Katie Alender

Introducing… Scooter!

Katie Alender — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 22:08:27 +0000

“Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog it’s too dark to read.”
~ Groucho Marx

With great pleasure, I introduce Scooter Alender.

After Winston passed away, I knew pretty much right away that we’d be getting a new dog. There’s just something about having a dog around the house; it didn’t feel like home without one. We had a trip planned in mid-February, but I planned to start looking as soon as we got home.

There’s a fantastic “store” near my house called Lucky Puppy Rescue and Retail. It’s run by a rescue organization that saves dogs from kill shelters and adopts them out. While they wait to meet their forever families, they live in the store with the other dogs. It’s a fabulous way to find a dog, because the staff gets to see them interact with strangers, children, other dogs, etc. They learn about their quirks and habits and are able to give adoptive families an idea of what they might expect (well, some of what they might expect).

I was champing at the bit to look for a dog. I even checked the website while I was away to see if there were any eligible puppies freshly arrived. At that point, because of the baby, we thought we’d definitely be getting a puppy. I longed for the steady solidness of an adult dog, but my daughter’s safety is obviously worth the trouble of going through the travails of puppyhood.

On returning home, I went to Lucky Puppy on my first day back with the aim of introducing myself and letting them know I’d be stalking their new arrivals for the puppy of our dreams. I must have said, “I’d actually prefer an adult dog, but with the baby we need to be positive we’re getting a good fit,” and the woman said, “Have we got a dog for you!” And they brought out this little brown dog (whose photo I’d noticed when I was on vacation) and let us hang out in a pen with him. He’s about three years old, but he stayed up front with the puppies rather than in the back with the more rambunctious older dogs. He was a bit distracted that day, but he was very gentle. At one point I picked him up and then realized I’d been playing with his paws (a big deal for dogs) and he didn’t mind in the least.

The next day, the husb came to meet him, we went for a very calm walk, and that was when we decided that Scooter would be part of our family.

He is the sweetest and mellowest dog in the world. He’s timid and submissive but not shy or fearful. He’s settling into the house and sleeps on the bed and cruises the floor under the high chair for dropped food (though he has more discerning taste than Winston–he’ll eat the meat and cheese she drops but not the yogurt bites or puffs)… which is awesome because the saddest part of having no dog was cleaning delicious bits off the floor knowing that Winston would have loved them. We go for several long walks a day, because he has yet to understand that pottying in the yard would be completely and totally GREAT with us. But that’s a good thing because, hey, who couldn’t use more walks?

I don’t know that I necessarily believe that everything happens for a reason. But I do believe that you can take the things that happen and give them meaning by striving to accept them with grace and look for joy in your new situation, however awful it may seem in the moment. We will never stop missing Winston, but his passing allowed Scooter to have a home and family who love and cherish him.

It’s going to take a little time for him to feel totally at ease here with us. In the meantime, we’re trying as hard as we can to let him know how loved and wanted he is. I have a fuzzy writing partner again. The dog-shaped hole in my heart has been filled. Dog is my co-pilot, and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Valentine’s Day gift guide – special treasures edition

Katie Alender — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:00:54 +0000

A few years ago, I did a post about the exciting products you can find at Lillian Vernon, and happening across that post inspired me to share more of the treasures available there with my blog readers (reader? how many of you are there lately?). To be honest, I just wanted to spend a little time browsing the absurdities, and if I blog about it, I get to say I was working.

When a horizontal wine bottle stopper just won’t do…

Vertical Wine Bottle Stopper

Also good for families who have multiple bottles of wine open at once–personalize these babies and Martha and Justine can finally stop fistfighting over whose bottle of merlot still has half a glass left.

The gift that keeps on giving:

Happy Valentine’s Day Garage Door Magnet Display

The awesome thing about this, in addition to embarrassing the bejeezus out of whoever’s garage door you put it on, is that it gives lots and lots of options for future use. When you’re done wishing your neighborhood a Happy V-Day, go ahead and switch the letters around to make such phrases as…

A SHAPELY IVY PENDANT (for the holidays)
APATHY: A DEVIL’S PENNY (social commentary — get out the vote!)
A PANDA! THY ENVY PILES! (the lordly announcement of the addition of a panda to one’s household)
or, forgive me:
YELP! A VANISHED PANTY

For the “cook” of your acquaintance:

Multi-Holiday-Themed Spatulas

Doesn’t it seem like someone who cooks enough to need four spatulas would want better spatulas? I’m just sayin’.

For your friends with warped self-images:

Spoon Display Cabinet

Now, until I googled this, I didn’t realize how pervasive spoon display cabinets are in today’s society. But what sets this big boy apart from the herd is that it’s personalized. You or I might just let the spoons speak for themselves, or (if we were concerned with truth in presentation) just have the word “Spoons” at the top of the cabinet. But this gift is for the person in your life who can’t be pinned down–who might, in the same day, jump out of an airplane, act in a play, and don an enormous fuzzy spoon costume for the local spoon convention (where naturally there is all sorts of scandalous spooning going on).

