Future Friday #4: Issues

To countdown the release of The Future of Us (November 21st!), Carolyn Mackler and I will give away one autographed Advance Reader’s Copy every week. Along with the autographed copy (signed by both of us), we’ll toss in another goodie that's book-related.

For our fourth giveaway, the bonus item is a DVD of The Social Network. Whereas the movie was about the founding of Facebook, our novel is about the Facebook of today, as viewed by teens before it was founded. (Confused? You won't be when you read the book!)


We'll randomly select one person who comments on this Future Friday post to receive both prizes. There’s no need to leave your email address, but do check back on Saturday to see if you’ve won.

This week, we're not asking you about the past, we want you to think about the future. At one point in The Future of Us, a character says she wouldn't want to see into the future because it might be depressing if certain things haven't changed. But let's be positive! If you could see fifteen years into the future, what issues do you hope won't be issues anymore?

Here are our answers:

CAROLYN: I'd love to see global warming being addressed more thoroughly, and a less polarized government. I'd like to see the threat of terrorism gone, and for gay marriage to be just as accepted as straight marriage. I'd like bullying to be eradicated, and the economy to be hopping and people to stop texting during conversations and - yes, I have to say it! - I'd love the real story on Brad and Angelina and that brood of kids. Who is raising them? And how do they always look so good after getting off a 10-hour flight?

JAY: In my fantasy future, the commitment to pursuing cleaner forms of energy is not an issue. We're doing it! People are healthier, the environment is safer, and we've created a ton of new jobs. I've gotta say, it's pretty nice.

A Publishers Weekly Starred Review!

Carolyn Mackler and I had a very fun phone conversation the other day. I hadn't checked my email in a while, so she broke the news of our first major review by reading it to me. At the conclusion of Carolyn's wonderful read-aloud from Publishers Weekly, we both finally admitted how nervously we'd been anticipating this moment.

And for the rest of the day, we kept sending each other electronic high-fives!

(Starred Review) The Future of Us
Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. Razorbill, $18.99 (368p) ISBN 978-1-59514-491-1

With collaborators like these, readers expect an ingenious hook, compelling characters, and thought-provoking content, and these two top-of-their-game authors don't disappoint. It's 1996, and high school junior Emma and her neighbor Josh are BFFs until an awkward, romantic moment creates tension. Then Emma gets a new computer and an AOL CD-ROM, which somehow allow her to access her future Facebook page when she goes online. She and Josh are able to read about what their lives will be like in 15 years, but what's more, they discover that they can affect those future lives by their thoughts and actions in the present, a sobering realization with far-reaching consequences for the teenagers. Asher and Mackler's concept is fascinating--how closely today is tied to tomorrow--and the alternating voices of the two main characters keep each chapter fresh and provide distinct perspectives on the events of the story. Though readers will not necessarily be surprised by how things turn out, the enjoyment--and the underlying message--is in simply allowing the journey to unfold. Ages 12-up. (Nov.)

Future Friday #3: Winner

Congratulations to Small Town Shelly Brown for being randomly selected to win the third round of Future Friday giveaways! To claim your goodies, send your mailing address to EmmaNelson4Ever@aol.com. If you don't know who Emma Nelson is, you will when you start reading The Future of Us!

Ms. Small Town's personal faves published in 1996 were Junie B. Jones Loves Handsome Warren and Junie B. Jones and That Meanie Jim's Birthday. And because she's a great older sister, she also enjoyed reading Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse to her little sister.

See ya next Friday for another chance to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Future of Us!

Future Friday #3: Books

To countdown the release of The Future of Us (November 21st!), Carolyn Mackler and I will give away one autographed Advance Reader’s Copy every week. Along with the autographed copy (signed by both of us), we’ll toss in another goodie that's book-related.

For our third giveaway, the bonus item is a two-pack of disposable cameras. How are disposable cameras related to the book? I guess you'll have to read it to find out!


We'll randomly select one person who comments on this Future Friday post to receive both prizes. There’s no need to leave your email address, but do check back on Saturday to see if you’ve won.

This week, we want to know your favorite books that came out in 1996. Don't tell us the books you want to read because it'll spoil a future Future Friday. Tell us about the books (up to three) that you did read. If for some odd reason you don't remember which books came out in 1996, here's a good reminder.

