I was quite impressed by the Meg Cabot Art Show!

So I've appeared nowhere, exactly nowhere, since the summer, but I should be touring about in April in five East Coast type cities, along with some seriously interesting fellow novelists who also write books for teenagers. So when Fly on the Wall comes out, I hope you all will come and see me. And them. I'll tell ya who when it gets more officially scheduled.

--E

Okay, darlings, if you're interested in hearing with semi-regularity (like every two weeks or every month) about issues connected with the efforts of AS IF! (Authors Supporting Intellectual Freedom) which is basically a bunch of writers who (in our own words) "champion those who stand against censorship, especially of books for and about teens," then hightail your internet selves over to the new "Friends of As If!" yahoo newsgroup. It's easy to join, and you can choose to get mail or just read the group using your webbrowser.

Come be friends with us!

Sheila Curran is on the GCC with me (Girlfriends Cyber Circuit) and her book is called Diana Lively is Falling Down. It's the story of a talented British architect who builds dollhouses so she can tend to her three children and overbearing husband. Stranded in an unhappy marriage by what she perceives as her children’s best interests, Diana must find a way to reclaim her power while holding fast to duty, honor and housewifely sanity.

It's funny! It's British! You can read an excerpt here.

Jodie Picoult (My Sister's Keeper) called the book "a terrific pick-me up" "with characters who make you laugh out loud even as they break your heart."

Anyway, since the husband in the novel is so completely hate-able, Sheila given us :

The Vile Boyfriend List, or things to watch out for in a potential boyfriend
by Sheila Curran

1) Vehicle has mudflaps with Playboy-Bunnies or confederate flags on them.
2) Has a Frequent Flyer Hooters’ Visa.
3) Owns a Promise Keepers Teeshirt.
4) Under-tips or berates a waitress
5) Is taking Mime classes
6) Talks during the movie, or reveals the ending to anyone who hasn’t seen it.
7) Wears cologne or spats.
8) Appears overly proud of his previous girlfriend’s low body-fat ratio
9) Tells you you’re not like the other American women, who wear too much make-up and expose their flesh to men.
10) Owns or operates a metal detector “just for fun.”

P.S. Check out Sheila's blog!
P.P.S. Click here for the Ritual Dressing of the Lettuce
P.P.P.S. Sheila, are you sure about #6!? I myself have been known to commit this sin.

I am obsessed with Alter Ego, which I found through the blog of Andrew Auseon, author of Funny Little Monkey.

Beware the time sucker.

I finished, and turned in, my first draft (really about the 8th draft, but first the editor will see) of a novel called Dramarama. At least, that's the working title.
It's about summer drama camp.
There are lots of show tunes. And tears. And glitter.
It was very fun to write.
I am making an iMix to go along with it.

I don't know when it will be out, but sometime in 2007.

Check out this post from Literaticat if you're in the San Francisco area. Her bookstore, Books Inc, is having writing workshops with Rosemary Graham (Thou SHalt Not Dump the Skater Dude, etc.) and readings from Louis Sachar, Jonathan Straud, Michelle Jaffe, Cecil Castelluci, Scott Westerfeld and Justine Larbelastier.

And if you don't know who those guys are, you really need to catch up on your reading.

Megan McCafferty is "retroblogging" which appears to mean she is putting up diary entries from her youth. Check it out. Her new Jessica Darling book, Charmed Thirds, is released in April.

Oh, and her website tells us officially that she's writing a FOURTH!

Argh! People are challenging Robert Cormier's novel The Chocolate War in Monaca, PA. David Macginnis Gill has a very interesting post on the subject.

Also, Kellye Carter posts the story of one YA writer's rather bizarre self-censorship, and the comments on her post are very interesting reading.

Oh, and check out the new As If! logo. Designed by novelist Alan Gratz. More on teen novels and censorship can be found here.

Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Prom, Speak and other novels, posted this cool magazine cover deconstruction on her site the other day. Click on it to see how the babes on the covers of your favorite magazines look the way they do! (Hint: they don't.)