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

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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. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 

Here are some hopefully amusing and very name-droppy tidbits from my recent life.

I went to lunch with Libba Bray and she ordered food that arrived on fire. But frankly, with Libba that doesn't surprise me. 
Dan Poblocki was there, too. He is not nearly as scary as his books. 
Lauren Myracle is putting stuff about MY upcoming book in HER upcoming book. How neato. More on that when the books come out.  
Next on my reading list is Melissa Kantor's The Darlings are Forever. She is my friend!  She is very hilarious! 

AND NOW, FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF SELF-AGGRANDIZEMENT:

Since Real Live Boyfriends comes out Dec 28, I am at Random Buzzers starting on Monday, answering all your questions! You can go over and ask them now -- I am just not ANSWERING till Monday. Also, that link I just gave you contains more links to all Ruby's semi-notorious advice columns, except the one that was in Justine magazine last month. Did you see it? 

There's also a double-page spread on me and Ruby in Justine's Dec-January issue, with a Q&A plus little excerpts. 

(To read a preview online, click here.) And now might be an amusing time to take the Boyfriend List poll -- before you read the fourth book! 

Also, there's a wonderfully passionate review of Real Live Boyfriends on Forever Young Adult this week. 

Real Live Boyfriends, the fourth book in the series that starts with The Boyfriend List, comes out Dec 28. Not in time for Christmas (or Hannukah!) but in time for post-holiday sales and using of gift cards. 

For tour dates in the NYC area, keep your eyes here. 

Meanwhile, I'm here to tell you what to buy your teens for the holiday that's actually in stores! Here are some recs I've given to friends lately.

FOR THE 10-11 YEAR OLD GIRL:  
Eleven by Lauren Myracle

FOR THE 10-11 YEAR OLD BOY who likes Wimpy Kid:
N.E.R.D.S. by Michael Buckley (we sold a ton of these when I ran our school book fair!)

FOR EITHER SEX, SAME AGE:
Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landy 

FOR the 12-13 YEAR OLD GIRL:
Dash and Lily's Book of Dares by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
Gimme a Call by Sarah Mlynowski
The Ghosts of Ashbury High by Jaclyn Moriarty 

14-UP GIRL OR BOY 
Will  Grayson, Will Grayson, by David Levithan and John Green
The Things a Brother Knows by Dana Reinhardt

17 Yr OLD
The Magicians by Lev Grossman (an adult title with adult situations, but wonderful, with lots of teen appeal)