Happy launch day to my new idiom: GIRL UP! It means: be awesome, stay smart, be strong, follow your heart. Coincidentally, it happens to appear in the fourth Fifties Chix book, Broken Record (LAUNCHED TODAY!). In this book, Bev is in the spotlight, much like Maxine was in the spotlight in book 3. As you know, Bev hasn’t had a lot of friends who are girls in the past, other than teammates. She gets along really well with guys (reminds me of my best friend in elementary school, Amy Douglass. I, on the other hand, thought boys were from another planet. I get now that they’re just earthlings who are male.). I thought it would be fun to tell some of the Fifties Chix story from the guys’ points of view, so I did that a little in this book [hint: find out what Conrad really thinks of Bev!--click and scroll down to the preview]. Bev has to make some pretty tough choices, and of course, I’m proud of how she handles it and what she chooses. I hope when I grow up I can be a little more like Bev.

I thought you might appreciate a sneak peek of the book and so I’m including the passage where “girl up” appears so that you may begin using this term immediately:

Bob Jenkins wanted to screech and whine, throw a tantrum as if he were a two year old. But he knew that wouldn’t get them out of this game unscathed—though it would certainly get him out of the game. He just wasn’t feeling it and there was nothing worse in the world than standing on that mound and having nothing to bring. He was tapped. But it was too soon for relief; he didn’t want that either.
    Coach eyeballed them; did Bob need to come in?
    “Girl up, man. Pitch like your sister.” Marsalis hit Bob on the shoulder, flashed him a wicked smile and ran back to his warn little spot behind home plate.

Happy reading!

It was a cool way to celebrate the pre-launch of  Fifties Chix book 4 Broken Record (and the availability of it as ebook for Kindle and Nook, etc TODAY, March 7) – I created an “event” on Facebook for “party-goers” to post links about girls and women portrayed in the media and getting press in a positive way. The first days, I admit, there was a dearth of good press about females. But the last fews days, I’ve been seeing inspiring stories everywhere! See a list of the links below.

I promised that whomever posted the most would win the print version of Broken Record (signed by me, natch). And the winner is: LeeAnn Williamson Henry!! I think it’s totally appropriate that LeeAnn won since we are friends from middle school, which is what age my readers are Congrats, LeeAnn, and thanks for the great links.

Go grab your own ebook version of Broken Record for just $1.99 (hurry! It’s only a 24-hour sale) and next week, 3/15, the printed version can be all yours, too!

Now for all the links posted on the Positive Press Party-Girls in the Media page:

• Tavi Gevinson profile
• Julia Bluhm (she convinced Seventeen Magazine to stop photoshopping their covers)
• Nia Bakari, 9 year old BlogTalk Radio host of her own show
• Jedediah Bila
• Quvenzhané Wallis, 9 year old Oscar-nominated actor
• Senator Elizabeth Warren
• Karen Olson, advocate for homeless
• Alice Herz-Sommer, 109 year old Holocaust survivor
• Channah Zeitun, 4 year old Martial arts champ
• Sheryl Sandberg’s organization, LeanIn.org
• Brave Girls Club
• Indira Johnson, artist
• Sara Groves, performing her song”Obsolete”
• Samantha Manns, 18 year old performing 89 random acts of kindness
• Monica Lin Brown, 19 year old awarded silver star for acts of bravery in war
• Maggie Doyne, 26 year old who started orphanage in Nepal at age 19 with her life savings

Inspired yet? Let’s keep it going.

Happy reading!

I’m freaking out a little. It’s so cool! I found my heart twin! “Using his iPhone, Eric Telchin [Boy Sees Hearts] has photographed these and 4,000 other heart-shaped objects since first spotting a heart-shaped puddle of chocolate ice cream on his kitchen counter in July 2009,” says Publisher’s Weekly. And he’s got a book. And he says, “Love is all around if you pay attention.” When I look at his pics (taken with his iPhone) they could’ve come right off of my iPhone! (But he’s been so awesomely dedicated at taking it to a whole new level.)

