Random observations

Just so you know, this is one of those posts where I don't really have anything super urgent to say, but I know that the longer I go without blogging, the more likely it is that I will slide into permanent blog inactivity. That being said, here's a few things I'm liking lately:

1) I'm not really a huge white chocolate fan, but I've been eating those Candy Cane Hershey's Kisses at an alarming rate. It's a good thing they only stock them seasonally.

2) Has anyone besides me ever seen Monarch of the Glen? It's sort of a Scottish soap opera that used to be on the local public television station. It's kind of cheesy but in an endearing way, and with their accents, I could probably listen to them read the phone book and not get bored.

3) Just finished The Maze Runner and it was awesome! If you like Ender's Game, don't miss this one. My only complaint is having to wait for the next book in the series to be released.

4) Speaking of good books, the next book in the Hashbrown Winters series is out; Hashbrown Winters and the Mashimoto Madness. If you haven't had a chance to check out the first one, you should-- it was imaginative and hilarious. I can't wait to pick up my copy of the next one.

5) Sarah Eden moved to Utah. Need I say more?

6) Getting really close to finishing the pudding novel.

7) The last season of LOST starts February 2nd!

Well, that's it really. I'll try to come up with something a little more earth-shattering next time. Happy New Year, everybody! :)

What happens when you go Christmas shopping by yourself late at night...

Am embarrassed to say that I mistakenly got in what I thought was a really long check out line at Old Navy... behind a couple of mannequins strategically grouped at the front of the store.

Just one of those proud moments in my life.

Is drool bad for my keyboard?

Running a little behind today. Having dental work done really takes it out of me. Now, I have to say that I have an EXCELLENT dentist who is really great about humoring me because he knows what a wuss I am. Still, as nice as he is, I'd rather see him in the grocery store, you know? But there are four words that make going to the dentist almost bearable.

I. Want. The. Gas.

I've figured out that if I get the nitrous when I'm having work done, it's a lot easier for all involved parties. It makes me forget that my first impulse is to bite and ask questions later. In fact, if I get enough in my system, I find that I don't much care what's happening to me anymore. I want them to calculate how much it will take to put me in a coma and then back it off just a smidge. My favorite part is when I get out to my car, forget that I currently have no control over my face, and reach for my water bottle. It's like a really crappy magic trick; water's in, aaaaaand it's out again. Now, that's classy.

As soon as I left, I went through the drive-thru window at the bank, and I kept trying to smile at the teller, who responded by giving me an alarmed look. Like, I know it's really none of my business, but do you really think it's safe for you to be driving while you're having a stroke?!?

Long story short, I survived the dentist this morning, and I can almost smile again without bystanders running to call an ambulance.

And now, the winners! (If you're one of the few that managed to hang with me through the dentist story, I really hope one of you won.)

Yay for Marcia, who won a copy of Santa Maybe, and hoorah for Anna, the winner of a copy of Stolen Christmas! Marcia, if you'll email me with an address, I'll get your book in the mail this weekend. And Anna, get in touch with Sarah. Thanks to everyone who entered-- I know that you were all hoping for a book and not just the warm feeling inside reserved for commenters, but we really do appreciate you!

Now, if you'll excuse me, I think the numbness has retreated enough that I could eat something without risking the partial loss of my tongue.

A quick announcement

I will be signing copies of Santa Maybe at the Orem Barnes and Noble LDS Author Event this Saturday, Dec 5th from 2-4 P.M. Even if you already have a copy of Santa Maybe, I'd still love for you to stop by and say hi, and there will be plenty of other cool authors there too-- definitely worth the drive. For more about the event, go here. http://store-locator.barnesandnoble.com/store/2626

And if you haven't entered The Great Holiday Giveaway yet, make sure you comment on both blogs (mine and Sarah's) to increase your chances of winning. You have no excuse for not entering, since (hint hint) all you have to do is look at the other comments to find the answer. The work has already been done for you by those pioneering early commenters. It's the ultimate open book test.

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Here it is, as promised...

All of you
Out in Book-ville
Really should know...


These two gals
Both have books
That just scream "Ho, Ho, Ho!"

