an “OMG, LB book!”  The reason I put the book back is because the book starts by letting you know it’s “A few months earlier…. “  and the first sentence is this : “Jane Roberts leaned against her dresser, studying the way her white silk nightie looked against her sun-kissed skin.”  Seriously.  But then this weekend The Boy and I were out, and he decided on a whim to get this ridiculous expensive PILLOW of all things (which makes no sense because I can NEVER get him to go look at bedding or furniture or ANYTHING with me when I want, but somehow when we were passing by Brookstone he just HAD TO have this pillow), and so when we went to the bookstore after, I decided I was allowed to get whatever books I wanted. So I piled up a huge stack, got a coffee, wrote a thousand words on my laptop, and then started going through the stack as a writing reward. I picked up L.A. Candy again, mostly because I wanted to laugh at it. By page six, I said to The Boy, “Hmm, I’m kind of into this.” “Let me read it,” he said.  I reluctantly handed it over and watched him out of the corner of my eye. After a few minutes, he gave it back.  “I can’t understand what she’s even talking about,” he said, then shrugged and went back to his magazine. I went back to reading.  By page 13, I was really getting into it.  Two girls, one with a broken heart, out in L.A., trying to make it in the city.  One going to USC, the other working for an event planner.  You can tell from the way they’re talking that something BIG and maybe even HORRIBLE is about to happen to them.  What’s not to love?  I read the whole book in two days.  It ended on such a cliffhanger that I might have screamed, “NOOOOO!” at the end and threw the book down in anger.  (That has been happening a lot to me lately.  cough Jessica Burkhart cough.) Warning!  Warning!  (Here’s the part where I tell you something you might have already guessed):  The writing isn’t that great.  And when I say not that great, I mean, you know, pretty horrible in places.  But the stuff about L.A., and the whole “girls in the scary city” world that’s drawn?  Awesome.  The details given about reality shows are pretty specific (but in an interesting way – like at one point Jane gets asked out, and she really for the life of her can’t figure out if the show told the guy to do it.)  All of the experiences the girls have, and the characters involved, leave you trying to guess which parts actually happened to Lauren Conrad.  (At once point she makes a reference to a friend named Jenn hooking up with an ex-boyfriend named Doug behind her back – Ooh, snap!) Once it gets going, the plot moves along fairly quickly.  There’s a scandalous love triangle.  A mean, calculating co-star.  Tension between the two best friends.  A producer who wants to control everything for the ratings.  Details of L.A. and “the scene.” Lots of talk of fame, and the perks and weirdness that come from being a new celebrity. The characters are pretty one-dimensional (Jane’s the innocent one, Madison’s the bitch, etc.) Jane’s two romantic relationships aren’t fully developed, and the climax is a little over the top in one of those “hmm that would probably never happen” kind of ways.  But I was having too much fun to care. I loved it.  I couldn’t stop reading.  I will definitely be buying the next book, but this time, I won’t hate myself for it.  Because I really, really need to know what happens in Mexico… More later, xx     5 Hits | Hit Me Up!

6 Jul 2009 @ 9:44 AM Dream Agents..And Why They're, Um.. Not edit | +mem (Note:  For those of you worrying that this blog is getting too SERIOUS, with lots of WRITERLY ADVICE, do not fret!  I will be back tomorrow with a review of Lauren Conrad’s book, L.A. CANDY.  Also, you can still enter the CATCHING FIRE contest by following the directions in my previous post, and commenting there.) Dream Agents. I hear about them all the time.  “So and so is my dream agent!”  or “I’m about to query my dream agent”  or “I just sent it out to my dream agent!”  or “My dream agent REJECTED my query, I AM NOW GOING TO THROW MYSELF OFF A BUILDING AND DIE.” The worst one is, “I an ONLY querying X, because she is my dream agent, and I will wait to hear from her until I submit anywhere else, AND UNTIL THEN I WILL JUST WAIT IN BREATHLESS ANTICIPATION IN FRONT OF MY INBOX, SLOWLY WASTING MY LIFE.”  (Not that anyone I know says things like those last two, and not that I’ve ever said those things, la la la.) But here’s the thing:  Deciding who your dream agent is before you’ve even worked with them?  Is like deciding you want to marry someone based on their match.com profile.  Think about it.  One way, you’re saying, “This agent seems really nice on their blog, and they just sold a six-figure deal and they rep YA, which is what I write and OMG, THAT PERSON IS MY DREAM AGENT and look at their picture how cute!”  It really is kind of the same as saying, “OMG, look at this person’s profile, they like soccer and have a dog like me and they seem really nice and I AM GOING TO MARRY THEM and look at their picture how cute!”  An online presence does not a marriage make.  Unfortunately, the only way to know who your dream agent is… is to actually, um, start working with them.   I know this because I am on my third agent.   The third time must be a charm, because I really believe I have my dream agent now, and here are some of the reasons why (I’d also like to say that I really don’t like the term ‘dream agent’ even AFTER you’re working with someone.  It makes me think of … I dunno,  a bunch of teenagers from the fifties sitting around a coffee shop looking at each other and saying, “He’s so dreamy.”  Can’t we come up with something better?  Goal Agent?  Agent Win?  As in, he’s my “Agent Win?”  Just something to think about): 1.     She responds to all of my emails within 24 hours, and she either has the answer to what I want to know, or is on her way to finding out. 2.     