Archives
The event at
Books of Wonder with
Libba Bray,
Kristin Cashore,
Suzanne Collins, me and
Scott last night was astonishing. Several people said they thought there were around 200 people there. I could not possibly guess from where I was sitting, but it did indeed appear to be many.
Here's my bad fuzzy photo of the many:
It was pretty overwhelming to be on the bill with such popular writers, especially Suzanne Collins. For those who don't know, her two most recent novels, Hunger Games and Catching Fire are currently, and have been for some time, numbers one and two on The New York Times bestsellers list, selling bajillions of copies a week. The Books ...
Posted by Justine at 17:03, November 11th, 2009 under Book tour, New York City/USA, Writing life, Writing process, Young Adult literature |
Today (yesterday) I had my last school events of the Liar tour at Joliet West High School and Glenbard South High School in the outer suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The students at both schools were amazing and asked many smart, engaged, funny questions. It was a total pleasure to meet you all. Thank you.
In other news
Cristina Hernadez posted her midterm project for her painting class on her blog and I was so impressed I asked if I could share it with you here. Remember, Cristina? She's the one who photoshopped a very
disturbing version of Maureen Johnson's Suite Scarlett.
Here's her midterm painting:
Wow, huh? Cristina also had to write an essay about the painting and I ...
Posted by Justine at 3:10, November 5th, 2009 under Book tour, Ideas, Liar, Love is Hell, Praising, Writing process |
Don't forget to look out for
Scott's NaNo tip today.
And here's where I'll be in Chicago today and tomorrow:
Tues, 3 November, 7:00PM
B&N Skokie
55 Old Orchard Center
Skokie, IL
Wednesday, 4 November, 7:00PM
Anderson’s Bookshop
5112 Main St
Downers Grove, IL
Same deal: if all who turn up have read Liar then I will tell you what really happens at the end.
Hope to see some of you there!
Posted by Justine at 1:06, November 3rd, 2009 under Book tour, Liar |
In the last few weeks I've spent an inordinate amount of time talking about the writing of Liar and making much use of
jigsaws as a metaphor to describe said writing. Turns out that Margaret Drabble has also been thinking long and hard about jigsaw puzzles---longer and harder than me, truth be told--- ((Though can truth be told when I'm discussing Liar?)) and has written a whole book on the subject: The Pattern In The Carpet, which I am now longing to read.
You all need to listen to this
interview with Margaret Drabble about her personal history with jigsaws. Romana Koval is one of my favourite interviewers and the whole thing is utterly delight from start ...
Posted by Justine at 19:37, October 26th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar, Listening, Praising |
I now say a fond farewell to the peoples of the Pacific North West. Goodbye Seattle and Portland! What gorgeous cities you are. My timing was perfect: all the leaves were gold, red, maroon, pink, orange and brown. Spectacularly gorgeous. Also mostly the weather was crisp and clear. Only two raining days. Well done, Pacific North West.
My favourite part was getting to meet so many of the people who comment on this blog such as Pixelfish, Saints and Spinners, AndrewN, and the people I met last night whose names I've forgotten because my brain is fried. So sorry! And meeting Lizzy-wa and Captain Cockatiel again after two years.
The most amazing thing happened last night at the Clackamas Town Ctr Mall ...
Posted by Justine at 12:55, October 23rd, 2009 under Book tour, Liar, New York City/USA |
So far on my tour I have persuaded people who attended my events
to read Flygirl by
Sherri L. Smith, ((As well as many other novels.)) to try their hand at writing novels, that kangaroos deliver the mail in Australia, that if only they were good I would reveal the true ending of Liar and that procrastination is good for you.
I have eaten ribs, sushi, power bars, beef jerky, salads, steak, eggs, not enough fruit.
I have signed books, business cards, scrap books, casts, receipts, Leviathan and a plastic doll.
I have answered no email, ((Have barely had time to read any.)) read no blogs, or newspapers. I have zero idea what is going on in the real world. ...
Posted by Justine at 10:25, October 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Liar |
You know what I wonder about authors on tour? ((You don't wonder? Well, I'm going to tell you anyways. So there.))
I wonder if they ever get sick of talking about themselves.
I mean, I know that authors are frequently the world's most self-obsessed human beings, but even so gabbing about yourself all day long gets really really old. I think that's why I like the Q & A sections of my events best. Because I get to hear what other people are thinking.
I had a wonderful event at a middle school in Seattle today. Small and intimate with about 15 girls and I was able to ask them questions and hear about their writing processes. It was my favourite part ...
Posted by Justine at 1:16, October 20th, 2009 under Book tour, Writing life |
Today I fly to Seattle, which could not possibly be as cold and wet as it is here in New York City. Surely not?
