I received a Valentine card from Anne Bustard, author of Buddy: The Story Of Buddy Holly (Simon & Schuster, 2005). It features an illustration by author/illustrator Kevin Henkes. Anne also brought me some chocolate kitties from Dr. Chocolate.

How sweet is that?

Speaking of sweet, I would like to send out Valentine’s Day greetings to my very cute husband, author Greg Leitich Smith!

But back to the books! I also wanted to mention that author Niki Burnham writes teen romance, and her titles include Royally Jacked (Simon Pulse, 2004), a recent Quick Pick, and Spin Control (Simon Pulse, 2004). Read an excerpt of Spin Control.

And for younger readers, check out The Legend Of The Valentine by Katherine Grace Bond, illustrated by Don Tate (Zondervan, 2002)–not just for Valentine’s Day but still a timely title.

Cynsational Links

Rosemary Graham: new Web site from the author of Thou Shall Not Dump The Skater Dude (And Other Commandments I Have Broken) and My Not-So-Terrible Time at the Hippie Hotel, both published by Viking. Check in to The Hippie Hotel (seriously cool book site) and read an excerpt of Thou Shall Not, coming in fall 2005.

An Interview With Graham Marks from ACHUKA Children’s Books. See also the ACHUKA archive for more interview with authors like Dian Curtis Regan (1997); Sharon Creech (1998), Philip Pullman (1998); David Almond (1999); Joan Bauer (1999); Diana Wynne Jones (2000); and more! Note: I first met Dian Curtis Regan online and then at the SCBWI National Conference in L.A.; I remember her as being incredibly kind and nurturing to a wide-eyed newcomer. Today, we’re friends, and I’m glad she’s living in Wichita, where I can sometimes visit her, her cat Gracie, and her 100 walruses (really!).

Mugging The Muse: Writing Fiction for Love and Money by Holly Lilse (an electronic book available for free via PDF or zip (scroll to “free stuff” format).

teenlibrarian: new blog; also see the Web site.