She’s not afraid to tell me when something isn’t working, whether it’s an idea, a chapter, a line, or a whole proposal. 3.     She gives me great advice, but ultimately lets me decide on the direction of my career. 4.     She’s open to brainstorming/bouncing ideas around, and is always willing to set up phone calls to do just that. 5.     She never, ever gives up.  She sold a chapter book series for me last year that had been on submission for nine months.  We’d been getting close, but the rejections were coming in, and then we got a revision request from a major house.  Agent Win followed up on it, I did the revision, and the house passed.  I cried and ate three cartons of peanut butter ice cream.   Agent Win said, “No problem, we still have more places!”  And you know what?  Sending out the revised version got us TWO OFFERS on the project that we’d started submitting almost a year before. There are three million more reasons why I love her, but it would take too long to type all those out, and besides, I don’t want her to see this post and get a big head and then realize she’s too good for me. But the point is, I wouldn’t know any of those things about her unless I was actually working with her.  Right now you are screaming.  You are maybe freaking out.  You are looking at the picture of your dream agent that you have taped to your computer monitor for inspiration.  Maybe you even want to kill me.  And you are saying, “So are you telling me it is ALL ONE BIG CRAP SHOOT and that maybe MY DREAM AGENT is going to be AGENT HEARBREAKER if we start working together?”  Well… maybe.  Here are the things you can look at BEFORE you sign with someone that might give you an indication if they are your Agent Win: 1.     Their blog/website.  Does it have good advice that you agree with?  Do they seem smart and knowledgeable?  2.     Their sales.  How many do they have ?  Are they to a bunch of different houses/editors?  Sometimes an agent will be selling just to the same editors over and over, and you start to think that maybe they’re one of those “send it out to four of five places that I know and then give up” kind of agents.  Also, do they have sales for the same writer that span some time?  This is an indication that their clients are happy, and staying with them. The real work, however, will start after they offer you representation.  This is when you really get the chance to see if you’d be a good fit. Here are the things you can ask an agent if they offer you representation.  DO NOT ask ANY agents these things unless you are on the phone with them, discussing representation.  These are not questions you ask in a query, or if an agent requests your partial.  These are things you ask ONLY WHEN YOU HAVE BEEN OFFERED REPRESENTATION. 1.     What’s your style like?  Do you do a lot of revising and working with clients, or are you more hands-off editorially? 2.     How do you prefer to communicate?  Email, phone? 3.     What’s your submission style?  Do you send to three or four places and wait for feedback?  Do you send it to everyone at once?  Why do you do it this way? 4.     What’s your contract like?  (Ideally, you want to have a contract that has a thirty-day out clause, meaning you or the agent can terminate at any time.  Otherwise, it’s kind of like being married and not being able to get divorced until sometimes a year or more.  A big waste of time, and a drain emotionally, especially if you have a manuscript that is just in a holding pattern.) 5.     Do you follow up with editors that you’ve submitted to, and give them nudges?  After how long? 6.     Can I talk to some of your current clients? Please note there aren’t necessarily any right or wrong answers to these questions, but you want to get a feel for how the agent works, and you should be comfortable with their answers.  Do a google search on questions to ask an agent, and get an idea of the things that are important to you.  Don’t be afraid to ask these things!  If the agent starts acting all put out about it, then maybe they’re not right for you. Also: If an agent offers you representation? Google.  Not just for info on their sales, but for info from their CLIENTS.  A lot of times writers will blog or post on message boards about their agents.  See what they say.  Do they seem happy?  Are they praising the agent?  Or does it seem that after a few months, the agent is MIA, and they’re posting for advice on how to get out of a contract, or what to do when your agent isn’t responding to your emails? Do you know of anyone who’s left the agent?  Talking to current clients is great, but you’ll get the real story from former clients. (Note:  Someone leaving an agent doesn’t mean they’re not a good agent – it happens all time if it’s not a right fit, for lots of reasons.  But if multiple people are leaving, and some of those people are willing to tell you why, you might want to listen.) I’m not advocating agent stalking.  And again, PLEASE, PLEASE don’t do any of these things until you actually get offered representation.  (It’s not cool to just email someone and ask why they left their agent.  If you get offered representation, it’s one thing to drop them a note and say, “Any thoughts would be appreciated.”  Even then they might not answer.  And yes, I know you want the dirt.  Yes, I know it’s driving you crazy. But no.  Just no.) My point is simply this: You don’t know WHO your dream agent is going to be until you’re actually working with them.  The same way you don’t know who you’re going to marry until you’ve actually dated and gone through some things together. Yes, do your research.  Yes, be smart about it.  But cast a wide net.  Query widely, and don’t get caught up on the idea of “dream agent.”  Your dream agent is someone who is working tirelessly on your behalf, believes in your work, and will fight for you every step of the way.  Good luck!     9 Hits | Hit Me Up!

