Hey! Ho! Let's Go--to Chicago! ALA has started!

 

Hello everyone! So excited it's ALA time in the beautiful city of Chicago! Are you going? If so, let me know. I'll be there signing books at my publisher's booth (Holiday House #2220) on Sunday at 3:00PM so please come say hello! I'll be arriving early to go check out the booths as well and preview all the delicious new books I want to devour! :)

Fun Fact: This is the 137th ALA! That is a lot of books! 

Chicago first hosted it in 1893! 

That's like 120 years ago! 

HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! 

Oh, and here is something to get you going for the weekend! ;)

Friday Good News!

Can't give deets yet, but my agency sold some awesome foreign rights for the Nightshade Chronicles series! I'm so excited about it! I'll just say the country is in Europe. Way to narrow it down, I know!

Also, the new expanded version (which I'm in!) of Demigods and Monsters: Your Favorite Authors on Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson and the Olympians Series, just arrived on my doorstep. I'm so honored to write along side such amazing authors, including Rick Riordan himself! My piece is all about Hades and Nico and their badness...but are they really that bad? You be the judge!

This is fun. This is me on my panel at the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival in the UAE. You can't hear me because of the translator, but I had no idea I talked so much with my hands! ;)

In other breaking news I'll be at the ALA on Sunday the 30th (3PM Holiday House Booth) for a signing, so please come say hello if you're going to be there! I also wished my agent a happy birthday over a month in advance yesterday, so that was kind of funny and a total fail on my part. And, last but not at all least, I'm waiting on the 2nd round of edits from my editor for Lords of Trillium, the final book in the Nightshade Chronicles series, which makes me excited, but also a little weepy. It's hard to say goodbye! 

Okay, back to writer's cave. I'm working on something new--and yes, as always, it's slightly dark and creepy. ;)

PROJECT MAYHEM: 700 Reader Project Mayhem Blowout Giveaway!

PROJECT MAYHEM: 700 Reader Project Mayhem Blowout Giveaway!: Hello, everyone! Project Mayhem DJ cat is back to kick off our 700 Reader Project Mayhem Blowout Giveaway!!! We have tons of prizes f...

Magic Tree Bookstore Children's Book Week -- Today!

I'll be at the Magic Tree Bookstore in Oak Park, IL today, at 2PM for the Children's Book Week Authors Visit. Myself and four other children's authors will be there to talk about writing, read a little from our books, and of course, sign them! Hope to see you there and please bring the kiddos! Should be loads of fun!

"Magic Tree is delighted to welcome a roster of some of today's finest children's authors. Jerome Pohlen, Liesl Shurtliff, Amy Timberlake, Hilary Wagner and Andrea Beaty will be sharing their experiences writing both fiction and non-fiction books for children."

Home Sweet Home, but missing the UAE!

Well, I'm back from the beautiful UAE and the Sharjah Children's Reading Festival, which was in a word--AMAZING! I got to meet authors and illustrators from all over the world and have made some lifelong friends. The event was fabulous, as were my talks with students at the Australian International School. What a great group of kids!

Things I learned in the UAE in no particular order:

1. It is rich in culture and tradition.
2. It is a wonderful melting pot of many different nations. 
3. Caribou Coffee is even more delicious in the UAE.
4. Camels are big sweeties (at least the one I met).
5. Do get to know the US Coordinator, Elisabet. She is awesome on every level!
6. Bruce Coville is hilarious.
7. Don't order the porridge if you're expecting oatmeal.
8. Rugby shirts are very popular.
9. It is a mobile phone store paradise.
10. Don't get caught in Sharjah rush hour.
11. Do eat at the 5 Star Restaurant in Sharjah--incredible.
12. Do have dinner in the desert by candlelight. 
13. KFC is big there.
14. Soda cans are smaller. 
15. Their duty-free rocks!
16. Sharjah Hilton is excellent!
17. Don't expect motorists to drive at any speed other than breakneck.
18. If you want ice in your drink, ask for it! 
19. Learn and respect area culture and you can't go wrong.
20. Expect the unexpected and if you ever get the chance to go--then GO! :)

I'm taking the rats to Dubai! Well, Sharjah, to be exact!

I'm so excited, not to mention honored! At the end of April, my husband and I will be going to Sharjah, part of the United Arab Emirates, and home of the Sharjah International Book Fair, where I've been invited to present! This 10-day event now draws a total of over 800 publishers showcasing books from nearly 42 nations, and attracts over 400,000 visitors. 