Yesterday, Whit laughed at me when I stopped dead in a busy QT gas station parking lot to look at schmutz on the ground that was a perfect heart. (I didn’t snap a picture because the truck coming up behind me wasn’t interested in using the brakes.) Whit’s gotten used to me yelling “Heart!”–though one of us may be in the middle of a sentence–because I see a heart.

Then there’s this post I wrote about hearts I photograph. And so many pics on Facebook. And on Instagram. And my Pinterest heart board. And my tumblr. I LOVE THAT HEARTS ARE EVERYWHERE!!!  I can’t wait to get Eric’s book (and check out his other products, like the alphabet! In the mean time, check out Eric’s daily heart(s) here.

My latest heart:

Even in the cold of winter:::LOVE.

And still my favorite:

My favorite!! This says it all.

Congratulations to the winner of Fifties Chix Book 3 (Third Time’s a Charm) Giveaway on Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog!! If you didn’t “win”, remember you can always check out the Fifties Chix series for yourself in ebook or print form on Amazon, Barnes & Noble (including BN.com), my publisher’s website or in bookstores. Only a few more months and book 4, Broken Record will be out, so stay tuned!

Happy reading,

HAPPY LAUNCH DAY, Fifties Chix: Third Time’s a Charm!! Today, the third book is OH-fficially available in print wherever books are sold!! To help me celebrate (because she likes any excuse for a partay), author of the fantabulous Mother-Daughter Book Club series, Heather Vogel Frederick* had me over to her blog for a GIVEAWAY. It is so cozy over there; she didn’t even make me take off my shoes, but I wanted to anyway (I was wearing clean, fluffy socks. Plus, I’m speaking metaphorically, so don’t worry).

Check out my interview with her here and then comment on her blog and join the Fifties Chix Fan Club and voila–you are entered to win a signed paperback copy of Fifties Chix: Third Time’s a Charm! (Giveaway ends at midnight January 23rd; one winner will be chosen at random and announced here on this and Heather’s blog on January 24th. US/Canada only, please.)

*Be sure and congratulate Heather on her nomination for an Oregon Book Award for her book, Once Upon a Toad!!

I’m off to go eat some birthday cake while I write the fifth Fifties Chix book, Till the End of Time!

Happy launch day and happy reading,

I love all of my offspring (my paper children, my word infants, my book babies!), but this one, my tenth book and the third book in the Fifties Chix series, is extra special (please don’t tell the others. Especially book 4, which I am writing now). In Third Time’s a Charm, we got World War II history, Civil War history, the 1950s and present day. We’ve got twists, turns, new characters, old characters, maps and family trees, questions, answers and mysteries. Really, the only thing this book doesn’t do is gush delicious chocolate onto a spoon and feed you (and if you discover that is does, will you please include that in your review of the book?).

HOWEVER, no birth comes without lots of, uh, growth for the mother, often times the result of unexpected challenges. Our little challenge with FC baby #3 is that we’ve been promoting a 99¢ sale! But…

…due to circumstances beyond our control, we were just notified that Amazon has changed their pricing structure and will no longer allow us to sell Fifties Chix: Third Time’s a Charm for less than $1.99.  To make up for this unexpected change in Amazon’s policy, my awesome publisher [midwife?]–who wants you to read happy–is offering to send you a promo code for $1.00 off any of the Fifties Chix print titles. Just email me proof of your purchase of Third Time’s a Charm ebook and I’ll email you the promo code.*

We love Fifties Chix readers and are so grateful for your support…we want you to read happy, always. And we still need your help getting Fifties Chix: Third Time’s a Charm to #1 on Amazon! (And it’s still a bomb-diggity price at under two bucks!).

Thanks for understanding and thanks in advance for spreading the word about Fifties Chix positive message for young teen readers–and getting Third Time’s a Charm to #1 today!

Here’s how:

1) Click here to go to Amazon.
2) Click “Buy as Gift” or “Buy Now” yellow buttons on right. Gifts (link to ebook) will be emailed to recipient (can be read on computer, phone or ereader).
3) Read happy.
4) Email me your proof of purchase of the ebook so I can email you the promo code for a dollar off any Fifties Chix print book*

*Promo code good for Fifties Chix books purchased on FastPencilPremiere’s website.