Wondering what to get your friends and family this Christmas season? Never fear. Aubrey and Sarah are going to save your Christmas one gift at a time.


"Santa Maybe" by Aubrey Mace and "Stolen Christmas and Other Stories of the Season" featuring Sarah M. Eden's short story "Stolen Christmas" would make PERFECT holiday gifts!


And, in honor of the Season, we are hosting a double giveaway! Two prizes, two winners, two ways to enter.


To get in on the action, simply answer the following questions in the comment section of the specified blog:

At Aubrey's blog: Which famous author will Sarah impersonate in the much talked about contraband catalog scheme?


At Sarah's blog: What present did Aubrey decide she wanted in the "Santa Baby" game?

PSSSTTT!! The answers to both questions can be found in Aubrey's I Need Friends Interview found HERE.


The contest is open until Tuesday, December 8th. Enter for your chance to win!

Happy Holidays.

NaNoWriMo finish line!!!

Crossed over into 50,000+ word territory Saturday night/very early Sunday morning! The story isn't quite finished yet, but I had a good day yesterday and I'm almost at 54,000 words. I'm really curious to see exactly what I've got when I finish and I can go back and read it straight through, since it's had zero editing. Could be scary.

But it was a lot of fun and a great experience and I FINISHED! Even if the writing is crap, the fact that I did it is still amazing to me because I'm not a fast writer. It truly is an experiment of just focusing on spitting out lots of words that hopefully develop into a story somewhere along the way.

So... would I recommend NaNoWriMo to anyone who was undecided this year? Heck yes! And may I offer one piece of advice as a seasoned veteran? (ha ha) Tell everyone you know that you're doing it. Tell your family, (like they wouldn't notice when they don't see you for a month, right?) tell your friends, blog/Facebook/Twitter about it, brag to checkout person at the grocery store. Because when you hit the wall at 18,000 words, you're a lot less likely to punk out since EVERYONE YOU KNOW keeps asking how it's going. Unless you want to admit crushing defeat to your entire social network, you will finish.

So, there it is. Tune in tomorrow for info on a super cool Christmas giveaway you won't want to miss!

NaNoWriMo update #2- The Downhill Slide

I crossed the 40,000 word mark last night. (And yes, it's still about pudding.)

I'm having a really good time with this book, although I highly doubt it's going to be anything that anyone will want to publish. Who knows-- maybe once it goes through some major editing, it might be marketable. But maybe that wasn't the point. **Epiphany alert** Maybe this book was meant to help me remember that writing is supposed to be FUN.

Went into the Sandy Barnes & Noble this weekend and actually found Santa Maybe out on a New Fiction table-- I almost had a heart attack! It was a major milestone for me, and I'm sure that there were several customers wondering why I was doing the Snoopy happy dance in the middle of the store. I'm lucky they didn't call security and have me taken down with a tranquilizer gun.

Gearing up for cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Nothing like spending two days cooking a meal that will be devoured in thirty minutes or less, right? Seriously, couldn't the NaNoWriMo people have picked a less hectic month? How about February or March?

Also, watch for more info next week on a giveaway that I am co-hosting with the lovely Sarah Eden! We're still working out the specifics, but with the two of us involved, it should be nothing short of spectacular. (Or at least mildly entertaining.) She has a short story included in the new book Stolen Christmas, a collection of stories from the LDS Publisher blog, and I can't wait to get my copy. Hopefully, you'll win one in our contest, but if you just can't wait, go here.

https://www.createspace.com/Customer/EStore.do?id=3410673

Hopefully, I'll be blogging again between now and the 30th, but with Thanksgiving and the deadline for NaNoWriMo looming, I can't guarantee anything. I might get too caught up making a thousand pies. Okay, six pies, but seriously. It's been scientifically proven that if you're going to make six pies, you might as well make a thousand. Or maybe it was six pies feels like a thousand? I forget. There was some kind of mathematical equation involved. But just to be on the safe side, everyone have a very happy holiday and if you're doing NaNoWriMo and you want to maintain that tentative hold on your sanity, just order your pies this year, okay? :)

Book review-- "The Ball's in Her Court"

First of all, can I just say how nice Heather Justesen is?