30 Jun 2009 @ 9:35 AM Catching Fire ARC Giveaway! edit | +mem It is TIME for the CATCHING FIRE contest!!! I am giving away a signed ARC of CATCHING FIRE, the sequel to THE HUNGER GAMES. AND you will also get an audio sampler of the book as a SPECIAL BONUS. I thought I was going to do something fancy, but in the end, decided to just keep it simple J To enter, just link back to this post, and then comment and tell me where you did so. If you link in multiple places, you will get multiple entries, but please leave separate comments so that I can keep track. Also, for even MORE entries, follow me on twitter, because if you retweet when I say, you will be entered again. You can find me at www.twitter.com/laurenbarnholdt Contest will run through Wednesday July 8th . Good luck! 30 Hits | Hit Me Up!

29 Jun 2009 @ 10:16 AM Media Round-Up edit | +mem MOVIES: I actually saw two movies this weekend, YEAR ONE and THE PROPOSAL. YEAR ONE we saw with friends, so it was fun, but the movie wasn’t that great. Some funny parts, but by the end I was kind of falling asleep. (Of course, this could totally be because it was a late movie, but I don’t think so.) Then yesterday The Boy and I saw THE PROPOSAL, which I loved. Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds were awesome in it, and it was funny and cute with good character development -- the best romantic comedy I’ve seen in a while. (And The Boy even gave it an 8.5, which is a very high score for him, especially for a rom-com.) DVDs: CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC. Watched a few minutes of it so far, and I’m really nervous that maybe they’ve messed up the book reallllly bad. I mean, why is Luke working in magazines?! And why is it set in New York?! And what’s with the talking mannequins? Sigh. BOOKS: Bought so many, HAVE so many. Next up is ALONG FOR THE RIDE by Sarah Dessen, and I still haven’t read AIRHEAD by Meg Cabot. Which is okay, though, since the next book in the series is already out, and this way I won’t have to wait, yay! Also have some great grown-up books, too, like DIRTY GIRLS ON TOP by Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, and THE HELP by Kathryn Stockett, which my agent recommended. Also just finished THE ACCIDENTAL BESTSELLER by Wendy Wax, which was a really good book about four friends who write a book together. (I’m totally over-simplifying, but it’s women’s fiction at its best, and gives a GREAT peek into the inside world of publishing. Loved it!) TWITTER: Yes, I am still twittering. Um, a lot. www.twitter.com/laurenbarnholdt If you have resisted joining twitter, I think you should. It really is quite fun. BLOGS: Allison Winn Scotch talks about dealing with jealousy here and John Green talks about book advances here. MANUSCRIPTS: I am working on ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING. I am happy with the way it is turning out. In fact, I am getting back to it Right. Now. And what are YOU reading, watching, writing, blogging, buying? Happy Monday! More later, xx 2 Hits | Hit Me Up!

24 Jun 2009 @ 10:57 AM BAD NEWS: To Blog Or Not To Blog? edit | +mem So there’s been a lot of discussion lately about bad news and why writers don’t talk about it on their blogs. I think there was some drama involved, but I’m not totally sure, and besides, that’s not important and so I’m not going to get into it. (Which is weird, because usually I am a big fan of drama, for serious.) Anyway, I started thinking about it, about why writers don’t blog about their bad news, and why you only hear the good stuff. I mean, shouldn’t the bad news and disappointments be important too? Shouldn’t we all start blogging about it, so that everyone can have hope and realize that WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE? And here is what I came up with: 1. You have to censor yourself on your blog. At least a little. The same way I wouldn’t blog about the details of my brother’s drug problem (I don’t have a brother, and if I did, I wouldn’t talk about his drug problem, see?), I’m not going to come out and give every single detail about the bad times I’m having with publishing. It’s just.. I don’t know, personal. And let’s face it – getting a book cancelled or having a book bomb sales-wise, or getting rejected all over the place or any of the five million other bad things that can happen in publishing is not really that fun to blog about. I like to wallow by myself. 2. You have to stay professional. Let’s say, for example, that my book is getting rejected by every house all over New York and I’m freaking out and my agent is all, “Oh, don’t worry, we still have two houses left, keep the faith and even though that last editor was wondering if this book is even in English, we will find a home for it yet!” Probably the last thing I want to do is keep the faith. Probably I want to throw myself off a balcony because HELLO THAT BOOK IS THE BEST THING I EVER WROTE, and if it doesn’t sell I will DIE. Am I going to blog about that? Um, no. Because what if one of the editors at the two houses that are left googles me and sees that I’ve just written, “MY LIFE IS OVER, I WOULD SELL THAT BOOK FOR FIVE DOLLARS RIGHT ABOUT NOW.” Maybe they will get nervous that I am crazy. Maybe they will think, “Hmm, why didn’t anyone else want this book, I might have to think about this” and then set it to the side and move on to eating their lunch. Maybe they will think, “Five dollars!! What a bargain!” and whip up a P&L that shows how five dollars really does make complete and total sense. Maybe they will think, “Hmm, if we have any bumps in the road, maybe Lauren will blog all about how crazy I am since she does not have a censor, so I will have to think about this after I have a cupcake.” Maybe none of those things would happen. But maybe they would. (Also, I do not have to worry about ever blogging anything like that anyway, because I am very well-adjusted and