Half a million!?

You guys! Thanks to *YOU* and I mean, each and every member of Team Canterwood, there are half a million Canterwood Crest books in print. Talk about insane! What great news for a stressful week.

We're getting ready to leave for Mayo #3 on Saturday. Thank you all for chiming in on the Facebook page and saying you'll take 10 seconds out of you day to send good thoughts to Kate during her surgery next Tuesday. We love you all.

I think I'm going to take a break from work and watch GOSSIP GIRL: season one with Kate. We're starting at episode one. We both stopped watching after two or three seasons, but I loved the first.

Hugs!

~J

Favor, please

If you have Facebook, will you take a look at my "Good Thoughts for Kate" event on October 11th? I'm asking people to take 5 seconds out of their day then to send good thoughts Kate's way while she's in surgery. Surgery we hope will help her with pain.

If you join and spread the word, I'd be so, so grateful. Thank you for everything you've all already done!

xoxo

~Jess

Update on Kate

I promised you all an update and Team Canterwood (and our friends, especially Alex, Lauren, Becca, Katherine, Bri, and Andi) have been so supportive with e-mails, Facebook messages, etc.

I don't want to put too much of Kate's personal medical history online, but this last visit at Mayo was good and bad. Good because we have a surgery scheduled. Bad because doctors still don't know how to stop/help her with the screaming pain she's in every day.

We're going back to Mayo for the third time the second week of October. Kate is going to have surgery where doctors will try to find a cause for her pain. It's extremely exciting to have this chance, but also absolutely terrifying because of the fear that they won't find anything.

So, we are both very nervous and anxious right now. Going back to the hospital is not fun. I don't know how Kate has done it so many times. She still edits Canterwood while living every day for the past year and a half with a pain that medication won't cover. Pain that makes her scream. It's heartbreaking to witness and there's a helpless feeling.

We thank you all for being there to back us--your support has brought happy tears to Kate's eyes more times than you know.

I ask you all to send good wishes into the universe for Kate on October 11th--the date of her surgery. I'll create a Facebook page as soon as I have time.

Thank you, guys. We love you all!

xoxo

Video from Rochester B&N Canterwood Event

If you've seen the pics below, you know I had a wonderful time at Rochester's B&N at the Apache Mall. Kate came and introduced me to the crowd while Ross shot all of this footage. Thanks, Ross and Kate!

In one of these videos . . . I read an excerpt from INITIATION! :D Enjoy!

I've got serious writing to do. Have Diet Coke, coffee, kitty, gloss . . . all set!

xoxo

Book signing this weekend!

The Brooklyn Trio got into Rochester on Tuesday night and crashed. There have been lots of appointments at Mayo and, for the first time, a doctor who listened. Dr. H has an idea of what could be causing K's pain and though we won't know for a while, there need to be more tests, etc., we're all happy that there is finally the tiniest bit of hope and something to go on. I don't want to share too much of K's personal stuff, but I wanted to thank you all for the love and support. I promise to keep you updated with how she's feeling and if this doctor's guess turns out to be correct.

I'm writing a piece that's due soon and using the hotel's color printer like CRAZY. Been printing tons of Facebook pics that I've wanted to have. Now, I'll have things to frame at home.

I'm probably going to head over to the downtown Rochester Barnes & Noble to sign stock like I did last time. How can I NOT visit that castle-like B&N?

I'm also superpumped about my signing on Sunday. Again, the details:

Sunday, September 18th at 2pm

Rochester, Minnesota

Barnes & Noble at the Apache Mall (NOT the downtown location)

Come say hi! I don't want to be all alone, lol! :) I'm already superexcited that Lauren, the winner of my 15-minute phone chat from eBay, is coming. Our talk turned into half an hour because she was so supercool. Her awesome mom won the chat and the proceeds from all of my eBay auctions are going to the ASPCA.

If anyone else is interested, I'll add a Skype video chat, phone call, etc., to eBay and we'll see if we can help more animals with donations!

TGIF! What are your weekend plans?

Thank you, thank you, Horse Mystique

I cannot express the gratitude and love I feel for Team Canterwood. Hannah, aka Piisyummy, from Horse Mystique sent me a lovely, unforgettable email with a surprise attachment.

