give cheer not cooties

the winner of a signed hardcopy of Silver
Phoenix was the last to comment: moonsanity!
congratulations! thanks to everyone who
participated and happy hoildays!!

hello s'grounders! okay, i'm a big fan
of nicknames and that's the best i can
come up with. or undies? haha! what do
you think?

it's been a long while since my last post.
copyedits for my sequel, Fury of the Phoenix
got in the way of my last month's post. but
that is sent off, all i need to work on now
are my brush painting chapter decorations and
my acknowledgment page--always fun and a
little nerve wracking.

especially for debut authors, there's an urge
to thank everyone from your kindergarten teacher
to her mom and pet poodle. seriously. i personally
had the feeling like i had to thank *everyone* lest
i never get the chance again!

other than that, i had a stupendous time
at ALAN conference--which is a fantastic one
for anyone who is a fan of young adult literature.

i was on a panel with cinda williams chima (The Demon King,
The Exiled Queen, The Dragon Heir, etc) and sarwat chadda
(The Devil's Kiss, Dark Goddess) and both were so lovely
and fun to chat with. i also happen to be fans of their books
and recommend them highly.

other than this spot of glamorous author's life
i've been battling cooties for the past two months.
colds, coughs, sore throats, antibiotics and now,
stomach flu. ah the joys of motherhood. =) this
time of year is certainly challenging. and thus, my
blog title--give cheer not cooties!

i'd like to spread the happiness by giving away
a signed hardcover of Silver Phoenix.


on the day of her first betrothal meeting--and rejection--ai ling discovers a power welling deep within her. she can reach into other people’s spirits, hear their thoughts, see their dreams…and that’s just the beginning.

ai ling has been marked by the immortals; her destiny lies in the emperor’s palace, where a terrible evil has lived, stealing souls, for centuries. she must conquer this enemy and rescue her captive father, while mythical demons track her every step. and then she meets chen yong, a young man with a quest of his own, whose fate is intertwined with hers. here is a heart-stopping, breathtaking tale for fans of action, fantasy, and romance--of anything with the making of legend.

this contest is open world wide!
all you have to do is answer the following
question: Silver Phoenix will whisk you to a world
inspired by ancient china. what country have you
always wanted to visit but have not had a chance to?

leave your answer in the comments to enter!
i'll choose a winner randomly on wednesday
12/15 and announce the winner at the top of
this post. good luck, undies! (yes, i've settled on
that nickname for you guys. =)

give cheer not cooties!