Mary E. Pearson's Blog, page 12

The Fox Inheritance - arcs!

I received the ARCS for The Fox Inheritance last night!  Only two, but they are just beautiful!  I love how the cover is similar to the paperback of Adoration, but still has a different tone and feel to it.



And his eye is just gorgeous.  Golden brown with flecks of green.  This designer really paid attention to detail!

Back in January my publisher gave some bound manuscripts to a few attendees at ALA midwinter, so they got a peek at the story even before arcs came out.  One of those who received a bound manuscript was  professornana  .  I was gone last week on a writing/skiing retreat when she posted this on her blog.  Needless to say, it left me smiling.  A lot. 

Like every author, I'm on pins and needles waiting for first reactions--and this was the very first one from someone not related to me.  I especially loved that she said it had heart.  I sure hope so.  I feel like I leave a piece of me in every book I write. So yes, dancing a happy dance at her blog post!

When and if I get more ARCS I will surely be giving some away.  Or perhaps my publisher will be doing that through their blog .  As soon as I know I will post the info.

Also, besides my regular Facebook page, I've started a  Facebook Fan page that will have more exclusively book news--including arc giveaways and such. So for those of you who want to skip the personal trivia and stick to the book news, I hope you will check out that page and click the "like" tab at the top.

Back to writing . . .

Friday Five . . .

1.  Thank you all for your cheers and congrats on my post from a few days ago.  I'm still smiling.

2.  anywherebeyond   has a great post about book piracy.  Check it out.

3.  On the writing front, I am reviewing First Pass Pages for The Fox Inheritance which comes out in August.  My last chance to find mistakes.  So far, so good.  I haven't found any. 

4.  I've always been a loyal viewer of The Today Show as I have my morning coffee.  I really do like Matt and Meredith and Ann and Al, but I think it's time to see what else is on at that hour.  When Snooki and her book, A Shore Thing, takes precedence over recognizing the Newbery and Caldecott winners, it's time to move on.  

5.  Oops, spoke too soon, just found an r where an s should be.  Instead of flashes, we now have a flasher.  What a difference one little letter can make.

Have a great weekend all!

The Miles Between

My author copies arrived!  And it was a cool surprise to see that the butterflies and sunglasses are shiny!  I didn't know that from viewing the cover on my computer.  Here you can see a little bit how the sunglasses "sparkle."  Yes, I know I'm a fish and I'm attracted to shiny things.  It's the small things in life, ya know?




Also, today I am the guest blogger over at MacKids   talking a bit about The Miles Between, and sharing my desk chachka (which is a whole 'nother subject) and readers letters.  Hope you will stop by and leave a comment!

Best. News. Ever.

I have been bursting at the seams to share this news, but I had to keep mum until I got the okay to blab.  So I'm blabbing away now!

A couple of weeks before Christmas my daughter and her husband dropped by the house while they were out running errands.  They had a little gift for us.  My daughter told us, "We got you an ornament for your tree so you might as well open it now so you can hang it up and enjoy it."  I opened the box while my husband looked over my shoulder.  When I pulled it out  I literally stopped breathing . . .




My mouth just hung open and I couldn't speak.  Finally my husband blurted out, "You're having a baby!"  That's when I started crying, and then I hugged them, and then I cried some more.  And then we all hugged some more.  It's impossible for me to express how happy I am.

So come August we will be adding a new little reader to the family.

The Miles Between Giveaway!

I can't believe it's been a year already since the hardcover of The Miles Between was published--and today the paperback is out!  To celebrate, my wonderful publisher is giving away 20 free books!  Thank you Macmillan!
You can sign up for a chance to win here.





I love the new cover--similar to the hardcover but with a heightened sense of magic and mystery.  And the Cadillac in the sunglasses is just way cool.   I think I saw some sunglasses like that at Old Navy.  I wonder if that's where they got them?

Now go enter to win!  And thank you for spreading the word! 

2011! Can you believe it?

Happy New Year! 

Yes I know we are already three days into it.  I think this is an omen for the year to come--I will always be three steps and three days behind. 