It came at the perfect moment as Kate and I are hard at work on INITIATION. Kate is also going through excruciating pain as we wait to go back to the Mayo Clinic in September.

I have so much admiration, love and thanks for my online friends that I can't even begin to explain. All who worked on this banner will see good things come back to them. I believe in karma. :)

Much love to all of you and thank you for supporting and loving my best friend. You have no idea how YOUR support keeps me going when I'm writing the books we all love and it gets Kate through her pain to put everything she has into Canterwood.

xxx

Life

I'm blogging from the most beautiful view that I've ever seen in Manhattan. Slept in Manhattan for the first time on Friday night. Am in a building where there are doormen, elevator men and security that won't allow you up unless you show your key or they call the person's apartment. There's central air. And gorgeous plants. There's a terrace that's begging to have a writer sit and compose a novel.

But the apartment and all its beauty has the most important piece of it missing--Allen R. Kate's great-uncle passed away last week. We got the call early Friday morning. Kate, battling her own illness, flew into superwoman mode and did the first thing her great-uncle would have wanted: began thinking about how to care for her grieving grandmother--Allen's sister.

Kate and Gram (I also call her Gram because she's adopted me in the family) have a special bond that cannot be described. They know when something's wrong with the other even though they live six hours apart. Gram helped Kate through some of the most difficult periods of her life and has been there to share some of the biggest joys.

Kate is still in the same amount of pain, has no diagnosis--just an educated guess and is on trial medication. But it isn't working. We're retuning to the Mayo Clinic in September for more tests. I know I haven't updated you all on her condition, but I was waiting to see how her body would react to the new medication. It was devastating to come home from Mayo and still not know what is wrong. We're looking forward to going back and having even more tests run. Again, I thank you all for the support. We still talk about it and it hasn't been forgotten.

I'm talking about Kate's illness in relation to her great-uncle's passing because it shows what kind of person that Kate is. She has been by her Gram's side, holding her at night, preparing to be with her at the appointments to wrap up her great-uncle's affairs all while not saying a word about her pain and trying to keep it from being visible on her face.

Her great-uncle was a war vet with a Purple Heart. He was a private, strong, intimidating, smart man who attended Harvard and traveled the world. He was a huge presence in Kate's life--a man she wanted to impress with grades, work, writing, etc. Kate lived at his apartment during the first few weeks of her time at Simon & Schuster until Ross found their first apartment in Brooklyn. Yesterday, Kate found her edit test and resume that ultimately led to her becoming an editor and now a full time freelance editor, author and co-owner of Violet & Ruby.

Allen will never see Kate's first book on the shelves, but he passed knowing his great-niece had achieved her dream.

I am in awe of Kate's strength during this time when she is also grieving and dealing with her own medical problems. She got her strength from her grandmother.

We will probably be staying on the Upper East Side for a week or two. There's much to be done, but we're all working together.

So, if you haven't said "I love you" to someone today or haven't called a friend that you've been meaning to call, do it now. Don't wait. Life can change in an instant.

New Canterwood Twitter background by Madie

Look at this AMAZING Twitter or desktop wall paper made by the fab Madie! I have lots more artwork (including a gorge Lauren and Whisper piece of art) that I'll be sharing soon. Right now, I'm back and forth between the hospital and taking a break from the computer to be with Kate.

She is uplifted by all of your thoughts and prayers--I cannot thank you enough. Really from the bottom of my heart--thank you.

You all are my heroes.

Thank you

Quick early morning post:

I wanted to offer my sincerest thank yous to those who created the "A day of Prayer" page for Kate on Facebook. It . . . I can't even describe what that means to me. I've always had the overwhelming support of Team Canterwood, but to have you all back my best friend in the same way is something I'll never forget.

I'm going to be away for a while starting May 15 as I'll be in Rochester, Minnesota at the Mayo Clinic with Kate. I don't know how long I'll be gone. I'll have my BlackBerry so I'll have access to e-mail and I'll probably take my laptop, so I might be blogging to update you all from there.

Also, I hope to get to the post office tomorrow or Monday to mail the Chosen cover flats. Bear with me as I will not leave Kate alone during the day if it is unsafe to leave her. So, the flats will be mailed as soon as I can.

