THE FORBIDDEN FLATS was released!

Want to know what is a good clue that you might have overbooked events, school visits, and speaking engagements? When you don't even have a moment to blog about your book releasing!

Seriously, though? I've had a ton of presentations to write.

Seriously, though? I've loved every single speaking engagement.

What's a girl to do? I don't know. I keep thinking I'll learn something from this carzy-packed stretch of conferences, literacy events, school visits, launches, events, and library functions. I just haven't figured out what that something is.

Let's recap, shall we?

First off, THE FORBIDDEN FLATS released last Tuesday! And the paperback of SKY JUMPERS released the same day!

Having a double release calls for a double launch party, yes? Okay, in reality, no. But it was pretty fun, and that's what really matters. ;) My first one was at the King's English Bookshop in Salt Lake City on Tuesday:

Okay, I've been to dozens and dozens of launch parties at the King's English, but never done my own there. Being the person up at the front: surreal.

And then I had one at my favorite library on Thursday.

I spoke for a few minutes in the auditorium, then gave away a lot of Sky Jumpers swag.

Then we moved into the big open area, where there were tons of games, made uberly awesome by my talented and creative assistant, Kristine (above). Having activities for kids at a book launch for a children's book is a huge plus! It gave all the kids something to do while all the parents waited in line.

These were just a few of the extremely helpful (and so adorable!) kids who ran the activities, all ready and waiting for me to go speak in the other room, so that they could show the hordes of kids a great night. They were awesome!

And of course, we had cookies! Lots and lots and lots of cookies. Over 600 of them.

These are the posters that the lovely librarians made and hung up all over the library.

And the King's English came loaded with boxes of books, and stayed until the end. Have I mentioned how much I love them?

Add in six school visits last week (OHMYGOSH, MY FAVORITE THING TO DO EVER), a reception for the Utah Book Award (woot!) and a library literacy event (so fun!), and it was a rather exhaustingly exciting week.

Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go prepare some workshop presentations that some schools I'm visiting later this week have requested. And then a joint presentation I'm doing with another author. And then another I'm giving to librarians.

I swear there's a lesson on overscheduling in there somewhere. And I know I'm going to find it soon...

I hope you have the most fantastic of weeks! Mwah!

Launch Party Mayhem! With Pics.

So I've learned two things: 

1. Having a launch party is one of the funnest things to do, EVER.
2. People are awesome.

Guys, I can't even. The amount of support that came from so many different directions is mind boggling. Looking at all the pictures from the launch party brings back the overwhelming gratitude I felt standing in front of everyone, touched at all the people who came. :'o)

We started out the night with me talking about some insider secrets with the book. And then I got emotional thanking my husband and kids, my parents, and my writing group. (There was a photographer from a newspaper there to catch it all. The part where I turned to look back at my husband, all emotional and teary-eyed, is the photo they decided to use in their newspaper article. Now I know what I look like when I'm about to cry. When I saw the picture, I laughed and laughed and laughed for like half an hour! It's seriously the funniest picture ever. How do people not generally burst out laughing every time they see me about to cry?)

Here's a pic from the side you couldn't really see in the first pic.

And here's a pic of people filing in from the back, where you can kind of see the screen at the front where I did my presentation. When I was done speaking, we partied. :) For the kids, we had three stations set up-- one where they could make a necklace / key chain out of Shrinky Dinks, one where they could invent a creation out of toothpicks and mini marshmallows, and one where they could slingshot foam apples at bad guys (based off a scene in the book, and arguably the activity the kids had the most fun at). While the kids were going wild, the parents got in line, and I signed books like crazy. For over two hours. It was an incredible feeling.

About an hour and a half into the signing, the crowd cleared and I could see my line for the first time! Up until that point, my "line" mostly consisted of the wall of people in front of me.

At best count, about 500 people came. Once the room was filled, people watched from outside, just crowding around the open doors. I am so so so sorry to those of you who couldn't make it to the doors, and just had to leave. I wish I could've seen you! I really wish I could've seen everyone who came. But I'm not a big fan of standing in long lines, either. Also, I'm sorry we didn't bring several hundred more cookies. It's so hard to guess how many people will come. Or how skilled kids can be at making 500 cookies disappear in less than 10 minutes' time.

Oh! And I gave out raffle prizes! My five favorite chocolate bars for the adults, and five prize bags for the kidlets. I kind of love how they turned out. Here's the finished product:

Inside each one was a Sky Jumpers t-shirt...

A Sky Jumpers button....

Instead of a Dove bar, a Cliff Dive bar.... :)

Air Heads Xtremes, since Sky Jumping is pretty much an xtreme sport....

And my favorite: Bomb's Breath Mints. Get it? Hahaha! These crack me up every single time.

All in all? A pretty dang awesome night. Huge thanks to everyone who came and to everyone who helped!