Keep reading to find out more about some awesome award news about my novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins '08) plus my next author event!

I am excited to report that my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins '08) was selected as one of the 15 nominees for the 2010-2011 MISSOURI GATEWAY READERS AWARD. Students across the state of Missouri will be reading these nominated titles during the 2010-2011 school year and will be voting for the one that they like best in March, 2011.  The winner will be announced during the 2011 MASL Spring Conference. For more information on these awards, go here: http://www.thelibrary.org/teens/blgateway.cfm and here: http://www.maslonline.org/?page=gateway_readers

THANK YOU MISSOURI GATEWAY READERS!!!! I'm so thrilled and honored for the nomination.

Now... is it a coincidence that a DOUBLE RAINBOW appeared outside our office windows today at work at the end of a rainstorm? Talk about good luck, huh?! (The rainbow is pictured above and also here below):

In other news, I'll be the guest speaker at this month's SCBWI WESTSIDE SCHMOOZE. The West Los Angeles branch of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators hosts a monthly "schmooze" for both aspiring and published children's book writers where they discuss the craft of writing books for children. Authors RITA CRAYON HUANG and LEE WIND are this year's co-coordinators for the group. (For more info on Rita and Lee, check out their websites here: http://rhcrayon.livejournal.com/ and http://www.leewind.org/).

The aim of the SCBWI WESTSIDE SCHMOOZE is "to be a forum for sharing and learning, a source of inspiration throughout the year, and a place to make contacts for ever-helpful critique groups. We welcome writers of every stripe--poets and novelists, nonfiction writers, magazine contributors, and picture book author/illustrators. We welcome people interested in attending just one meeting or those looking for a regular community of writers. We welcome anyone interested in writing for kids."

The SCBWI WESTSIDE SCHMOOZE is the longest-running schmooze in the region. They meet every second Wednesday of the month at the Fairview Branch Library Community Room, 2101 Ocean Park Boulevard, Santa Monica, from 7:00 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Their meetings are in association with the Fairview Branch Santa Monica Library. 

For more information on the SCBWI WESTSIDE SCHMOOZE, check out their website here: http://www.scbwisocal.org/schmoozes/westside.htm

I hope to see you this Wednesday Dec. 9th! Until then...  Happy Writing!