I will be signing STARTERS this Saturday from 1-3pm at the Los Angeles Costco at 2901 Los Feliz Blvd. That’s near the Tam O’ Shanter and Mimi’s restaurants, at the edge of south Glendale. This is how Costco tests the waters. If the signing goes well, then they will carry your book. So it means a lot to a debut author.

I’m doing a giveaway that you don’t have to stay for and I’ll also do special sketches inside each book, something I haven’t done before. There hasn’t been any pre-publicity about this signing, so I need your help to spread the word – via twitter, FB, blogs, emails, and just word of mouth. It will be the only L.A. signing for STARTERS so I’m bringing the special swag. We’ll get people in as guests if they don’t have a card, just let me know.

Thanks for any help. The book, which is now an international best-seller, is getting fans from 12 and up, boys as well as girls and plenty of adult crossover. But people need to know I’ll be there. Any ideas for other ways to publicize, email me.

I went to a signing at Once Upon A Time Bookstore of three terrific friends who are all Middle Grade authors: Anne Nesbet (THE CABINET OF EARTHS), Laurisa White Reyes (THE ROCK OF IVANORE) and Jenn Reese (ABOVEWORLD).  I won the basket and got their permission to give it away to a lucky follower.  This includes a new, hardback copy of REMARKABLE by Lizzie K. Foley (Dial for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin), a large t-shirt with THE ROCK OF IVANORE on it, and four stickers with beautiful illustrations from THE CABINET OF EARTHS.

All you have to is put in the comment below that you do follow me on Twitter (see the little blue “t” link to the right) and include your Twitter name. This is US only and only for readers who haven’t won a book from me before. I’ll pick a winner sometime later so check back. If you’re comfortable putting your email in the comment, that will make it easier, but it is not required.

Good luck!

I did a signing at the first Pasadena Litfest today, for the Once Upon A Time Bookstore in Montrose, CA. They had a nice double booth in the park on a perfect day. We noticed someone looking at my book and then getting on her phone, probably to check for other prices.  Then a very nice girl discovered my book, read the jacket copy and wanted to buy it. But she wondered how much it was. Said she didn’t have enough now but was it available elsewhere.  What could I say, it wasn’t like this was the only place she could buy it? I sort of mumbled something about supporting the bookseller who is here, but I don’t think she got it and partly because I didn’t really explain it.  I admit, I’m not a salesperson, I’m a writer.

But of course as I drove home I thought of what I should have said. When you support these smaller, independent bookstores, you are getting extra value. That bookseller gets to know your taste, you can come in or call up and ask for something new. They’ll help you sort out which one book would appeal to you as the YA market grows and it’s not clear what’s what. They’ll help you get a signed copy, maybe even a personalized one. And it’s a great, cozy environment to enter and browse, to crack open a book the way that girl did today, feel the paper, flip around, get a sense if it’s the book for you.

We all know about bookstores closing, so the ones that remain are treasures. In my links to the right, the Indiebound one will take you to many Indie bookstores. And if you’re lucky enough to have one of these within driving distance, stop in and look around.

Thank you everyone, for joining me on twitter, fb, writing reviews, clicking tags and telling your friends about STARTERS. Stay with me, because I will have more contests, sometimes announced on twitter or fb. And sometimes here. For instance, you’re going to want to read this entire post.

The lucky winner drawn is…  Leeanna!

Happy news, I was so impressed by all of you and your kind words, that I decided to give another book away.  And that winner is…. Christina a reader of fictions!

And then, you guys were so good, I went for one more, one last winner — Aik!  All winners, please email me your full name and mailing address. (see “about me”)

I might just pick another winner sometime in the future, if you’re still around.  And, if any of you are going to be at any of my signings in Southern Calif or Oregon or Chicago (maybe Vancouver), please let me know ahead and I’ll bring special swag for you.

In fact, you are the first to know, I’m holding a twitter contest to get over 2000 followers. So the way it works, a current Twitter follower will have to recruit a new follower. The first one who hits 2005 (screen capture) AND their friend who was already a follower (as of now, May 8, 10:30 pm Pacific time), will each win a new, personalized (only) hardback first edition of STARTERS!  This one is US only.

