Big Announcements Part One: I am Princess X

Ladies, gentlemen, and the otherwise affiliated - now it can finally be told: I'm bouncing into the world of young adult fiction, courtesy of a project with Scholastic!

[:: throws confetti ::]
[:: flails happy Kermit dance ::]
[:: puts on dancing shoes ::]
[:: wiggles it ... just a little bit ::]

And in a somewhat larger nutshell: May's best friend has been dead for years ... or maybe not, as she learns when a sinister, clandestine web phenomenon hints otherwise. One part Alternate Reality Game, and one part internet gothic - the book is tentatively called I am Princess X .

And I, for one, cannot WAIT to get this bad-boy underway in earnest!

As some of you might have guessed, yes - this was the Potential Project of Utmost Secrecy I was working on toward the end of last year. But all the fine points were not agreed upon until yesterday, so until then, this was one of the big things I was holding under my hat; and let me tell you, my hat has been TO THE BURSTING POINT as of late.

Now to answer a handful of questions that are bound to be frequently asked:
When will Princess X hit the stores? At present, the plan is for spring/summer of 2015, and yes, that is a HELLA long way off and it feels like FOREVER ... but good things come to those who wait, eh?

What ages will this book be aimed at? The protagonist is about seventeen, so somewhere in that general ballpark, I should think.

What about Ninja Planet? We kept hearing about THAT one. I still have plans for NP, yes - but PX will definitely be my young adult debut. There may be more to say on this matter one of these days. But today is not that day.

Will it be paranormal? Steampunk? Fantasy? This project is set in the real world, here and now - but it's got a little bit of a sci-fi edge. If you forced me to genre-fit it, I'd say that it's (in essence) a dark modern mystery. And I'll leave it at that.

I've been interested in doing some fiction aimed at teen readers for quite some time now, and I'm blessed and lucky that I get to take the plunge with such a great company. I can't tell you all how tickled I am to have this opportunity, and how much I'm looking forward to trying my hand at something new.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to run around and do some more happydances! And also make lunch. And also get ready for the landscaping lady. It's high glamour over here, you guys. All fancypants, all the time!

So thanks so much for reading, everyone - and if you have any additional questions, post them below and I'll answer them if I can.