I finally met her (after much emailing) at a booksigning we did at Barnes and Noble a couple of weeks ago, and she was such a down-to-earth, genuinely sweet person...with a new novel that you romance fans should definitely put on your to-read list.

Here's the blurb:

She's got a great job, a loving group of family and friends and basketball skills like you wouldn't believe, but Denise DeWalt's life is far from perfect, and she's about to come face-to-face with a past she hoped to leave behind forever.

Twenty-six-year-old Denise thinks she's come to terms with her childhood in the foster care system, but when her old nightmares return, Denise realizes that she must deal with her past once and for all if she ever wants to move on to a brighter future with Rich, the only man who can see past her former life. As Denise's search moves her closer and closer to the one person she hoped she'd never have to face again, she begins to realize that her future depends on just one person-- herself.

This emotional and inspirational love story proves that life is full of unexpected twists and turns-- especially when it comes to facing your demons, fighting for love, and finding happiness for the future.

Just so you know, this is not a romance for people who want the course of love to run smoothly. (But if there wasn't a little conflict and heartache getting our main characters together, really, what fun would that be?) Denise has survived what can only be described as a miserable childhood. She has made a life for herself, but it isn't hard to see that she's broken. Enter Rich. :)

I found myself rooting for Denise and Rich, struggling to succeed in what seemed like an impossible relationship. And Rich definitely qualifies for the Hall of Fame in the category of Persistent, Caring Boyfriend-- watching him pursue Denise despite her hangups and reservations gave me hope that there might actually be such a man in existence. My only complaint was the mystery surrounding Denise's roommate, Lily, which was never fully explained. But when I met Heather, she reassured me that all would be revealed in her new book, Rebound, which is due to be released next summer.

So, if you like a little meat to your romance, give this one a try!

If you want to learn more about Heather or watch her book trailer, check out her website: www.heatherjustesen.com

*I agreed to be on Heather's blog tour, and she kindly provided me with a copy of her book to review, which did not influence my review in any way. 'Nuff said.

NaNoWriMo update (very short and amusing)

I had a blinding realization yesterday while trying to meet my nightly NaNoWriMo quota. But before I let you in on my very humorous secret, let me give you a short overview.

16,335 words so far, which is awesome except I've gone COMPLETELY off the reservation. Don't know how it happened, but I guess that's what I get for writing without an outline. I was seriously considering bagging the whole thing except it's too late to start something new and, despite my better judgment, I can't help being curious about what's going to happen next.

I may, in fact, be writing a book about pudding.

Saturday is a special day :)

Saturday is going to be awesome, almost more fun than any one person has a right to expect out of life. It's a day I've been anticipating for YEARS.

Did I mention that I'm very excited for this signing? Well, I'm excited for every signing, but this one is a little different. This is my first signing at the Sandy Barnes and Noble (10180 S State St.). What is so special about this particular Barnes and Noble, you might ask?

This is not just any Barnes and Noble-- it's MY Barnes and Noble. Every writer/reader has a bookstore that's theirs, and this one is mine. It's the place where I went at least once a week and discovered treasures; new authors and books that would become hugely important in shaping me into the person I am today. It's the store where I went to dream, to find the place where my hypothetical book would be on the shelf one day, and it's also the place I went when I felt discouraged and bitter, just sure that the day would never come when I would hold a book with my name on the cover. In short, it's the place where I grew up and became a writer. No matter where I end up in the world, it will always be MY bookstore.

So I hope you'll stop by if you have a minute. I'm signing with Heather Justesen (The Ball's in Her Court), Linda Chadwick (Second Chances), and Ronda Hinrichsen (Missing) from 2-4 p.m. There will be a drawing for prizes and, just in case you didn't get enough sugar on Halloween, there will also be chocolate. :) Believe me when I say that I will be over the moon to see your happy, smiling faces.

Also, here is another review for Santa Maybe. Love you long time, Alison!

http://alisonpalmer.blogspot.com/2009/11/santa-maybe-by-aubrey-mace.html

NaNoWriMo... or the Beginning of the End?