Next week is gonna be crazy busy as Kate and I prep for Mayo--lots of hotel, flight, packing, paperwork, etc., to finalize. Traveling is so hectic and I'm hoping it'll be as stressful as possible for Kate.

I'm planning on bringing warm clothes (I'm ALWAYS) freezing, but I better look up the MN weather, too.

On a much happier note, we got HBO so we can attend Lady Gaga's Monster Ball tomorrow night at 9! I am so. freaking. excited. I'm DVRing it and will probably play it a zillion times, especially when I write. Hopefully, that'll be soon. I was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome, which is kind of a fancy name for tennis elbow. On top of my already bad carpal tunnel, I get these stabbing pains in my elbow and my fingers can't hold a pencil when it's really bad.

I'm really supposed to be off of the computer for at least two weeks, but I couldn't help but blog tonight.

I hope you all have a fabulous weekend!

xo

Let's address some rumors

There has been some chatter online (forums, blogs, etc.) about why dominate hasn't been released, why Canterwood is taking longer to come out, etc.

I realize you guys on Team Canterwood don't know, so of course you're going to wonder. I would, too!

First, Canterwood is no longer on a bi-monthly publication schedule. This was a choice made by my publisher which I agreed to. Writing a book every 6 weeks was a killer and with the books coming out every 4 months instead of every 2, the product will be that much better.

Second, Editor K is seriously ill. Like, we have to go out of state to a special hospital ill. She is going through a medical crisis where her life is at risk. Because of this, we have postponed dominate until she is well. Dominate is not something I would ever write on my own--it's a collaboration with my writing partner and the product will not be ready until Kate is feeling better and I am ready to write it with her.

I know some of you are frustrated and wondering what happened with dominate. I understand (I do!), but nothing comes before caring for and being with my bestie in a time of need. I hope that's something you can understand.

We will get dominate to you as soon as we can, but for now, our main focus is what it should be: getting Kate well.

I hope you all can understand and hope that during this time, you can send thoughts of well-wishes to Editor K. She deserves them more than anyone.

xo

Brooklyn girl, baby!

I opened the door expecting to have a package from UPS with stuff from work or something I'd ordered online. Instead, a nice guy asked for Jess Ashley and handed me a vase of flowers.

Kate and Ross got me flowers for my two year anniversary in New York. According to the card, I'm now a "true New Yorker."

Wow.

Sometimes, it feels like I've been here for ten years. Sometimes, a week. I still get lost on new trains, still go the wrong way when trying to find strange buildings and still Google Map any new place I go and hand draw a map. But I'm not afraid of going to new places.

I used to be.

When I first moved here, the only place I felt that I knew how to get back and forth from without having to worry was to S&S. I would get on the train at 7th Avenue, put on my headphones and ride the 45-ish minutes into the city. And that's not to mention how long it took me to feel comfortable to play my iPod because I was sure the conductor would change the route with a message that the train was going to the Bronx or somewhere far away. I was convinced I'd get lost and never find my way back to Park Slope again. (Not being a drama queen--I was serious!)

But now, it's almost as if I instinctively know how to get home. And home for me is the best place to be in the entire city. I'm happiest when I'm in cozy socks, yoga pants, a PINK t-shirt and doing anything--or nothing at all--with my bestie.

If you passed me on the streets, you'd probably think I was a tourist. I've always got my BlackBerry out and am taking pictures of everything. I wear Brooklyn hoodies, a "Gaga for Brooklyn" (she's performing on May 27 for GMA, btw . . . )T-shirt and it'll soon be warm enough for me to wear my "I love New York" shirt. I know that it's not "cool" to do that when you live here, but I don't care. I haven't gotten past the giddy stage of living in the city that never sleeps.

I'm a Brooklyn girl and proud of it!

Much love to all of my Brooklyn family and friends who have supported me here. I love you all.

Some celebratory shopping

I got some exciting news yesterday! It led to the purchase of the suuuperfun hoodie and the tank below from the place where, um, most of my paycheck goes--VS's PINK line.

The news? Take the Reins earned out its advance! Yay! It wouldn't have happened without *you,* the readers, and my ridiculously talented editor, Kate Angelella.

We decided some celebratory online shopping was in order, so I snagged that doodle zip hoodie and the pretty tank. I love that mix of blue and gray! Plus, I'm always cold, so I can't get enough hoodies.

