Monday, April 30, 2012

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

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

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

Monday, April 9, 2012

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

Counting down to Saddlehill Academy!

  Hii, friends! I'm so very thrilled to remind everyone that NEXT MONTH (!!!) is the release of my first novel in eight years! Ahhhhh!!...

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