So, I decided to do NaNoWriMo at the last minute... on Halloween. When you've eaten your Recommended Yearly Allowance of sugar in one day and you're so buzzed that you really shouldn't make any important decisions or operate heavy machinery. I think that maybe there should be a three-day waiting period when you sign up for it-- you know, like buying a hand gun? I've never done it before. I've never even heard of it before this year, and then suddenly, it's ALL I've heard about nonstop for the last month. In retrospect, I think maybe I ended up doing it because of peer pressure.

(whine) But, Mom, everybody's doing it!

Don't get me wrong, I think it's a great idea, but I can't help wondering if it isn't tempting fate a little. There's nothing like committing to write 50,000 words in the next month to guarantee that every other area of your life is going to suddenly require some major renovations.

But I am excited. Hopeful. Giddy, in fact.

I wrote 3,200 words yesterday, which is more than I've written in the last seven months combined. Granted, there is no plot and I have no idea where it's going, but I'm putting words on a page again, dangit!

So, right now I'm not focused on writing the great American novel. I'm not even writing a mediocre novel. My goal is to finish. To keep putting more and more words on the page every day, even if it is total and utter crap.

Oh, and here are a couple of great reviews for Santa Maybe. Thanks to everybody! :)

www.jewelsbestgems.blogspot.com/.../to-thine-own-self-be-true.html

www.tristipinkston.blogspot.com/.../book-review-santa-maybe-by-aubrey-mace.html -

http://scripturemom.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-review-santa-maybe.html

http://heatherjustesen.blogspot.com/2009/10/book-reiview-santa-maybe-by-aubrey-mace.html

Hallelujah!

Deseret Book has copies of Santa Maybe! I have seen them. With my own eyes.

Disclaimer: The Deseret Book on Fort Union in Midvale has some. As much as I wanted to, I didn't jump in the car and set off to check every store in Utah, so I can't vouch for the others...yet.

Better get over there and pick one up before my mom buys them all. ;)

Got a key lime pie on the way home to celebrate. Now, I'm off to do my penance on the treadmill. I hope my leopard Halloween costume will still fit-- don't want to scare the children!

Happy Friday, and a Merry Halloween to all! May your trick or treat buckets be filled with a delicious variety of name brand chocolate with nary a circus peanut to be found.

The package is in the open.

Santa Maybe is now in stock to order from www.barnesandnoble.com! Amazon should be getting their copies anyday. Ditto Deseret Book. Haven't heard about Seagull yet. And of course, there's always the www.cedarfort.com website.

By the way, I'll be doing a book signing with Heather Justesen, Ronda Hinrichsen, and Linda Chadwick soon! We'll be at the Sandy Barnes and Noble on Saturday, November 7th from 2-4 PM. Should be lots of fun! Linda and I met at a signing at the Seagull Book in Logan, and I'm looking forward to meeting Heather and Ronda. We'd love for you to stop by if you happen to be in the neighborhood. I'm particularly excited for this signing because it's the first one I won't have to drive for days to get to. It's literally five blocks from my house-- yay!

To weep or not to weep...

I was in Seagull Book last night looking for Santa Maybe and saw Spare Change on the bargain table.

For $3.99. Horrors.

It's even in the catalogue this month, next to Shannon Guymon's Soul Searching, which is a great book and also $3.99 right now. So at least it was in good company-- I suppose that's something.

I knew this day would come, but I still couldn't decide whether to wail uncontrollably while frantically hugging a stack of my sharply discounted novels or be happy that more people would be able to afford to read it.

I decided to take the middle ground. I blinked back my tears, patted the copy on the top of the pile sympathetically, and promptly headed to Krispy Kreme. Fortunately, the HOT DOUGHNUTS NOW light was on, so at least the night ended well.

Second chance!

Since I never heard back from one of our winners, I drew another name for the other copy of Santa Maybe.

Congratulations, kimiko! If you'll email me with your address, (aubreymace@yahoo.com) I'll send you a copy soon!

