News Flash: May 20, 2012

Congratulations to Barbara Shepler, winner of a copy of Chained!

From the 2012 Debs…

Deb Joanne was reviewed in this week’s Kirkus (bear with me, I’m pasting the whole thing because I can’t get over how great it is):

A lively preteen develops the “superpsychic” ability to converse with the dead, complicating her seventh-grade life in this lighthearted debut.

When 12-year-old Lilah’s struck by lightning at her mother’s wedding, she wakes up hearing her deceased grandmother Dora talking to her. Lilah’s afraid she’s going crazy until Dora explains, “[w]hen the lightning hit you, it was like someone switched on a radio and I was tuned into your channel.” Soon, Lilah’s channeling lots of dead people like Serena, her music teacher’s sweetheart; Priscilla, a famous fashion designer; and Marion, the cafeteria lunch lady for 49 years. Overwhelmed with advice and requests from talking ghosts who are simultaneously irritating and invasive, Lilah confesses her psychic power to her best friend, Alex, who thinks she should earn money doing readings. But when Lilah tries to give a message to her crush, Andrew, from his deceased father, things go terribly wrong. Gradually, Lilah learns how to convert her psychic pals into allies and channel her powers positively, turning a disastrous school fundraiser into a success, winning Andrew’s trust and admiration, and helping her father find romance. In a fresh, frank and funny first-person voice, Lilah tells of her ghostly encounters from the perspective of a normal Jewish girl coping with abnormal powers. Droll middle school drama.

Deb Molly had a great Chicago launch party — huge thanks to everyone who came out for it! One more launch party to go: Wednesday, May 30 at Beaverdale Books in Des Moines, Iowa — see you there!

Deb Linda finally got Book 2 out to her beta readers, and is breathing a great big sigh of relief over slapping The End on that sucker. She also got her first review! Of In a Fix — on Goodreads! Sure, it’s from one of her Agency Sistahs (the amazing Kimberly Sabatini, who had access to an ARC of In a Fix), and so isn’t maybe precisely unbiased, but she’s still tickled pink. Also, she wants to congratulate Deb Joanne on that amazing Kirkus review! Small Medium at Large totally deserves it.

Past Deb News

Deb Sarah Jio had the honor of interviewing the incredible Dr. Maya Angelou for Glamour magazine recently and posted some of her interview here. What an amazing experience, Sarah!

Deb Eleanor announced the wonderful news that she has added more dates to her book tour for THE WEIRD SISTERS in June! Check out the updated list and be sure to catch her if she’s in your neck of the woods!

Deb Elise announced the news that she is now a member of The Girlfriend’s Cyber Circuit, a group of YA authors!

Deb Eileen unveiled her new cover for USED TO BE! See it here!

Deb Friends

Deb Guest Jane Roper will be signing her new book, DOUBLE TIME, at Books on the Square in Providence, RI on Tuesday, May 24 at 7pm. Click here for details!

Deb Dish – Next week we’re talking Spring Cleaning–so it’s time to fess up…Are you a hoarder or a throw-away-er?

Deb Joanne – Sadly, I’m a hoarder. More specifically, a cluttery-paper-keeper. And it’s not even just good, important paper, but millions of scribbled-upon PostIts and other office deritus. Every once in a while, like when we have company coming, I’ll tidy up and shred a ton of stuff, but most often, my desk and dining room table are piled with bills, junk mail, manuscript pages and stickie notes. My mom will laugh at this and say, “You get that from your father.” And she’d be right.

Deb Erika I may have made this distinction earlier in the year, I can’t recall, but when it comes to physical stuff, I’m a BIG throw-away-er. It gives me such peace to clear stuff out. But that said, I am the opposite with my digital stuff. I have slush piles from old manuscripts of every line I ever cut. I know I shouldn’t kid myself. It’s still hoarding. Just not the kind that is going to bury me when I open my closet door.

Deb Molly I’m definitely a keeper, because a) I have a freaky memory that allows me to have some kind of sentimental attachment to every single item I own — “Oh, my dad gave that to me because he loves me!” “Oh, a cute kid gave that to me for Christmas eight years ago!” etc, and b) I grew up in the Great Depression, where our motto was “Mend and make do instead of buying new!”

Deb Linda — Ha! If you saw my basement you wouldn’t need to ask that question. I have the hardest time letting stuff go. Because, gosh, you never know when VHS is going to make a comeback, right? And all those toys from when the kids were little … well, we might have grandchildren someday, right? The old dishes? Well, heck, they could come in handy somehow … Okay, okay. I have a problem. I admit it.