And here are our answers:

JAY:
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer. I read this at a time when I was uncertain of what I wanted to do with my life. After finishing the book, I still had no idea, but I knew I didn't want to hitchhike to Alaska and live off the land (even if Eddie Vedder would compose the soundtrack of my life).
Frindle by Andrew Clements. Such a basic idea taken to extremes. At the time, I was trying to write manuscripts for this age group, and this book made me very jealous.

CAROLYN:
Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding because I was single and living in a city and feeling like a big screw-up half the time. I totally identified with Bridget!
Loose Change by Sara Davidson. This didn't come out until 1997, but I was working as an intern at a magazine in the summer of 1996 and the advance copy came in the mail. It's about three young women in the 1960s - couldn't put it down.

Fall 2011 Children's Books

The Fall 2011 Children’s Books issue of Publishers Weekly is out! Based on the very brief descriptions given for each title, here are some upcoming (or recently released) mid-grade and teen novels that made me say, “Hmm... Interesting.”

A Beautiful Dark by Jocelyn Davies. Two angels vie for the heart of a girl who may hold the power to save – or destroy – the universe. [Full Disclosure: Jocelyn Davies edited The Future of Us. But even if she didn't, I’d still want to read this!]

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer. A teen is haunted by murders committed by her estranged father.

Brooklyn Burning by Steve Brezenoff. In this love story, the genders of the two main characters are never revealed.

Burnout by Adrienne Maria Vrettos. Nan suspects she’s a ghost after waking up the day after Halloween in a subway car with no idea how she got there.

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvey. A teen raises her boyfriend from the dead, only to discover that he’s nothing like the boy she loved.

Don’t Expect Magic by Kathy McCullough. Delaney learns that her father is a fairy godmother and the gene is hereditary.

Faking Faith by Josie Bloss centers on a girl who fakes her religion to get to the boy she has a crush on.

Falling for Henry by Beverley Brenna. A teen is transported back to the days of Henry VIII’s teenage years, where she inhabits the body of Katherine of Aragon.

The Future of Us by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler. In 1996, two teens who go online find themselves on Facebook in 2011. [Full Disclosure: I am Jay Asher.]

Gossip Girl, Psycho Killer by Cecily von Ziegesar is a slasher-themed retelling of the first Gossip Girl novel.

Guantanamo Boy by Anna Perera imagines 15-year-old Khalid, a boy who is being held without charge at Guantanamo Bay.

Juliet Immortal by Stacey Jay. In this paranormal tale, Romeo and Juliet meet again – as enemies.

The Last Musketeer by Stuart Gibbs launches a series featuring a 21st-century American boy who travels to 17th-century France, where he becomes one of the Three Musketeers.

Little Women and Me by Lauren Baratz-Logsted. A twist in time gives Emily the power to change Little Women.

Morning Star by Judith Plaxton tells of a runaway slave escaping to freedom and a contemporary girl in a town that was a terminus for the Underground Railroad.

The Probability of Miracles by Wendy Wunder. Campbell learns to believe in herself when she moves to a town known for its mystical healing powers.

The Shattering by Karen Healey. Can three teens save the next victim of a serial killer in their town?

Slayers by C.J. Hill. When dragon eggs fall into the wrong hands, the Slayers must keep them from hatching.

Sparks: The Epic, Completely True Blue, (Almost) Holy Quest of Debbie by S.J. Adams. Two teen outcasts at school create their own religion.

Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth centers on a boy who is unable to forget anything.

Unison Spark by Andy Marino involves an all-knowing social network.

Villain School: Good Curses Evil by Stephanie S. Sanders. Kids whose parents are famous villains just want to be good.

You Have Seven Messages by Stewart Lewis. Luna listens to messages on her mother’s phone and begins to question her death.

You Will Call Me Drog by Sue Cowing. A boy gets a sarcastic talking puppet stuck on his hand.

Future Friday #2: Winner

Congratulations to Lori M. Lee for being randomly selected to win the second round of Future Friday giveaways! To claim your goodies, send your mailing address to EmmaNelson4Ever@aol.com. If you don't know who Emma Nelson is, you will when you start reading The Future of Us!

Lori, we truly hope your internet experiences have improved beyond the "AOL and the HORRIBLE HORRIBLE chatrooms" days.