Also, I'm reading a book right now that is SO GOOD that I have to mention it-- The Angel's Game, by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. I'm about halfway through and I'm having trouble putting it down to do those everyday things like eating, sleeping... going to work. But at the same time, I don't want to read it too quickly because I know that it will be one of those books that I'm truly sad when it's finished. So I'm torn between wanting to find out what happens and trying to drag it out a bit longer. It's beautifully written, and I have absolutely no idea how it will end. I think that's the ultimate definition of a great book. :)

Who's up for an adventure?

For anyone who lives in the Salt Lake area, here's another chance to score yourself a copy of Santa Maybe! But it takes a little effort on your part-- sort of like a treasure hunt. :)

I'll be releasing a copy of Santa Maybe through Bookcrossing, which is a lot of fun if you've never tried it before. Basically, you go to their website, www.bookcrossing.com, and register books before leaving them in places for strangers to find. They call it "releasing books into the wild", a description whose mental picture never fails to make me giggle. Ideally, people will read them and make journal entries at Bookcrossing before continuing the whole cycle again. It's the great circle of life... only with books! I've left copies of each of my own books (and also some others that I liked but knew I would never read again) with varying degrees of success, But it always makes me so giddy, knowing that my books are off on their own adventures. So if you feel like going on a book hunt, go check out the website and find out where I'll be placing the copy tomorrow!

Also, a quick note-- I still haven't heard from candibaby with an address. If I haven't gotten a response by Monday, October 19th, I'll draw another name for the second copy of Santa Maybe.

And the award(s) go to...

Sorry-- not trying to drive you all crazy with suspense! Just having a busy morning; typical Friday.

I'm always in awe of people who do giveaways on their blog and have a website randomly generate their winners. Unfortunately, I'm just not on that technological level, so my winners were chosen the old-fashioned way-- drawn out of a hat by someone who had to walk uphill in the snow both ways just to perform the service. :)

So, without further adieu, the winners are candibaby and Kelly O!

Congratulations to you both! If you'll email me at aubrey.mace@imail.org with your address, I'll get your signed copies of Santa Maybe in the mail soon.

Thanks everyone for all your good news-- it cheered me up! I wish I had enough copies to send one to everybody who entered. (Sarah, I'm dying to know what you wanted your inscription to be!) And welcome to everyone who came over from Melanie's blog! I hope you'll visit again, even though I'm nowhere near as witty and prolific as she is. :)

If you're looking for something good to read this weekend, go pick up Catching Fire. I didn't think I could like it as much as Hunger Games, but surprisingly, I think it was even better. And if you haven't read Hunger Games yet, you're missing out! Get thee to a bookstore immediately!

Happy Friday, and Happy Reading!

Ahem. I stand corrected.

Wow. I didn't know I even had fifteen friends, much less fifteen friends who read this blog! I think that I might have to show my gratitude by giving away TWO copies of Santa Maybe instead!

There's still plenty of time to enter if you haven't yet, and you definitely should because now you have an even better chance of winning. Yay! Just leave a comment telling me something good that happened to you today and I'll throw your name into the pot for the drawing on Thursday night.

Thanks everybody-- you made my day. :)

It's here. We have it now.

Finally got my copies of Santa Maybe on Tuesday, and I had every intention of updating my blog that very night, but life's been a little nonstop crazy for the past few days. It's funny, but I've been thinking the book was coming any day now for so long that when it finally did, it was just the teeniest bit, well, dare I say... anticlimactic.

Maybe I'm just having a hard time trying to get hyped about Christmas in October. Anyway, I was thinking that I needed to do something to crank up the excitement level, and what fosters more good will and hoopla in general than a giveaway, right?

So, I'm giving away one brand new crisp copy, straight out of the box. All you have to do to be entered to win is leave a comment on this post about one good thing that happened to you today. Having had a somewhat miserable day myself, I felt I needed to be reminded that there are still nice things happening in the world. Yes, it's all about me tonight. :)

I will be drawing the name of the winner next Thursday at exactly 8:05 PM and the lucky person will be announced at this very location some time on Friday. (At which point I promise to be a good deal cheerier.) Don't miss this chance to get your free copy. If you are one of the five or so intelligent people who read this blog, you know that small numbers = odds definitely in your favor. It's easier than shooting fish in a barrel!

