SOLD!

This past November, needing something to kick-start a new book, I decided to write a novel in a month.

So . . .

After 29 days of intense writing, I typed the last words of OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN. It's about a trivia-obsessed girl who will do anything to get on Jeopardy! . . . and to get her father back home. Throw in a goofy little "bother" who spouts gross trivia, a mom who loses her job at the local newspaper, her mom's (Ugh!) live-in boyfriend and an annoying boy next door, whom Olivia absolutely, positively does not like (except when she does) and you've got OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN.

If you'd like to read about the experience of writing a novel in a month, click here. If you want to read about each day of NaNoWriMo, start here. (There's a fun trivia question at the end of each day.)

I sent a five-page synopsis of OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN and the first fifty pages to my uber-agent, Tina Dubois Wexler. She sent them to my wonderful editor at Delacorte Press, Stephanie Lane Elliott.

Tina called with the delightful news that Stephanie has acquired rights to publish OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN.

WAHOO! It will be my third novel with Stephanie and Delacorte Press.

For some reason, with the sale of a third novel, it feels like this is more than a lucky break . . . or two. This feels like a career. My career -- a career I've long dreamed of and worked toward.

As if that weren't enough good news, HOW TO SURVIVE MIDDLE SCHOOL comes out April 13th, and I'm busy preparing to speak at schools, bookstores and conferences. My schedule is filling fast, so if you'd like to arrange an author visit, please get in touch soon.

After that, AS IF BEING 12 3/4 ISN'T BAD ENOUGH, MY MOTHER IS RUNNING FOR PRESIDENT! comes out in paperback in time for summer reading -- May 25th.

Who knew that this nerdy kid, who used to ride her purple, banana-seat bike to the local library in Philadelphia would end up creating books that have landed on the shelves in that very library?

Although I'm a person of many words (Really. Ask my husband and kids.), I have only one to describe how I'm feeling: GRATEFUL!