Hello from a hotel room. I have been traveling a lot! I love room service! When I get home in a few days I have to start my next YA book. I am frightened. 

Meanwhile, here is a little news!

SEATTLE

Most of my events for We Were Liars (May 13) will be after it publishes, but Seattlites -- a sneak preview plus FUN and EMBARASSING hijinks with other writers.

Feb 27, 2014,  me, Robin Wasserman, Adele Griffin and Sarah Mlynowski will read from our new books and from early and embarassing first attempts at fiction. It's at the downtown Seattle Public Library, 6:30 pm. More details here! 

The four of us are also doing two panels on Saturday the 29th at the AWP Conference,  also in Seattle, so if you're headed to that, come see us. 

HAMLINE

I just got back from spending 11 days teaching at Hamline University's MFA in Writing for Children, low-residency program. To put it simply, there are intensive residencies in July and January, and the rest of the time students write like crazy and send in work to their advisors for critique and guidance. The faculty is very thrilling to be around, for me.  

This time, I taught writing workshop with Laura Ruby (Bad Apple, Good Girls, etc) and our guests included: Anita Silvey (who lectured on the history of picture books and middle grade novels),
Jane Yolen (who gave our commencement speech),
Kate DiCamillo (who talked about her process on The Tiger Rising with Jane Resh Thomas),
Geoff Herbach (who talked about his theories of primal emotions and how they drive stories) and
Vaunda Micheaux Nelson (who talked about her development process on No Crystal Stair). 

Pretty awesome. Plus our usual faculty who are listed here on the MFAC website.  We spent a lot of time talking about picture books this season, and a lot of time talking about writing cultural difference -- sharing LGBTQ book lists, POC fantasy novel booklists, and more. 

Anyway, the Hamline MFAC now has a Tumblr, which is unofficial but supercalifragilistic. It is run by faculty member and NBA long-lister Anne Ursu, and if you have interest in children's and YA books generally, it's a good one to follow (it's not centered on Hamline stuff, but on stuff we talk about at Hamline, if that makes sense.) Here it is.

TUMBLR and more TUMBLR

So not only do I recommend THAT Tumblr, but I want you to know I got ACTUAL TUMBLR lessons from Rachel Fershleiser, who works there and does all their cool book stuff -- and she explained it all to me!  Though I haven't figured out totally how to work it, I am getting much better and you should come and follow me because I will be there and on Twitter much more than on this blog. 

Also, of course, the We Were Liars Tumblr is dead sexy (made by the folks at Random House) and it has pins and maps and all that juicy stuff connected to the book. 

Just launched: the We Were Liars Tumblr.  #wewereliars

So pretty, right? 
I can gush because Ihad nothing to do with it. The folks at Penguin Random House made it. The only thing I supplied was the book, and they just went to town. 

They made loads of pinnable and rebloggable images with quotes from the book -- which are also fun teasers as to the plot.Which is under wraps. The book comes out in May.

What else is on the Tumblr?

A map of the island --  Beechwood Island -- where most of the story takes place. (Scroll down)

A family tree of the beautiful Sinclair family. (Scroll down further.)

The chance to read the opening chapters. Or read reviews (including fun quotes from Maureen Johnson, John Green, Sarah Dessen, Scott Westerfeld, Shannon Hale, etc, plus loads of your favorite book reviewers and librarians). 

Opportunity to pre-order the book. Or request an ARC while supplies last.

Anyhow, I hope you all will spread the word and follow the Tumblr and repost the pretty pins if you like them.