For the friend who can’t hide her shortcomings from YOUR eagle eyes:

Double-Sized Laundry Room Rug

Because what woman doesn’t want to be reminded that her laundry room is a filthy mess? And more than that–it’s HER filthy mess? Really, Amanda, take some responsibility here. And I’ve always said, the only gift more refreshing than a laundry room rug is a personalized laundry room rug.

For your narcissistic/philosophical orniphile friends:

Garden Crane Gazing Ball Pair

Is it a bird? Or is it a distorted reflection of my world view? And why would you need TWO gazing balls? Am I right that the human eyes can only truly gaze in one place at a time? And since these are wide-angle, isn’t having two redundant?

For… I don’t know, to be honest.

Valentine Rose Mailbox Swag

No, but seriously, what does the mailman even think when you have something like this? And as an aside, who gets that much cool mail all in one day?

And finally, for someone you really, really dislike:

My Little Valentine 2009 Madame Alexander® Doll

This doll is so terrifying they haven’t even made them since 2009. Luckily, they’re still available in case you have a neighbor who uses your trash cans or a co-worker who drinks your Diet Cokes out of the company fridge.

In loving memory

Katie Alender — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 14:30:45 +0000

As some of you already know, we said a sudden and heartbreaking good-bye to my best little buddy and writing partner Winston on January 20.

He became very ill very quickly and was sedated overnight. Then he just couldn’t pull through it and wake up. I was right with him–literally sitting next to him on the ground–when he first fell ill. Then he was in my arms until we reached the vet. And then he was under the tender care of some of the kindest people I’ve met in a long time. He wasn’t scared or in pain. He was warm and comfy. I got to spend two hours with him the following day, rubbing his belly and ears and telling him what a good boy he was. Then, a couple of hours later, he slipped away.

I’m going to be honest and say it’s been one of the hardest things I’ve ever gone through. But in the days and weeks since, I’ve been able to find some peace.

Most of it comes from knowing that Winston had the happiest life imaginable (dog or human… probably a dozen people have told me over the years that they wanted to be reincarnated as Winston). He made so many people so happy. When we worked on the dog show, people who were having a rough day would come silently into my office and sit down on the floor with him, rubbing his belly (detect a theme?) and hugging him, receiving his sweet puppy kisses and unconditional love and friendship.

Last April, when the baby was born, his happiness was made complete. He had always loved babies, and now we brought him home a baby of “his” own. He adored her and followed her everywhere. He loved to nap in her room when she napped. He loved to circle beneath her high chair for the delicious morsels she would drop. Almost everything I know about being a mother, Winston taught me. He taught me to speak softly even when inside I wanted to yell. He taught me that sometimes a gentle touch is all that’s needed. He taught me what it means to love so purely and so constantly.

He could be naughty, often to the tune of hundreds of dollars in vet bills, but he gave much more than he took.

He made me laugh and he licked my tears when I was sad. Our house is missing something without him.

I miss him so much but the imprint he left on my heart and life is a gift that I won’t let be bogged down by misery. He was too sweet, too happy, too loving a dog for his legacy to be one of pain.

This is the final verse of a poem I wrote years ago.

Come sit with me, my dearest friend;
I’ll take your hand when you grow weak,
And stay with you, and soothe your cares
And face the spectre as he stares
And know your parting words though you don’t speak.

Winston Alender
April 29, 2005 – January 20, 2013
Loved so, so much.

Presenting MARIE ANTOINETTE, SERIAL KILLER

Katie Alender — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 14:30:27 +0000

The City of Light just got a little darker . . .

Colette Iselin is excited to go to Paris on a class trip. She’ll get to soak up the beauty and culture, and maybe even learn something about her family’s French roots.

But a series of gruesome murders are taking place across the city, putting everyone on edge. And as she tours museums and palaces, Colette keeps seeing a strange vision: a pale woman in a ball gown and powdered wig, who looks suspiciously like Marie Antoinette.

Colette knows her popular, status-obsessed friends won’t believe her, so she seeks out the help of a charming French boy. Together, they uncover a shocking secret involving a dark, hidden history. When Colette realizes she herself may hold the key to the mystery, her own life is suddenly in danger . . .

Acclaimed author Katie Alender brings heart-stopping suspense to this story of revenge, betrayal, intrigue — and one killer queen.

Coming October 2013 in hardcover from Scholastic!

I had such a fantastic time researching and writing “Marie”. I’m so excited about it!

I think one of my favorite things about this book is the tagline on the back of the ARC:

Ha!

Stay tuned…

Katie Alender — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 03:15:49 +0000

Hauling the blog out of the freezer and thinking I’ll try to post on a more regular basis…

Starting with the gorgeous cover for my next book, MARIE ANTOINETTE, SERIAL KILLER! The book will be out in October 2013… and the cover will be debuting right here within a day or so. Watch this space!

Happy 2012!

Katie Alender — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 17:33:46 +0000

Well, this has been a quiet little blog lately, hasn’t it?

I hope all of my readers and friends had a wonderful holiday season and are enjoying 2012!

Remember that even if I am not here as much as I once was, I am pretty good about checking in over on Twitter: @KatieAlender.

. . . → Read More: Happy 2012!

