Shop Talk

On Tuesday, the talented Laura Bowers featured me on her blog, which was super fun. I got to answer questions about hair products and respond to hypothetical if-you-were-a-celebrity interrogations.I have to admit that her novel, Beauty Shop for Rent, is still in my "To Read" pile (which is large enough to be called a Tower at this point), but what I know right now is that I love the cover. Doesn't the girl on it look like Jen Steele, who won Miss Seventeen a couple of years ago? Anyone with me on that reference?

Win-it Wednesday!

Win it!

Okay, so I did promise a contest. I didn't say it had to be my contest, right?Here goes: Head to the blog of the gorgeous and talented Jolene Siana (author of the brilliant memoir Go Ask Ogre) where you've got a chance to win a signed copy of Violet on the Runway. Easy peasy! PS-Post your entry here too if you want more exposure. I will love it!

NYPL alert

I'm reading tomorrow night for Teen Author Reading Night at the Tompkins Square Branch of the NYPL, 331 E. 10th Street, off of Ave B, NYC, 6pm. David Levithan will be hosting and Jessica Blank, Robert Lipsyte, Wendy Mass, Kirsten Miller, Adrienne Vrettos, and I will be reading.You are invited! If you're not coming, please explain why in the comments section (it better be good). Thank you.

Love!

Go Glitter!

Big ups to Venus, an awesome zine that deemed me and VIOLET worthy of a profile by the lovely and hilarious author Sarah Grace McCandless (I'm not worthy!) in their annals of all things cool. Thank you!And also to Jocelyn at Teen Book Review, for the five-star action. Contest Wednesdays start tomorrow (and hopefully by then I'll have thought of a better title than "Contest Wednesdays"). PS-Like the glitz on this post? I cribbed the glitter idea from Sara Hantz. I love her shiny blog!

Books, books, books!

Just a note to keep checking this space for a chance to win Violet on the Runway, other books and other prizes (all good, I promise). I'm going to start doing a contest every Wednesday, just for fun, and because this is what I've done with my extra books so far: Also a reminder that 31 Flavorite Authors begins tonight, which is a chance to win major new books every night at 8pm EST. The lineup is awesome. Tonight: Meg Cabot. Happy Monday!

Graffiti and Fashion Week

Kelly Parra, author of the unique, original and--dare I say it?--fresh YA novel Graffiti Girl, interviewed me this week for YA Fresh. You can read the story here.AND, I had to post this picture from FORM's Fashion Week show earlier this month. That's my editor, Kate, me in the middle, and my publicist Jen. And I'm wearing a FORM dress they let me borrow--Jerry Tam rocks! ("Come Talk to Me" ring and necklace by Barry Wine at Butter and Bling!) Did I ever dream of getting dressed for a fashion party? No. It was awesome.

Sarah Dessen and Ally Carter... a thank you!

Just a public thank you to Sarah Dessen, who totally indulged my request that she read Violet on the Runway last year, and then gave me great encouragement. To top it off, just after having a baby, she mentioned my book on her widely read blog. We went to the same high school--and CHHS people look out for each other. Thanks, Sarah! And Ally Carter, whose soon-to-be-bestselling Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy is out next week!, did a big old post (scroll down) on a few great books that are just out, including Violet on the Runway. Dontcha just love it when authors are nice to each other? I'm totally paying it forward when I get some fans.

So you wanna be a writer? Plus, Gossip Girl creator Cynthia Eagan

Just a note to say check out my blog post about writing Violet on the Runway at seventeen.com, where you'll get tips on how to start writing while you're still in high school!Plus, take a look at this article in the NY Observer about Cynthia Eagan, the Little, Brown mind behind Gossip Girl and a lot of other bestselling series.... And, I'm in the NY Observer too, talking about my car (see page 2 of this story). Does anyone else love their car as much as I do? Sigh.

Contest Alert: Win a copy of VIOLET and a Juicy Tube!

There's an interview with me by the lovely Sara Hantz, author of The Second Virginity of Suzy Green at sarahantz.com, so if you have time to read it and comment, you'll have a chance to win a copy of Violet on the Runway and a Lancome Juicy Tube.Hello--free stuff! Go get it!

Gossip Girl: I'm smitten

To be honest, I had low expectations for GG. I'd heard mixed things before I turned on my DVR this morning, but an hour later I am hooked! Characters are well established; Manhattan locations are on-point (Serena and Nate hooking up at the Campbell Apartment--classic!); drama is firmly in place. I cannot wait for the second episode. The clincher was that I got a little nostalgic when I met Chuck. Anyone else agree with me that the new Steff is in town? James Spader as "Steff" in Pretty in Pink, 1986:

Ed Westwick as "Chuck" in Gossip Girl, 2007:

PS-Check out my interview about Violet on the Runway with The Urban Muse, and leave a comment if you like it!