It's Friday and that means it's time to Celebrate the Small Things.
The Celebrate the Small Things hop is hosted by my buddy Lexa Cain and co-hosted by L.G Keltner at Writing Off the Edge and Tonja Drecker at Kidbits. Visit Lexa's blog here to find out how join in the hop yourself and to see the list of participants.
This week I'm celebrating:
1. I've started working with the illustrator who is doing the art for Baby Moo's Great Escape and this week I got to see the first picture for the book. I absolutely LOVE it! I can't tell you what a thrill it was to open this picture and see my cow, dog, and cat so adorably drawn. It gave me such a rush of energy and made me excited about my writing again. I can't wait to be able to share some sneak peeks of the artwork.
2. Unless something totally unexpected happens, the book will be published in September. That means I will have it in my hands in time for a Pumpkin Festival book fest I plan to attend in October.
3. I'm going to Paris in July and it's almost July! I've never been to France before and I'm so excited about this trip. I can't believe it's almost time to go.
Also, my Polar Night prequel The Turnagain Arm is free on Amazon through tomorrow, June 26. If you'd like to check out the series and haven't already, click here to pick up this novella for free.
What are you celebrating this week? I hope everyone has a great weekend ahead. :)
Enjoy Paris! I was there for a day many, many years ago.
ReplyDeleteGlad the illustrator did a good job for you.
WOW!!! Enjoy Paris!!!
ReplyDeleteIt really must be so amazing to see the artwork for your story. I imagine that would make me excited about writing, too. :)
ReplyDeleteI picked up my copy of The Turnagain Arm yesterday. I'm looking forward to reading it.
Enjoy Paris! I hope to make it there someday.
Looking forward to seeing those sneak peeks of the illustrations!
ReplyDeleteAnd, wow, Paris! Eat a croissant for me, please. :)
@Alex, thanks, I know I will.
ReplyDelete@Cathrina, thanks!!
@MJ, oh, thanks for picking up a copy of the book! I hope you enjoy it.
@Madeline, I will probably eat several for you LOL. Thank you!
Paris! Lucky you! I've been to Paris and absolutely love it. I'd go again in a heartbeat if finances permitted. If you like art it's an art-lover's paradise. Also, once you've been there, if you like mysteries, I recommend Cara Black's Aimee Leduc series. Every adventure is based in a different section of Paris. The mysteries are well done, and you learn a lot about the city. I consider her books my "free trip to Paris." Have a great time!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting about the illustrations! Can't wait to see them. That's great that your story will be published by the time you'd hoped. And Paris, wow! Enjoy!!
ReplyDeleteI am so envious, Paris!!!! Lucky, lucky you. Have a truly wonderful time and take plenty of pictures. I can't wait to read of your adventure!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the book, how thrilling! I can only imagine. I wrote a book with my youngest years ago, still think about getting it published. Love it!
I am looking forward to see the illustrations. it's so nice to read your smile and that you are happy about the illustrations. I have been to Paris and I loved it! If you try to speak french and fail, they don't fault you and always seemed helpful to me so don't think of the stereotype. It is a great walking city and make sure you have great walking shoes. I stayed (1997) near the Bastille and there were quite a few nice Pizza places around which was cheap...and good. It was a 10 minutes walk from Notre Dame. On our way there we came across shops that sold cheese and bread so we made sure we had little lunch bags that could hold in the cold and we bought our food and ate lunch in the park or near a bench-saved money. I loved the Louvre-spent a day and only say a smidgit of the great art. Loved Musee D'Orsay and The Musee De Moyen Age. Highglights for me were...St. Chapelle-very near Notre Dame and saw a concert in there(Vivaldi's 4 seasons)-I say that is a must to see. Spent a day at Versailles (I read ahead and knew to go to the left when you enter the main area...no lines and same tickets!) You should go on a Sunday as that is when they have the fountains going with music. (go to a book store and read up to see if the same). We also took an hour train ride to Chartres-an absolutely beautiful Gothic cathedral that was built relatively fast (300 yrs) and is considered one of the best in the world. I hope you don't mind my lengthy post but i wanted to give some tips and highlights. I would be so excited and i know you are
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ReplyDeleteBaby Moo will be so adorable! Have a great trip to Paris. My sister wanted to go there when she graduated from college, but our Dad was strongly opposed. He said she could study Art by going to NY museums instead. :)
Happy weekend and keep celebrating all your exciting news.
Oh. WOW! You've got lots of stuff to celebrate this week! It must be over-the-top exciting to see the illustrations to make your characters come alive. And PARIS! Ooh-la-la! C'est magnifique!
ReplyDeleteYay for Paris! Exchange rates are looking good (just trying to find the bright side in today's European news. :P)
ReplyDeleteAnd cool news about the artwork. :)
Oh! Paris! Enjoy espresso in a street side cafe. Drink a bottle of Vino Nouveau. Enjoy, enjoy. Avoid the big tourist spots and wander around. You don't need to see all those places. They will be there for another visit.
ReplyDeleteI went to Paris for a couple weeks when I was twelve and I've always wished that I could go back. Make sure you have some French pastries! :)
ReplyDeleteThe Turnagain Arm is EXCELLENT and everyone should read it!!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to hear your excitement about your Baby Moo book. I can't wait to see previews of the artwork.
Paris!! Go take a tour of the catacombs and tell us what they're like. They're the setting of my next book, but a trip to Paris is too steep for me. ;)
Enjoy Paris! And the illustrator thing sounds like tons of fun. Can't wait to see your book.
ReplyDeleteYou're almost in Paris! Enjoy and share with us.
ReplyDelete@Elizabeth, thanks for the recommendation! Those books sound really good.
ReplyDelete@Lori, thanks!!
@Yolanda, I hope you do get that published, I'm sure it's fantastic. :)
@Birgit, thanks for the tips! I'm so excited for the trip.
@Deanie, thank you!
@Susan, :D :D :D
@LG, yeah, I guess we got lucky with the exchange rates the way things stand now but I wish it had come about a different way!
@Susan, sounds perfect and just what we have in mind.
@Neutoric, ooh, I definitely will! :D
@Lexa, aww thank you! I think I would freak out in the catacombs though. Too claustrophobic! But what an awesome setting for your book.
@T, thank you!!
@Lee, getting closer! :)
How exciting about the artwork! Looking forward to the day when you can unveil it here. And the book will be out as soon as September?! Wow, awesome! :)
ReplyDeleteAnd oh, that's so cool how you'll be going to Paris. There's a lot of French in my family tree, so the idea of visiting France has always intrigued me. Hope you have lots of fun there this month!