Debut Talk and January Roundup!

My January began with a snow storm and ended with one as well.   In between, I found myself wearing flip-flops and a light throw one day and Uggs and a parka on the next. Even the weather in my debut month was a roller coaster. Well played, Mother Nature! I was up in New Jersey for my debut - which worked out great because I was able to celebrate with my family and friends.

I began my debut celebration the night before with my some friends I've known since high school! We all shared dinner and a good cry when I showed them my acknowledgements.  I've been blessed with so many amazing people along the journey, but these are the gals who knew me when and being able to just relax and mark this occasion with them meant the world to me!  

On my debut day, aka New Year's Eve - I went out early with some family to a local Barnes and Noble, with plans of taking photos of me with TPofA on the shelves and then going out to lunch.  I walked into the bookstore a little teary eyed, because guys...this is a dream come true and something I've been working toward for a very long time.  So at the prospect of seeing my book on the shelves, I was all like this:

We rode the escalator up to the Young Adult section...looked...and looked...and looked...and looked some more, that's when it went from best day ever to this:

Not exactly the stuff of dreams...


...but then my eagle eyed offspring found my book!!
On a cart!!
Ready to be shelved!!

Look - I'm under The Book of Love by Lynn Weingarten! (And Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins!!)  So I'm in good company.  :)    All in all, a nice, low-key way to celebrate my debut!!  Since then friends have texted me pictures when they see it on the shelves.  Every time I have to pinch myself.  For reals.


Aside from trying to keep warm  and searching for my book on the shelves - here's a roundup of where I've been on the blogosphere for the month of January:


Hypable.com - The Promise of Amazing was reviewed on HYPABLE!!   This review made my heart sing <3   Thank you!!

Pat Esden - Mythmaker -  Patty asked some great questions!  We talked about writing from dual perspectives and also which spot my characters would pick as the most romantic place in the world! (you might be surprised!)

Hanging On To Wonder - I chatted with fellow One Four member Jaye Robin Brown about backstory and cupcake hangovers!  Jaye is the author of the forthcoming NO PLACE TO FALL - a sweet, poignant contemporary set in the South.  It'll be out in December 2014 - put it on your TBR pile!!

Adventures in YA Publishing - A guest post about perseverance in publishing!!  Thanks to Martina Boone for letting me share some wisdom from my journey.

Bows & Bullets Book Reviews and More - Tabitha was at my Charlotte signing - I can't tell you how great it was to meet her!!  Book bloggers are awesome!!   Here's a recap of my signing from her POV AND a video clip of me reading from The Promise of Amazing.

The Author's Voice - I had the chance to speak to fellow One Four Kate Boorman for her "author's voice" series.  This was a fun way to do an interview and we had to contend with some howling Canadian wind!  AND I also read an excerpt from TPofA.  Kate's book WINTERKILL will be out Fall of 2014.  Another one to put on your TBR list!  Sounds delightfully eerie!!

There are also some fun TPofA extras over on Storycrush.com:

The Official Jersey Playlist for The Promise of Amazing

Which 80's rom-com is your love life?     (I'm Say Anything!)



Happy Friday!!  Stay warm and curl up with a good book!!

Robin <3



Tangled Gif Source: http://imgur.com/gallery/8xuI6
Little Mermaid Gif Source: http://gif-emporium.tumblr.com/post/12063363403

What's Up Wednesday?

What's up Wednesday is a weekly meme started by Jaime Morrow and Erin L. Funk.  This awesome blog hop is a fun way to keep up with what your writer and reader buds are doing.  If you wish to participate you can find the link near the bottom of Jaime and Erin's blog posts.  LOVE this idea!!!

WHAT I'M READING

I am giggling my way through Lauren Morrill's MEANT TO BE.   This book is so much fun.  "Wooooooo!"


WHAT I'M WRITING

Well...not much at the moment but I'm thinking a lot.  I know this sounds a lot like procrastination, but truthfully the thinking/dreaming part of my process is just as important as any other. Although I do get really impatient with it - especially when I go on Twitter and see the amazing word counts some of my writer pals have been clocking.  I have to remind myself that I'll be there soon.  I will.   I just came off of two months in the revision trenches and always find the transition from revising to drafting a little challenging.  I also have to remind myself to have fun with the first draft.  Play.  I will tell you this.  It's YA.  And told from the POV of a character I adore and a new character I'm falling in love with and I'm really looking forward to it!!


WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW

Being in New Jersey.  The night-time sky.  The chance to see the Atlantic Ocean up close and personal again.  Oh, and pizza.


WHAT ELSE I'VE BEEN UP TO

My small, all-girl, private high school is closing its doors after 88 years.  In order to raise funds to settle some still outstanding bills, the alumni association had a multi-year class reunion.  Class reunions are not my thing.  I'm still besties with a handful of girls from my school so there hasn't been any reason to go back.  It's amazing though how all those old insecurities appear when the word 'reunion' pops up but the timing was right, so we decided to go for it.   I am soooooooo glad I did this!!  The reunion was held at the school and walking those halls, as an adult (with a glass of wine in hand) was oddly dream-like.  And so much FUN.

Here's me at my senior year locker:

And a photo of the hallway - I swear I still have nightmares, err, I mean, dreams where I forget my schedule and I don't know what class I"m heading to, but suddenly remember I'm not in high school anymore so I don't have to worry about detention...

I've also been to the Jersey shore doing my bit to boost the economy after Superstorm Sandy...

And putting my toes in the sand....

What have you been up to??


<3 Robin