obviously not dramatic enough to even think those things, la la la.) 3. Let’s face it. Good news is sometimes hard to hear. Someone gets a huge book deal. Someone sells their movie rights. Someone hits the bestseller list, or they get a three-book deal when you only got two books or someone is a lead title or someone has better hair than you. (Obviously the hair thing is a joke. But I’m looking at you, Jennifer Lynn Barnes.) Anyway. It can be hard to deal with, the jealousy and the wondering about when that thing is going to happen to YOU. But the thing is? You have to realize that EVERY SINGLE ONE of those people had hard times. They had struggles. And they will have them again. Because that is the fun, wonderful, crazy thing about publishing! It is a marathon, not a sprint, and in the end, the race is only with yourself. (That part about the race only being with yourself is from that song, WEAR SUNSCREEN, you know, the graduation advice thing that was going around years ago? It just flowed out of me, as I was writing that. Also, I meant it to be a cheesy kind of joke, but then I realized that it’s true – the race IS only with yourself! Hmm, I think I will download that song onto my iPod.) When someone is putting up very good news and I get a little jealous, I try to remember these things: A.) They went through hard times. Even though they maybe didn’t blog about them, they did. If they are a friend of mine, usually I know the hard times they went through. If they’re not, I just know, because that is the way it works. So then I think about how cool it is, that they overcame a bunch of obstacles and are now getting great news. Good for them for keeping at it. Everyone loves an underdog story, and we are ALL underdogs. B.) Writing and publishing are not the same thing. Jenny Crusie talks about this a lot, and I think it’s so smart. You have to keep writing and publishing separate, because once you start confusing the two, you’re going to be all sorts of messed up. THE WRITING is what you can control. The publishing stuff is, to a large extent, out of your control. So focus on the writing. Always. C.) It’s important to be happy with where you are. At first, you want to finish a book. Then you want an agent. Then you want to sell a book. Then you want to sell another book. Then you want more money. Then you want more sales. Then you want a book tour and a … It just keeps going on and on and on. Which is awesome, because there are always new goals to achieve. But sometimes it’s important to take stock of your accomplishments and be happy in the moment. If my five-years-ago self could see me know? OMG, she would be ECSTATIC. And you know what? My right-now self should be too. 4. I have sometimes felt a little guilty posting things about new sales or new covers when I know some of my friends might be struggling. But the awesome, amazing thing? Is that more often than not, those writers who were struggling? They soon have good news of their own. Maybe at a time when I’m struggling. And it makes me think, “Omg, that is so cool, because they were just struggling and now I’m struggling so maybe soon I won’t be struggling anymore!” (Well, most of the time. The other part of the time I go back and read my list about how not to be jealous.) I love that we can all be happy for each other when we get good news. I’m constantly astounded by the way writers congratulate each other, celebrate each other, and encourage each other to keep at it. Writers are amazing like that – especially YA writers – and I am so lucky to be in a position where I’ve gotten to know so many wonderful people. And when I’m having a bad day, I know, I know, something good will happen again soon. You have to have faith. I mean, let’s face it – if we didn’t have faith, would we even be writing in the first place? We’re all obviously completely and totally nuts. Don’t you just love publishing? ☺ More later, xx 26 Hits | Hit Me Up!

5 Jun 2009 @ 11:04 AM Long Overdue BEA Post edit | +mem I know, I know.  BEA was so long ago, but seriously, this is the first time I have had to update my blog!  I have been very busy writing and revising books.  But!  Here it is now!  My BEA post, complete with pictures!  BEA was AWESOME.  Honestly, if you ever have a chance to go, it is so worth it.      The Boy and I arrived on Thursday afternoon, checked into the hotel, and had some lunch.  Then it was time to get ready for the Teen Author Carnival, which was held at the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library.  Tons of authors were there, including Libba Bray, Maureen Johnson, Robyn Schneider, Jessica Burkhart, Jennifer Lynn Barnes… After the Teen Author Carnival, I went to drinks with Jessica Burkhart and Editor K. We talked about books and publishing and it was so. Much. Fun.  I’d never met either one of them in person, but it felt like I'd known both of them forever.   The next morning, it was time to head over to the Javits Center for the first day of BEA!  I got there super early, so that I could get tickets to get a signed ARC of Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins, the next book in The Hunger Games trilogy.  The line was already super long, but I got the tickets!       Then The Boy and I headed over to the children’s author breakfast – but first he got his picture taken with SpongeBob.     The breakfast was awesome, and I got to hear Meg Cabot speak.  She is just as funny in person as she is in her books and on her blog.  Julie Andrews MC’d the event, so the whole thing was pretty amazing.  I highly recommend going to the breakfast (you have to buy an extra ticket that’s 25 dollars or something, but it was SO WORTH IT.)   Then, I walked the floor for a while with Jessica Burkhart and Robyn Schneider, looking for ARCs and talking to people we knew.  I got a copy of the new Kaleb Nation book, which won’t be out for a few months but is already getting tons of great buzz.       