Bad Girls Book 3 title & cover reveal!

Katie Alender — Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:23:18 +0000

(Hey, all… I was actually going to do this next week as I have some stuff going on that’s slightly less than celebratory at the moment, but the title is up on Amazon and I wanted my readers and friends to hear it from me first.)

Book 3 in the Bad Girls Don’t Die series is callled… AS DEAD AS IT GETS… and it comes out next May 15!

So here’s the gorgeous cover! Isn’t it deliciously creepy?

And here’s the description:

It’s been three months since Alexis helplessly witnessed Lydia Small’s violent death, and all she wants is for her life to return to normal.

But normal people don’t see decaying bodies haunting photographs. Normal people don’t have to deal with regular intrusions from Lydia’s angry ghost, sometimes escalating to terrifying attacks.

At first, it seems that Lydia wants revenge on Alexis alone. But a girl from school disappears one night, and Alexis spots one of Lydia’s signature yellow roses lying on the girl’s dresser the next day. Soon, it becomes clear that several of Alexis’s friends are in danger, and that she’s the only person who can save them. But as she tries to intervene, Alexis realizes that her enemy is a much more powerful ghost than she’s ever faced before… and that its fate is tied to hers in ways she couldn’t possibly imagine.

Not even in her worst nightmares.

Calling all Jane Austen fans!

Katie Alender — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:21:21 +0000

If you’re like me, and totally addicted to watching every version of every Jane Austen movie you can find (especially the deliciously long A&E miniseries version of Pride and Prejudice), you are probably feeling like it has been too many years since a new movie version of one of her books came out (I mean, it’s been, like, TWO years! What’s up with that?).

Last week as I trolled Netflix to see what instant content they’d decided to go ahead and pony up for in order to save themselves following the whole Qwikster debacle, I found a British miniseries called “Lost in Austen” and added it to my queue. The basic premise was, “modern girl gets transported into Jane Austen-esque world.” I thought it might be good for some boring afternoon, so I dumped it in the queue.

Well, I watched it last night, and it was totally cute! It has great production value and the casting is really good, but more than that, it really digs in to Austen’s world in a way that’s both fun and satisfying. I don’t want to spoil anything, but it’s a more specific story than I was expecting, and seeing how the modern girl’s arrival turns certain things on their head is great fun for a tried-and-true Austen geek. (Ever wonder, “What if…?”)

Anyway, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I thought I’d spread the word. It’s available via Netflix streaming–maybe on DVD, too, but I’m too lazy to go check.

(Word of warning: where one can usually expect a Jane Austen film to be solidly PG at the most, this one edges toward PG-13.)

Come out & see us!

Katie Alender — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 16:31:59 +0000

Tomorrow at 5 pm, the divine Nancy Holder and I will be signing and speaking at Mrs. Nelson’s Toy and Book Shop in La Verne.

Nancy is not only terrifically nice but also incredibly fun and funny, and even if I am a huge disappointment, she will be awesome! So do come and . . . → Read More: Come out & see us!

I’m still here!

Katie Alender — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 18:21:01 +0000

It just seems like the less I say, the less I find I have worth saying…

That being said, I’m around, I’m writing, and I’m hoping all of my readers and friends are having a wonderful autumn!

State of the Author

Katie Alender — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 16:21:35 +0000

Book/s I’ve finished recently:
Populazzi, by Elise Allen
Doctor Thorne and Framley Parsonage, both by Anthony Trollope

Songs stuck in my head of late:
Always, always, always Do You Know the Way to San Jose? (Someone PLEASE hypnotize me and get this song out of my poor, innocent brain!)

Best thing I ate this week:
A yummy vegetable pasta with zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes. It totally hit the spot!

Notable moments:
I love my neighborhood. The other night the husb and I were going to eat dinner with our next door neighbors. Across the street, two other neighbors were hanging out. People are always going next door and a few doors down and across the street… it’s so nice to live in a place with a sense of community!

My favorite links this week:
As a freelancer who makes my own schedule (if I can force myself to have one at all), I was very intrigued by this post at In Over Your Head: Give in to the Machine.

Author & event news:
I’m going to be at the Orange County Children’s Book Fest on October 2 — come out and see me! I’ll be on the Teen-YA Stage at 3:15 pm!

Writing news:
I’ve been working on a Secret Project (which will probably be secret for the long-term, and it’s not actually book-related in the strictest sense… don’t feel too deprived, there will be more book writing soon!).

Winston news:
Poor Winston! He’s now sleeping completely in the living room at night because of his snoring. He doesn’t seem to mind, because I load him up with treats and belly rubs before bedtime. Also, when he gets up and comes into the bedroom, I’ll go to the kitchen and get him a treat. Yes, I’m well trained.

Crafty news:
I’ve started what might be the most insane of all insane craft projects–a rag rug made of strips cut from old tee-shirts. “That doesn’t sound so insane,” you might say. The insane part is that it requires, um, fourteen thousand strips.

Winner of The Goddess Test!

Katie Alender — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 15:09:32 +0000

Congratulations to our winner of Aimee Carter’s The Goddess Test, Carissa! (commented 9/4 at 6:46 am)

And thanks to Aimee for being a part of 4 Minutes/4 Questions!

