E. Lockhart's Blog

Indonesian covers

Here are the Indonesian covers for The Boyfriend List and The Boy Book. Interesting, huh? As with the American paperbacks, Ruby takes off her glasses or pushes them up on her head.  They completely redesigned the look of the books for Treasure Map of Boys though. I'll show you when I have final art. 

I really like the little pengie on the back jacket of The Boy Book.

So much going on!

So much is going on.

First, FOUR of my dear friends have new books out. Two of them came out TODAY. 

1. Lauren Myracle's Oopsy Daisy, book three in the Flower Power series that started with Luv Ya Bunches. The 9 year-olds I know (and I know many) devour this series, and Lauren is in top notch hysterical form.

2. Jenn Lynn Barnes's Every Other Day. (How amazing is that cover?) It's about a girl who is a demon hunter -- but only every other day. Which causes some problems, yeah?  Jennifer is a master of supernatural suspense thriller type stuff, and you have to go read it.

3. John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. I am a bit scared to read it because I know it will involve DEATH as well as lots of humor and I will cry huge unmanly tears. But he is one of my favorite writers ever so I will face the cancer and sob.

4. Melissa Kantor's The Darlings in Love. I read The Darlings and it is just so New York and so smart and sweet and full of insights about friendship and humanity. I've started the second and it's more of that, only with extra boys! I don't know what else you could want, honestly. 

In other news, I am blogging while eating spearming jelly candies, just like Roo does. Also, the paperback of REAL LIVE BOYFRIENDS is in stores now, as of two weeks ago. Now you can get a complete set of matcng Ruby books, if you like matching things. All the paperbacks go together (unlike the hardcovers). 

Also, how wonderful is this photo of Doctor Seuss, Judy Blume and Maurice Sendak? You don't need to tell me. I know!  Via Blume on twitter via Maria T. Lambert.

Also, Toys Come Home (written as Emily Jenkins) was a Wall Street Journal Best Children's Book of the year. So I am quite pleased about that. And if you need more convincing to buy this book for the 4-10 year-old in your life, here is the School Library Journal blog post that made my head explode. 

Also, are you following me on Twitter? Because I am a much worse blogger than I used to be, but really not bad at the tweeting business, if I do say so myself. 

Happy reading.

xo
E 

Holiday Personalized Books Reminder

Happy Holidays.

Reminder: If you want to give a book to your teenager with a note from me in it, plus an autograph, a free bookmark and free gift wrap, you can order such a thing online here and support a great indie bookshop, WORD BROOKLYN. Guaranteed holiday shipping. Order by Dec 14.

Here are all the details.

I will write whatever crazy thing you want me to write!  

Another reminder: The paperback of Real Live Boyfriends (book four, Ruby Oliver quartet) releases December 28th. Just in time for Christmas and Hannukah to be OVER. But whatever. I don't control these things.

Last, I want to share this picture, drawn by Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky, who illustrated Toys Come Home (fresh on shelves now) and Toys Go Out and Toy Dance Party. 

It's a never-before and never-again illustrated picture of the scene from Toys Come Home where Lumphy and StingRay discuss vomit. (Lumphy is nauseated.) Paul drew it while were on tour, and I love it so much.

 

Cheapy cheap eBook! How to Be Bad.

Cheapy cheap eBook!

Now for a SHORT time, my novel How to Be Bad is only $1.99 in eBook format from BN.  
Edited to add: Also on ITunes, same great price.  And Books-a-Million, same dealie. 

Edited again to add: Finally, on Kindle, too!  Plus, don't forget you can buy it through an independent bookshop, too. I love Tattered Cover and you can buy it from their online shop. Likewise, Keplers. And Mrs. Nelson's. All same super great price.

About How to Be Bad:
If you like Frankie, you'll like Vicks. Promise. She's a kick-butt younger sister of like, six older brothers (could be five, I can't remember) -- who takes off with her two best friends on a Florida road trip to hunt down a guy who's doing her wrong.  

I co-wrote this book with Sarah Mlynowski & Lauren Myracle. How to Be Bad is three times the fun, cause it's all three of us together!  Yippee!  

Cheesy to say, I know. But true!

Sarah's new book is Ten Things We Did, and Lauren's new one is Shine.

Ten Things is hilarious and RACY and all about what happens when two girls are living alone without parents for junior year of high school. Shine is southern gothic -- a stunning, disturbing mystery about a horrific hate crime and the way it affects the victim's oldest friend. And lookie! Here is a video we made together about the book! It has ridiculous footage of our tour hijinks, also.

Anyway, here's that linkie to the eBook again. $1.99.

A Post of Many Things

A couple to catch you all up on. I will make a list!

1. My book Invisible Inkling (published as Emily Jenkins) got gushed over in Booklist and The Horn Book, so this bit is from The Department of Self-Aggrandizement.  

"With a mix of wild humor, fantasy, and sadness, this series starter offers a moving story about defeating bullies...what will pull readers most is the everyday realism." -- Booklist

"...hilarious and heartwarming. This would be a perfect choice for an early school year read-aloud: straightforward, zippy plot, likable characters, and believable family."  -- The Horn Book

2. Did you know Invisible Inkling is out on Audio? Narrated by the very funny Michael Goldstrom (who also did Gutman's The Genius Files). He gives Inkling a vaguely Indian accent! (I was surprised.) It's a really lovely production. 

3. My pal Andrew Cotto, who is super smart and an excellent writer, has a new book for teens: The Domino Effect. It's about a kid who's had it tough in Queens and his coming of age at Hamden Academy.

4. If you're not following me on Twitter you are missing  pygmy hedghogs, the great #YASAVES arguments, cat pee and more!  