A quick FYI

If you should find yourself in Logan on Saturday, stop by the Seagull Book and say hello! I'll be signing at their Celebrating Sisterhood event from 10am-12pm. Unless there is a Christmas miracle, I'm guessing I'll be signing copies of My Fairy Grandmother. :)

Hopefully, I'll have some good news about Santa Maybe next week!

Writer's block really makes you question everything.

Okay, that probably sounds a bit overdramatic. I've been afflicted with this particular ailment, to some degree, with each book I've written. It's a stumbling block, and I usually just try to work on something else until the feeling passes.

But this is no stumbling block. I'm looking down into the chasm of six solid months now, gaping like a...... crap, I can't even come up with a good gaping metaphor! I'm 130ish pages into my current novel and I have it all sketched out. I know the beginning, middle, and ending, but I can't even look at it anymore. I'll admit at first it was kind of nice to have an excuse to just watch a movie or read a book, but lately I've been starting to panic. In fact, I'm making my way through the grief cycle backwards-- I started at acceptance and I'm quickly moving into the depression/bargaining/anger phases.

And fear. I think anyone who writes can sympathize with that fear; when you stare at the blank paper/screen and wonder bleakly if you'll EVER WRITE ANYTHING AGAIN. (And if you're the writer who doesn't get it, who fills page after page effortlessly and has never had so much as an off day, my better self is very happy for you. But let's not talk for a while, 'kay?)

So eventually you start to think, if I can't write anymore, what am I? Who am I? Which is just silly. Writing is a huge part of me, but it's still just a part. There's so much more to life than that. Still, when you reach that six month point, you're starting to feel so picked on that everything just seems more dire than it really is.

On the other hand... it could always be worse. Today I looked up writer's block on Wikipedia and found Henry Roth, an author whose first novel was published in 1934.

Enter writer's block.

His second novel made it's debut in, wait for it... 1994.

SIXTY YEARS!

Suddenly six months isn't looking so bad. :)

In which the gun has officially been jumped

After a slight panic attack today, picturing boxes of my books slung unopened in the corner of some stranger's garage, I decided that I'd waited as long as I could. So I emailed someone at my publisher to see if they could track my books and see whose garage they ended up in.

Fortunately, the answer is not as complicated as the garage scenario.

Apparently there was some confusion and I was given the date the books were being shipped from the printer to the publisher, not the publisher to me. So... they're still a couple of weeks out.

Patience, grasshopper. Patience, grasshopper. (It's my new mantra.)

It could be worse. At least I won't be arrested for being caught prowling around my neighbor's garages at night.

The Waiting is the Hardest Part

This post is in reponse to a comment from Karen, who continually urges me to be a better, more frequent blogger. :)

In my last post, she asked what my reaction was when the first copies of Santa Maybe arrived at my house.

The world may never know.

I talked to someone from Cedar Fort on the day they shipped. Can't remember what day it was exactly-- seems like it was months ago, but most likely it was last week some time. So I've been mentally calculating when I expect THE BOX to appear on my doorstep.

I was convinced THE BOX would be waiting for me when I got home from work on Tuesday.

It wasn't.

So I knew for sure that it would arrive on Wednesday, which is my day off, and wouldn't that be great fun to be here for the big moment?

Imagine my surprise when I peeked out the door for the 386th time that day to find... no box.

For some reason, I had a really good feeling about Thursday when I woke up. Surely it would come Thursday. Turns out the good feeling was nothing more than a misdirected vibe about an unbelievable parking space I ended up with at work.

Still no box. Not even a hint of a box.

Ditto Friday.

Holding out great hopes for tomorrow. I'll keep you posted.

By the way, Karen, I'm just the opposite when my book arrives. Not only do I have to read it, but I have to read it IMMEDIATELY so that I can find the inevitable typo that I missed. I want to be the first to know so that when someone says, "I hate to tell you this, but on page 34..." I'll be prepared.

