Friday, October 19, 2012

Book Launches and Exciting News

So, first the exciting news. A is for Musk Ox is on the Winter 2012-2013 Kids' Indie Next List--"Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers." It's #10 on the list!!

Now, on to my book launches--they were great! My first book launch was in my mom's classroom at East Elementary. It was fun to do it there because that's where I went to school and that's where my kids are going to school now and that's where my mom teaches. My middle child is in her class and she invited my oldest child's class to come be part of it. We also invited some family friends to come as well. And a reporter and photographer came. Here is the link to the article. It was on the front page of the newspaper the next day.

The launch went well. There were flowers and balloons and a giant cake with my book cover on it. My mom even ordered personalized napkins. The kids got to throw confetti at me. Then my husband and I read the book to the kids. He read the part of Zebra and I was Musk Ox. It's fun to read with my husband. He does a really good job of reading to children--lots of expression and expressions. Then we had cake. After that, the kids left for the day and I got to talk to the others who had come for the celebration.

The second book launch was at Braun Books. It's on 25 N. Main Street in Cedar City, UT. Megan, the owner of the bookstore, bought 25 copies of the book and we sold all of them, so that was really good. Plus there was a yummy launch punch that she makes special just for launch parties, and a bacon jam that she has at all the events in the bookstore. It was an interesting jam. I didn't care for it, but my husband liked it.

The only problem I had with the launch parties is that I'm shy and I dislike being the center of attention--I never know how to act and I feel silly. Maybe I'll get over that after a few of these. I did like signing books however. That was fun. I hope I get to do more of it.

Saturday, October 13, 2012

Reprints! And book launch! And other fun stuff!

Some exciting news from my publisher--they decided to print 7,500 more copies of A is for Musk Ox! That will make for a total of 17,500 books that will be printed. Wow.

Also, some more exciting news--Scholastic Book Fairs will be joining the hard cover print of the 7500 books! My editor said they're crazy about the book. Which is just awesome!

And even more fun news--my book is coming out on Tuesday!!! I'm so excited!!! And that means I get to have a book launch! I'm actually doing two. My mom is doing one at the school with her kids. She's a second grade teacher and my son is in her class. She's going to invite another third grade class with my other son in it. So we'll have a coloring contest and cake and do some fun things with the kids and we've also invited some friends to come to that. And then my second book launch will be at Braun Books from 6:30-8:00. Braun Books is in Cedar City, UT on 25 North Main Street. If you happen to be in the area, please stop by!

And in non-book-related, exciting news, my brother was just married on Thursday. (That way their wedding date could be 10-11-12.) And I've been busy making decorations. I didn't realize just how long it would take to make 70 tissue paper flowers. Also, I'm the new cubmaster for my son's boy scouts, so I've been going a little crazy trying to figure out what I'm doing and getting pack meeting planned. So, lots of fun and exciting things have been going on around here.