Then it was time for lunch with Agent A!  I’d never met her in person, so it was GREAT to finally get a chance to sit down with her.  We talked for over two hours, and again, it felt like I’d known her forever.  (Which, seeing as how we’ve been working together for almost two years, I guess isn’t really that weird.)  I am so grateful for all the work she’s done for me, and I really do think that the fact that I have FIVE books coming out next year speaks to how amazing of an agent she is.  Thanks, Agent A! Then it was time to head back to Javits to get in line for CATCHING FIRE!!  The line was super long by the time I got there, but it moved super fast.  You weren’t allowed to get your book personalized, and Suzanne Collins was flocked by media escorts/publicists.  But I got TWO COPIES OF CATCHING FIRE!! Which won’t be out until September!              (I got two of a lot of things, not because I’m greedy, but because The Boy was there with me, so I made him get one, too.  I will be doing a giveaway for some of the ARCs I got, including a copy of CATCHING FIRE and an audio sampler from the book, so stayed tuned!)  The day was crazy, and by the time we fell asleep I was sooo tired.  Saturday morning I went to a panel on online marketing for teens and tweens, run by Robyn Schneider, Jessica Burkhart, Maureen Johnson, Julia DeVillers, and Sarah Mlynowski.  At first, their powerpoint wouldn’t work, but finally this woman in the picture came and saved the day with the right cord!    This is a pic of me being official photographer with Robyn’s super fancy camera.  Which I don’t think I did a really good job of, sigh, since I couldn’t really figure out how to work the thing.   After the panel, we waited in line for ARCs.  First of the day was Sarah Dessen’s ALONG FOR THE RIDE.  I started getting nervous as the line moved forward, because, hello, it’s Sarah Dessen!  The Boy was like, “Are you going to talk to her?” I was like, “OMG, NO! Well, MAYBE I will tell her I like her blog, but that is it.”  But when I got to the front of the line, she looked at my name badge and said, “OMG, It’s Lauren Barnholdt!”  Sarah. Dessen.  Knew.  Who.  I. Was.  She is so nice and absolutely gorgeous and I can’t wait to read her book. I also snagged copies of ONCE WAS LOST by Sara Zarr (who is also SO NICE and absolutely gorgeous), LIAR by Justine Larbalestier, BALLAD and SHIVER by Maggie Stiefvater,  and a bunch of others.  So.  Fun.  That night, I headed to the Simon and Schuster Pulse/Aladdin cocktail hour, which was at this super cute/cool restaurant called Park. Or The Park?  One of those.  Anyway, it was cool and cute and totally New York. Here's a pic of Robyn Schneider on the cab ride over.  (Right before this she almost got into a fight with another cab driver who was trying to get one over on us, seriously, do not let the fact that she is only five feet tall throw you off -- she is a total badass): I didn’t take pictures there, because I was too intimidated.  (Hello, Scott Westerfeld was there!)  But I got to talk to lots of cool Simon Pulse people, and my editor, Jen Klonsky, told me that they have decided to do my new YA book, ONE NIGHT THAT CHANGES EVERYTHING, in hardcover!  So exciting!! After that, I was supposed to go to the YA/MG Drinks Extravaganza, but somehow I got confused by places and times, and so I never made it.  But I heard it was a very fun time. The Boy and I then had a late dinner, and headed back to the hotel. Sunday was a lot more chill.  I wore a sweatshirt and flip flops and headed over to the convention center briefly to get a copy of Richard Russo’s new book, THAT OLD CAPE MAGIC.  My mom is a huge fan, so I told her I’d get her a copy.   And then it was time to hit the road. If you have never been to BEA before and get a chance to go, you should, because  it is SO WORTH IT.  You meet so many people, get so many books, get to be in New York City, and it’s just.. yeah.  Really fun.  I’m already looking forward to next year! More later, xx 2 Hits | Hit Me Up!

27 May 2009 @ 10:54 AM Live Twittering From BEA!! edit | +mem Leaving early tomorrow morning for BEA -- eek! I will be using my shiny new iPhone to take lots of pics and post them to twitter, so if you're twittering, come follow me at www.twitter.com/laurenbarnholdt   --- I will do my best to live twitter lots of things! Like breakfast with Meg Cabot! And stacks of ARCs! And a party hosted by Robyn Schneider and Bennett Madison and Julia DeVillers! And a Simon and Schuster drinks night! And probably me getting lost in the city and complaining about how my shoes are hurting my feet! Also, will I or won't I get up early to wait in line for the sequel to the Hunger Games, CATCHING FIRE???? I'm pretty excited and nervous, but I think it's going to be a lot of fun. Also, I will be at The Teen Author Carnival tomorrow from 4-6 at the Jefferson Market Branch of the New York Public Library. You can find more info and the whole list of authors attending here. If you'll be there and want to meet up, send me an email with your cell number. And now I have to get back to revising ACES UP.. AND OTHER PERKS OF A FAKE I.D. because I am so, so close to finishing it and I want to get it done before I leave. More later, xx 2 Hits | Hit Me Up!

26 May 2009 @ 11:07 AM BEA Question edit | +mem Questions about BEA: For the ticketed authors, the one you have to show up at 6:45 to get a ticket for, is it worth it? Like, if you go early, are you pretty sure to get a ticket?  Or is it like a concert where people start showing up at four o'clock or something? :)   And once you get the ticket, how long is the line usually to see that author? Also, as far as the ARCs, do the publishers switch them out so that you have to keep doing laps? No more wardrobe questions, since it's pretty much too late for that :)  I do still need one more pair of shoes, though.. 18 Hits | Hit Me Up!

