I’m more thankful than I can say to everyone who came to my first few appearances during the start of my Abandon book tour (you can see tons of cute photos of yourselves on my Facebook page here) . . . .
. . . as well as to those of you who couldn’t make it in person to any of my signings so far, but have joined me on my blog tour stops!
And to all the amazing bloggers/reviewers who’ve posted such thoughtful reviews—and even teaching guides!—about Abandon, as well as to everyone who’s picked up a copy of the book so far . . . .
I can’t thank you enough!
Especially because, while all my books are special to me, Abandon has an EXTRA special place in my heart. To find out why, check out this post I wrote for the fun ladies at Forever YA.
No matter how many times anyone tells you no, anything can happen . . . often in the blink of an eye. Which all of you have helped prove this past week by making Abandon debut at #6 on the New York Times bestseller list!
If I could, I’d give all of you one of these! (Hint: They’re giving them away at stops all along my blog tour!)
While these past couple of weeks have been some of the most insanely busy in my life, they’ve also been some of the best, thanks to all of YOU.
And I can’t wait to see more of you at the International Reading Association conference this coming week in Orlando (don’t tell me you’re not coming!), and then this Thursday in CANADA!
Here’s where you’ll be able to find me (besides the hotel bar) (EDITED LATER: little dudes, this was a joke. I do not hang out at the hotel bar and drink. I have too many books to write):
EDITED LATER: SINCE IRA IS A CONFERENCE, YOU MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE CONFERENCE AND HAVE A BADGE TO ATTEND THE EVENTS IN ORLANDO, FL (IF YOU’RE 12 AND UNDER, YOU CAN GET IN FOR FREE WITH A REGISTERED MEMBER).
Tuesday, May 10:
2:00-3:30pm Scholastic Signing Booth
Orange County Convention Center–Booth #840
Wednesday, May 11:9:00-10:00am HarperCollins Signing Booth
Convention Center–Booth #1220Followed by:
11:00-12:00pm Featured Author Speaker
Convention Center—West Building
Room W304
PLEASE STOP BY TO SAY HI!
Sadly I won’t be able to stay past noon on Wednesday because I have to rush off to catch my plane to:
CANADA (click me!)
Chapters Queensway
Thursday, May 12, 7PM
Contact the store for details
1950 The Queensway,
Etobicoke, Ontario
M9C 5H5
Canada
(416) 622-2838
I haven’t been to Canada in FOREVER! I can’t wait!
I’ll be back for signings in the US with authors Libba Bray and Maggie Stiefvater for Scholastic’s new This is Teen online community the week of May 23rd! Check out my schedule here.
And don’t forget my signings beginning June 28 for my newest adult release, Overbite (an exclusive look at the cover coming soon)!
Here are some other events you won’t want to miss:
A Chat on Good Reads!
YES! I’ll be chatting on Good Reads about Abandon with readers on May 17th! Sign up now and start posting questions so we can talk (my cat Henrietta will probably be there, too! Post your own cat’s questions)!
And guess who thinks it’s a good idea for you to have tea with me at the Plaza next month (to raise money for diabetes research)? Teen Vogue!
When amazing New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Brenda Novak (who has raised over a million dollars for diabetes research in the past) asked if I’d take part in this year’s annual Auction for the Cure, I said, “YES!”
(Like so many people, I have family members who have been affected by both juvenile and type 2 diabetes. In fact, in my house we are not only gluten free—for my celiac disease—but we also try to eat a low glycemic diet due to He Who Shall Not Be Named in This Blog’s father and two siblings having diabetes.)
I suggested auctioning off a royal tea at the Plaza, just like Princess Mia had with her grandmother (in the books), only with me instead of Grandmére (who will not be available due to reasons I cannot mention).
Brenda said, “Let’s do it!”
So PLEASE bid so I can have tea with you and some of your friends (or family or teachers or teacup poodles) at the Plaza in NYC, just like Princess Mia and Grandmére!
Details: Limit to 4 guests . . . perfect for 2 moms and their daughters, or you and two friends, or you and your gay dads and your boyfriend, or WHOEVER!
Just put on your best manners and tea drinking clothes and meet me at the Plaza in NYC (sorry, you have to pay for your own air fare and hotel! I’ll pay for the tea and lovely sandwiches)!
But you’ll also receive a lovely set of autographed books by me, including a complete set of The Princess Diaries, Abandon, and of course my latest adult books Insatiable and its sequel, Overbite, coming out July 1. If you bring other books for me to sign, I would be happy to do so!
The tea will need to take place during the last week of June or first week of July of 2011 (on a day of the auction winner’s choice. For instance, during the Romance Writer of America conference in Manhattan, hint, hint, aspiring and/or published authors, where I will be emceeing the awards ceremony), up to July 4, 2011, after which the offer expires, like Cinderella’s ball gown at midnight! Remember, at the Plaza is from 2PM-5PM.
So click here to bid! Auction ends May 31!
And finally, just for fun:
Check out some awesome videos I’ve loaded to my YouTube channel’s favorites: An interview with Girls in the Stacks (LOVE THOSE LADIES!) and some fantastic fan made Abandon videos!
And speaking of Princess Mia, if you want to hear about her adventures at the royal wedding—which was fantastic!—don’t forget to check out Mia’s recently updated blog!
And here’s a place where Mia gave some tips to Kate Middleton (now HRH Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge), where you can win books if you offer your own!
And ONE LAST THING:
I’ve been asked so often while on this tour (which is only at its halfway mark) why do I like Greek myths so much?
Like I said in my reply to the Wall Street Journal when they asked this question, I don’t. I really only like ONE myth:
The myth of Persephone.
Yes, as I’ve mentioned many times, like Pierce, the heroine of Abandon, I did feel like a bit of an outsider growing up, not sure where I belonged (kind of like Persephone, whose Mom won’t let her live in Olympus with the other goddesses!) due to many factors.
But that’s not entirely why I liked the myth so much.
I also liked it because Persephone ends up in a very dark place, and has good reason to think things are never going to get better for her. That’s how I felt so much of the time as a teen. Let’s face it, we all feel this way from time to time . . . maybe even a lot of the time.
But while Persephone’s story is very dark—so dark that she has to live in the Underworld—it’s important to remember she also eventually becomes the goddess of spring.
To me, that’s what her myth is all about . . . and what the storytellers who made it up were trying to remind us: No matter how bleak things might seem, you should never abandon hope. It can be easy to forget sometimes that even after the longest of winters, the sun will come out again, and even after the worst storm, a flower will eventually peek out from beneath the debris.
Don’t forget that!
I hope to see all of you soon in my upcoming travels!
And thank you, thank you, thank you again!
More later.
Much love,
Meg
