Meg Cabot's Blog, page 18

Awesomely Naked Updates

It's Fantasy Fest Week here in Key West!

You think things get crazy in your town for Halloween? Where I live for the week leading up to Halloween, people come from all over the world to party, elect a King and Queen (the two people who raise the most money for AIDs Help), have a huge parade, and walk around buck naked.

Here is the winning float from last year's parade

I'm not sure when or how the naked part became so socially acceptable (and technically, the police are supposed to arrest...

Significant Objects

A while ago I was asked to be part of the Significant Objects Project.

This is a fun project you might have read about where authors are sent a photo of an object and asked to write a story giving the object new meaning (in under 500 words).

Then the story and photo are posted on eBay.

The object is then auctioned off, and the winning bidder gets the object and the author's original story.

I'm going to match whatever my winning bid is, and send the proceeds to The Heifer Project!

So if you like ...

Runaway

What's that you keep asking me? When are you going to get to see the cover to Runaway, the final book in the Airhead series?

Why, that'd be today!

I got the final manuscript turned in, the revisions completed, and now I'm just awaiting copy edits (a copy editor works to improve the formatting, accuracy, and style of manuscript, not the content).

So I think it's safe to finally reveal the front cover:

I know, isn't it great????

I wish I could give out the name of the cover model, because a lot ...

Strong Female Characters

Guess who's going to be on Voice of America?

That's right. Me.

(And Diana Gabaldon. And Shannon Hale. And Kristin Cashore. Yeah! The theme for the show is Strong Female Characters, in case you didn't notice.)

I know you totally want to listen to it, and you can, by going here. The show will air this Thursday (Oct 22) at 9AM Pacific/12PM Eastern.

This was a fun show to be on (I'll be honest: not all radio shows are. Especially the ones where you have to wake up at 5AM and the host is...

Meet Judy Blume!

I know, I know…you've always wanted to meet Judy Blume.

Well, now you have your big chance!

On Monday, October 19, she'll be hosting a night of comedy to celebrate free speech (and benefit the National Coalition Against Censorship) at City Winery in New York City….

And you can be there!

(Okay, for $50. But hey…it's for a good cause!)

Just click here for details and to reserve your ticket.

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I know, fancy, right? And like I said, a good cause. Do you have any idea how many books get banned i...

Glitter Girls

Guess what I just got?

A big box of the new Allie Finkle adventure, Glitter Girls and the Great Fake Out!

I know! I was like, didn't Allie's Rules for Girls, Stage Fright, just come out? How can the new one be here already?

But this is just the advanced reader copy (uncorrected proof) for Allie #5, which won't be out until March 2010 (so far away)!

I got super excited anyway because this is the one where Allie gets a big makeover (both in the book as well as on the cover, as you can see....

I Got My Mind Set On You

Today I made a startling discovery.

I was putting on my eye makeup and listening to the 80s channel on XM radio (as I do every morning) when they played George Harrison's I Got My Mind Set On You.

That's when I realized it:

This song is totally about writing a book!

I know everyone thinks it's about a girl.

But it isn't at all.

I don't know how many of you are writing novels right now, or thinking about writing a novel (perhaps next month, for NaNoWriMo).

But if you need inspiration, listen to...

Nights in Rodanthe vs. Rambo 4

Warning: SPOILERS

So we've been trying to relax by catching up on the recordings on our DVRs.

He Who Shall Not Be Named On This Blog doesn't want me to tell you this, but in addition to long documentaries about Icelandic rock groups (no, really…sometimes they play music with rocks), HWSNBNITB loves to record romantic movies. I still haven't forgiven him for making me watch Confessions of a Shopaholic:

What is this mannequin doing to her? This is just upsetting.

Seriously, you know I loved the ...

Ash by Malinda Lo

I'm so excited that Malinda Lo's brilliant retelling of Cinderella, Ash, is finally in stores!

I was fortunate enough to be able to read a review copy of this book a long time ago, and couldn't wait to be able to talk about it with you.

And now here it is!

Finally!

Publishers Weekly says Ash "should establish Malinda Lo as a gifted storyteller," while Kirkus calls it "exquisite and pristine," with "beautiful language, magically wrought."

School Library Journal says "fans of romance...

Betsy Rules

Be sure to check out my piece on the Betsy-Tacy books in today's Wall Street Journal! Just click here.

If you haven't read the Betsy books yet…what are you waiting for? The Betsy-Tacy Books by Maud Hart Lovelace have been beloved by girls and women since they were first published in the 1940s. Fans of the series include New York Times bestselling authors Laura Lippman, Anna Quindlen, Judy Blume and Nora Ephron.

(Check out Meg Ryan hand-selling the Betsy books to Tom Hanks's niece next time...