The blog tour for The Stars of Summercontinues! Yesterday, the fantastic YA author Dahlia Adler–who is also a friend and a big fellow foodie–helped welcome my new book to the world with macaron pics and hot dog condiment chat at The Daily Dahlia. YUM.
And today, at For What It’s Worth, book blogger Karen has a review of the book and shares a recipe for brats with a slaw that contains blueberries! Wow!
In other news, last night was my first launch party for The Stars of Summer, at my terrific local indie, Boulder Book Store. We served completos Italianos and homemade cookies from the book, gave away prizes in a hot dog trivia contest, and generally just had a blast with all of the terrific friends, writers, kids, and even strangers who came out to celebrate. I’m still basking in the happy glow of being surrounded by so much love and support. Thank you, Boulder!! Here are a few of my favorite pics–full photoset at my Facebook author page.
My second novel, The Stars of Summer, hits the shelves today. It’s crazy to think that, just a year ago, I was the author of zero published books, and now there are two out there in the world with my name on the spine!
I’m incredibly lucky to get to do the work I love doing and actually see my writing find an audience. So to everyone who read and supported All Four Starsover the last year–who told their local librarians about it, who encouraged teachers to bring it into their classrooms, who bought an extra copy as a gift for a young (or not-so-young) foodie in their life–THANK YOU. This series wouldn’t be continuing without your enthusiasm. I hope that you enjoy reading The Stars of Summer every bit as much as I enjoyed writing it (which was a lot), and that maybe I’ll see you at one of my events over the next month.
But today is extra-special to me because it’s not only my second book’s book birthday, but it’s also the release date for two debut books that I love and that are written by dear friends of mine. I really couldn’t think of anyone better to share this day with, and I hope that if you see one of these titles on your local bookstore shelf, you’ll grab it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The blog tour for The Stars of Summeris rolling on! First, on Friday, we had this lovely review from Lisa at Fic Talk. I love how she says that this series appeals to adult foodies as well as young readers, because I think so, too! 🙂
And now today Lucy at The Reading Date shares her reactions to the book–and some of her favorite veggie dogs from around LA, should Gladys ever want to come out and visit. The pictures and descriptions have me drooling.
The Stars of Summerhits the shelves TOMORROW, and my first bookstore launch party is the day after that. There are also plenty more blog tour posts coming your way. It’s going to be a busy, but exciting week!
Today’s entry in The Stars of Summer‘sblog tour comes courtesy of Bonnie at For the Love of Words. She’s written a lovely review of the book, and I’m so glad she enjoyed Gladys’s quest for unusual and international hot dogs. Thank you, Bonnie!!
Today, Sylvia at A Baked Creation has cooked up a true treat of a post. It’s a little bit book review, a little bit funky Toronto hot dog joint crawl (I want that po’boy hot dog!), and a little bit of childhood memories of favorite hot dogs eaten with family. I just love it. Thank you, Sylvia!
If you didn’t win, you still don’t have long to wait to read the book, as it comes out a week from today. You can preorder it here, or request it from your local library. Or both! 🙂 Debut authors appreciate your support so much.
Secondly, The Stars of Summer blog tour continues today with TWO entries! Aeicha has written a terrific review of the book over at Word Spelunking, and Emma has an interview with me up at Awkwordly Emma in which I share research techniques and cooking habits. Feel free to check them out!
And finally, I got some great news yesterday: All Four Starswill be published in Czech, by Albatros! This is the first foreign rights sale for any of my books, and I’m over the moon. More details on Facebook.
The Stars of Summeris a little over a week away from hitting the shelves, but its blog tour kicks off today! A whole bunch of generous kidlit and food bloggers will be posting reviews, interviews, recipes, and more over the next couple of weeks, and I’ll do my best to round up the links daily here.
First off, a terrific review and hot dog recipe collection from Katie at Bookish Illuminations. Katie is also giving away signed copies of All Four Stars and The Stars of Summer!