See ya next Friday for another chance to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Future of Us!

Future Friday #2: First Time Online

To countdown the release of The Future of Us (November 21st!), Carolyn Mackler and I will give away one autographed Advance Reader’s Copy every week. Along with the autographed copy (signed by both of us), we’ll toss in another goodie that's book-related.

For our second giveaway, the bonus item is the June 2011 issue of MAD Magazine, featuring "The 50 Worst Things About Facebook". (#12: The charming way your boyfriend changed his status from "in a relationship" to "single" a full three hours before calling to inform you of this development.)


We'll randomly select one person who comments on this Future Friday post to receive both prizes. There’s no need to leave your email address, but do check back on Saturday to see if you’ve won.

This week, we want to know about your first online experience. When was it? What did you search for? If you can't recall those details (maybe it was too long ago, or maybe you grew up with the internet so it didn't feel significant), then we'd love to know your first favorite website.

Here are our answers:

CAROLYN: It was 1997, and I was at the public library in Ithaca, NY. My then-boyfriend's identical twin brother took me there to teach me about this thing called the Internet and how to use it. I was just attempting to write my first YA novel, so the first thing I searched for was, naturally, Judy Blume. I was amazed to discover she had a great site (still does!) with a wealth of information. I was sold. This Internet thing was amazing.

JAY: It was 1996 (oddly enough), and I was in the library at my community college. I was embarrassed that I had never been online and didn't want anyone watching me fumble around, so I sat at the most isolated computer. The first search I did was for Def Leppard, my favorite band. Pre-Google, I don't remember if I found their official site (here it is now!), but I did find an abundance of fansites. My people!

Isaiah in His Crib

Babies are cute no matter what they do. Whether they're burping...



...attempting to walk...



...or eating a camera...



...they're just so cute!

(Especially mine.)

Storytime and Movietime

Last week was one of the most significant weeks of my life because...

I took Isaiah to his very first storytime!

I remember attending storytime at the library when I was young, and it felt wonderful to continue the tradition. Kristen Barnhart (children's librarian / friend / former co-worker) led the storytime, and I can't wait to go back later this week. Hopefully Isaiah will come with me!

In the photo below, Isaiah's staring at an older boy who was holding several books. And for some reason, the boy wasn't trying to eat them. Weird!


Even though he was one of the youngest children there, Isaiah watched and listened so intently. Unlike some of the other children, he never once interrupted Kristen while she was reading. No, he has way too much respect for books and librarians to do that. Of course, he also doesn't know how to speak yet.


Because Isaiah behaved so well in the library, a few days later we took him to an outdoor movie. Over three Saturdays this month, the Parks & Rec department showed children's movies in an amphitheather across from the mission. When Over the Hedge came out in 2006, JoanMarie and I went on a date-night to see it with some friends. We both loved it!


On family-night, we loved it even more.

Future Friday #1: Winner

Congratulations to Bwyatt (a.k.a. Britney Wyatt) for being randomly selected to win the first round of Future Friday giveaways! To claim your goodies, send your mailing address to EmmaNelson4Ever@aol.com. If you don't know who Emma Nelson is, you will when you start reading The Future of Us!

Britney's favorite movie from 1996, also the favorite of three other participants, is...



The movie most often mentioned as a favorite by Future Friday participants was...



See ya next Friday for another chance to win an Advanced Reader's Copy of The Future of Us!

Future Friday #1: Movies

To countdown the release of The Future of Us (November 21st!), Carolyn Mackler and I will give away one autographed Advance Reader’s Copy every week. Along with the autographed copy (signed by both of us), we’ll toss in another goodie that's book-related.

For our first giveaway, the bonus item is a DVD of Wayne’s World.


We'll randomly select one person who comments on this Future Friday post to receive both prizes. There’s no need to leave your email address, but do check back on Saturday to see if you’ve won.

This week, we want to know the title of your favorite movie released in 1996. To help you recall which movies came out fifteen years ago, just click here and scroll down to the alphabetized list. You don’t need to tell us why it’s your favorite, but if you feel like telling us, we’d love to know. If you haven’t seen any of these films (seriously?), tell us which one you most want to see…and then go see it!