Here are my public events in Seattle:
Monday, 19 October, 4:00 pm
Mukilteo Public Library
4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd.
Mukilteo, WA
Monday, 19 October, 7:00 pm
UWash Bookstore
4326 University Way N.E.
Seattle, WA
...
Posted by Justine at 8:54, October 18th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar, New York City/USA |
I'll be here:
Friday, 16 October, 7:00 pm:
Voracious Reader
1997 Palmer Ave
Larchmont, NY
It's a very short train ride from Grand Central so if you're in NYC and wish to hear me be witty and wise you can do so! It's even closer if you're in Westchester County and thereabouts, (which you would probably know if you were in Westchester County or thereabouts).
I'll be talking about Liar, writing and life, and answering all your questions. In fact, I have decided that this will be the event where I tell the true ending of Liar. So if you don't attend you will never know! Though I did say I would reveal all in Memphis and Nashville yet I didn't. But I'm quite sure ...
Posted by Justine at 15:11, October 14th, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, Magic or Madness trilogy |
This is where I'll be today in Nashville, Tennessee:
Saturday, 10 October, 2:00-3:00 pm
Southern Festival of Books
Talk in Room 16
Legislative Plaza
Nashville, TN
Followed by signing
3:00-4:00 pm
War Memorial Plaza
Between 6th & 7th Avenues.
Nashville, TN
For those who've been asking, I'm happy to sign whatever books you want me to sign. I don't even have to have written them. If you can't make the official signing I'm happy to sign whenever you see me. Though, obviously, not in the middle of my talk. Because that would be weird.
The talk will be about Liar. I will, of course, tell everyone what the real ending is. So if you don't make it you'll never know . . .
I've really enjoyed my whirlwind trip ...
Posted by Justine at 9:41, October 10th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar |
Yesterday was lovely. First up there was the flight from NYC. Well, okay, that was not lovely. Flying in the US rarely is. Ridiculously long security lines, having my luggage searched yet again and all my carefully packed to prevent wrinkling event clothes trashed, etc. However, I sat next to a book cover designer and we had a long goss about the industry and the flight arrived on time. So, really, it went better than usual.
Fist event of the tour was an interview with the fabulous
Justine magazine. Yes, there's a magazine named after me. ((They thought about calling it Larbalestier but were worried people wouldn't be able to spell it.)) We talked books, writing, and Elvis. Hey, I'm ...
Posted by Justine at 10:55, October 9th, 2009 under Book tour, New York City/USA |
I've received a lot of mail this week. Most of it asking the same question: "Could you tell me what really happens at the end of Liar?"
I have already answered that questions on the
Liar FAQ. But I'll answer it again: No, I won't tell you what really happens. You have to figure it out for yourself. You can do so in some excellent company
over here.
There are other questions about Liar I totally will answer. But only if you ask them
over here.
I'm also being asked about the Liar tour:
Details can be
found here.
Scott and me are only doing one event together and it's in New York City at the beginning of November ...
Posted by Justine at 0:20, October 8th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar |
Tomorrow I will be in Memphis, Tennessee. I'm ridiculously excited about this. Not least because I've never been there before. I've always wanted to see Graceland. My kind publishers have allowed space in my program so that I may do so. Woo hoo!
Here is tomorrow's event:
Thursday, 8 October, 6:00 pm:
Davis-Kidd Booksellers
387 Perkins Ext
Memphis, TN
Then on Saturday I'm in Nashville at the Southern Festival of Books. Nashville's another city I've never been to before. Actually, I've never been anywhere in Tennessee before. I have high hopes for the barbeque. Here's my Saturday schedule:
Saturday, 10 October, 2:00-3:00 pm
Southern Festival of Books
Talk in Room 16
Legislative Plaza
Nashville, ...
Posted by Justine at 8:13, October 7th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar |
I now have almost all the dates and times for the
US Liar tour. For the first time ever I'll be doing some tour stops in the South and the Northwest. In fact, my only repeat visits are to Austin, Philadelphia and, of course, NYC. ((I mean, I live here half the year, I'll always do appearances in NYC.))
But first I must apologise. Profusely. Despite
what I said earlier, I will not be visiting Phoenix. I'm very disappointed. Phoenix was one of the first cities mentioned for this tour and the Bloomsbury publicists did every thing they could to make it happen. But alas. If it was down to me I'd spend a week in Phoenix visiting every ...
Posted by Justine at 12:01, September 13th, 2009 under Book tour, Liar, New York City/USA |
In addition to my
Melbourne Writers Festival events---first one is
tomorrow with Scott and Isobelle Carmody *squee*---soon I'll be off on my second US tour. Pretty, exciting, eh?
