First things first: HUGE CONGRATS TO MY DARLING FRIENDS, AMIE KAUFMAN AND MEAGAN SPOONER, FOR SELLING THEIR INCREDIBLE YA NOVEL, WRECKED, TO DISNEY-HYPERION!!!! I had the privilege of reading an early version of WRECKED and it BLEW. ME. AWAY. The male lead is one of the HOTTEST characters I have ever read, and the world-building is astonishingly brilliant. Alas, you guys will have to wait until summer 2013 to read it, but…YAYYYYYYYY!!!!!

*ahem*

Well, to say that the past few weeks have been busy and exhausting is a severe understatement. But they’ve been busy and exhausting and also FANTASTIC and EXCITING.

I got my copyedits for THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD (QOG Novella #1) the Monday of Thanksgiving week, and had to turn them around in about one day. My initial thought process was something like: "!!!! Panic!!! Panic!!! Is there enough caffeine in my house for me to get through this?! Panic!! Panic!!"

…I have a tendency to overreact (but I think we’ve already established this).

But then I actually STARTED doing the copyedits, and…it was awesome. Fun, even! And I LEARNED things (mostly about commas and semi-colons).

Which was good because my copyedits for QUEEN OF GLASS arrived a day later, and I was given about 5 days to get them done & mailed back to Bloomsbury. Thank goodness I didn’t have any travel plans for Thanksgiving.

But even though copyedits were intense and required focus (and buying some colored pencils, because I somehow don’t own ANY), they were wonderful. Wonderful, if only because I was doing COPYEDITS. I used to DREAM of the day when I’d get to do this kinda stuff. So, I did all of my copyedits with a huge grin on my face.

And that grin only got wider, because I also saw the cover for THE ASSASSIN AND THE PIRATE LORD, and it blew me away. I was actually lying in bed (avoiding getting up to do some Thanksgiving cooking) when I got the email on my blackberry. And, okay, when I clicked on the “open attachment” icon, my stomach CLENCHED. Like, actually cramped up. (…Again with the overreacting.)

And when the image appeared on my phone…I burst into tears. The good kind. The kind that come from seeing your name on a cover, and the title, and knowing that everything looks exactly the way you’d dreamed it would (without even knowing that THAT was what you were dreaming of).

And then I ran through my house and into my office, sobbing like a crazy person, so I could see the cover on the computer screen—so I could sigh and squeal over every lovely detail. I then printed it out (it’s now displayed in my living room), AND made it my phone’s background, and I grin like a GIANT IDIOT every time I see it.

I really, truly can’t wait to share the cover for the first novella with you all (no idea when that will be, but hopefully soon)!!!!

Novella #2 (THE ASSASSIN AND THE DESERT) is due next week, and that means I’m going to be deep in my writing cave for a while. Because of this, I just wanted to write a quick Holiday (Book) Shopping Guide for those of you who actually do your holiday shopping early…and don’t wait until the last minute....like ME:


FINNIKIN OF THE ROCK by Melina Marchetta.
Perfect for: fantasy fans. Anddd just about anyone.
This was probably my favorite book of 2011. One of my all-time favorite novels, actually. This book…Oh, this book. THIS BOOK. It haunted me. It broke me apart. And put me back together. It did all of the things that a great book should do. I get emotional just talking about it. I love it to death. I can't wait for the sequel (FROI OF THE EXILES).

WITCHLANDERS by Lena Coakley.
Perfect for: Fantasy lovers, fans of SABRIEL and old-school fantasy, and anyone looking for a totally fresh and different sort of YA fantasy novel.
This book really, truly touched me. There was one line that caused me to burst into tears—and it’s been echoing in my mind ever since. All I want for Christmas is for Santa to bring me news that there will be a sequel!!!

ARCHANGEL by Sharon Shinn.
Perfect for: fantasy & sci-fi lovers, anyone who wants a unique take on angels, and anyone who loves a slow-building, edge-of-your-seat romance.
I’m late to the Sharon Shinn party, but I’m totally here to stay. I recently read ANGELICA and loved it so much that I immediately ordered the other 3 books in the SAMARIA series (ANGEL-SEEKER, JOVAH’S ANGEL, and THE ALLELUIA FILES). Last week, I also read SUMMERS AT CASTLE AUBURN and TROUBLED WATERS and they were sooo lovely. TROUBLED WATERS felt like something Miyazaki might make (for an adult animated film). They’re comfort books. And smart books, too. And just absolutely wonderful.

UNEARTHLY by Cynthia Hand.
Perfect for: anyone looking for a unique angel book, romance (and love-triangle) fans, cowboy fans…fans of ANYTHING.
Another 2011 favorite of mine. I gobbled this book down. And then told some other people to read it, who ALSO gobbled down this book. I’m ACHING for the sequel. This is YA at its best.

THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD by Patricia A. McKillip.
Perfect for: fantasy fans, old-school fantasy fans, your friends who tend to be a tad more into literary stuff, and anyone who loves jaw-droppingly gorgeous prose.
So, I’ve already waxed poetic about my love for ALPHABET OF THORN and all things Patricia A. McKillip. THE FORGOTTEN BEASTS OF ELD was another one that swept me away. I love Pat’s books so much that I ordered ALL of them. Even the out-of-print ones. I’ve yet to read all of them, but…I love seeing them on my shelf, waiting for me.

THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS by Rae Carson.
Perfect for: fantasy fans, kick-butt heroine fans, fans of diversity in YA, fans of Tamora Pierce and Robin McKinley, fans sick of stick-thin heroines, fans of sweeping romance and high stakes and expert world-building.
Okay, from that alone, I think it’s pretty obvious that I loved this book. I would give this book to anyone to read. It’s a book that I want my future daughter (if I have one) to read. It’s a book I want my FRIENDS to read. It’s empowering and delightful and reminded me why I love to read and write high fantasy.

And, okay, I’ve totally run out of room, but these books are also HIGHLY recommended (and books I’d tell anyone to buy):

BRIGHTLY WOVEN by Alex Bracken, OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon, MISTWOOD (and NIGHTSPELL) by Leah Cypess, and BLACK SHIPS by Jo Graham.

Okay, off to the Writing Cave! Happy Holidays to all of you!!! <3