Thank you all so much!

A Korean fan tweeted these photos of the amazing cover in Korea for STARTERS. They did it at three in the morning, saying they were staying up that late reading the book. I hear this a lot and I love hearing it every time. Then they were kind enough to tweet and to take these photos for us to enjoy. Can you see what it says on each eye?

With so many countries, I have not had time yet to get any foreign editions except the beautiful hardback German one. Eventually, all the foreign publishers will send me their versions. But in the meantime, I treasure getting this information from fans. A Romanian blogger just told me her publisher sponsor wants to publish STARTERS there. We are taking over the world. What I love the most about this is how it shows we are one – the world has the same imagination and hopes and dreams.

And now I get to share these photos with all with you!

So Starters is being published in 22 countries so far. Most of those were on board long before the book launched, which is unusual. It has already had great rollouts in the UK and Germany, and I just heard from a fan it’s unveiling in Spain.  I can’t wait until it hits all the countries, even Iceland!

I’m loving that readers around the world are captivated by Callie and her world. Like the fans in the U.S., they are so excited.  And the crossover – I always knew that teen girls and young adults would get it, but I’m thrilled to discover boys, 11 and up, teens, and adult males are big fans of Starters.

Please send me photos of the book in a foreign country and show it in the location!  I want to make a board somewhere of these images. You can be in it, or not, just give me permission if you are.

Thank you, world!

So this event turned out great!  The store is fantastic, they have this down to a science and it’s such a nice space. Was thrilled they have STARTERS in various prime locations in the store. So happy to meet new friends and see my others who came out to see me.

Liz Norris’ UNRAVELING debuts! It has to do with the end of the world. What would I do if I knew the end of the world was coming up? Probably write as fast as I could to finish the last two e-shorts set in the world of STARTERS. Or maybe go have a cupcake on the beach, petting someone’s dog.

The blurb:

Two days before the start of her junior year, seventeen-year-old Janelle Tenner is hit by a pickup truck and killed—as in blinding light, scenes of her life flashing before her, and then nothing. Except the next thing she knows, she’s opening her eyes to find Ben Michaels, a loner from her high school whom Janelle has never talked to, leaning over her. And even though it isn’t possible, she knows—with every fiber of her being—that Ben has somehow brought her back to life.

But her revival, and Ben’s possible role in it, is only the first of the puzzles that Janelle must solve. While snooping in her FBI agent father’s files for clues about her accident, she uncovers a clock that seems to be counting down to something—but to what? And when someone close to Janelle is killed, she can no longer deny what’s right in front of her: Everything that’s happened—the accident, the murder, the countdown clock, Ben’s sudden appearance in her life—points to the end of life as she knows it. And as the clock ticks down, she realizes that if she wants to put a stop to the end of the world, she’s going to need to uncover Ben’s secrets—and keep from falling in love with him in the process.

From debut author Elizabeth Norris comes this shattering novel of one girl’s fight to save herself, her world, and the boy she never saw coming. 

Liz’s author bio:

Elizabeth Norris briefly taught high school English and history before trading the southern California beaches and sunshine for Manhattan’s recent snowpocalyptic winter.

She harbors dangerous addictions to guacamole, red velvet cupcakes, sushi, and Argo Tea, fortunately not all together. 

Her first novel, UNRAVELING (Balzer+Bray, April 2012), is the story of one girl’s fight to save her family, her world, and the one boy she never saw coming.

The cover: (from Goodreads)

You can read the first 90 pages of the novel here.

I’ll be appearing at Barnes & Noble, Huntington Beach, Bella Terra, tomorrow, Wednesday at 7 pm.  Rain is predicted, but I hope that won’t keep people away. To sweeten the pot, I am giving away special swag. And I will also talk about my special theories about getting an agent.

I hope to see you. If you have friends in the O.C., please alert them of this talk because the more, the merrier.

#110  7881 Edinger Avenue, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
(714) 897-8781