Modern Mom: 5 Survival Tips

After I finished writing RETURN TO ME, I realized I had *much* more to say to women. So in three fast-and-furious writing days, a slim self-help companion guide poured out of me. WHAT NOW: SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR THE BLINDSIDED AND BROKENHEARTED is a sister-to-sister manual detailing what to do in the first thirty days after a relationship falls apart. The survival guide is, above all, about how to turn the dust of betrayal into the stardust of a new life.

In RETURN TO ME, I write about a concept called sistering. When a piece of wood is rotting, oftentimes builders will sister it on either side with 2 pieces of healthy wood. I am so indebted to all of my dear friends who lent their wisdom to me and sistered me. 

Modern Mom invited me to be a guest blogger, and I hope a few of the tips help sister their readers, too. You can check out the full article here.

Why I Write for Teens

Writing for teens certainly has its perks...like being on panels with wonderful authors, including the likes of Stacey Jay (Juliet Immortal), Mary Lindsey (Ashes on the Waves), Jennifer E. Smith (The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight), Tamara Ireland Stone (Time Between Us).

 And meeting tons of authors...

But the most meaningful interactions are with readers... Meeting them at conferences like Houston TeenBookCon and receiving emails... Here's one of my all-time favorite. So so so humbling.

Houston TeenBookCon

38 authors, Blue Willow Bookstore, and Houston. We're talking about TeenBookCon on April 20! I'll be speaking on a couple of panels on looooooove.

To read about the entire line-up, check it out here. And if the link doesn't work, look here: http://bluewillowbookshop.com/event/houston-teen-book-con-2013.

Rock the Drop!

Some of my favorite Tweets from Operation Teen Book Drop 2013. How did you Rock the Drop?

The Atlantic: Rocks the Drop!

Love it! The Atlantic covered our Operation Teen Book Drop taking place TODAY, April 18, around the world. It really is one of the most "charming" ways to support Teen Lit Day. So get out and rock the drop...and leave your favorite YA novel out in the "wild" for another reader to find.

For the full article, read more here. And if the link doesn't work, try this: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2013/04/leave-book-find-book-support-teen-lit/64329/

Operation Teen Book Drop: April 18!

From the readergirlz blog:

We're so excited to be rocking Operation Teen Book Drop '13! You guys know The Drop is one of our favorite days of the year -- what better way to get on board with Support Teen Literature day? This year, in addition to rocking out and dropping our favorite YA titles in public spaces for lucky readers to discover, we're also directing supporters of teen fiction everywhere to consider a book donation to 826NYC to help grow their library. On April 18th (that's next Thursday!), readergirlz will be teaming with Figment, I Heart Daily, Soho Teen, and 826NYC to celebrate YA lit.

Want to #rockthedrop with us? Of course you do!

Here's how: 

•Follow @readergirlz on twitter and tweet #rockthedrop

•Print out the bookplate (designed by the super-talented Lindsay Frantz) and drop books in your area on Support Teen Literature Day:

•Donate books to 826NYC: 

826NYC

attn: Joan Kim

c/o: readergirlz Rock the Drop
372 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

We can't wait! Now, off to gather a box for 826NYC, and to think of the perfect drop spots for our books....
 

Don't forget to post pics at our facebook of any books you drop or find! Hope to see you online on Support Teen Literature Day!

Library Love

One of my favorite librarians announced that RETURN TO ME is a featured April pick at my local library. Let me tell you how much I love my local library: these librarians promised me that they would find any fact I ever needed for my novels. Even when I moved to China and was thousands of miles from them, they vowed to even scan pages from research materials, whatever I needed.

LOVE my library. LOVE the King County Library System!