Here are our selections:

JAY: The Hunchback of Notre Dame was the first movie my wife and I saw together. It wasn’t a date, another one of her guy friends came with us (Hey, Jodi!), but it makes this movie my obvious choice.



CAROLYN: I'd have to say Fargo, even though the scene where they're stuffing a body into the woodchipper still haunts me. But a pregnant cop Midwestern Frances McDormand was so...perfect. Oh, and maybe Flirting with Disaster, too. I'm a sucker for romantic comedies. I saw that one with my mom at a theater in NYC.

May the Fold be with You

As a child, I loved Star Wars. I also loved origami, though I couldn’t do it well (I still can’t even fold a decent paper airplane). So when I first heard about Tom Angleberger’s The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, I was intrigued.

Tom and I exchanged a few emails, I read his book, and not only is he a great guy, he’s an author who makes me a bit jealous. I spent so many years trying to write funny books for children, but when I devour a book like his, I realize why none of mine sold. (I do study those books, because maybe one day…)

Then I heard Tom was working on another Origami Yoda book, Darth Paper Strikes Back. “Cool,” I thought. “I hope he writes even more.” One day, a funny idea popped into my head. I sent Tom an email, partly as a joke, thinking maybe he could use the idea if he ever wanted to write another Origami Yoda book after Darth Paper.

Here's where it gets fun! This week, Darth Paper Strikes Back is finally available for you to buy. Like, right now!

Why are you still reading this blog? Go…get…Tom’s…book!


Okay, now flip to the Acknowledgments page and you’ll see:


Do you have any idea how cool and exciting that is for me? No, you don’t. It is very cool and exciting for me. Very, very, VERY cool and exciting!

In fact, it has inspired me to try folding my own Darth Paper (the book includes instructions right before the amazing Acknowledgments page). Paper cuts, here I come!

3 Months Until THE FUTURE OF US

On November 21st, The Future of Us will be released into the wild!

Since Carolyn Mackler and I can’t wait for you to read our book, we’ll be giving away one Advance Reader’s Copy each week until the release date. All you need to do is return to this blog every Friday and leave a comment for your chance to win. And if you do win, we hope you don’t mind if we both sign the book before mailing it to you.

Because we love alliteration (doesn’t everyone?), we’re calling these giveaways Future Fridays. The first one will take place this week.

So come back soon!

SCBWI 2011

The annual Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators summer conference has been over for several days, and I've finally recovered enough to post about it. This year's conference ties with my first conference in 2000 for memorable moments. So let's begin!

Over 1,300 people attended this conference, and here's a portion of them as seen from the stage.


When I introduced myself into the microphone, I told the attendees who pre-ordered one of these delicious donuts from me where they could get them. The first one was scooped up by Dan Santat, seen here nervously inspecting his bacon donut. Within seconds of this photo, that baby was gone!


I critiqued ten manuscripts at the conference, sitting down with each author for twenty minutes. While I love speaking at conferences, doing critiques is almost as enjoyable...which, apparently, makes me very weird (something I've never denied!).

Because I critiqued manuscripts, I was officially a faculty member. So I got to do something else I love...signing books! For some reason, there are a lot of great authors with last names beginning with A. Every time we sign books according to last names, I get to sit beside some of my favorite people. This time, I shared a table with Jim Averbeck.



Like most years, I had several books with me that I wanted other people to sign. Unlike previous years, most of them were signed for Isaiah. The one I meant to get signed a few months ago while visiting the illustrator's hometown is The Lord's Prayer. It's a beautiful picture book illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson, and written by...well...God. (Authors don't usually get to handpick their illustrators, and while I never asked Richard about it, it's obvious that was the case this time.)


Celebrating their 40th anniversary, SCBWI definitely brought out the biggies for this conference. Here's Mary Pope Osborne (Isaiah now owns a couple books signed by her)...


...and Gary Paulsen. This guy can probably get away with calling himself The Most Interesting and Funny Dude On the Planet.


Being in Los Angeles, there were movie people everywhere. But there was only one movie person I was excited to meet, Alison Greenspan from Di Novi Pictures (the producer of one of the two movies I'm most excited about seeing on the big screen...The Future of Us).


We went to an amazing restaurant called Rock Sugar and I heard all about what's going on with "the next great Facebook movie." And yes, it does sound like it's going to be great! That night I emailed Carolyn Mackler all the details. I was still so excited over what I heard, I don't think I used paragraph breaks in that email, I just typed as fast as my brain let me.

