The super cool Little Willow asked me to participate in her fun “Looking Forward” blog post. See it here. Thank you, LW! 🙂

Also, I answered five questions at Keri Mikulski’s blog. Thanks for letting me stop by, Keri!

I’m waiting on a couple of big things to go live or go into print before I can share, but the waiting is SO hard!! Argh.

Cannot wait for noon. So. Excited.

Children’s:
Middle grade Jessica Burkhart’s CANTERWOOD CREST series books 5-8, billed as The Clique meets The Saddle Club, to Kate Angelella at Aladdin, in a four-book deal, by Alyssa Eisner Henkin at Trident Media Group (NA)

I am sooo thrilled to announce that I’ve signed a new four-book deal with Simon & Schuster’s Aladdin MIX for books five through eight in the Canterwood Crest series!! This has been in the works for weeks and I’m so happy that I can talk about it!! I’ll be working with the lovely and talented Kate Angelella who makes every outline, revision and chat session an absolute joy.

Big thank you to my agent, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, for working out the deal and for being superexcited about Canterwood. Yay!

Thanks to everyone I’ve worked with so far at S&S.

Woo hoo! It feels amazing to be able to announce it and share the news with everyone!

It’s an incredible feeling that’s quite unlike the first book deal. With the first deal, I thought “Are they sure they want me? Really? Is this, like, a fluke where I’ll be a one-deal author and then I’ll disappear forever without another deal?”

Now, it’s an “OMG, they want me for more books. Maybe I have a real shot at doing this till I’m old!” 😉

I’m deeply grateful and humbled to be able to do what I love and thanks to everyone for supporting me—you know who you are. You do realize that by being my friends, you’ll eventually end up in a book, right? 😉

By the way, for a bit of weirdness, the offer was officially accepted eight years to the day of when I had my spinal fusion and stopped riding. How’s that for timing?

I’m giving Behind the Bit its final proof before turning it in! Woo hoo! I can’t speak enough, for me, about the value of an outline. I used to not outline as much, or at all. Now, I can’t imagine not outlining chapter by chapter to get me where I want to go.

This month was much more NaNoEdMo than NaNoWriMo, but I’m still popping in on the forums and am loving following everyone’s progress.

Got any NaNo word counts to share? Glee? Frustrations?

I just saw an article on MSN that reported more than 3000 Twilight fans showed up at a San Fran mall to see Robert Pattinson. Police had to cancel the event because of safety reasons, lol.

Twilight mania is everywhere! I saw Rob on Access Hollywood last night and, according to him, he proposed to Kristen a few times on set. He then proposed to a couple of girls he can’t remember and he was totally serious–but laughing at himself.

On Heroes last night, they had a Twilight sneak peak (which I’d seen, but okay). I also read in Entertainment Weekly that Twilight must gross $20 million in the opening weekend to make accountants happy. It also must earn $150 million for New Moon to get the green light.

And that’s your dose of Twilight news! 😀

Read the San Fran article here!

Today is worthy of a double post!

I am thrilled to announce that Take the Reins (Canterwood Crest #1) has been picked up by Scholastic Book Fairs!

YAY!

I’m just sooo excited that Sasha and friends will be able to find a wider audience through schools. Thank you, SBF!

Woo hoo!!!!

**Please scroll down for winners in PJ Hoover’s giveaway**

My NaNoWriMo True-Life Tale just went live! Hope you guys check it out! 🙂 Yay!

Or, here: http://blog.nanowrimo.org/node/141.

Thank you, Chris!

I laughed out loud when I read that on E! (Not because there was an accident on set–no injuries) I used to live in Greenbrier, Tennessee. If you haven’t been there and I’m betting you haven’t, it’s a tiny little town about 30 mins from Nashville. I attended Greenbrier Elementary and have a feeling I know exactly where they’re filming the movie.

It’s just quite weird to think my little town was invaded by Miley & Co.

The story.

Somewhere in New England…I forget where…oops.

The view from our near-DC hotel! So lovely!

Sign says it all!

I’m glad to be back home and regularly scheduled blogging resumes next week. As you guys might be able to tell from the photos, none are from the photo shoot. It turned out to be a closed set, sorry guys! But the covers are worth the wait, trust me! 🙂 I had the best time ever and loved hanging out with Agent A, Editor K and the rest of the crew.

Today, it’s dreary out and I’ve been editing and…writing my dedication and acknowledgments. I thought it would be hard. It’s really, truly not. I know exactly who helped me with this book and it’s ridiculously cool to be able to thank them in print. I’m not telling any of my family and friends if they’re on the page–I want it to be a surprise. Plus, for some of the most meaningful lines, I want to actually see their faces when they read it instead of telling them over the phone. So yeah, I’ll be hitting the road then to physically hand them the books so I can see their reactions for myself since my family doesn’t live in my current state of residence.

The trip was beyond fantastic and I’m going again at the very start of fall.

Today’s the Kentucky Derby, btw. I can’t wait. I watch it every year. I’d put money on Big Brown to win. Fingers crossed.

How was everyone’s week?

Packing, list-making and general craziness has consumed me. No writing is being accomplished and I’ve been like a mad woman with trip plans! Eeek! Be glad you’re not at my house right now. 🙂

I’m trying to figure out all of the pesky little timing issues so I can see D in CT. Five years is waaaay too long not to see your soul sistah! Very excited. (*waves*)

It’ll take 13 hours to get to DC and then several more hours to get to NYC. Luckily, I have a backpack F-U-L-L of books. Seriously. I should take a pic. It’s stuffed with YA and adult books. Especially long ones that I’ve been dying to read such as THE HISTORIAN. I know, I know, I’m behind on reading it but I just haven’t had the time to delve into that big of a book.

Okay, outfit update for those who emailed me and asked. 🙂

For meeting Agent A and/or Editor K:

* black/pink suit jacket

* dressy black pants

* black boots

OR, since I’m a girl and I might change my mind…

* pink sweater

* black skirt (but I freeze easily, so this might be out)

* black boots

For cover shoot:

* dark jeans (no holey knees!)

* black sweater (light weight)

* pink jacket (dressy/casual)

That works for being outside and with horses because for some reason, I’m a horsehair magnet. Maybe because I have to pet every animal in sight. So, no black pants were happening for this shoot.

And then…I’ll be meeting Agent A for dinner. *insert major squee here* I’ve always wondered what my agency looked like since I’ve never found a picture online. I’ve seen a pic of S&S, but never one of said agency. I’m soo curious!

Since it’ll be my first time in NYC (I’ve seen the outer edge of the city, but never been downtown) I’m working on my attitude. I’m trying to be tough, but polite and have the confident New Yorker attitude. Right now, I’m kind of nervous, so I think I’m channeling my old Nashville vibe. Quiet and insanely polite. How very Southern of me.

I know we’re spending a night a few miles from DC and then going north after that.

Any tips to get me ready for NYC?

I meant to post a new video tomorrow, but ran out of time! I thought I’d go ahead and post this tonight instead of waiting for tomorrow. 🙂 It’s my semi-pathetic attempt at a riddle.

Diary of a Debut Author: Road Trip Clue #2

To get to this place,

I’ll hop in my car,

I’ll drive 17 hours,

But, really, is that far?

There will be cameras,

And people,

And models to meet,

But as the author,

I get the coolest seat!

The guest list includes,

Agent A and Editor K,

We’ll meet for the first time,

On this freakin’ exciting day,

Oh, and there will be a horse,

A beautiful gray,

C’mon over to my blog,

And start guessing away!

If you guess right,

I’ll give you the full scoop,

Otherwise you’ll have to wait,

Until I can bring you into the loop!

*bows* 😉