Joy Preble's Blog, page 53

SHSU Children's Lit Festival & YA Conference

Looking author-y in between Kelly Bennett and Janet Fox
SHSU grad student Katie Poland poses with me.
Kellly Bennett and Janet Fox with Janet's Faithful cover

Janet Fox and her SHSU grad student helper

Absolutely delightful time yesterday presenting at the Sam Houston State Children's and YA lit conference with Janet Fox (Faithful, Puffin, May 2010) Thanks to Dr. Holly Weimar for choosing us to be part of the program and to my cheery grad student helper Kathryn Poland for sheperding me...

HuffPo, Sharpies, and other News

Quick post this morning. So much work to do and then husband's birthday dinner later on. (Don't you love it when birthdays fall on weekends and you can have more leisurely fun rather than the "here's your cake, let's go do homework" kind of fun?)

If I haven't mentioned it, I'm an official Huffington Post blogger now, on their new books vertical. I am thrilled! Posted my latest- on paying your dues as a debut author - on Friday. You can read it here: http...

In Which I visit the kid in Phoenix and Sign at Changing Hands

Family pumpkin carving in AZ. Mine's the middle one.
Presenting AZ Blogger Shellie with her signed Dreaming Anastasia

What I didn't eat at the State Fair

Talking Dreaming Anastasia at Changing Hands

Dreaming Anastasia at Changing Hands in Tempe AZ

So the trip didn't start out too well - 2 hours sitting on the plane at the gate in Houston while maintenance tinkered with a part in the cockpit. Long enough that I graded two sets of essays, drank my complimentary cup of ice water (oh c'mon folks ...

Dreaming Anastasia goes to Blue Willow

Signed the Blue Willow author wall. Yes - Joy Preble right next to Lauren Conrad
Visiting with blogger and Twitter pal Sabrina

Signing Dreaming Anastasia at Blue Willow


If you live in Houston or visit Houston, promise me that you'll stop by Blue Willow Bookshop on Memorial on the west side of the city. Valerie Koehler and events coordinator Cathy Berner and the rest of the staff were gracious enough to take a chance on a newbie debut author - aka - me! Last night's signing was such an...

Laissez les bons temp rouler! Louisiana Book Festival!

Dreaming Anastasia in a B&N in Baton Rouge
Look who's on the program at the Louisiana Festival of Books

Me and Burton Raffel, amazingly brilliant scholar and writer and translator of the definitive version of Beowulf

Fran, Joy, and Donna in the B&N signing tent

At the Author Party with our book covers, State Library

Dreaming Anastasia makes it to the big time in Louisiana

Just came back from Baton Rouge and the delightful Louisiana hosptality of fellow 2k9er, Donna St. Cyr (Secrets of the...

So Did I Ever Tell You about the Squirrel?

So the squirrels. Did you ever notice how they hesitate? You're driving along and there's one at the curb and you see him and he sees you and you slow down just a little and give him some more woman to rodenty -creature eye contact. And then, just as it is too late for you to do anything about it, he dashes in front of you to cross the street. Sometimes it works out for him. Sometimes - not so much.

Last fall about this time, I was severely traumatized by one of the latter variety. Old Rocky r...

How Well do You Know the Real Anastasia Romanov?

I'd originally made this quiz for Lauren at Shooting Stars Mag to use for her Dreaming Anastasia giveaway contest. But now that the contest is over and I've sent the book to the winner, I present to you, gentle readers! See how much you know!

How Well Do You the Real Anastasia Romanov?

In Dreaming Anastasia, Anastasia Romanov might not be quite as dead as the history books say. But how well do you know the real Anastasia? So let's see how well you know this famous Russian princess!!

1. What wa...

Talking about Ethan and agents and editors with the Girl Scouts

Dreaming Anastasia, the Girl Scouts, their leaders, and me What a great time I had yesterday afternoon! I'd been asked to meet with a local senior Girl Scout troop to help them earn patches having to do with storytelling and reading. So that is what I did - and had a blast talking about Ethan (I told them that one reviewer had mentioned that E was always pushing that thick hair of his off his forehead and they began to giggle. "That's what guys do," one girl said. "Always.") and Anne and...

Book Talking Dreaming Anastasia

Reading from Dreaming Anastasia to NEHS group Either I'm surprised, or I'm answering a question

Clearly I need to talk with my hands


Did a little book talk with the National English Honor Society at my school Tuesday. Went pretty well. I'd anticpated that some would have read, some wouldn't. Some would have liked. Some wouldn't. As I've said in this blog before, that's the great thing about teaching high school. You simply can't take yourself too seriously. The kid who loved you yesterday...

The Best Birthday Ever

Me and Dana Wright, B&N bookseller and merch mgr supreme

A table of Dreaming Anastasia and my friend Wanda, supporting me and the Banff School, whose book fair I was supporting with this signing


See all those books? They were all gone by 4 PM



Look at the cool sign. With my picture. And me in the window taking the picture...


I signed yesterday in Houston at the Champions Forest Barnes and Noble. My pictures don't totally reflect what an amazing time I had because I was busy signing from 1:45...