Again, I'm so grateful that Take the Reins is doing so well and in it's . . . 6th (?--I should check that . . .) printing. I'll be working as I start to feel better on Initiation this weekend and I'm counting down the days until Chosen releases in May. I've got a lot of fun giveaways during release week! :)

Anyone else a PINK fanatic? What's your go-to store when you want to celebrate with clothes, accessories--whatever?

Couple of cool things

Aladdin MIX's 5th anniversary is coming up. They're giving authors FlipCams to film some fun Q&As and a few other things. The idea made the Wall Street Journal. Cool! Check out "Writers Get Close in Video Interview."

Kate and I also have an account on Smashwords. (Thanks, Bri!) We'll likely be selling our e-books there in addition to other outlets. Here's our profile. :)

I'm finally back on Publishers Marketplace. I added (first time ever) a project that's available. Since I've been unagented for almost 2 years, I thought it was time to get an account for my projects in progress. If you're looking for a YA verse proposal, e-mail me for more details. Plus, there are details about the packager work Kate and I are doing with Violet & Ruby.

Cross post from Violet & Ruby

Kate wrote this post and I wanted to share it with all of you! Find the original post here. :)

VIOLET AND RUBY, BFFS 4-EVER!

So, this website is the first visible evidence of me and my best friend going into business together. It’s like a childhood dream, owning a company with your BFF. But as you grow up, it seems like a really, really bad idea. You think about the fights you might get in—over money, who gets to make all the decisions, who is better at doing whatever and who is jealous and why. You worry someone might get hurt and, ultimately, you worry that you’ll ruin your friendship.

But you know what? I've never had that worry about Violet & Ruby. And there are two reasons why.

One: I never knew the true meaning of “best friend” until I met mine a few years ago. Sure, I’d had friends I’d worn friendship bracelets with, or made BFF friendship notebooks with—notebooks that declared “best friends forever!” But this girl, she means so much more to me than a bracelet or a notebook. When we hang out, I never get bored or annoyed with her and wonder when she’ll leave or when I can go home. I can spend all day and night with her and call her when she gets home and still have a marathon phone call with her. We finish each others’ sentences, love the same things, own many of the same items of clothing, and get asked almost everywhere we go if we’re sisters.

Two: I met my bestie DOING business. We were in business together first, and became best friends later. We were partnered together, long distance, as author and editor on a series called CANTERWOOD CREST. We started talking on the phone once in a while about things non-Canterwood-related. But then something life-changing happened. I learned I was going to have to get a spinal fusion surgery. Even though I’m an adult, the idea of surgery on my back terrified me! I told my friend over the phone, who also happened to have had that same surgery—and she was amazing. Even though she was nervous for me, she talked to me all about her experience and made me feel so much better and like everything was going to be all right.

During the time I was out of work to recover from surgery (two months!), and even though one of us lived in Brooklyn and one in Florida, we talked every day for at least a couple hours a day. We planned the time in advance, both made tea before our calls, and spent hours talking and laughing and telling each other things about ourselves that we’d never told anyone else. Eventually, we visited each other and decided we couldn’t live so far apart. Just three months later, we were both living in the same exact neighborhood in Brooklyn!

We decided to start Violet & Ruby one night when we were painting our nails. We have a ton of beauty rituals that we do together all the time—facemasks, mani/pedis, online lip-gloss shopping, and slew of shared accessories. We started talking about how cool it would be if we made a blog where we posted about all of our favorite things: fave glosses, makeup, nail polish, TV shows, books, etc.

We agreed on the blog . . . and then Violet & Ruby became Violet & Ruby Productions. The latter still included the sparkly website, but it also included something just as cool: a packaging company partnership that consisted of just the two of us. We’d brainstorm the way we always did for Canterwood—but we’d brainstorm ideas for other books and novellas and then we’d write them together! A few months later, here we are. Our first real project, with an e-novella close to being published! And you know what? Every day has been so much fun. We don’t fight, we haven’t stopped finishing each others’ sentences, and we’ve already come up with a ton of ideas we’re both super proud of—ideas we can’t wait to execute together.