21 May 2009 @ 10:11 AM Events And Why This Cafe Is Weird edit | +mem  1.  I will be at the Teen Author Carnival at The Jefferson Market Branch Library in New York next Thursday, the 28th, from 4 pm to 6 pm. There are some AMAZING authors that are going to be there, like Libba Bray, Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Maureen Johnson, Jessica Burkhart, Robyn Schneider, Elizabeth Scott, Cassandra Claire, Micol Ostow.... The full list and info can be found here. 2. The girl next to me in the cafe has a lot of stuff with her, including her own Splenda packets and a big carton of soy milk. I don't know why, but I am fascinated by this for some reason.  She is very distracting. Which is not good, since I am attempted to get ACES UP.. AND OTHER PERKS OF A FAKE I.D. revised before I leave for BEA next week. I will NOT be thwarted by you, Soy Girl! OMG, something else embarrassing just happened!  A lady who worked here was going around with free samples, and then she said, "Ooh, it looks like a school over here!" because there is me, Soy Girl, and another woman with laptops.  And then she went to the other lady, who is a little tiny bit older than us, and said, "We'll let the teacher try it first!"  Yikes. 3.  Who wants to go to this with me? 4.  If you write for teens or tweens and live in the Boston area, Leah Cypess and I started a new yahoo group!  Actually, she thought of it and started it, so really she just did, but I was there when she came up with the idea, which so doesn't count, but whatev :)  You can join by sending an email to BostonYAwriters-subscribe@yahoogroups.com 5.  The American Idol finale last night was SO FUN! Even though Adam didn't win, it was really funny seeing Bikini Girl come back and get upstaged by Kara.  And the performances kept my attention for the whole two hours.  I'm kind of sad it's over, BUT there are some good news shows coming up, like Southern Belles:  Louisville and of course Big Brother. 6.  I have to go, there is a creepy guy in a winter coat who I think is trying to read this over my shoulder and then stalk me down... More later, xx 9 Hits | Hit Me Up!

13 May 2009 @ 10:37 AM Updates edit | +mem I know I have not been blogging lately. I think it is because I've been twittering so much. Honestly, it's so addicting!  And fast!  And fun! But I am going to be better about blogging, since I really do love my blog. Writing Stuff: 1. I will be at the Hudson Children's Book Festival on Saturday, signing and participating in a panel discussion. If you are in the area, you should stop by because there are going to be A TON of amazing authors there. Check out the list and info here:  http://hudsonchildrensbookfestival.com/ 2.  I am going to BEA!  I am so excited!  Seriously, I cannot wait.  I've never been before.  Any BEA tips?  What do people wear?  What should I bring?  How many books are there really?  Will I maybe bump into Meg Cabot in the bathroom line? 3. Right now I'm working on revising ACES UP.. AND OTHER PERKS OF A FAKE I.D., my YA about a girl who gets caught up in an underground gambling ring.  This is my first book with Delacorte, so I was a little nervous about my revision letter.  But I love my new editor, she's so smart and her changes are going to make this book SO. MUCH. BETTER.  She might be a genius, even. 4.  ARCs of DEVON DELANEY SHOULD TOTALLY KNOW BETTER have arrived!  They.  Are.  So.  Cute.  The book is also available for pre-order from pretty much everywhere, if you're into such things.  I really had a great time writing this book, and I hope I get to write about Devon again someday. Other Stuff: 1.  I am so caught up in American Idol.  I boycotted it last season, I don't remember why.  But this year.. sigh.  I even tried to vote for Adam last night, and got very frustrated when I couldn't get through.  I hope he makes it to the finals, but either way, I'll definitely buy his album.  Is it lame to go see the IDOLS LIVE tour?  Yeah, I think definitely. 2.  Spencer has a rap song!! Have you heard it?  If not, you should listen to it.   I played it for The Boy, and we then had the following conversation. Me:  Can you believe THAT?? The Boy:  Well, I mean, it's not that bad. Me:  *stares blankly* The Boy:  I'm just saying, I mean.. it's like anything else on the radio right now.  I can't tell the difference. The thing is, he's kind of right.  Once you get past how, you know, bad it is, it's kind of catchy.  I don't know if that makes any sense, but if you listen to it, maybe you'll see what I mean. Oh!  One other fun thing about Spencer?  He twitters!  And yesterday he was twittering all about how happy he was that Lauren Conrad didn't make Maxim's Hot 100 List, and Heidi did. And then he brought up something about Laguna Beach, which is so, like, 2003, but you know that Spencer -- always one to hold a grudge. 3.  I am planning on having ice cream tonight. 4.  I really, really need a new phone.  My phone now.. hmm, how can I explain it?  You know those phones you see in older movies, when they're like, "I'LL CALL HIM ON MY CELL PHONE?" and they pull out something that is the size of a truck and everyone in the movie is  like, "Oooooh!" and everyone watching is like, "OMG, THIS MOVIE IS OLD!"  That's kind of what my phone is like.  Only it also doesn't really hold a charge anymore, and if I miss a call, it won't tell me who it was. Any recommendations for a new phone?  I have Cingular, and I'm leaning toward the Blackberry, since I don't know if I can get past the touchscreen on the iPhone. 5.  I have a new website!!  Check out the new look at www.laurenbarnholdt.com    ..  I still have some sections to add, but it looks spiffy, no? More later, xx 4 Hits | Hit Me Up!