Being the 40th anniversary, the theme for this year's afterhours party was 40 Winks, so people dressed in all sorts of pajamas and sleep-related attire. My sister-in-agent, Shannon Messenger, had a t-shirt made up for the occasion. On the front it read "My agent can beat up your agent..." And on the back...


For my costume, I dressed in Ralphie's least favorite pjs from A Christmas Story. Not everyone knew why I was dressed like this, but the cool people did! One of those very cool people was Stephanie Roth Sisson, a local illustrator and good friend.


Someone who's felt like a friend for years, though this was the first time we've met in person, was Alan Silberberg. Alan was the well-deserved recipient of this year's Sid Fleishman Humor Award.


At the faculty afterparty, I finally had the chance to speak one-on-one with one of my (and probably your) literary heroes. My friend Jolie Stekly saw this conversation occurring and decided to take a paparazzi-style photo.


So who was I eating peach cobbler with? Oh, just someone named Judy Blume.

Book Title Photo CONTEST!!!

Click.

Take a picture and you could win an e-reader pre-loaded with some of the best teen novels!

The theme for this year’s TRW (Teen Read Week, not Thirteen Reasons Why) is Picture It @ your library. As part of the celebration, YALSA (Young Adult Library Services Association) wants to see your interpretation of a teen book title. Not your favorite character or scene. Not an abstract thematic analysis no one can figure out. The title! You can be serious or silly, but you must use creativity and you’re required to have fun.

More info on the contest can be found by clicking here. And the entry form can be found by clicking here.

Five finalists will win bookbags stuffed with teen novels from Penguin, including signed copies of Thirteen Reasons Why and The Future of Us. (You’ll also win a bit of fame and glory.) One grand prize winner will get that e-reader! (You’ll also win a little more fame and glory than the finalists.) As the 2011 TRW spokesmodel...I mean, spokesperson...I'll be judging the contest. You have from now until the end of October to enter, so click away!

I'm not eligible (that whole judge-n-jury thing...plus, I'm just over the age limit), but if I did enter, this would be my submission:


Any guesses?

Drive-In Movie & Selena Gomez Concert

Every summer, JoanMarie and I get to have our niece and nephew stay with us for a week. It rains a lot where they live, so we pack the week with activities designed to ensure they'll want to return to The Golden State year after year. We always take a trip to the waterslides and camp for a few days, but we also like to mix things up. This year, Isaiah was a big addition to the mix. Seeing him play with his cousins has been so much fun!

On their first night in town, we saw Zoo Keeper at Sunset Drive-In.


I don't know who came to the movie in a limo, but that's not a bad idea for next year!

Not to brag, but I think I'm a fairly cool uncle. Still, it's nice to impress my niece and nephew every so often. For that reason, it would've been awesome had they been in the snackbar when three readers who love Thirteen Reasons Why recognized me. Thankfully, Hannah Lee, Cassie Roach, and Kristina Roach wanted a photo. So I had proof!


Then came Day Two. We all went to the MidState Fair, where it's scorching hot every year. Isaiah even learned to use a straw for the first time to keep cool.


Why did we brave the heat? Because that night's main grandstand performer was Selena Gomez & The Scene. And this time, before the show began, Fairly Cool Uncle Jay showed off a bit and introduced Genevieve and Ellory to Ms. Gomez!



I've seen Selena several times, and JoanMarie met her last summer, but this was Isaiah's first time meeting her.


When people find out I know Selena (in case you're new here, she's playing Hannah in the Thirteen Reasons Why movie), the most common question I get asked is whether she's as sweet as she seems. And yes, she is. Her whole family is! When we found out JoanMarie was pregnant, the first bouquet of flowers we received was from them. So it was nice to finally introduce her family to the newest member of our family.

We brought even more family and friends backstage with us to meet Selena. My brother pulled out his camera and recorded Selena and me discussing Thirteen Reasons Why. Thankfully, the audio's not great, which is probably good. Universal Pictures would've been so upset because we accidentally slipped and revealed the actor who'll be playing Clay, which we're not allowed to talk about yet. So try not to listen too closely.



Just kidding! That's not the kind of info we'd divulge, not even accidentally.

