Popular releases tomorrow!

W-O-W--WOW!

I can't believe the *fourteenth* Canterwood Crest book releases on Tuesday! This was a series that started with one book in mind that I wrote in 2009. Ya'll know the story, but I'm feeling nostalgic. I was 19, a senior in college with a full course load and I heard about National Novel Writing Month. It was late October 2006, and NaNo is November 1-30, so I had no ideas, no outline--nothing. I jumped into it and started writing my first ever novel.

Tidbit: It was a YA novel called "High Jumps at Collins Academy" first. :)

I wrote my butt off and actually crossed the 50,000 word mark on or just before November 30. My draft was UGLY. I mean, it was seriously scary! But editing on my own, later edits with my ex-agent and edits from my first editor, Molly, got the book on track. That one book turned into a four book deal and after Molly left S&S (I got the call on my birthday!) I got the greatest gift: High Jumps, now Canterwood Crest, was under the guidance and editorial input of Kate Angelella.

Everything changed after that. Call it two girls clicking over a story. Or maybe it was the beautiful photos. Or the insane, nonstop marketing. Or the schedule of writing a bi-monthly series for a while. All of those things, and more, came into play into getting my series from one book to 20. Those were all important components, but it was, without a doubt, the edits from Editor K that got us to where we are: over 500,000 copies of the series in print.

I am ever so grateful to Kate and Simon & Schuster for embracing a girl with a desperate need for horses in her life, but being unable to do so unless I could write about them. Canterwood allows me to live vicariously through my characters and I couldn't be more immersed in Horse World. Best part? I got to see Kate pet her first horse. Nice coincidence, huh? :)

I'm busy working on MASQUERADE and Kate had her hands full with projects and will soon be editing my book.

I sincerely want to thank all of Team Canterwood for your support. I would NOT be able to live my dream without you. If you could only know how grateful I am!

Let me know if you spot POPULAR! I'm going to be spending release day in Rochester, MN, so I'll sign copies at Barnes & Noble, take pics and let you know where the books are in case you live nearby.

xoxo

Personal time

Hi, all,

Still in Minnesota with K. Taking some personal time. But I DO want to say how excited I am for POPULAR's upcoming release!! It's almost 2 weeks away! Eeek!

Going to walk to the Barnes & Noble this week and sign stock copies. I'll let you know when they're signed in case you want to snag one. :)

xx

The POPULAR countdown begins!

Hi, Team Canterwood!

Happy Monday to you all. If you celebrated it, I hope your Easter weekend was fun! Anyone get amazing candy? I want to hear about it! What's your fave kind?

Kate and I are at a hotel in Rochester, MN (for Mayo) and the hotel was sweet enough to give us Easter eggs with jelly beans inside. Yum!

My fave candies are: Strawberry Twizzlers, malted milk chocolate eggs, Junior Mints, Snickers, Sour Patch Kids, and...ooops, LOL, went off on a candy tangent!

Kate and I have been away from home for more than a month. It's been extremely hard on her, but she's doing everything she can at doctor appointments. Please keep her in your thoughts. 

I'm going to sign books (stock signing--not a set signing with time and date) at the Rochester, MN Barnes & Noble downtown and at the Apache Mall. Hope to do that soon!

Also, I can't believe we're *20* days away from the release of POPULAR!!! Eeeek! Knowing book stores, I bet it'll be closer to 10 or 12 days. :)

As Lauren and Khloe would say, "Hope your day isn't Madness Monday." 

xoxo