I'll be speaking on panels at the fair and actually visiting local area schools, both of which I'm so excited about! Sharjah is a beautiful emirate right next door to Dubai. It's also known throughout the UAE for it's amazing cultural and artistic offerings. They have over a dozen museums, a large aquarium, art galleries galore, and of course, the amazing Sharjah International Book Fair and Children's Reading Day! 

How beautiful is this city? 

I'm so amazed I'll be walking these streets in less than a month!

And a trip to the UAE would not be complete if I didn't get to eat dinner at the Burj Al Arab in Dubai! I cannot wait!! 

Just last week, I finished Lords of Trillium, Book III of the Nightshade Chronicles. It's being poured over by my editor now, so this will be the perfect vacation before the revisions begin or possibly something I'll be working on while in flight. I'll have 17 hours. Yikes! 

I Give You Cats in Exchange for Real Post!

I'm off in the dank and dark writer's cave for a while, finishing up Lords of Trillium, Book III in the Nightshade Chronicles, so instead of leaving you with an actually post made of meaningful words, I leave you with funny cat pictures. It's the least (and I mean the very least) I can do. ;)

Back in a bit....

How to Wrap a Cat for Christmas

No cats were harmed in the filming of this video. :)

HAPPY HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE!!!

Just Because It's Funny!

Something to make you smile. :)

Don't Be a Mad Turkey Cat!

Turkey Cat is angry. He's rather irritated that his guests are not sharing in the holiday joy as he so obviously is. Don't be a Mad Turkey Cat! 

I know it's hard to not stress about the holidays. Whether you're traveling across the country, going to your not-so-favorite in-laws house, or cooking for twenty plus guests, it's easy to get stressed during the holidays rather than be thankful for what you have. 

If you've been trying to get published for a while, it's easy to get down on yourself this time of year. I know I sure did and I regret it so much. One thing to remember, if it was easy to get published, everyone would do it. It's not easy. NOT. AT. ALL. So, if you're doing it, that means you love it. That's the first battle won right there. Also, not every book is a winner. It doesn't mean all your books are losers, it just means not every book you write is going to strike a chord with an agent or editor. You could write just one book and it will land a deal. You could write ten books and not one garners even a request for more material. Don't give up. You heard me! DON'T. GIVE. UP. And you know why you should never give up, because that would be too easy. Rejection hurts. It hurts our egos. It hurts our dreams. It hurts our hearts...but let that hurt strengthen your resolve.

In a sweet potato filled nutshell, this is a time to be thankful that you have the guts to try. You've actually put your soul into something and then put it out there for the world to see--to critique--even to reject...but you're still here and you're still kicking, so keep writing. Giving up is not an option. If you do I will send Mad Turkey Cat to your home and mind you, he is not declawed!

'Nuff said. 

Have an awesome Thanksgiving! Let your crazy family inspire you or at least entertain you! :)

Hilary

The Most Adorable Agent EVER! ;)

So, I finally met Marietta last weekend, my agent extraordinaire! Here we are at the Hancock building. You can see Lake Shore Drive behind us. We had a great day and Marietta and my kids and husband got along great. I think my daughter, Nomi, was about to sneak into her purse and fly home with her. :)

I always get a lot of questions from people about my agent. What I can tell you about Marietta Zacker? She's super down-to-earth, hilariously funny, a burst of energy, and LOVES what she does! A while back, Marietta held a Q&A on my blog. Anything you ever wanted to know about her taste in kids' books is there! She's likes blueberry pancakes too, though I don't know if that's a helpful tip. ;)

Happy Friday, everyone!  

Please Pass Syrup?

I signed with my agent, Marietta Zacker of Nancy Gallt, back in 2009...gosh, that sounds like a long time! I'm here in the City of Big Shoulders and she's in New Jersey. We both have nutty schedules to boot. That said, we've never had the chance to meet after all this time.

Lucky for me, Marietta will be speaking at the IL SCBWI conference this Saturday, and on Sunday, her and I will finally meet! Somehow she's convinced I'm very tall, but I'm not, I just wear very tall shoes! ;) 

Long story short, I can't wait to meet her. She's taking my family and I out to breakfast and my four-year-old, Nomi, will be impressing her with her Spanish the whole meal and probably won't let me get a word in edgewise, but that's okay, because I feel so lucky to finally thank her in-person for all she's done for me!

So, please, pass the syrup! :)