Before we headed out to our seats, Ellory asked Selena for her autograph. And he wanted it in a place where everyone sitting around us would know he'd just met her.


The concert was packed, which always makes for a more enjoyable (and loud!) show.


My camera took horrible pictures of the concert itself. The clearest shot I got was of a big screen to the right of the stage. (For better pics, check our local newspaper's gallery.)


My favorite song on Selena's new CD is We Own the Night.



They also played her huge recent hit, Who Says.



And now, we're heading into the second half of the week. First up: waterslides!

Movie Talk

Last weekend, I drove down to L.A., braving what had been termed Carmageddon. A 10-mile stretch of the busiest highway in the U.S. was being temporarily closed. There were signs up and down California warning drivers to stay away from L.A. (I suppose Carmageddon is much less offensive than Stay Away From L.A.) Because so many people were afraid of the potential traffic nightmare, it turns out there wasn't one. So my drive was rather pleasent.

But even if I knew the traffic would be horrendous, I would've made the trip. I was going out to breakfast with Jennifer O'Kieffe, the screenwriter for Thirteen Reasons Why.


The first time I met Jen, she was interviewing for this screenwriting job. A bunch of us were sitting around a large table in a fancy L.A. office. Selena Gomez was seated to my left, and Jen was on my right, telling us her ideas for adapting the book.

And now she's in the middle of writing that adaptation. Our breakfast was basically a low-key opportunity for us to chat and get to know each other better. We talked about our families, movies, books, and our shared excitement for this particular project.

After breakfast, since we were so close to the park that inspired some scenes in Thirteen Reasons Why, I took Jen to Eisenhower Memorial Park. (No, I wasn't very creative in renaming that park in my book.)


There, we talked a bit about some specific scenes in the screenplay. Mostly, it was me saying things like, "That's genius," and, "I am seriously getting goosebumps now." It's odd to think that my book gave Jen goosebumps when she first read it, and now that she's in charge of Hannah and Clay, her ideas are giving me goosebumps.

Of course, that's why we wanted her!

And when the movie comes out, I thought of something that'd be fun to see at the very beginning. Have you noticed that some studios tweak their logos for certain movies? I love it when they do that!

So here's my idea...


Cool, right?

THE FUTURE OF US Cover Reveal

In May, Carolyn Mackler and I were shown several cover proposals for The Future of Us. It was fun to see the different interpretations different designers had for this book. But one cover immediately stood out as the favorite for everyone involved. With the binary code overlay, the coloring, the font, and character-specific details, we love it!


Thank you, Emily Osborne, for a great cover!

A Very Yummy Book

When Carolyn Mackler and I first began writing The Future of Us, not even our agents knew about it. We didn't tell anyone until we were certain the collaboration was going to work. When we finished writing the book and began editing it, we still told very few people. It was our fun little secret! But since I live in California and Carolyn lives in New York (and since I focus best at night), I often pulled all-nighters to get my chunk o' writing emailed to Carolyn before she woke up. Sometimes I would work until 3:30 in the morning, send it off, and then Carolyn would wake up and begin working on it within 30 minutes, just as I went to bed.

When I write that late at night (or early in the morning), I can't work at home or I'll fall asleep. The only places still open at those hours, though, were either Denny's or SLO Donut Company. That donut shop has some very creative and yummy donuts, and I often posted photos of them to my Facebook page moments before devouring them. Not being able to talk about what I was working on, most of my friends thought I simply got unhealthy cravings in the middle of the night.

Well, now you know the truth. I was working! (And I was using the excuse of working to satisfy my unhealthy middle-of-the-night cravings.)

For those of you not on Facebook, here's a sampling of what got me through writing and editing this book:

Oreo donuts, Cap'n Crunch donuts (with Crunch Berries)...


...s'mores donuts...


...Cocoa Puffs donuts...


...jelly donuts...


...Fruity Pebbles donuts...


...peanutbutter donuts...


Lucky Charms donuts (usually with many more marshmallows than this)...


and one bacon donut (could never bring myself to sample more than one of these).



And after downing all those donuts, that is when I found out Entertainment Weekly wanted to do a photoshoot.

Of course!

But the book is all done now and the donuts have become a rarity again. And now, finally, Carolyn and I can talk about it!

The Russian Edition!