4 May 2009 @ 11:31 AM Reality Chick Redux edit | +mem So I found out last week that Simon Pulse is planning to give REALITY CHICK a makeover! The book will be getting a new title, and a new cover. Exciting! The only problem? Um, we don't have the new title picked out yet. Any ideas? They want it to be something fun and sexy, but sort of downplay the reality angle, so that the book doesn't scream, "THIS IS A REALITY TV BOOK!" If we pick your title, I will send you a prize! Also, I've been hanging out a lot on twitter -- you can find me at www.twitter.com/laurenbarnholdt. My sisters are coming today for a visit, and I am trying to clean my apt, so I'll do a longer entry later :) 6 Hits | Hit Me Up!

21 Apr 2009 @ 10:59 AM On Getting "Skipped" By The Chains.. edit | +mem It seems like lately a big theme on a lot of blogs, message boards, mailing lists, etc. is getting "skipped." I guess that's what they call it now when your book doesn't get into a bookstore. Used in a sentence, it would be, "My book was 'skipped' by Borders." It actually sounds much better than "Borders isn't carrying any copies, OMG, I WANT TO DIE." Skipped sounds kind of nice, like maybe they just overlooked it. Like, "Oh, sorry, I must have 'skipped' that one!" So why do books get 'skipped'? From what I understand, usually the decision is made by Borders or Barnes and Noble at the national level. I read on Kristin Nelson's blog once that it's one person. ONE PERSON, one buyer, who decides. And how do they decide? Based on a lot of things. Cover, past sales record, publisher push, how similar books are doing, etc. So basically, it, um, kind of has nothing to do with you as a writer. The good news is that.. it has nothing to do with you as a writer. The bad news is that if it happens to you... now you have to figure out a way to let it go. Here's my story about being 'skipped': When TWO-WAY STREET first came out, I'm not positive, but I think it was skipped by Barnes and Noble. If it was in Barnes and Noble, it sold out of my local store really quickly and then was never reordered, because I never saw it there. It might not have been in B&N stores at all, I'm not sure. I do know that the orders for that book at first were on the low side. Borders, however, WAS carrying it, so I was thankful for that. This was after we changed the tag line from "There are two sides to every break-up" to "A road trip with her ex? Danger ahead.." because supposedly the buyers were excited about road trip books, and my editor wanted to make sure that the front of the book made it clear it was about a road trip. (My editor for that book, Michelle Nagler, was amazing. She really fought for that book, turning down cover after cover until we found the perfect one. I heart Michelle, and she is a huge part of why TW0-WAY STREET is doing so well.) Anyway, so TWO-WAY STREET may or may not have been in B&N, and if it was, it did its couple of months and then got shipped back. Usually this is how it works -- your book stays on the shelves as long as it's selling, and if it isn't, it gets shipped back. I don't remember if I was upset about not seeing TW0-WAY STREET in B&N at the time -- I think maybe I was, because that was during a time when I was switching agents and everything careerwise felt very kind of up in the air. But then something happened. The book started catching on, I think by word of mouth. Usually a book sells a lot at the beginning, and then sort of peters out. But TWO-WAY STREET kind of started to have legs, even though it wasn't in any Barnes and Nobles. The sales stayed steady, and I started getting more and more emails from girls who had read it and loved it. That's one of the most amazing things about writing for teens. They TALK ABOUT BOOKS. They pass them around. They want to read what their friends are reading. They read books in school, they blog and myspace and facebook about them, they become passionate and excited about the books that they like. Then, about a year after it had been released, I started seeing TWO-WAY STREET in pretty much every Barnes and Noble. B&N HAD DECIDED TO CARRY THE BOOK!! A YEAR after its release. And now, almost TWO YEARS after the book was released, it's still there. Tons and tons of copies, sometimes stacked on front tables. The book is now in its eleventh printing. Something similar recently happened with THE SECRET IDENTITY OF DEVON DELANEY. It wasn't 'skipped', but it did its few months in B&N when it was released, and was then either shipped back or never reordered. A few months ago, B&N decided to restock it. I asked my editor why this was, and she looked into it. DEVON was doing so well at other stores, that B&N decided to bring it back. That book is in its tenth printing. Anyway, the point is that being 'skipped' doesn't mean everything's over. Just keep working, keep writing, keep believing.. Because the work, the writing, and the belief are the only things you can control. More later, xx 15 Hits | Hit Me Up!