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Aimee Carter! (+ giveaway!)

Katie Alender — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 12:00:17 +0000

(CONTEST IS CLOSED.) Win a signed copy of THE GODDESS TEST! Simply comment below with your word association for one or all of Aimee’s words from question #3! Contest ends Monday 9/6 at noon Pacific. Shipping is to US only.

with Aimee Carter

Aimée Carter was born and raised in Michigan, where she currently resides. She started writing fan fiction at eleven, began her first original story four years later, and hasn’t stopped writing since. Her first novel for young adults, The Goddess Test, was be published by Harlequin Teen in May 2011. The sequel, Goddess Interrupted, will follow in February 2012.

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - A bonsai tree that regrows solid gold nuggets instantly.

The worst thing you can imagine - A severed body part.

The weirdest thing you can imagine - A neon pink and green puppy that speaks perfect English and French. This was also a contender for best thing I could imagine.

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Picky. I’m a picky eater, a picky reader, a picky dresser, a picky dater…it’s a problem.

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
wheat – cereal
clank – Scrooge
rewind – VCR
dollar – store
cloudy – Sunday

Care to explain any of the above?
This was tough because I’m a visual thinker. I don’t think in words much at all, unless I’m writing, so images were the first thing that came to mind. And I’m pretty sure ‘Scrooge’ came from the ghost that had chains. Which clank.

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
Probably The Horse Whisperer, mostly because I read it when I was nine, and it’s a pretty adult book. Also Lucas, by Kevin Brooks – I haven’t read it in years, and I don’t really remember much about what happens, which I’m embarrassed to admit. But I do remember that I absolutely loved it and went out and bought all of his books afterward.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

Click the photo for a larger view!

This is a picture of several friends and me on the Tower of Terror in Disneyland back in 2007. The five of us are in the back row, and I’m second to the right, with my hand clamped over my mouth. If you’re not familiar with this ride, they take a photo of you right when the window opens and you’re however many stories up. This is a photo of that photo (we were cheap).

I have a massive fear of elevators – I would rather walk up twenty flights of stairs than take one – but my friends convinced me to go on this ride anyway. I’m also not a fan of heights, so I was already on edge when the window opened, revealing the entire park. A second before this picture was taken, I screamed out, “F-CK!”, and…well, there was a little girl sitting right in front of me. Hence why my hand is over my mouth and all of my friends are laughing. Her parents didn’t seem to mind too much though.

Thanks, Aimee!

Visit Aimee on the web:
Website: aimeecarter.com
Blog: http://aimeecarter.wordpress.com/
Twitter: @aimee_carter
Facebook: author page

The weekly what – August 29

Katie Alender — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 02:42:34 +0000

Book/s I finished:
Bossypants by Tina Fey, Barchester Towers by Anthony Trollope

Song of the week:
Rhiannon by Fleetwood Mac. Why? Who can say?

Best thing I ate this week:
McDonald’s cheeseburgers–for the first time in about three years! Also, berries and whipped cream on angelfood cake, which made our friends’ 20-month-old say, “I want another more!”

Weirdest moment of the week:
Waking up at 2 am to a pack of coyotes howling their hearts out. We didn’t have a lot of coyote activity around here for a couple of years, but they’re back in full force.

My favorite links this week:
Definitely worth checking out this week–the debut posts of the new class at The Debutante Ball! Head over and meet each day’s new Deb, an author with a book coming out in 2012!

Author & event news:
Hmm… nothing springs to mind.

Writing news:
*hides under rock*

Winston news:
Winston is snoring like a maniac these days. Also, it got very hot this week, with a horrible hot wind blowing, so he’d get very excited AND overheated on his (very short) walks. He’d alternate between chasing after leaves and panting like the air getting let out of an air mattress. Needless to say we made the potty trips pretty quick. And it’s haircut time for him!

Crafty news:
I finished a quilt top and started on another one. Good times!

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Gretchen McNeil!

Katie Alender — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:00:50 +0000

with Gretchen McNeil

Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4′s Code Monkeys and currently sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She’s a founding member of vlog group the YARebels and an active member of The Enchanted Inkpot and The Apocalypsies. Her first YA novel, POSSESS, is in stores now!

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - A bottle of Dom Perignon from Daniel Craig along with the following note: “Congratulations on making the New York Times bestsellers list! I’ll be there later tonight to celebrate.”

The worst thing you can imagine - a porcelain doll. OMG THEY FREAK ME THE HELL OUT!

The weirdest thing you can imagine - Ha. The first two aren’t enough? How about a USB Pet Rock?

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Snarky

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
water – drought (I grew up in northern California in the 80’s where we had to ration our water)
snail – mail (Ah, takes me make to querying…)
ornament – Christmas
wandering – “Wanderschaft” (German for “wandering” it’s the second song in Franz Schubert’s Die schone Mullerin song cycle. Yes, I used to be an opera singer.)
barn – Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney (because in all those old musicals they were always putting on a show in someone’s barn to raise money for…something.)

