Check out the February issue of CosmoGirl! (on stands now) for an article written by me on the benefits of keeping a journal (hint: they’re not what you’d think), with exclusive excerpts from the ACTUAL journal I kept when I was sixteen (in my own handwriting. With actual boys’ names. It’s so embarrassing)!
My article, complete with photos of my ACTUAL journals, and REAL Oreos!
It’s the issue with America Ferrera on the cover (she’s so cool):
This is the issue to look for! ON U.S. STANDS NOW!!!!
In other news, Princess Diaries 8 and Valentines Princess have put the series back on the New York Times Children’s Series Bestseller List at number 7! YAY!!!
Meanwhile PD8 and the awesome Princess Diaries Annual are on the bestseller lists in the UK, too!!!! HURRAH as they say over there (or not)!!!!
And Size 14 Is Not Fat Either has already gone back for a FIFTH printing (which means it keeps selling out, you guys! Good going)!
I don’t really have any information on Missing You except that all the feedback seems to be positive, so thanks for that. That was a really hard book for me to write, what with having been fired from the original publisher of the series, and all (which was why it took so long for me to finally get around to writing the last book), so your kind words about it mean a LOT more than you can know!
More news: if you’re dying to see more art from AVALON HIGH 2, THE MERLIN PROPHECY, Jinky Coronado, the artist, has some up on her site (it’s flashback scenes to the “revelation about Will’s real Mom in Avalon High”, but they rock, right?).
Some of you are asking why the sequel to Avalon High can’t be a regular book. Well, the truth is, I had an idea for a sequel, but it wasn’t enough story for a whole book. I was thinking of doing a novella, but then Tokyopop came along with the manga offer, and I was like: BINGO! The idea I had for the Avalon High sequel was just the right length for a manga. So, that’s why. I just don’t have a book length idea for Will and Elle at this time. Sorry!
And sorry if you’ve been visiting this site or the message boards and you’ve been getting an error message or if it’s been slow or down. We’re aware of the problem, and we’re working on it (by we of course I mean my fabulous web admininstratrix, Janey, and her peeps).
And if you’re wondering why the Book Club is getting absorbed into the Meg Cabot site, there are lots of reasons, but mainly, one site = less work for me as well as for Janey and her peeps.
And yes, the new system/software WILL be less work in the long run. In case you don’t know, Janey is pregnant and due soon (as is my assistant, Julie). Also, they’re BOTH having little girls.
And if you don’t think we (by we of course I mean I) sit around and sing Miss Hannigan’s Little Girls song from Annie every day as we (okay, I) go over the reader mail (mostly from little girls) and read posts on the message boards (mostly by little girls), well, you are sadly deluded. We are really, literally, 100% dripping with little girls around here.
Frankly, one big site—that’s a little less pink–seemed like a good idea under the circumstances…as well as less money I have to spend each month on upkeep and maintenance (theoretically, once all the kinks are worked out).
I know some of you didn’t realize I actually paid to run the Meg Cabot Book Club, so this news comes as a shock. But it’s true. Many of you are probably asking yourselves—why? Why would Meg Cabot (rhymes with rabbit) pay to run a site for readers (mostly little girls) to chat about My Chemical Romance?
Well, we are trying to rectify that by limiting readers to keeping their chatting to primarily book-or-writing related topics on the new boards.
Now that I am paying to run megcabot.com as well (my publisher used to run it, and did a lovely job, but like Aragorn, I am now ready to assume the mantle of responsibility. Well, okay, Janey is), it seemed a bit extravagant to be paying for TWO websites. I know people think I have made millions off the Princess Diaries movies, but this is far from true.
Shocking fact: Authors don’t get a percentage of the DVD sales from the movies based on our books. In fact, we don’t even get a percentage of ticket sales from movies based on our books.
Well, maybe some authors do. But I didn’t, as at the time my film deal was negotiated, I wasn’t exactly JK Rowling (or even an author anyone had ever even heard of)!
Instead, I got paid up front for the film rights—BEFORE THE STUDIO KNEW WHETHER OR NOT THE MOVIE WOULD BE A HIT–and you should know that I blew all my upfront film rights money on a cute little New York City apartment (way back when they were semi-affordable) a long time ago. And still own it, and am still very grateful for it!
I am not saying I do not make enough money from sales of my books to support two websites. But I am saying there are other things I would prefer to do with that money.
Such as save it in the bank for when I am not as prolific as I have been in the past, so that I can still afford birthday gifts for Janey’s and Julie’s little girls.
Let this be a lesson to all of you. If you want to be a writer, and you also want to have money: GO TO MEDICAL SCHOOL.
You’re welcome for that free piece of advice, which I doubt you will find anywhere but here, at megcabot-staging.htnwbil5-liquidwebsites.com.
Okay. Pick up the February CosmoGirl! Ann Shoket, the former editor of CosmoGirl!, has just been appointed Editor-in-Chief of Seventeen—which is a good thing, because I can tell you from working with her that she is the bomb and the shizzle.
And now, I hear the not-yet-finished Big Boned manuscript calling my name…Meg. Meg…finish me….
Sigh. Off I go.
More later.
Much love,
Meg