Cheers to that old middle school saying that we’ve both discovered is as true when you’re an adult as when you’re in middle school or high school: BFFs 4ever!

xx,

Violet & Ruby

Video from reading at Barnes & Noble! Secrets revealed!

Editor K is now Author/Writer K!

Hi, guys!

I am beyond excited to share some news! My best friend has come over to the dark side ;) and is now a full-time writer/freelance-editor. She is no longer with Simon & Schuster after a wonderful four years of editing award winning books, many series and some fab stand-a-lones, she is now pursuing her dream as a writer. I could not be happier or more proud. (Um, plus, that means we get to write together every day in our pajamas. Woot!)

We have teamed up to form Violet & Ruby and soon we'll be bringing you the hottest, most fun e-book novellas for you to download via Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com. (They will not be available in physical book stores--only online.) They'll be published under Jessica Ashley & Kate Angelella.

Want a teaser of an e-book novella coming to you soon in forty page installments? How about this?

Wellington Prep: home to the notorious Jasmine King. And if you think Jasmine's a mean girl . . . meet the one who taught her everything she knows.

A title reveal, cover and more will be coming VERY soon, so stay tuned! :)

Team Canterwood, don't worry! Kate is staying with us! She would never leave the series and will continue to edit Canterwood Crest, have input on our beautiful covers and make sure we give you what you deserve--awesome books.

Writers--if anyone is looking for a freelance-editor, Kate's your girl. Her rates are reasonable and she's incredibly talented. Contact her through her Website if you want more info.

Later in the week, look for pics and video from my B&N signing. There were a lot of surprises and secrets revealed that you'll get here.

Finally, we're working on a project and we need YOUR input. If you'd like the possible opportunity to see your first name and age (or make up a name if you like) in one of our e-books, post any questions you have here about friendships, keeping friends, losing friends, mean girls, etc. Ask away and you might find your question answered in a novella coming soon from us! :)

xoxo

Check this or be "cursed!"

This is the blog of 2011, guys! (Tweens, this is YA content, FYI . . .) Kate and Ross started their blog for their two books (Crossed and Cursed) from Sourcebooks' FIRE imprint. The first debuts in spring 2012!

Go check it out--it's amazing and it's going to be so cool to follow them from sale to publication. For Team Canterwood, go show Editor K some sparkles and comment to say hi! :)

Congratulations, Kate and Ross!

I'm suuuperlate in posting this but a zillion things are going on, including moving (K and R), writing CHOSEN, doctor appointments, etc.

BUT

Kate and Ross sold their 2 book series to Sourcebooks this week!

I was lucky enough to witness the entire process from first word to sending it off to their agent. I couldn't be more proud and thrilled to see their book on shelves in spring 2012.

Want to keep track of them?

Kate's Website is so fun

Ross' (some adult content, FYI, tween readers) links you to some of his best work

Kate's Twitter accounts for Editor K and Kate are must-follows as is Ross'.

They just started a joint Twitter for their book and a Website will be coming soon.

Yay to both! Sooo excited! <3

Happy birthday, Kate!

Happy birthday, Kate!

Thank you sooo much, Team Canterwood, for your birthday emails! I gave Kate her present this morning in a Zac Efron folder (just like how Sasha described Jacob for the first time) and she looooved it. She even took it to work to show all of her co-workers what you'd written. You guys are the best and it's making her birthday more sparkly with each letter she reads.

And since we're on the topic of her awesome books, I'm reading K's copy of Kekla Magoon's CAMO GIRL next (out Jan '11) and from everything she's told me, it's going to be fantastic. It even got a mention in Publishers Weekly!

10 days until SCANDALS! :)

10 more days till SCANDALS comes out! Yaaay! Superbusy plotting CHOSEN and doing personal stuff, but I'm going to be stalking bookstores when SCANDALS comes out. :) Some of your stores may already have it since a lot of stores release it early. It's craaaazy to think about CC #11 being out there soon. I Tweeted a pic of my copies and you can see the front and back. Very exciting!

A million hugs to all who have been helping me with my special super secret project. I'm overwhelmed with gratitude and touched by your kindness and support. You're all amazing and generous. Many hearts! I'll update you all about how it goes when I present Editor K with her present from Team Canterwood.

I hope you all have a great weekend.

xoxo