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan. It’s a pre-WWI spy fiction action adventure thriller book. Very stylistic of the time and very much…not YA. And not something most people I know would ever want to read but it’s absolutely one of my favorite books and taught me a lot about pacing. That book just goes.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

This is my goddaughter and I at Sephora trying on sparkly red lipstick and doing our best Lady Gaga pouts. I love this photo because she’s just as crazy as I am.

Thanks, Gretchen!

Visit Gretchen on the web:
Website: gretchenmcneil.com
Blog: http://gretchenmcneil.blogspot.com
Twitter: @GretchenMcNeil
Facebook: author page

What I did over my blogcation

Katie Alender — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 16:26:16 +0000

Well, I’m back! Did you miss me?

My blogcation ended up being well timed, because I had lots more revising to take care of.

I did learn one thing, though–I love blogcations!

It’s not that I don’t like posting in my blog, but what I really hate is knowing I should be posting in my blog and then not doing it. So not posting in my blog and knowing I had a free pass was pretty much amazing.

However, I’m back and feeling like posting!

Here’s what’s up with me:

Books I finished:
George Eliot’s Daniel Deronda and Anthony Trollope’s The Small House at Allington (by the end of which I wanted to smack Lily Dale really kind of hard, I confess)–both audiobooks. Non-audiobook-wise, I’m still making my way through some good stuff but didn’t finish anything.

Song of the week:
The Muppet Show Theme covered by OK Go!

Best thing I ate this week:
Cookies and milk! Yum! The cookies were left over from my Vromans Bookstore event.

Notable moments this week:
I didn’t realize Futurama was back on the air–so we had about ten brand new episodes! This is a huge thrill because we’re big Futurama fans. We only watched a couple so there are still plenty waiting for us on TiVo, yay!

My favorite links this week:
I recently started using (and loving) Mermailer–it’s a service that collects all of your small, repetitive emails (like all of your Facebook notifications, your Google Alerts, your Netflix emails, your mailing list emails) and puts them in one daily email that you can scroll through. This has saved my inbox and will almost certainly end up saving my sanity! The company was actually started by (among others, I’m sure) my cousin, and I have been really enjoying it so far. The best thing is that it keeps you from obsessing over all the little distracting emails that come in during the day… clicking on Facebook and spending the next three hours there, etc.

Got an email problem? Give it a try!

Author & event news:
My Vromans event was really a lot of fun. We had a small crowd, but they were all lovely people and we had a great conversation that lasted quite a while. Plus I got away with hardly reading at all (I hate reading!). I’d rather talk with people!

Writing news:
Book 3 has gone to copyedits! I’m very excited about the most recent set of revisions and very grateful to my editor for her help! As much pressure as there is, I love the really meaty part of revisions, where you’re making material changes to the work, but it comes naturally since you’re so invested in it on a daily basis. You can kind of “feel” your way through because you know the book so well at that point. Lots of fun–and a relief!

Winston news:
Winston is snoring like a piece of heavy construction machinery these days. I don’t know if it’s the heat or what, but I have to wake up in the middle of the night and pet him to make him move his head and stop snoring. We’ve been slowly moving his bed out of the room and he hasn’t seemed to notice (as long as the door’s open it doesn’t seem to make a difference to him.)

Crafty news:
I made a tote bag to give away at Vromans, and an eye pillow as a gift. I also took an old quilt top I made about three years ago and sewed it to some cotton jersey (think tee-shirt fabric) and it is now called “nap blanket.” I’ve been aching to have a lightweight blanket (heavier than a sheet, lighter than a real blanket) for about three years. I’m very glad to have it! And Winston makes sure it lives up to its name by taking lots of naps on it.

Los Angeles event at Vroman’s!

Katie Alender — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 19:28:40 +0000

Hey, all!

So, due to the crazy nature of my past few weeks–traveling and revising simultaneously–I’m in need of a little non-deadlineishness. Therefore, I hereby declare this “Blog Vacation Week (or possibly 10 days or so)”. So no evil squirrels, no 4 Minutes/4 Questions. You will just have to chew on your fingernails and keep hitting refresh until I get back at the end of next week.

But if you want to, you can see me in person to help bridge the gap!

EVENT UPDATE

Yes! I’m having an event next week. Please come out, and bring your friends. Because if no one shows up, it will just be me crying in the middle of a bookstore, and nobody wants that.

WHERE: Vroman’s Bookstore, 695 E. Colorado Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91101

WHEN: Wednesday August 17, 7:00 PM

WHAT: Reading, signing, some snackage, lots of good times! Maybe even prizes!

WHO: Me, silly!

WHY: There is no why. There is only, “Come to Pasadena and be my friend.”

Hope to see you there!

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Victoria Schwab!

Katie Alender — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:30:15 +0000

with Victoria Schwab

Victoria’s debute novel, THE NEAR WITCH, is out NOW! And she’s a fellow Hyperion author and we even share an editor! I met her on Twitter and she is a delight. Also, criminally cute.

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - it’s actually a Mary Poppins-esque shoebox of endless books.

The worst thing you can imagine - cow tongue.

The weirdest thing you can imagine - a Tardis.