Yesterday I took down all the Christmas decorations.   Luckily I had help or I would still be doing it.  Every year I say I am not going to buy one more decoration, but every year, one more (or two) catches me at a weak moment and begs be to take it home.  I comply.  The house looks so naked now with everything put away.  In fact, I haven't even put back the everyday knickknacks yet so it looks extra naked. 

The holidays were insane around here, but insane is a very good way.  Lots of family, lots of friends, and this year we gained new friends and family when our youngest daughter became engaged. Oh yes, in the midst of all the regular holidays there was an engagement party!  So insanely busy but in good ways.

And of course, for some reason I thought I didn't have enough to do so I thought this would be a good year for Santa to stop by our house--twice!  Of course you know this requires special arrangements with all those elves, and reinforcement of the roof to make sure Prancer and his gang don't fall through it, but it was worth it to see my nephews smiles. And boy did they smile! I even managed to grab a quick picture of me on Santa's lap before he had to go.  Yep, Santa left me smiling too.  But he always does.



But now the holidays are behind us and the decorations are put away, and the sweets are eaten or tossed. (well, I did hide those special chocolates for emergencies)  And today I have had a flurry of emails for the next big events on my calendar.  Tomorrow The Miles Between comes out in paperback!--more to come on that soon--and at the end of the week thousands of librarians are descending on my hometown for ALA.  Yes, ALA midwinter is in San Diego this year!  Last time it was here I think we were having a Santa Ana which means warm winds and warm temps.  I'm afraid that probably won't be the case this time.  We have been having rain to beat the band.  Bring your umbrellas and a prayer.  Perhaps a Santa Ana wind will hear you and blow our way for a few days.

I will be at the Convention Center on Saturday and Sunday.  Saturday I will be visiting my publisher's booth, Henry Holt BYR, and also Brilliance Audio who produces my audio books, and on Sunday I will be meeting with a few librarians and also sitting in on the BBYA talks.  I hope I see you there. 

After ALA I will be working madly (as in deep submersion) on the third Fox book and I am sure there will be more to work on with The Fox Inheritance which comes out on August 30.  And then . . .

Well, this next year is going to be a doozy or is it doozie?  Maybe it will be both.  In fact, I am sure it will be both.  But I feel very blessed to have all this busyness in my life.  And hey, getting to sit on a pretty hot Santa's lap is icing on the cake.  (Can I say that?  Well, I guess I just did)

Hope to see you and sunshine at ALA this weekend.  Happy New Year all!

Coffee Break Tuesday . . .

I'm hanging out with d_michiko_f   at her blog today, sipping coffee and talking about the writing journey  --bumps, panic attacks, and all. 

Come have a cup of coffee with us!

Signing a few . . .

I met with the Oceanside High School Book Club this morning. Lots of great questions. I see a whole new crop of writers on the horizon. And wow, does that school have an awesome view of the ocean.  Beautiful. 

Tonight I'm signing at the Oceanside B&N at 6pm along with Paranormalcy author Kiersten White.  If you're in the area, come by and say hi!  Hope we see you there!

Cheers for the finalists!

A big shout out to all the 2011 finalists of the YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction

Janis Joplin: Rise Up Singing
By Ann Angel, published by Amulet/Abrams

They Called Themselves the KKK: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group
By Susan Campbell Bartoletti, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Spies of Mississippi:  The True Story of the Spy Network that Tried to Destroy the Civil Rights Movement
By Rick Bowers, published by National Geographic Society

The Dark Game: True Spy Stories
By Paul Janeczko, published by Candlewick Press

Every Bone Tells a Story: Hominin Discoveries, Deductions, and Debates
By Jill Rubalcaba and Peter Robertshaw, published by Charlesbridge

And SPECIAL CHEERS  to my very dear friend, Jill Rubalcaba and her co-author Peter Robertshaw for their nominated title Every Bone Tells a Story.  Jill is an amazing writer and person and one of my very first writing mentors and I'm so happy to see her book get this honor.



Hooray for all the finalists!

Guest Editor for the Day . . .

I get to try on a new hat today! 



I'm "Guest Editor" over at  Dear Editor , answering a question from Maureen about writing paralysis. 

Hope you'll stop by!