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.

Pics from Barnes & Noble signing :)

Barnes & Noble in Tribecca. So pretty!


I. Have. A. Sign. Several, actually! OMG. And those are CC books next to the table.



Just started speaking. I love having a podium to, um, hide behind. :)

Love the green curtain.

Posing with my bestie/Canterwood partner extraordinaire Kate.


Jill aka "Sasha Silver" signing autographs! She's a rock star.

Jill and a reader girly.

Smiling for the camera with Miss Jill. I totally heart her!

Signing for some awesome girls.


More signing!

Smiling because we're having a great chat.

I look very serious here, LOL.



She came on crutches! Aw!


If you click on this pic, you can REALLY see my purple hair tinsel. :)



Signing it a glittery pink pen.



Still signing . . .

Ah, see the tinsel now! :)

Signing a book for Jill.


Pretty smile. :)

I had so much fun at my B&N signing! We had special guests--Jill aka Sasha and Editor K.

Also, instead of reading from UNFRIENDLY COMPETITION, I read an excerpt from CHOSEN and showed the full front and back of the cover.

I also announced that . . .

I'm incredibly excited to announce that I've signed a new four-book deal to continue Canterwood! We're up to *20* books, guys!!! YAY! And how lucky are we to have Editor K on board. Sooo excited.

I've got video of the event that I'll upload soon so YOU can see me read from CHOSEN.

Hope you like the pics!

xoxo

Break night

(Or, a totally random post on how I'm relaxing tonight . . .)

Watching New Moon

Doing my nails in Essie's "Bachelorette Party"

Then, reading Shadow Kissed

After that, I've got a list to make of things that need to be done before my Utah trip with K. Lots of things on the list. Starting with, obvi, writing. But tonight's for taking a break.

Although . . .

I'm getting superexcited about next month's release of City Secrets. It's crazy to think that it'll be my *ninth* book on shelves. It'll definitely be time for book-stalking when CS releases.

Happy Tuesday!

April 5, 2009

I moved to NYC.

Picked out my tattoo font for the occasion.

Sparkles, hearts and love to JRA and KAA.

Eclipse trailer! Cue the fangirl squee! :)

Finally have time to post this!

O
M
G

LOVE. <3

2010 goals and dreams

Not much time to blog since I've been busy with CITY SECRETS. Like, really busy. But it's over a week into the new year and I haven't talked about goals/wishes for the New Year. I'm trying to focus on things that are in *my* control, but I also want to spend the first new year in NYC just living and seeing what happens. Sometimes, it's seemed the less I try to make things happen--the better things work out.

In 2010, I hope to:

* Finish Canterwood 9-12 and keep building Team Canterwood

* Write an edgy YA novel proposal

* Write an adult novel proposal with BFF

* Write a new tween book

* Read more. Waaay more.

* Write more. Waaay more.

* Go out and have fun

* Stay in and have pizza/movie parties

* Vlog more

* Buy stock in Sephora ;)

* Walk through the park after a fresh, heavy snow

* Go on vacation--(maybe to the Jersey Shore?) ;) Haha.

What're your resolutions/goals/dreams for the New Year?

PS--As soon as it's announced, I'll blog about it, but super sparkly congratulations to my BFF for having something awesome, amazing and sooo well deserved happen for her last night.

Happy New Year! :D

Happy almost-New Year, everyone!

What're you guys up to tonight? Any fun plans? Wishing you all great things in 2010. :) To the reader girlies who have been chatting on my blog, I *love* it and feel, like, popular that you keep coming back to chat and say hi. :)

Best Enemies copy! Yaay!

In my hands, I have finished copies of BEST ENEMIES! Eeeee!! Above is the full spread and you can see the wrap around cover. *happy sigh* I'm just in love with it. Of course, I couldn't wait to see all five books together.


In. Sane. Five! I'm so proud of them and can't wait for BEST ENEMIES to release!

Going to be working all weekend and at a crazy pace while I get the chapter by chapter outline down for HOME SWEET DRAMA (CC #8). Once that's a go, then it's writing time. :)

Happy weekend.

Got questions? Ask away!

I posted this over on the Canterwood Crest forum, but wanted to repost it here. If you've got questions about the Canterwood books, writing, publishing, whatever--ask 'em here! Leave your question in the comments section and I'll answer all of them in a YouTube video.

You've got until August 4th to leave your question(s) here. I'll post a video soon after I compile all of them.

I think it'll be fun! :)

Don't forget to check out yesterday's post and enter to win a signed copy of Triple Fault!

PS- I hope to start replying to e-mail tomorrow! Sorry, guys!

Win an early copy of Triple Fault!

I just gave away a signed copy on the Canterwood Crest forum, but I think it's time for a blog giveaway! Triple Fault comes out on August 11, but I know some of you JUST can't wait. :)

So, to enter, leave a comment here, on my LiveJournal or in both places. Tell me why you want a copy of Triple Fault! :)

You have until Sunday, July 26 to enter.

Boring rules:

I'll ship only to US addresses and you must e-mail me within a week to claim your prize. I'll have all of that info when I announce the winner. Good luck!

Super Sparkly News!!!

Right now, I feel like I've consumed ALL of these:


Because...

My amazing editor, Kate Angelella, who is a total , has decided that she's willing to put up with my overly caffeinated phone calls, Twittering in her presence and my obsession with R Pattz and has asked me to write books 9-12 in the Canterwood Crest series!!

Dance party! :)

This means Sasha and friends get to ride on for four more books!

To everyone who made it happen (again!!) I'm so, so grateful and am thrilled to have all of you on Team Canterwood! Aladdin MIX = awesome.

I'm in total shock right now and can't even find the words to express how happy I am to be able to continue the stories of Sasha and her friends. I *never* thought I'd have twelve books. Never. And it would not have happened without the amazing, continued support of people who've backed me all the way.

I looked back through my blog and my last book deal was in December. So many things have changed since then, but my intense love for my books hasn't. If anything, it has grown because of the wonderful fans who love the books and show it!

And this time last year? I was squeeing on the phone with EK when she sent me the cover for TAKE THE REINS, my first book.

Insane.

*breathes*

The books will continue on the bi-monthly pub schedule, so stay tuned for dates, covers and all of that fun stuff coming soon.

Again, I want to thank Kate for working side-by-side with me on this crazy schedule, for loving the books as much as I do and for listening to all of my insecurities and being the first one to know that I can do this. I'm beyond grateful to you for everything.

Book Expo America in NYC '09--anyone?

Everyone online is chattering excitedly about BEA in LA and damn, I want to go! :) It sounds like soo much fun and since I've never been, I'm dying to see what it's like. I keep hearing the words free books and that just grabs my attention. :)

So, I'm marking my calendar for BEA in NYC in 2009. The dates are from May 28-May 31 at the Jacob K. Javits Center.

Is anyone else looking ahead and planning to go? I hope nothing pops up for me between now and then, but I'm definitely looking at booking it as soon as tickets are available. If you're going or thinking about it, let me know! It would be so much fun to meet people from the online writer communities.

It would be a great time for me since it would be right before the release of Chasing Blue.