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Fidgety.

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
goat – cute
rainbow – rain
noodle – yum
spoon – peanut butter
quest – sword!

Care to explain any of the above?
Heh. Well, I’ve always thought goats were cute, I think rainbows are pretty but my favorite part is that they come with rain, I love Asian food, which tends to have noodles, one of my favorite foods is peanut butter, and I have been known to eat it on a spoon, and I’ve always wanted to go on a quest, but only if I had a sword.

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
I am NEVER shy about recommending a book if I love it. In fact, I am OBNOXIOUS about recc’ing books because I love them so much. I have stalked a person through a bookstore just to press Book of Lost Things, or Stolen, or Anna and the French Kiss into their empty hands.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

It’s my favorite because of the witch hat. OBVIOUSLY.

Thanks, Victoria!

Visit Victoria on the web:
Website: victoriaschwab.com
Blog: veschwab.wordpress.com
Twitter: @veschwab
Facebook: facebook.com/veschwab

Hurray! New Debs at the Ball

Katie Alender — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 20:58:59 +0000

Remember back in my debut year (2009) when I was a blogger at The Debutante Ball? Well, I was and still am so proud to be a part of such an incredibly supportive community for authors. The Ball continues to thrive in its fifth year, going into its sixth!

And just yesterday, they announced the new Deb class–five fabulous debut authors with releases coming out in 2012!

Check it out and offer a hello & welcome!

My “sister Debs” made my life so much easier, and we’re all still in touch to this day. Long live the Debutante Ball and its wonderful readers!

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Elise Allen!

Katie Alender — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 14:15:49 +0000

with Elise Allen

I met Elise a couple of years ago on the set of a Muppets shoot the husb was working on. We started talking about books and hit it off and excitedly agreed to meet for lunch. We finally had that lunch about a month ago; therefore, Elise holds the honor of being my longest-standing to-do list item ever. She is the coauthor (with Hilary Duff) of ELIXIR and the author of the new book POPULAZZI, which hits stores next week! (Though Amazon shipped my copy early! Woohoo!) Learn more about POPULAZZI!

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - At this moment, or in the future? Because if it can be in the future, it’s a large invitation to the premiere of the very highly buzzed-about movie Populazzi, based on the book, and the end result of a gloriously open and collaborative process between myself and the filmmakers, so I know I’ll love it.

The worst thing you can imagine - A puppy or kitten, because I’d love it like crazy and want to keep it, but my husband’s very allergic to cats, and my dog has told me he wants no part of another dog in the family.

The weirdest thing you can imagine - A shoebox full of ketchup. Not a bottle or container of ketchup… just ketchup. I mean… why?

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Schlumpy.

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
monkey – butt … Who doesn’t think of “butt” after “monkey”?
treehouse – twisted … I once pitched a preschool show called “Totally Twisted Treehouse” that never went anywhere, but much drama surrounded it nonetheless. It has an awesome theme song though. I’d be happy to share both the song and drama another time, but seriously, it’s awesome. The song, that is. The drama’s just weird.
airplane – Roger … “Roger, Roger.” “We have clearance, Clarence.” “What’s the vector, Victor?” The word “airplane” will always and forever be the title of one of the best movies ever, Airplane!
garage – door … I know, it’s boring, but that’s what popped into my head.
fried – ham … Remember that song? “Fried ham, fried ham — cheese and bologna, and after the macaroni, we will have some pickles, and peppers, and then we’ll have some more fried ham fried ham!” Then you do second verse, same as the first, baby voice and a whole lot worse? And you keep doing verses in different voices until you can’t stand it anymore? That wasn’t just my childhood, was it?

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
Geneen Roth’s Women, Food, and God. It’s a great book, and I recommend it easily to anyone if we’re openly discussing food or body image issues. Unless that topic has come up, however, I’m loath to be seen as one of those women with food and body image issues… and yet… here I am advertising it on your blog. Ah well, I’m better off being honest about myself, flaws and all.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

Click the photo for a larger view!
The pic is my oldest friend and high school roommate Allison and I. We’re in our dorm room, it’s waaaaaay after lights out, but several of us were up hanging out. We’d made microwave popcorn and were properly stuffing our faces, and we decided nothing would be funnier than to write “Adidas Sweat” on maxipads and stick them to our foreheads… and put tampons up our nose.

I cannot for the life of me remember how we got the idea, but we knew what would make it FUNNY and not just weird was if we posed like we were super-cool athletes in a magazine ad, straight-faced, like it was perfectly normal and in fact aspirational to wear maxipads on your head and tampons in your nose.

We were laughing so hard we couldn’t breathe the entire time we prepped for the picture, managed to hold it together for exactly one second when the shutter snapped, then completely lost it for the rest of the night. I honestly can remember very few times I’ve laughed that hard and long.

Since then, I’ve always had the picture on display wherever I’m living. It makes me insanely happy.

(And here’s another picture of Elise that I personally love!)

Thanks, Elise!

Visit Elise on the web:
Website: eliseallen.com and populazzi.com
Blog: eliseallen.com/blog/
Twitter: @EliseLAllen
Facebook: Elise Allen’s Author Page

Two for Tuesday: Items of Interest

Katie Alender — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 23:17:30 +0000

Quick links for today!

