Reminder: I’m a 31 Flavorite author for October! I’ll be chatting Oct. 29 at the readergirlz MySpace group forum about Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007). To participate, friend the readergirlz site, and their group forum; we are celebrating YALSA’s Teen Read Week. Read a Cynsations interview with the Readergirlz Divas. Here’s the schedule:

Week One
1. Meg Cabot
2. Tiffany Trent
3. Brent Hartinger (author interview)
4. Lorie Ann Grover (author interview)
5. K.L. Going (author interview)
6. Nikki Grimes

Week Two
7. Ellen Hopkins
8. Justina Chen Headley (author interview)
9. Chris Crutcher
10. Ann Brashares
11. Sarah Mlynowski
12. Cecil Castellucci (author interview)
13. Kirby Larson

Week Three
14. Tanya Lee Stone (author interview)
15. John Green (author interview)
16. Sara Zarr (author interview)
17. Deb Caletti
18. Rachel Cohn
19. Kirsten Miller
20. Mitali Perkins

Week Four
21. Sonya Sones
22. Lisa Yee (author interview)
23. Carolyn Mackler
24. E. Lockhart (author interview)
25. Janet Lee Carey (author interview)
26. Gaby Triana
27. Lauren Myracle (author interview)

Week Five
28. Holly Black (author interview)
29. Cynthia Leitich Smith (author interview)
30. Dia Calhoun (author interview)
31. Stephenie Meyer (author interview)

Attention Texas College Students! Enter the Writers’ League of Texas annual College Horror Story Contest for the chance to win $200 and publication. The entry fee is five dollars per submission plus League membership ($15 for students). Deadline: Oct. 31. See details, guidelines, and entry form. Note: “Entry form may be printed and must be included with submission.”

Author April Lurie launches her recently redesigned website. April is the author of: Dancing in the Streets of Brooklyn (Delacorte, 2002)(excerpt)(author interview), Brothers, Boyfriends, and Other Criminal Minds (Delacorte, 2007)(excerpt)(author interview), and The Latent Powers of Dylan Fontaine (Delacorte, 2008); see more on April’s books.

In a recent review of Brothers, Boyfriends, and Other Criminal Minds, The Philadelphia Inquirer says, “April [the character, not the author] is in touch with her dark side, but she’s upbeat and athletic too, and never hesitates to cream the guys in her neighborhood at tennis. She has a matter-of-fact feminism that made me smile, an ability to stand up for herself that feels fresh, easy, youthful, and empowering.” Read the whole review.

Go see author David Lubar on The Campfire Weenies Book Tour. See The Curse of the Campfire Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales (Tor/Starscape, 2007). If you’re in Kentucky, Ohio, Washington, California, or Illinois (or can get there), check out the complete schedule! Read a Cynsations interview with David.

Mark your calendars! Children’s Book Week is scheduled for Nov. 12 to Nov. 18. See history, materials, and how to promote at the Children’s Book Council site.

YA Author/Title List: A Few Names and Titles to Get You Going by Mechele R. Dillard at Suite101.com.

More Personally

Congratulations to Kerry Collins, co-author (with Jana Seely) of Faces of Hearst Castle (Hearst Castle Press, 2007). “Faces of Hearst Castle offers a close look at over forty specially selected objects from William Randolph Hearst’s art collection…”

Author Greg Leitich Smith will join me in sharing “Santa Knows Story Structure,” a discussion of arc in the picture book, using our recent release Santa Knows, illustrated by Steve Bjorkman (Dutton, 2006) among others. The event is sponsored by Austin SCBWI and will begin at 11 a.m. Sept. 9 at the Barnes & Noble in Round Rock.

Reminder: If you would like a signed Tantalize (Candlewick, 2007) bookmark and/or a bookplate for any of my titles, please feel free to write me with a snail/street address. If you are underage, you may send a parent’s/guardian’s work street address. Check with them first.