My new Friday Friend :)

I was invited by the fabulous Sarah Eden to be a guest on her "I Need Friends Friday" blog. Go check it out tomorrow if you have a minute-- I think you will agree that she is HILARIOUS! And not only does she have a great sense of humor, she also taught me how to put this button on my blog. And it takes a lot of patience to teach me computer stuff. Seriously, if it's technology related, trained chimps pick things up faster. Aside from being a brilliant author, she is also a very talented artist. If nothing else, you should at least go see my personalized, signed portrait! It's definitely going on the wall of my office. (Well, it would... if I had an office.)

Thanks again, Sarah-- you're the best! And Happy Friday everybody!

Drumroll please...

The cover for Santa Maybe is up on Amazon!!! If you're curious or excited or just bored and looking for something to kill a few minutes, go check it out! After all, Christmas is only four months away! (ducking to avoid those of you who are throwing things)

I guess it's almost time to start camping out, waiting for the UPS guy to show up with that REALLY special box... :) Maybe not quite yet. After a week or so, living out of a tent in the front yard starts to lose some of the original appeal.

Go, me!

I am blogging for the SECOND time this week-- not because I really have anything to say, but just to prove that it's possible. :)

Next time, I'll post something earth shattering! Watch out for it!

Aubrey's been a bad, bad blogger :(

I've been feeling guilty about not updating my blog lately, and then I felt even worse when I logged on and read Karen's comment on my last post about how I am (generally and sadly) absent from blogging world. I really am sorry... it's not because I don't care! It doesn't seem to matter how good my intentions are at keeping my blog up to date. Other things just get in the way. I've said it before, and I'll say it again-- I'm a crap blogger.

That said, I really will TRY to do better. Really, you should thank me for not posting more often and boring you to tears. My life simply isn't riveting enough to post every day. But I should think I could come up with something maybe once a week. :)

The Barnes and Noble Authorpalooza booksigning was lots of fun. I got to sit and visit with two very cool authors from Cedar Fort-- Frank Cole and Jillayne Clements. The employees at Barnes and Noble were super friendly. AND I got to have my copy of The Hourglass Door signed; two birds, one stone!

Also, I just got my cover for Santa Maybe and it looks great. Kudos to Jen Boss, who designed my cover this time around. Santa Maybe is being printed as we speak, and it should be available from Cedar Fort mid-September-ish. Can't wait to see the finished product!

Happy Friday :)

Two bits of good news:

1) Just found out that Walmart is carrying My Fairy Grandmother, which is very cool. Someone I work with told me yesterday that they saw it there, but I half thought she was joking. (Not because she's a cruel person-- I just don't expect good things to happen to me.) Then I got an email from Cedar Fort telling me that they'd placed the book in Walmart, which for any normal person would be proof enough, but I still didn't believe it until I saw it tonight with my own eyes. Had to stifle the urge to stand in the middle of the aisle blocking traffic, telling everyone that it was MY book. I thought that impulse would lessen after Spare Change, but so far, I still want to shout it from the rooftops. I also wanted to sneak through the store, placing copies in unattended carts, but I managed to control myself.

2) I'll be doing a booksigning at the Orem Barnes and Noble on Tuesday, August 11th from 8-10 PM. If you're out late and you're in the area, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd stop by so it looks like I have friends. :)

Sweetwater Writers Conference and Congrats Melanie!

Cedar Fort is hosting the Sweetwater Writers Conference on Saturday, June 6th from 9-5 PM. I attended their 6-7-8 Conference last year, and the speakers were great. Spare Change was barely out then, so it was so fun to meet and learn from so many other authors. I also met one of my critique partners there, Melanie Jacobson, who actually just found out today that her novel has been accepted for publication! Yay, Melanie! She is an amazing writer and I am so excited for her. I can't wait to see her book on the shelf. I'm certain she'll be blogging about it soon-- if you're interested, go to www.readandwritestuff.blogspot.com. In fact, go there even if you're not interested because her blog is hilarious.

So, to sum up, this is an excellent opportunity for anyone who is interested in improving their writing or networking or maybe even finding an awesome critique partner! :) It's just a really cool way to spend a Saturday. I'm bummed that I don't get to go this year because I have a conflict that weekend.

For more information on the Sweetwater Writers Conference, go to www.cedarfort.com.