First of all, via kottke.org–do you hate Monopoly? Me, too! But there’s a chance we’d all hate it less if we played it the way the rules actually tell you to.

Second of all, I really liked this post on procrastination (and how to beat it!) over at the99percent.com–interesting insight and helpful strategies!

Happy Tuesday! Winston says, “Don’t forget to take a nap!”

Decisions, decisions–picking a GTD app

Katie Alender — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:31:59 +0000

I mentioned a while back that I’ve become a big fan of the GTD (or “Getting Things Done”) system for time, resource, and task management. GTD basically involves taking all of the information that comes at you and processing it through a system that lets you always know the status or location of any given task or item. As a person with some procrastinatory tendencies but also a highly-developed sense of anxiety, this appeals to me quite a lot. To be able, at a glance, to know what’s really worth worrying about versus what can wait? Brilliant!

Some people do GTD by hard-copy–literal stacks and handwritten lists. I can’t do this, because I flit around the house like a butterfly. And if I had to go back to one specific location to figure out what needed to be done, nothing would ever actually get done.

The natural choice would seem to be a piece of software that would help me manage my system. That way, I could check from any computer, my iPhone, or my iPad (yes, I am well-stocked on iDevices). But finding this mythical program proved more difficult than I had imagined it would.

My needs were few (or so I thought):
- the ability to input tasks (duh)
- the existence of desktop (not exclusively web-based) and mobile versions
- the ability to sync easily between the various platforms
- the ability to add a due date
- the ability to divide the tasks into categories
- the ability to tag the tasks (@computer, @errands, @phone, 1hour, etc.)

So I furiously ran through every to-do list manager I could find. There are some really excellent programs out there–Evernote, for instance, is free, seamless, and incredibly powerful and useful. I highly recommend it. Only you can’t use due dates.

Things is another powerful one. It has everything you could ask for… except easy syncing. (Plus it costs a bundle.)

Remember the Milk doesn’t have a desktop version and only syncs once a day unless you pay for the pro version.

I didn’t try Omnifocus, because it costs a lot.

Google Tasks is free, syncs well, and has various third-party app options… but the interface isn’t what I would like it to be.

So for the past few months, my to-do list has been divided up over multiple platforms, while I tested each one out. There was always a honeymoon period, where I would think, “Yes! This is great!” But then within a day or two, I would find myself unable to commit. As a result, I have the least useful combination of to-do lists of anyone on God’s green earth, because there are eight of them. This culminated in me totally blowing off a very wonderful and bright young blogger to whom I had promised something by X date and to whom I ended up delivering said something on Z date. (Luckily she was incredibly gracious.)

Enough! Time to make a decision!

So I finally decided. And I chose Wunderlist.

Here’s why: Wunderlist has an appealing, simple interface. It has simple task inputting. It has due dates. It is across platforms AND web-based, with easy, effective syncing. The husb uses it (we share a grocery list). It has the ability to categorize your items and add extra text in a notes section. I’m sure there’s more it can do, but right now that’s plenty.

What it doesn’t have: tags. But that’s all right. As long as I know what my tags are, I can add them to the note or the title and just do a search. (It also doesn’t have recurring tasks, but I’ve just added those to my calendar.)

Oh, and it’s FREE!

(I do recommend Evernote, as well. Only I use it more for its original purpose, which is a place to put all of your relevant life info and notes in one place, rather than a task manager. It is definitely still a part of my information collecting process. It’s just not part of my productivity process anymore.)

So that’s that. Now, aside from revising book 3 on a maniacal schedule, I have to go around and collect all of my to-do items. Then I suppose I will have no excuse not to do them.

(Uh oh.)

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Melissa C. Walker!

Katie Alender — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 11:30:05 +0000

with Melissa C. Walker

I met Melissa in New York in March. Sooo nice! And her new book, SMALL TOWN SINNERS, is out… yesterday! Learn more here!

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - Magically comfortable high heels. They finally cracked the code!

The worst thing you can imagine - A deer skeleton. This actually happened when I was in 3rd grade (my mom was a biology teacher; it was for her class). YIKES!

The weirdest thing you can imagine – (This answer contains Game of Thrones spoliers. Highlight between the brackets if you dare!) [A tiny baby dragon like in the finale of HBO's Game of Thrones. Those were NUTS!]

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Watchy. I’m a big observer (of life, reality shows and my neighbors).

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
poodle – french
ballet – flats
Wyoming – big sky
werewolf – Jacob
oak – strong

Care to explain any of the above?
I think they’re pretty common associations, but I will say that after the first two I pictured a French poodle wearing ballet flats.

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
Gone With the Wind. I love it immensely–and used to read it every summer when I was younger–but I know there’s a lot of controversy around it (only showing the white POV, glamorizing the Old South, etc.). Still, that Scarlett! I adore her.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

Click the photo for a larger view!
I had jumped in a pool in my formalwear at a friend’s wedding. It was a great moment!

Thanks, Melissa!