Check back tomorrow for the next stop on the tour, and for the winner of my own giveaway of The Sound of Life and Everythingby Krista Van Dolzer.
I’m excited for May 5 because that’s when The Stars of Summer publishes, but I’m even MORE excited to be sharing a book birthday with a debut novel I have loved for a long time: The Sound of Life and Everythingby Krista Van Dolzer.
Krista and I have been fans of each others’ writing for a while now. In 2011, I entered the project I was working on in her “An Agent’s Inbox” series on her blog; it didn’t win a bid from the judging agent, but I’ll always be happy I entered, because that’s how I connected with Krista. Soon after that, she let me beta-read her middle-grade work in progress, which I adored, and we both ended up selling our books to Shauna Rossano at Putnam. And now we have books publishing from the same imprint, with the same editor, on the same day. What could be better??
To celebrate, I’m giving away an advance copy of this terrific book, which is also a Junior Library Guild selection. Here’s the description:
A fascinating speculative historical fiction debut set in 1950s California—perfect for fans of When You Reach Me.
Twelve-year-old Ella Mae Higbee is a sensible girl. She eats her vegetables and wants to be just like Sergeant Friday, her favorite character on Dragnet. So when her auntie Mildred starts spouting nonsense about a scientist who can bring her cousin back to life from blood on his dog tags, Ella Mae is skeptical—until he steps out of a bio-pod right before her eyes.
But the boy is not her cousin—he’s Japanese. And in California in the wake of World War II, the Japanese are still feared and despised. When her aunt refuses to take responsibility, Ella Mae and her Mama take him home instead. Determined to do what’s right by her new friend, Ella Mae teaches Takuma English and defends him from the reverend’s talk of H-E-double-toothpicks. But when his memories start to resurface, Ella Mae learns some shocking truths about her own family and more importantly, what it means to love.
GIVEAWAY ALERT! You can enter to win an ARC of The Sound of Life and Everythingby leaving a comment on this post. You can also earn up to two extra entries by posting about this giveaway on Twitter and/or Facebook. (Please mention or link your follows and extra posts in your comment to get credit for them.)
Sample FB status:
Win an ARC of Krista Van Dolzer‘s fantastically original #MG debut (and Junior Library Guild selection) THE SOUND OF LIFE AND EVERYTHING! http://bit.ly/1OC9MyF#giveaway
I‘ll announce a winner at 9 am Mountain Time next Tuesday, 5/28. Good luck!
Thanks so much to everyone who entered my giveaway for signed copies of All Four Starsand The Stars of Summer. The randomly selected winner is…
**** Diane Collier ****
Congrats, Diane, and happy reading!
But hark, that was not your last chance to win a book on this blog this week! Come back tomorrow to enter my giveaway of an arc of The Sound of Life and Everything, the incredible middle-grade debut by Krista Van Dolzer that comes out on May 5!
I got some great news this past weekend: All Four Starsis a finalist for an SCBWI Crystal Kite Award! This award is granted by fellow writers and illustrators in each of the 15 regions of SCBWI (the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). We had amazing group of nominees in the southwest region, and I couldn’t be more honored that All Four Stars has made the final four.
These could be yours!! 🙂
To celebrate, I am giving awaya brand-spanking-new, SIGNED paperback of All Four Stars(which comes with two bonus recipes and a teaser chapter from The Stars of Summer!) AND my very last advance reader copy of The Stars of Summer, just in case you can’t wait until May 5 to dive into Gladys’s continuing adventures.
To enter, simply leave a comment on this blog post. I’ll randomly select a winner this Wednesday, 4/22, at 9 am Mountain Time so that hopefully I can get the books in the mail to the winner by the end of the week. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian mailing addresses.
The blog tour for The Stars of Summer continues! Yesterday, the fantastic YA author Dahlia Adler–who is also a friend and a big fellow foodie–helped welcome my new book to the world with macaron pics and hot dog condiment chat at The Daily Dahlia. YUM.
