Justina Chen's Blog, page 6

The Blessings of the Unexpected Joy

It's with utter astonishment that on the heels of readergirlz picking up the National Book Award for Innovations in Reading, my editor emailed me twice...

Once, to let me know that NORTH OF BEAUTIFUL was named to the 2010 Texas Lone Star Reading List.

And then again, to tell me that Kirkus named it one of the Best Books of 2009. I encourage everyone who loves a good read to check out the list for fabulous titles, including Malinda Lo's ASH, Laurie Halse Anderson's WINTERGIRLS, Tanita Davis's M...

Summer Vacation...Really

So...ummm...here are pictures from my summer vacation. Which I discovered on my camera when I began the annual scouring for a good Xmas card photo.

I'm telling myself that this summertime photo stash--so recently discovered--is the hidden benefit of procrastination. See. I've been a wee bit stressed and busy lately. And these photos were a mini-vacation for my frazzled psyche. A reminder of a slower time in the Hudson Valley. Where have I been all this time never to have visited the Hudson V...

Wowsa! Has it really been 2 months since I last posted? ...

Wowsa! Has it really been 2 months since I last posted? Lots of news of the readergirlz front.

First, there's the National Book Awards...where readergirlz is picking up an Innovation in Reading Award. That's in November and it's been fun to listen to the 2 divas who are going to represent us get all fussy about The Dress.

Next up, there's the rgz Teen Read Week press release over at the readergirlz blog.

Then, there's the banner, in small, medium, large, or side banner! Once again created by ...

David Gray: Fangirl Moment

Ohhhh...guess who is playing in town in a few weeks from now? David Gray!



Babylon! Babylon!

Now here's a guy who should be writing a YA novel.

Sweet Memories of ALA

Thanks to my publisher for sending me to ALA where I had the privilege of signing in their booth... complete with my own sign. I still can't believe the number of people waiting in line, holding my books...

And thanks to Follett who hosted me in their booth as well where I signed another 100 copies of North of Beautiful. Thank you!

And then off to a dinner where I was starry-eyed over the amazing librarians who came out to hear debut novelists Malinda Lo and Sarah Ockler as well as me. I'm n...

Hanging with 30,000 Librarians!

Sweet room looking out over the Chicago skyline and the water. Thank you, Little, Brown! My head is still reeling over last night's wonderful catch-up with Beth Yoke, executive director of YALSA, and Stevie--her PR person of much wonderosity. We're rolling out another very cool teen literacy project together...more soon.

Then, why oh why, have I not learned to keep some ideas to myself? Such as telling the YALSA president-elect (who kicked off this year's party with a Project Runway theme) ...