I almost forgot...

I will be doing my FIRST EVER book signing at Women's Conference. I'll be at the BYU Bookstore on Friday, May 1st from 1:30-3:30. So if you happen to be around, I'd love to see you!

Yes, all four of you who read this blog.

And if that isn't enough to convince you...

There will be chocolate. :)

My amazing weekend!

On Saturday, I attended the LDStorymakers Conference, and it was awesome! I'm kind of a shy girl, especially in large social situations where I don't know anyone. I tend to shut down and pretend to be invisible. But once I quit hiding in the bathroom, I met some really cool people and went to some great classes. And I got the chance to spend some time with one of my critique partners, Melanie. Check out her alternatively touching and hilarious blog at www.readandwritestuff.blogspot.com. (Tried to link, but I'm fairly certain it didn't work. It's pathetic how technologically challenged I am. ) Anyway, it was so much fun to spend the day with her-- she was kind enough to hang with me so that I didn't look friendless. :) I can't wait until her book is published and I can say proudly, "I know that girl!"

I also got to meet Sarah Eden, an amazing writer who I was betting on to win for Best Romance...and who was kind enough to very sincerely congratulate me when I won instead. If you haven't read Seeking Persephone, you must check it out! If you like Jane Austen, you will love her gorgeous Regency romances! You can find her at www.sarahmeden.com.

I met lots of other authors and bloggers who I am in awe of, but I don't want to go off on a name-dropping tangent: raging anxiety + hero worship = faulty memory. I know that someone will inevitably be forgotten. The only regret I had was that I didn't get a chance to meet EVERYONE- there just wasn't enough time. Next year, I'm definitely going for both days. And if I cut back on the time I spent hiding, that should help as well.

The Whitney Awards were that night, and I have to say that the whole thing had a rather dreamlike quality. When I arrived, I wasn't worried about losing my balance and breaking my neck in my heels or having to make a speech because I'd read the other books that were nominated with mine and I knew that I'd be happy cheering for any one of them when THEY won. I felt so lucky just to be nominated with a group of such talented authors that to actually win was so far beyond my expectations. But I DID, and it was incredible! No matter what else I write, I will always remember that moment and how it was wonderful and terrifying at the same time.

And I even managed to stay upright in my heels. :)

Where you can find the new book...so far :)

Just an FYI-- some people have been telling me that they're having a hard time finding My Fairy Grandmother on the Cedar Fort website. If you go to the old website, www.cedarfort.com, click on the bar at the top of the screen that says, "Test drive our new site". This will take you to the new Cedar Fort beta website where you can buy the book. And if your internet explorer isn't new enough to support the website, you can also get the book on Amazon. I haven't heard for sure which stores will be carrying it yet, but it took a few weeks last time for them to start appearing on the shelves.

Thanks everybody! Be sure to let me know what you think-- I really hope you enjoy it!

It's HERE!!!

My copies of My Fairy Grandmother arrived yesterday, and I had to stop myself from jumping up and down and hugging the UPS guy. :) I haven't have a chance to flip through it yet, but the cover is gorgeous. You can pre-order it on Amazon and it should be available on the Cedar Fort website any day now-- www.cedarfort.com

VERY exciting news!

Just found out this week that Spare Change has been nominated for a Whitney Award in two categories-- romance and best book by a new author. I am thrilled and surprised and mostly humbled, all at the same time! I am very honored to be included in this group of authors I admire so much.

Valentine's Day Book Giveaway

Brittany Mangus is sponsoring a book giveaway for Valentine's Day on her blog. So, if you're interested in a drawing for some awesome FREE books, head on over there and enter! And check out her book, Prepare Now for the Temple. It is written specifically for young women, but definitely appropriate for any girl who has questions about what she needs to do to prepare for this sacred experience.

www.authorbee.blogspot.com

Also, I just got some excellent news from Cedar Fort. My next book, My Fairy Grandmother, is due to be released in March. I've seen the cover, and it's perfect. They have also accepted my Christmas comedy/romance novel for publication during the 2009 holiday season! It's going to be a busy year, but I'm really looking forward to it!