FRIENDS, WRITERS, COMPATRIOTS...

So. Got a lovely email yesterday from a friend who very gently asked, "Where the heck have you been?!"

Sadly, not much on the interwebs. Or, NOT so sadly. Depends on how you look at it.

My book event schedule is jam-packed the entire month of October... tomorrow I will welcome Excellent Editor Stacey Barney to Birmingham, where we are having a Southern-Breeze conference. I've got big plans for Ms. Barney tomorrow, and I'm thrilled some of my best writing compatriots (hey Pat and Jana!!) will be joining us. Then on Saturday I'm giving a little session on Book Trailer Basics, and Stacey and I are jointly presenting a session called "The Author-Editor Relationship: What to Expect After the Contract." Fun, right??

WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

On Sunday I travel back to Auburn (location of probably the Best Writing Conference I Have Attended Maybe Ever-- Auburn Writers Conference) for a YA Panel at the Auburn Public Library with the fabulous youth librarian Eve and other Awesome Alabama Authors R.A. Nelson, Ginger Rue and Rachel Hawkins.

AND THEN...

On Wednesday I travel to Vicksburg, MS, for Mississippi Library Association, where I am the luncheon speaker. I am so very excited about this, because I LOVE Mississippi librarians! I had such a great time with them at Fay B. Kaigler this past April that I nearly decided I should up and MOVE to Mississippi.

Alas.

Will have to settle for visiting often. Looking forward to it! Also looking forward to watching Sarah C. Campbell accept the inaugaral Mississippi Book Award for her amazing book WOLFSNAIL. Sarah always inspires me, so I can't wait to chat, clap, hug, etc.

Also, I have been invited to a Halloween party by author-friend Gin Phillips (THE WELL AND THE MINE and forthcoming GHOSTS UNDERGROUND, which sounds every bit as amazing as her debut!) in which I am supposed to "come as a cliche." How brilliant is that?? Still deciding which cliche to go with... so many, so little time! Suggestions welcome.

So that's me. I hope all your worlds, both real and imaginary, are filled with joy and beauty. xo