Just a note....

Just a quick announcement that if you need future information for the Class of 2k9, please send an e-mail to theclassof2k9 [@] hotmail [dot] com. I had to withdraw due to the time constraints I realized I'd have in 2009, but for the lowdown on the class and how to apply, check here: http://www.verlakay.com/boards/index.php?topic=25162.0.

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Check back tomorrow for my special Monday Q&A with author Christine Norris!

Winners, Red Hills Horse Trials and more

While the rest of the country is watching the Super Bowl (major yawn!) I thought I'd post tonight instead of tomorrow. This week is going to be crazy.

Keri's contest is now closed and we have winners. Keri generously decided to give away TWO copies of SCREWBALL and two softball charms. Thank you, Keri!

Drum roll, please….

Nicole B and Emma

Congratulations! Please email me jessica [@] jessicaburkhart [dot] com with your names and mailing addresses.

Keri, you’ve been a fantastic guest and please stop by for your next book!

Onto other things…

The Class of 2k9 is officially taking applications. If you’d like one, send an email to theclassof2k9 [@] hotmail [dot] com. We’ll get you one ASAP. If you’re not sure what the Class is, check out www.classof2k7.com and www.classof2k8.com for the details.

Also, the guest this week is author of CONVERTING KATE, Beckie Weinheimer. Beckie will be here on Friday with a Q&A and a giveaway. The schedule’s changing next week, as noted in the sidebar, and we’ll have Christine Norris here on Monday.

I spent the weekend editing my YA and wow, what a mess. You’d think after three drafts you’d say, “Hey, looking good!” No. Maybe I’ll say that after this edit. The plot is fine, but I think I crossed out every other sentence on my printed draft and wrote RW (for rewrite) in pink.

On Friday, a friend reminded me that the Red Hills Horse Trials (a huge international eventing competition) is coming to town in mid-March. I’ve never been and if I’m in town that weekend, I’m SO going! It would be the perfect chance try for a couple of interviews and to do a write up of the event for magazines. I applied for a Red Hills press pass, so hopefully my application isn’t too late. If you get a press pass, you get special access to the cross-country course and a chance to go into the stables. We’re talking former and current Olympians for the US Equestrian team at this event. So exciting! Even if I don’t get a press pass, I hope to go and take tons of pictures and a few minutes of video for the multimedia section of my Website.

Happy Super Bowl watching! :)

Writer Strike Resumes & Golden Compass Reviews

First, the talks to end the five week writer strike have ended with no resolution. Sigh. I feel bad for everyone all around. The boxoffice has been slow this year (again) and this is an awful time for this to be happening.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071208/ap_en_mo/hollywood_labor

And, the reviews for The Golden Compass are in. The reviews averaged out to be a B-, but I'm not too concerned. Tons of Hollywood movies go so-so reviews (Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End) and were boxoffice blockbusters. We'll see. If you go, come tell us what you thought!

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/1808718640/critic

On Monday, I'll post an update on the class of 2k9. Plus, some very exciting news!