7 Apr 2009 @ 11:04 AM #agentfail, #queryfail, all sorts of fail.... edit | +mem So there was a big scandal a while ago about this whole #queryfail thing, where apparently some agents on twitter decided to tweet about the mistakes they were seeing in queries. And writers FLIPPED. OUT. They got very upset, and said the whole thing was unprofessional and mean. So now they have apparently lashed back with #agentfail. They are also over on the Bookends blog, talking about agents and all their gripes with them. (Kudos to Jessica for being cool enough to open her blog and take these kind of comments.) This whole thing makes me so sad! Agents are not the enemy! Agents and authors are working toward the same goal -- to get books published. I really don't think that the agents who participated in #queryfail were doing it to be mean -- they were doing it to educate writers on the mistakes people make in queries. If you know enough to be on the internet following an agent on twitter, those mistakes probably don't apply to you. But maybe they do! I think it was done in fun. Agents gain nothing by being mean to writers, or making fun of writers, or belittling them. Without writers, agents can find good books to sell, and without good books to sell, they don't make money. Among the things writers seem to have a problem with: 1. Agents that are spending lots of time twittering/blogging, etc. (Because they should be reading my query, dammit!) Okay, um...if we're going to use this argument, then maybe you should be writing instead of reading #queryfail. Agents twitter, blog, etc. for a bunch of reasons. One, they have personal lives. They like to blog and twitter, just like you. Now, it's one thing if YOUR agent is writing five million blog posts a day about her dog when your manuscript is waiting to be submitted. But for an agent to write a blog post after she's had your query for a week? Again, agents are allowed to twitter and blog, and if you think they're not, then you shouldn't even know they have a blog, because you should be writing. Two, it's a great way for them to get their name out there. A lot of agents use their blogs and twitters so people will hear their names, and think of them when it comes time to query. It's also a great way to promote the books of their clients. Three. THEY LIKE GIVING OUT INFORMATION. Kristin Nelson, Nathan Bransford, and Jessica Faust are just some of the agents who have great blogs that give out information on the industry, writing, etc. This is extremely selfless, and I'm sure they have helped countless writers along the way understand things about their writing, the query process, marketing, what goes on at publishing houses.. this is all priceless information. 2. Agents should be responding to my query in a timely matter, BECAUSE I SPENT A YEAR ON THAT BOOK AND I DESERVE IT. Most agents do respond to their queries, partials, and fulls in a timely manner. However, just because it says on their website that they respond in twelve weeks, doesn't mean you can hold them to it. Unfortunately, maybe in those three months, they've had ten client manuscripts come in, along with five contracts and an auction, plus an author whose editor is leaving, and another one whose book has been canceled. The thing about agents is this -- their first priority is THEIR CLIENTS. It's not their queries, or their requested manuscripts. This is how it should be. How would you feel if an agent signed you, and was like, "Oh, I'm sorry, I haven't read your manuscript that you want me to send to your editor, but I've had five hundred queries coming in today!" Now THAT is #agentfail. Unfortunately, agents don't owe you anything. They owe it to their clients to work on their behalf. A lot of them work at agencies where they have multiple jobs. Maybe they're also the contracts manager or handle foreign rights in the afternoon. So now not only do they have two jobs that they need to be doing during office hours, but they have the third job of going through their queries and looking for new clients. Which all has to be done at night and on weekends. If an agent's not getting back to you, and it really bothers you that much, CROSS THEM OFF YOUR LIST. BYE BYE! It's that simple. There are a ton of agents out there, so move on. NEXT! Anyway. There are a ton more agent gripes, too many to get into on here. But the whole thing makes me sad, because I think agents and writers should be working together. Is it annoying when an agent doesn't get back to you on that requested full after she went out of her way to email you and call you and tell you how much she loved the partial? OF COURSE. But you know what? If you can't handle that, you might not be ready to be a professional writer. Because, unfortunately, in this business, there are disappointments. Much bigger ones. Editors who say they're going to make offers that then fall through. Marketing plans that are promised and then scrapped. Books that get pushed from launch lists, revision letters that don't get sent for months, decisions that aren't made until weeks past what you were promised. This industry is not like any other industry you've ever encountered. I'm not saying be a total doormat. But a lot of the things people are complaining about can be prevented by doing your research and LOOKING OUT FOR YOURSELF. If you make the decision to give an agent an open-ended exclusive on your manuscript, and they don't get back to you for five months, then there's definitely a bit of #writerfail going on there. I'm not saying there aren't bad agents . (Trust me, I have stories.) But the real #agentfail happens with an agent who's not responding to you when you're a client, or who is sending your book out to the wrong editors, or not submitting widely enough.. And you know what? THEN YOU CAN LEAVE THAT AGENT! Writers have to take the power back. Write a good book. Act professional. Keep sending it out. Over and over and over. If an agent doesn't respond to your query, send a follow up. If they don't respond to that, move on . There are hundreds of agents. If you go through them all, write another book. Stop getting caught up in things that don't really matter. FOCUS ON THE WRITING. Make each book better than your last. Read agent blogs for the information they provide. Educate yourself. Look out for yourself. But realize what battles are important and which ones are just part of the process. Agents are not the enemy. They make little money and work so hard because they love books. (Um, kind of like most writers. And editors.) We're all in this together. So seeing all this strife makes me sad.... (And a P.S. to Agent A -- you are the definition of #agentwin and I am so lucky to have you on my side..) More later, xx 10 Hits | Hit Me Up!

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