Susan Beth Pfeffer's Blog, page 47

A Change Is Gonna Come

I was going to write a nice chatty and informative blog entry, but I just got a one two punch. My rent is going up by a whole heck of a lot (in a failing real estate market, this is really improper), and Television Without Pity has removed its Adam Lambert thread, which has been my favorite place to escape for quite a while now. TWoP says maybe if it's in a good mood, it will bring it back on Monday.

I could become a bitter woman very fast.

Or I could write the entry I intended to write this morni

Google Will Be So Excited

For those of you who are wondering why I'm writing this entry starting at 7:19 AM, you can blame it on a combination of Scooter's early morning enthusiasm, and rumors that Adam Lambert will be performing on the Early Show. I figure if Adam is on, they'll save him for the second hour, and I can exercycle to him. While I'm waiting, I'll catch you up on everything else.

The big news is that I've created a term that Google never seems to have heard before. It is a description of Scooter's personalit

Never! And I Mean It! Never!

Decades ago, when I was a senior in college, I decided for reasons I'll go into some other time, to write a young adult novel (and I did; it was called Just Morgan, and it got reviewed in the New York Times and everything). But before I began writing, I told everyone I knew (at least 4 people, maybe as many as 5), that I was going to write a book. I figured that way I'd be too embarrassed not to finish.


It worked then. So now I'm proclaiming to everyone who reads this blog (at least 4 people, may

I Got A Kitten. I Got A Bracelet. I Got Another Award!

My friends Joyce and Lew were up for the weekend. I was in a particularly good mood, having found out about the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award on Friday afternoon.

Scooter was appropriately cute and kittenish during the visit, and Joyce took pictures. I'm not sure why I'm holding Scooter in such an undignified manner, but that's how we were when Joyce immortalized us.

Saturday afternoon (before Joyce took the picture), we went to the Galleria. We go every time Joyce and Lew visit, generally for shop

Three Is A Wonderful Number

Life As We Knew It has just won its third award!

I am superpleased about this one, because it's the Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, high school division.

Ever since I learned LAWKI was nominated, I fantasized about winning the Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (any division; I wasn't fussy). I mean, the odds are non-existent that I'll ever win a Pfeffer Award (which, now that I think about, does exist, since my parents created one, but it's for people who do good and noble deeds, which doesn't exa

The Apartment Is Clean(er)

While I remain in a holding pattern, waiting to hear from the new editor, I figured I'd let you know I don't spend all my spare non-apartmentcleaning time, playing with Scooter.

Actually, since I have almost a week before the American Idol finale, I have plenty of time to read (well, maybe not plenty, since Joyce and Lew are coming this weekend). Here's the list of what I just read, am reading, and will be reading:

I finished reading Devil's Gate. I learned a lot about early Mormon history. If I'd

I'm Sure My New Editor Is Very Cute Also

I got an email today from my new editor saying This World We Live In remains on track for a spring 2010 publication. I should be hearing from her in a week or so about rewrites.

I can't really say I'm on vacation, because Wednesday I'm visiting a local school and Thursday I'm exchanging comments with a class in New Jersey and Friday I'm visiting a class a friend of mine teaches.

But the true challenge of the week will be tomorrow morning, when I take Scooter to the vet for his checkup and shots.

Catching Up

I had a really wonderful time in New Hampshire.

I spent Wednesday at Rundlett Middle School, in Concord, talking with the seventh graders there. Nancy Keane is their school media specialist, and she took extra good care of me. During one break, she drove me around Concord. It's the state capitol. It has many lovely homes, and at least one Dunkin Donuts (I never claimed I ate sensibly when I was on the road).

Thursday I was the luncheon speaker for the New Hampshire Educational Media Association. I

The Word For The Day Is "Fatuous"

Today is the two week anniversary of my adoption of Scooter (and his of me). Since he was eight weeks old then, he must be ten weeks old now. I counted back, and that lands his birthday mid-February, which, oddly enough, is where my birthday lands as well. So I decided he and I share a birthday.

Because tomorrow I'm taking my mother to Dr. Eye Doctor, and then in the evening, participating in an online discussion of Life As We Knew It, and on Tuesday going to New Hampshire, I'm posting tonight.

The Fabulous Garden State Teen Book Award (Fiction Grades 6-8)

wasn't back from the framer's in time for the awards luncheon yesterday.
Very shrewdly, a box of chocolates was presented to me instead.
It was great to see John Green again (he was the luncheon speaker) and to meet fellow winners Ann Bausum and Bruce Degen. Ann's award was at the framer's also, but Bruce's was there for me to see and envy.
He, in turn, envied Ann's and my boxes of chocolate.

Do you know, I have no idea if it should be framer's or framers. I suppose if it's multiple owners of the