Next week: 1/15/13 — Snafu-free launch of the print book of Third Time’s a Charm! It’s a girl! (Um, it’s five girls, actually…)

Happy reading!

I’m convinced it’s still September, so watching the snow fall and realizing it’s the last day of 2012 is a surreal experience. Before I look ahead to 2013, I’m looking back on 2012 with a grateful heart. Oh, that doesn’t mean that there isn’t an impossibly long list of challenges in 2012–many of which the general public will never know about–but it does mean that however long that list is, the good outweighs (outlists?) it. Always. One of my favorite quotes that was shared during the shock of the Sandy Hook tragedy was by Mister Rogers who said his mother told him to look for the helpers in times of catastrophe. So as I look back on 2012, I am grateful for the “helpers” — my husband, family, friends,  readers, fans, co-workers (I’ll call them co-visionaries) and most of all, those sweet, divinely good thoughts that have come gently whispering in the darkest moments, assuring me that all is well.

Happy New Year…and happy old one, too.

I did not handle it well. I burst out sobbing and it kept happening throughout the day. My usual practice is to pray; in my world, that means quietly turning to God, that divine presence of Love that forever abides in each of our hearts, and ask, “Well, what do You say about all this?” But I felt blocked from doing that yesterday. Rage, disdain, grief, and yes, fear and all its What Ifs choked the willingness to be humble right out of me. Or so it felt. I even had these horrible thoughts, how can we help children [as so many of us have been called to do] when we can’t even protect them at school? And there were more horrible thoughts, but that’s not the point.

I searched for who to blame; the list I came up with was long (I’ll spare you the deets).  I wanted to have the Gun Control Discussion NOW so that I could convey the rage, disdain, grief, and fear I was feeling. [OH. You mean like someone who would go to a school, a mall, a parking lot, and try to convey their rage, disdain, grief and fear with a gun? ] Gently, softer and more powerful thoughts began to dawn. My husband’s full time job yesterday was providing comfort and empathy, letting me talk and reminding me what we both know. He posted on Facebook, “Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with me.” I let those words wash their light over me. I could do something; I can do something everyday. Not respond to or with rage, disdain, grief and fear, not let those become who I am, not let those inspire my words. Yes, have the Gun Control Discussion, and all the others that need to be had, but not out of rage, disdain, grief and fear. Out of compassion, intelligence, empathy, respect, tenderness, eagerness to learn. All of those are childlike qualities. The best way to honor those sweet children at Sandy Hook and all our children is to express those qualities like a floodlight when the darkness encroaches. And of course, if I cherish non-violence, I must not respond either out of violent feelings or with violent words.

It’s been said if you want to change the world, change how you think about the world; to me this is how peace reigns in the world…it starts with me, how I see the world and how I tenderly nurture it in my thought. It’s the only way I can function today as I go to write for children, reminding them that life is fundamentally good, that the light always beats out the darkness and that their qualities are relevant, needed and worthy.

I’m embarrassed that my first response was to be overwhelmed by feelings of violence. But this is a learning and growing time for all Americans; we have some very hard discussions up ahead. So let’s show how much we value our children by emulating their innocence, affection, tenderness, eagerness, and spontaneous joy as we begin individually with ourselves to manifest earth’s natural state: peace.

I’m grateful to God who is present in every heart, showing us the way to love and revealing what is true despite the horrific images presented about the nature of man. I’m so grateful for you (whoever you are reading this), my family, my friends, my church, and the millions of strangers I don’t know. Thank you for all that you are doing to manifest peace and light and love. It is working.

Woot! Thanks to all the Fifties Chix fans who took Keeping Secrets (book 2) straight to number one on Amazon yesterday!!

Both Travel to Tomorrow and Keeping Secrets are bestsellers!

If you missed the 99¢ sale yesterday, no worries, my publisher has told me the sale goes on today! So grab your ebook here. And if you just aren’t sure, check out this list and see if you qualify for any of these reasons to buy.

Happy reading! And … thank you! ♥