I just added a few events to the
appearances page. So far I have events confirmed (or close to) for Phoenix,
Nashville, Memphis,
Austin, Seattle, Portland and New York City. I'm especially excited about those first three cities as I've never been to any of them before.
Also: Memphis = Gracelands = Justine hyperventilating. For those of who don't know, yes, I am a daggy Elvis fan. Goes back to
when I was very little.
There will be at least one or two more cities on my tour. ...
Posted by Justine at 21:58, August 21st, 2009 under Book tour, First Kiss, Frippery, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, New York City/USA |
Update with warning: Do not post spam here about your boy-friendly book. I am
deleting all such comments.
One of the most gratifying aspects of meeting people who've read How To Ditch Your Fairy since it came out last September (in the USA) is the number of boys who've turned out to be fans of the book. I will admit that given the title and the cover I was expecting an almost non-existent boy readership. I've been told a million times that boys won't touch a pink book and that HTDYF is irredeemably pink. So I've been dead chuffed by the boy fans.
While on tour for the book last year many parents asked me if they thought my book would ...
Posted by Justine at 8:11, June 5th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Reading |
Posted by Justine at 2:01, March 4th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia |
So, this is very weird but I've had three people write to ask if it's true that I changed hotels in Perth in order to watch the South Africa v Australia test.
Yes, it's true. The Duxton did not have Fox 3, the Hyatt did. What else could I have done?
Posted by Justine at 21:23, March 1st, 2009 under Book tour, Cricket, Sport, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 4:20, March 1st, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 20:46, February 25th, 2009 under Book tour, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 6:54, February 24th, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Praising, Publishing business, Sydney/Australia, Travelling |
Posted by Justine at 3:44, February 23rd, 2009 under Book tour, Fashion, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 2:45, February 22nd, 2009 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, State of the World, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 7:27, February 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Listening, New York City/USA, Sydney/Australia |
Posted by Justine at 0:11, February 19th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory |
Posted by Justine at 21:53, February 6th, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Sydney/Australia |
How To Ditch Your Fairy will be published in its shiny new paperback Australian edition next month.
So. Very. Soon.
If you go over to the Allen & Unwin Alien Onion blog
you'll see what it looks like.
And guess what? I'll be doing a wee bit of a mini Oz book tour. I'm dead excited.
Two of my events are in Melbourne, including the actual book launch:
22 Feb 2009, 2:00PM - 3:30PM
Me and Simmone Howell in conversation + cake
State Library of Victoria - Conference Centre
328 Swanston Street
(Entrance 3 on La Trobe Street)
Melbourne, Victoria
Go here to book
24 Feb 2009, 6:30PM
Australian launch of How To Ditch Your Fairy
My book will be introduced by the lovely
Lili Wilkinson!
Readings Carlton
309 ...
Posted by Justine at 1:43, January 21st, 2009 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Sydney/Australia |
Yup, it's my annual what-I-did-this-year skiting post. I write these mostly for myself so I can easily keep track. Hence the
last day of the year category. Thus you are absolutely free to skip it. ((I would if I were you.))
This year was exceptional. I'm still pinching myself. My first Bloomsbury USA book, How To Ditch Your Fairy, was published and seems to be doing well. I was sent on my first book tour, which was fabulous. It's insane how much fun I had and how many fabulous schools, book shops and libraries I visited in California, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Texas. Thank you to everyone who came to see me while I was on the ...
Posted by Justine at 0:20, December 31st, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Book tour, First Kiss, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Last Day of the Year, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, Vainglory, Writing goals & milestones, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 0:06, December 18th, 2008 under Bloggery, Book tour, Publishing business, Writing life, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 13:20, November 21st, 2008 under 1930s NYC novel, Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Liar, New York City/USA, Scott's books, Writing process, Young Adult literature |
Posted by Justine at 16:05, November 20th, 2008 under Book tour, Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Publishing business, Scott's books |
Posted by Justine at 9:40, November 14th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Love is Hell, New York City/USA, Reading, Sport, State of the World, Sydney/Australia, What's your fairy? |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 21st, 2008 under Book tour, Publishing business, State of the World, Writing life |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 15th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 18:46, October 9th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 9:25, October 8th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, October 5th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 14:08, October 3rd, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Praising, Viewing, Whingeing |
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 29th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA, Travelling, What's your fairy?, Young Adult literature |
Beef jerky is good.
A lint brush is essential.
A publicist with a sense of humour and a better memory than anyone alive is vastly excellent indeed.
Publicists are all convinced that authors have the worst memories ever. I suspect they are right.
I know that some writers get heaps of work done while on tour but I am most definitely not one of them.
Q & A is always the best part of an appearance. Though I already knew that.
No one wants to hear an author read. Boring!
