Wow, I haven’t blogged here for more than a month. Sorry about that. It’s not that I haven’t wanted to blog–a lot has been going on, and I have things to talk about (like Star Trek Into Darkness and Man of Steel, not to mention some recent controversies on the internet…). However, one of my struggles as a writer has been learning not to take on too much. I have a day job and a family and some semblance of a social life, and several other commitments on the side, like writing Star Trek reviews at The Viewscreen, and editing newsletters and magazines, and so on. I have to fit writing fiction in there somewhere, and for the last month or so, I made the decision to focus on that. The good news is, I just finished a major revision on a novel, so I consider my time away well spent. But now I have a ton of e-mails to catch up on and a backlog of things to blog about…
Since it’s been an egregiously long time since I blogged here, here’s a quick update on some very important and mostly wonderful things:
Photo by Sam Morgan
- Last month, Fair Coin received the 2012 Andre Norton Award for Outstanding Young Adult Science Fiction or Fantasy Book! I was completely stunned and honored, particularly since every one of the nominated books could just as easily have received it. It was an incredible experience just to be in San Jose, CA for the Nebula Award Weekend, which is where the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America (SFWA) organization gives out their awards, let alone take home the shiny award. (For photos from the weekend, visit Richard Man Photo, and click here for a list of all the Nebula award recipients and nominees.)
- I am a finalist for the 2013 British Fantasy Award for Best Newcomer (aka the Sydney J. Bounds Award), for Fair Coin. Wow. Nominees were voted on by members of the British Fantasy Society and winners will be selected by a jury and announced at the World Fantasy Convention in November. I’m particularly surprised and pleased to get this recognition because my books have not yet been published in the UK!
- Last month I visited my old high school in Yonkers, NY for career day. (Fun fact: Fair Coin is set in the fictional city of Summerside, which is basically Yonkers.) Many of the vendors there were in the medical profession, and I thought it might be weird for me as a former pre-med student there to be hanging out as a writer. But it was amazing to be back there and meet so many students and faculty who are excited about books and writing, and it was wonderful to reconnect with an old teacher of mine, Dr. Clarice Morris. Shout outs to some of the great teachers and teens I talked to: Joshua, Samantha, Melanie (pictured with me), Charisma, Shyana, Marco, Dean, and Josue. And thanks to Jim Riley, the school’s media specialist, who brought me there.
- Oh yeah, I just turned 35. Not bad.
Some recent blog posts of mine elsewhere:
- At the League of Extraordinary Writers, I wrote about why I love reading reviews of my books, even the “negative” ones.
- At teamTEENauthor, I talk a little about college. Check it out if you want to see a picture of me from my senior year, circa 1999!
- At Diversity in YA, I talk about the importance of representing diverse cultures in books, television, and movies.
- After a brief hiatus, we picked up reviewing episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation at The Viewscreen. My latest is on “Captain’s Holiday”.
Finally, here are some recent, noteworthy reviews and interviews:
- I was interviewed by CarrieS at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, in which I talk about YA, Gilmore Girls, and Sweet Valley High.
- Also at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, a great review of Fair Coin!
- In this Booklist review looking back at Singularity by William Sleator—one of my favorite books!—Daniel Kraus calls me an heir to “Sleator’s canny melding of the interpersonal with the fantastic”!!!
- A short highlight on Fair Coin and the Norton Award that aired on local radio!
- I was invited back to Geek’s Guide to the Galaxy to talk Star Trek Into Darkness with co-hosts John Joseph Adams and David Barr-Kirtley and guest Emily Asher-Perrin.
I’m sure I’m forgetting something, but that’s all I’ve got for now. Hopefully blogging will pick up a little more here now that I am not stuck in the revision cave!