5. Oh dear. My battery is at 12%. My editor is supposed to call me five minutes ago (Hi Donna), and the dude behind the coffee-shop counter is giving me the evil eye cause I have been here so long. I probably have a gazillion more things I should blog about but for now I will sign off. 

Happy Weekend!

E.

 

YA Mafia

My newest book.* Out today!

YA MAFIA, a collection of short stories

compiled by E. Lockhart and John Green
The cool kids rule in this anthology of tales that leaves the losers behind.
And unpublished.

 

 

* Happy April Fool's day.  This awesome cover and flap copy, and the whole idea, brought to you by The Horn Book. 

Stuff.

Hi cuties.

I am doing a week of elementary school visits. I am in elementary land for a while, right now!  (Elementary land can be found here.)  That's me.  Also because Invisible Inkling comes out April 26! 

"The most truthful depiction of bullying I have ever seen in children’s fiction..a great work of imagination." See the full review here. 

"Anyone who who has ever had an imaginary friend will appreciate sassy Inkling." -- Kirkus Reviews   "Invisible Inkling is charming, fresh and funny. Now I want an invisible friend of my own!" -- Sara Pennypacker, author of the best-selling Clementine series Please come visit me in elementary land. It is seriously fun here. Harry Bliss and Paul O. Zelinsky do the pictures.

My Book, Invisible Inkling

 

So, maybe you don't know this yet, or maybe you do, but I write books under another name. For younger kids.

This is the trailer for my new book that comes out in April! Invisible Inkling, with pictures by NYTimes best-selling illustrator, Harry Bliss.

I encourage you to watch it, share it, link to it, etc. and most importantly, for teachers and librarians, to use it to booktalk Inkling with your kids.

Those of you who have no interest in books for younger readers, ignore this post. As you were.

Or, you can just watch the video anyway and wonder why I don't get my bangs trimmed and why I am wearing a Hufflepuff scarf (trivia: Judy Blundell has the same one!).

News

Lots of little newsy bits:

There's a contest on Figment to win copies of Real Live Boyfriends! Ends  tomorrow, Jan 13. 

I am on blog tour! First stop was making a list at Confessions of a Bookaholic. Second was my secret double life at Random Acts of Reading. Later today there's a letter to readers at Books on the House, but as of now it's not up. 

Then Thursday I will be at Figment answering questions. I'll post the link when I get it.

My appearance calendar is updated -- check out Jan and Feb events.

Last, Real Live Boyfriends is on YALSA's list of Best Fiction for Young Adults. See all the books here!

Real Live Boyfriends and Year-End survey, 2010

The Department of Self-Aggrandizement requests that I inform you my latest book, REAL LIVE BOYFRIENDS, comes out today (Dec 28). Woot!  Read all about it here.  Or read a sneak preview bit here. 

“This hilarious novel [is] narrated in Ruby’s perfectly executed teenspeak and littered with her manic lists….Like, really recommended.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Everyone’s favorite neurotic, prone-to-panic high-school student is back…Fans of the series will clamor for Ruby’s latest adventure.” — Booklist

_____________________

Okay, enough about that.  Did you all have a good Christmas, if you celebrate? We are snowed in, here. There is a lot of baking going on (cranberry-orange loaf cake this morning) and sledding and watching of movies (Back to the Future really holds up.) 

It is nice to be on vacation, but I miss writing. A bit. I have revisions to do on a book starting in early January, and right after that I have to start the next one. 

Happy New Year, all!  Most years since 2004 I do this year-end meme. Here's the 2004 one.  It's interesting to look back and see what's changed.  If you feel like it, post yours in the comments! 

xo

E

 

YEAR-END SURVEY 2010

1. What did you do in 2010 that you'd never done before? 
I went to Walmart.

2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I can't remember if I made one.  I think I am going to resolve to do yoga for 20 mins 3x a week. I have done this before and it makes me feel very good. But haven't done it in a year or so. 

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes! Shout out to baby Dante.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
I was a local girl. But I went to Florida a lot. 

6. What would you like to have in 2011 that you lacked in 2010?
A full-night's sleep -- regularly.

7. What date from 2010 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
Today! My book birthday for Real Live Boyfriends.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I  finally got my hair the color I like it. 

9. What was your biggest failure?
There is a project I really wanted to work on, and I couldn't get myself considered for it. I tried, but maybe there are avenues I could have pursued, but didn't.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
No. I'm tremendously lucky.

11. What was the best thing you bought? 
An apartment.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
My pal Maryrose Wood gave me some really great advice.  

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Factory farming of animals upsets me greatly. 

14. Where did most of your money go?
To the tax man. Then health insurance. Then my agent. Self-employment isn't easy on the wallet. 

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Amanda Palmer.

16. What song will always remind you of 2010?
See Leeds Utd. video, above.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? same
- richer or poorer? poorer (bought apartment though!)
- thinner or fatter? same

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Yoga. I answer this almost every year. I need to just shut up and do it.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Paperwork. 

20. How did you spend the holidays?
Entertaining. Dinner for 14! 

21. Did you fall in love in 2010?
Same old love. Is good. 

22. How many one-night stands?
This Q&A is otherwise g-rated. I hate this question. None! 

23. What was your favorite TV program?
Sherlock. 

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.

25. What was the best book you read?
The Magicians by Lev Grossman.

26. What was your favorite film of this year?
I saw almost nothing.  But I really loved How to Train Your Dragon. Toothless forevah! 

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2010?
Bohemian Kate Hepburn

28 Whom did you miss?
My 95 year-old grandmother. 

29. Who was the best new person you met?
I got to hang out with Carrie Ryan at a conference and she is awesome.

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2010.
When saying No to someone, think to yourself what the thing is that YOU are saying yes to. Saying Yes, to more free time in your schedule, saying yes to more time with your family, saying yes to something.