If you must be stuck in a dread car for ages it's best to have witty, entertaining company and be in a convertible.
School visits are best when the ...
Posted by Justine at 0:02, September 25th, 2008 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Scott here, guest-blogging from the West Coast Tour Command Center (aka Room 401). Justine is out talking to kids at schools, so I'm holding down the fort (aka ordering room service). This is just a reminder that Justine has a gig at Not Your Mother's Book Club tonight (aka Thursday, Sep 18).
The store is Books Inc.
The address is 601 Van Ness.
The city is San Francisco.
The time: 7PM.
We hope to see you there!
And just because I'm briefly in control of Justine's blog: it's 'color,' not 'colour.' That's because we save our u's for this:
U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!
(I'm in so much trouble. Heh.)
Posted by Justine at 14:30, September 18th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Because they have signs like this at the entrance to their school libraries:
Isn't that absolutely wonderful? Made me so happy!
Yesterday I got many texts telling me that How To Ditch Your Fairy had been
boingled. Thank you, Cory! And
Whatever'd. Thank you, Scalzi! And
Slayground'd! Thank you, Little Willow! I also learned that HTDYF is on the
Lone Star list. Since Texas is my favourite state in the union ((Other than all the other ones I love.)) that pretty much made my day too.
To quickly answers some questions: The tour is going fabulously. I'm having the time of my life. I heart all the bookshops I've been ...
Posted by Justine at 10:33, September 17th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
A while back I asked my faithful blog readers
what their fairy is or what fairy they wanted. Twas a popular post so in honour of the imminent publication of my latest book,
How To Ditch Your Fairy, set in a world where almost everyone has a personal fairy, I asked these questions of a tonne of writers. I'll be sharing their answers with you over the next few months.
Here's what
John Green, multiple-award winning author and all-round good guy, had to say:
The fairy I most wish I had at the moment is the Dog Whisperer fairy, because then I would understand why Willy just peed inside.
I seem to have something of a Spare Change fairy. I ...
Posted by Justine at 22:04, September 15th, 2008 under Bloggery, Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, What's your fairy? |
My
imminent tour---I get on a plane to California in a matter of hours---has left me contemplating the one bad thing about book tours: junk food. Sometimes while going from school visit to book shop appearance there's little time for eating and the options available are limited to substances I would rather not eat. ((How do I know this? From accompanying Scott on his tour and from hearing tales of other people's tours.)) I does not like the junk food.
I have nothing against anyone else consuming it, but me, I does not want to. My lack of junk food love never used to be a problem back home. But here in the US many people are personally insulted by ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 14th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Food, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Whingeing |
Just to let you all know that the mighty
How To Ditch Your Fairy Tour begins on Monday in Northern California. For all those complaining that I'm not going to Southern California:
it's not up to me, it's down to demand and my publicist.
The tour page is constantly being updated with correct addresses and times and extra events. Today I added a couple of in-store stock signings as well as the address and time for the Schuler's event in Walker, Michigan.
What is an in-store stock signing you ask? It means I'll be stopping in at a book shop and signing but I won't be reading, or doing Q&A, or juggling, or anything fancy. But if you're ...
Posted by Justine at 0:01, September 13th, 2008 under Bloggery, Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
I was chatting with my trusted partener in time wasting friend,
Mr Scalzi, in a fairly desultory manner when we made the startling discovery that both of us hates signing books with a Sharpie. And yet that is what we most often are given when we do signings.
What gives?
Sharpies bleed all over the page and their line is way too thick. They're pretty much useless for signing books. Great for graffiting toilets and making posters but for book signing? Hopeless!
Why do we keep being given them to sign with? Anyone know? Care to venture a theory?
Are there writers who actually like signing with Sharpies?
For those wondering we both deal with the problem by bringing our own trusted signing pens. ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 10th, 2008 under Book tour, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Whingeing |
Starting on Monday 15 September I will be
roaming around the US of A teaching people how to get rid of fairies that annoy them. It's a tough job but someone has to do it.
Next week will be all northern California, then there'll be a bit of a break with stops in Philadelphia and New York, before I set out for Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri. Then in November there will be some Texas appearances. That's right, my tour covers seven different states. Not bad, eh? Full details can be found
here. Complaints about my not going to your town or your state should be sent to my publicist. You can find her
address here.
This is my very ...
Posted by Justine at 0:00, September 8th, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, New York City/USA |
Posted by Justine at 21:20, September 2nd, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, Fans & readers, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Publishing business |
Posted by Justine at 13:55, September 2nd, 2008 under Book tour, Cons & Other Gatherings, How To Ditch Your Fairy, Writing goals & milestones |
Posted by Justine at 0:06, July 9th, 2008 under Book tour, Liar, Whingeing, Writing goals & milestones |
