In which I post an update (Or, where I've been.)

Whew, this blog needs some spring cleaning and refreshing. In my defense, I haven't been a complete scobberlotcher in every area of life.

First off, I was getting in ARCs of my next novel COURAGE FOR BEGINNERS and starting a little pre-launch planning after spotting this beauty on the Little, Brown Books at ALA midwinter.

But then I fell into a giant plot hole broke my arm and had to wear this magnificent arm brace.

(The true story of this breakage is only known to me and the floor I broke it on, okay?) It was my good arm, too! My right arm, aka, the one I use the most. So I sat around and read a ton of books and watched a ton of movies. (It felt slightly wrong to eat ice cream while watching THE HUNGER GAMES. Slightly.)

Fortunately, I'd sent in a new book proposal the day BEFORE I broke it. (News about this soon, I hope.)

And then, I had to console my third grade daughter after this crushing conversation.

ME: Well, I bet Hilary Clinton is our next president.
HER: Is she a woman?
ME: Yes.
HER: So she'll be the FIRST woman president?
ME: Yes.
HER: But I was going to do that!!! (sob, sob, sob...)

Oh, to be young and hopeful and live in a world where everything is possible. I think that's my favorite quality in children.

So this week, I was able to stop wearing the magnificent brace. (Even though my daughter had discovered that parts of the brace are magnetic and was plying me with magnets.)  She even put a Vermont magnet on it. VERMONT! I was gifted with this wonderful basket by my writer friend, Polly Holyoke, who'd heard that SURE SIGNS OF CRAZY was recently recognized on the 2014-2015 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Vermont reading list!

Find the entire Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award list here. I was so honored to hear this news! The list has so many of my favorites like COUNTING BY 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan and THE CENTER OF EVERYTHING by Linda Urban!

So to celebrate, I bought myself these interesting spring flowers yesterday. It's nice to finally be able to drive and pick up fruit and flowers. It's the little things in life, right?

So you see, I haven't been a complete scobberlotcher.

Hope your spring is going great! Don't be like me and take spring BREAK literally, okay?

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