Visit Melissa on the web:
Website: melissacwalker.com
Blog: http://melissacwalker.com/blog/
Twitter: @melissacwalker
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/melissawalkerauthor

Evil Squirrel Thursday #5: Under the wire (or through the wire)

Katie Alender — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 05:30:11 +0000

Well, well, well. Look who’s crawling around the internet with less than two hours to go on his designated day?

Anyway, found out this week that the problems with our home phone lines were probably due to Evil Squirrel’s brethren.

What happened was, our phones were all super-old and getting bad. Plus we didn’t have enough phones around the house. So you’d have to go running across the house to answer a call. So I ordered a beautiful, shiny new phone system. I was so excited when it came! It has a beautiful chime option for the ring, so with all five handsets, the whole house is full of this wonderful “DOO-DOOOOOOO” sound when a call comes in.

I hooked it up, danced around for a day, and then was crushed when the new phones seemed overwhelmed by awful static. So sad! But I unplugged them all and planned to return them. But THEN the OLD phones all seemed overwhelmed by horrible static. Like, to the point where if someone would call I would just have to shout, “WHAT? WHAT? I CAN’T HEAR YOU! CALL MY CELL PHONE!” and hang up.

Then a couple of days ago, Little Sis said, “I tried to call you but I couldn’t get through.”

Like, at all. And all the phones were completely dead. No static, even.

So I called the phone company Tuesday night to schedule service. First, I was blown away that they had appointments the very next day. Then I was amused beyond belief, because the appointment options were: (1) an 8 am to 8 pm window, and (2) a 12 pm to 4 pm window. I’m like, who’s going to choose 8-8? Anyway, I took 12-4, and wandered around the house saying, “He’s coming tomorrow!” in wonderment until the husb asked me if something was wrong.

But no, I was just thrilled at the efficiency of the phone company. Good on ya, phone company.

And then the nice man came and found that something had chewed through the wires, and of course it all, through sheer coincidence, came to a head the first day in 6 years of living here that we did anything at all with the phone situation.

Maybe Evil Squirrel was just jealous of my new phones and their beautiful chiming noises?

4 Minutes/4 Questions with… Josie Angelini!

Katie Alender — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:00:53 +0000

with Josie Angelini

I met Josie back in April, and she is not only adorable and sweet and beautiful, but funny as well! A quadruple whammy! Her first book, STARCROSSED, was released at the end of May… Click for more info.

Your doorbell rings. The UPS guy is outside with a shoebox-sized package for you. You open the box, and inside is…

The best thing you can imagine - Shoes. I’m sure there are tons of things that are actually better, but you said shoebox and I can’t get it out of my head.

The worst thing you can imagine - A head. I used to have nightmares about the ending of Seven (amazing movie, btw) when Brad Pitt gets “the package”. But I don’t think a head would fit in a shoebox. (Note from Katie: the fact that it wouldn’t fit would just make it worse!)

The weirdest thing you can imagine - Absolutely nothing. Could you imagine? You get a box, just and empty box with some strange return address from Budapest or Latvia or something. I would be agonizing about if for weeks. Was there something stolen? And if so, who took it? Is someone half way around the world playing a prank? Why? Is this from a friend who’s in trouble? A code? WHAT?

If you were the eighth dwarf, what would your name be?
Tall-ie. Dude, I’m like 5’9”, way too big for a dwarf.

Word association – what’s the first word that comes to mind?
strike – Waiting for Leftie. Pretty darn good play, if I say so myself.
party – Can I come? I’ll bring the guacamole.
two – Nope. Drawing a big blank on this.
ribbon – Red. I don’t know why, but whenever I think of ribbon, it’s always red in my head.
moscow – Hunt for Red October. I really liked that movie, too. Wow, my thoughts are pretty linear aren’t they?

Care to explain any of the above?
Actually, I really what to know why the heck you asked me what I thought about when you said “two”. I didn’t think anything. I mean, I honestly can’t think of anything significant attached to the number. It’s too small to be anything except maybe the first prime number. Seriously. Why two? (Note from Katie: maybe my evil plan is to eliminate all of my competition by driving my fellow authors insane with random word association… hey… it’s so crazy that it just might work!)

What’s your favorite book you’re shy about recommending to people–and why?
Anything by China Mieville. I absolutely LOVE his books and I think the guy is a genius, but I don’t know if my readers would dig him. He writes Weird Fiction, and it would probably freak a lot of people out. Personally, I love to be freaked out.

Share a photo of yourself (not your author photo!) that you love and tell us why you love it — DOUBLE bonus if you look goofy/weird/terrible in the pic.

Click the photo for a larger view!

The DL on the photo is that I’m wearing a toga as part of a giveaway I’m doing for my fans. (Click here to check out the giveaway!) If they put on a toga, take a picture of themselves holding my book, and post it on my Facebook page they are entered to win a gorgeous heart-charmed Tiffany’s necklace. I’m calling it the Toga Party!

Thanks, Josie!

Visit Josie on the web:
Website: http://www.josephineangelini.com/
Blog: josephineangelini.com/blog/
Twitter: @josieangelini
Facebook: facebook.com/josephineangelini