SQUEEE!!

Rumor has it there are ARCs of UNDONE in NYC and some very lucky little copies will be on their way to me!!!

I'm no psychic, but me thinks there will be a photo of my bookselhf and it's latest star coming to this blog very soon!!

Brooke's Guide for Christmas Shopping

It's that time of year again... time to shop. And being an author, I love to give books. Here's a couple examples (sorry if I ruin the surprise for anyone on my list, LOL):


For someone who shall remain nameless (you know who you are)--How To Tell If Your Boyfriend Is The Antichrist:
I actually have a copy of my own, and consult it regularly as it includes many other unsavory boyfriend-types. While I have yet to actually date the Antichrist, I have used this book to determin that I've dated A Closet Homosexual, A Total Bastard, and A Scientologist. Scary, huh?

Who doesn't love evil laughs, secret lairs, and master plans? But not everyone knows how to carry them off. That's where How to be a Villian comes in. Perfect for the wannabee evil-dooer in your life.

And just because I'm a realist (and a doomsdayer), no Christmas list is complete without:

Thankful I Turned Out OK...maybe

"The masonry on the dingy brownstone at 123 Sesame Street, where the closeted Ernie and Bert shared a dismal basement apartment, was deteriorating. Cookie Monster was on a fast track to diabetes. Oscar’s depression was untreated. Prozacky Elmo didn’t exist..."



Yes, apparently I watched the mean streets verison of Sesame Street.

According to an earnest warning on Volumes 1 and 2, “Sesame Street: Old School” is adults-only: “These early ‘Sesame Street’ episodes are intended for grown-ups, and may not suit the needs of today’s preschool child.”

Check out the full NYTimes story here.

Thankful I'm not a Turkey

"A turkey never voted for an early Christmas."

Irish Proverb

It's Friday...I'm in Love!

...With men in skirts!



You say Sarong...I say so right!

Oops, Trent Ford's just fell off... okay it was just a sheet, but still.... isn't that really the same thing?

Bring your Penguin to Work Day

I couldn't wait to bring I-CY to boring dull work so he could keep me smiling with his cute little flipper dancing moves. However, my little iPod playing cutey was a teensy bit too rambunctious for the office. Yep--while at the other end of the cubicle jungle as I handled very serious, important company problems, a noise erupted from my quiet corner office. Shrieking chirps. Squawks of pleasure. "What's that noise?" my dour coworker scoffed.

"My dancing penguin," I replied.

So what's I-CY dancing to today?

Remember when we were such fools

and so convinced and just too cool...

(Pink ~ Who Knew)

It's funny because it's true

First off A BIG CONGRATS go out to an amazing new voice in YA lit, Cyn Balog for her recent sale. I couldn't be more excited if it was my own deal (well, maybe a hair more excited, but that's it!). I screamed in the airport when I read her first email about it and then attempted to reply to her using my phone and realized how crappy I am at that. SO a proper congrats is in order--please raise your cyber toasting bevvy of choice and welcome Cyn to the wild world of published authors:

Debut YA author Cyn Balog's FAIRY LUST, about a teenage oracle whose boyfriend slowly turns into a fairy and the lengths she'll go to in order to keep him human, to Stephanie Lane at Delacorte, in a pre-empt, by Nadia Cornier at Firebrand Literary.

And because she'll be embarking on the journey of a thousand re-writes (or at least one round of copy edits), here is a little publishing humor I've shamelessly stolen from Cheryl Klein of Brooklyn Arden (a more perfect place I can't imagine):

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: I can't tell whether you mean "change a light bulb" or "have sex in a light bulb." Can we reword it to remove the ambiguity?

Q: How many editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one. But first they have to rewire the entire building.

Q: How many managing editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: You were supposed to have changed that light bulb last week!

Q: How many art directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Does it HAVE to be a light bulb?

Q: How many copy editors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: The last time this question was asked, it involved art directors. Is the difference intentional? Should one or the other instance be changed? It seems inconsistent.

Q: How many marketing directors does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: It isn't too late to make this neon instead, is it?

Q: How many proofreaders does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Proofreaders aren't supposed to change light bulbs. They should just query them.

Q: How many writers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: But why do we have to CHANGE it?

Q: How many publishers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Three. One to screw it in, and two to hold down the author.

Q: How many booksellers does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A: Only one, and they'll be glad to do it too, except no one shipped them any.

Q: How many agents does it take to screw in a light bulb?
A. Check out the comments on Brooklyn Arden for possible answers... (yes, I draw the line at stealing from the comments sections, LOL)

Think Hard

"A Camel never sees its own hump"

African Proverb

It's Friday... I'm in Love

Cover Art Nightmares

So one night before I got my cover art, I had a dream (nightmare?) where I got to see my book cover. I don't remember much, except I hated it and was concerned that my agent was on vacation and I wanted the publisher to change the cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots, because I felt like veggies weren't very edgy.

I was also trapped at a bookstore needing to leave, but also needing to buy some books--a new Gena Showalter and three others that I really wish I could remember the premises of, because they sounded so good!! Why was I trapped, you may be wondering... IT was also the day the new Harry Potter came out (apparently my dreams are just slightly behind the curve). So there was a monster line. I'd heard rumors (yes, rumors abound in dreamland) that there was one register in the back that was reserved for those poor idiots not buying the new Harry Potter... this turned out be true, sort of. It was an inept person with a calculator who couldn't figure out how much my books cost.

Yeah... dreams are freaky. I'm so glad my cover didn't have veggies on it.... Has anyone else had a funny dream about what your book cover would look like?

Think Hard

Eagles fly alone, but sheep flock together.

-Polish Proverb-