Sunday, February 21, 2010

Proclamation

I have so much to do tonight. My editor is coming in tomorrow from NYC to stay with us for a few days, and I'm woefully behind on everything. (The unexpected guest this weekend definitely had something to do with that!) But I promised I'd update every Sunday, so here I am with a few random thoughts and bits of info. First off -- geez, before I even have the chance to get permission to post the new Sammy Keyes cover here so you could be the first ones to see it, you discover it on Amazon. I didn't even know it was the final version, but I guess it is. So sorry! But for those of you who haven't seen it, now you have. And YES that's Billy Pratt with the chicken hat. (Isn't that so Billy?) Good call. The rest is all very significant.... For those of you following along with the back-and-forth process of getting a book ready, the manuscript has been through copy-editing and is now back on my desk for a final go-through. And I've remembered something I should really put in, so I have to add a little segment. About Sammy's dad. Only you don't know what or where or how it's related to her dad. (Is that torturous of me, or what? Sorry!) And now, a proclamation story. I didn't know anything about how proclamations get issued, but after doing some research last week and sending around some e-mails, I got a call from the Oklahoma governor's office last week and the governor will be issuing a proclamation for the Exercise the Right to Read winner, stating that April 21st, 2010 will be Central Middle School Day. Some Important Person will read it in front of the school while I'm doing a school visit there. I wonder if it will be scrolled. It should be scrolled, don't you think? It's a proclamation, not a certificate, after all. Maybe I'll bring some gold ribbon and if the Important Person produces a certificate, I'll run over and scroll it up and say, Honestly--it's a proclamation. Get with the program! Anyway. I'm excited about my editor showing up tomorrow. The first time I met her in person was at a conference. We'd "known" each other via phone and mail for at least a couple of years. Maybe even three. Anyway, she took one look at me and thought, Hm. Eating disorder? (because I'm almost 5'11" and was run ragged from being the mom of two young boys and having a full-time job teaching). And I took one look at her and wondered, Hm. Midget? (because she's barely 5 feet tall and I was wearing heels and she was in flats.) Well, I eat like a horse, and she's definitely not a midget (just petite), and once we had that cleared up, we sat cross-legged facing each other on twin beds of her hotel room and in less than five minutes were were somehow discussing death. So yeah. We have meaty conversations, which I like. And I'm sure one of the many things we'll discuss while she's here is Sammy Keyes and what's going on at Random House with things we've brainstormed here at the blog. So I hope to have some inside info for you next week. Hope so! Meanwhile, whereas you're a faithful follower of this blog, and whereas I appreciate the enthusiasm with which you embrace news about my books, therefore I, Wendelin Van Draanen, proclaim the week beginning Sunday, February 21st, 2010 to be Spunky Reader Week. Consider that scrolled and wrapped in gold ribbon.

27 comments:

sammy4ever said...

I KNEW IT! I KNEW KNEW KNEW IT WAS BILLY WITH THE CHICKEN HAT, I TOTALLY CALLED THAT!! (:
yay, i'm the first to comment (:
love the cover art, btw. and now you've got me all spun up with that bit about sammy's dad. i'm so excited for SK 13 to come out!!!!
ha, spunky reader week. i like it!

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

"Elizabeth" called it, too, so I guess you guys know Billy :-) Flap your chicken wings in the sky!!! (uh-oh...could I possibly be quoting from Un(?)Lucky #13 ??? ) Have a fun week :-)

bookfreak said...

hmm third to post well not so bad but OMG!!!!!i had no idea it would be billy of course it does sound like something he would do, you cant deny that. Hmmm wonder what thee chicken has to do with the story. ohh well guess ill have to wait for 5 or 6 more months im too lazy to count the exact number. I wonder whats going to happen....im still dying of impatience and...i cant get over the chicken....definite HMMM...
i really need to put my profile picture o well gotta go
-bf

sammy4ever said...

i know you probably can't tell me this, but why is billy wearing a chicken hat? (it is a hat right? not a real chicken) of course it's billy so there's probably no reasonable explanation.

Elizabeth said...

Yay Spunky Reader Week! :) Do you know who the Important Person is? It sounds exciting, and I agree, a proclamation should be a scroll :D. If the manuscript is on your desk for a final go through, what other steps are left that you are involved in before it is released? I'm just curious about the process, but obviously you are really busy, so if you haven't got time to explain the way it works, I understand! In swift response to your posting Sunday, we, your fans, proclaim ourselves full of gratitude, and herewith will thank you. Thanks :). I hope your editor's visit is stress free and as fun as it can be! :)

Anonymous said...

AH I love the cover! Billy and his chicken hat is too funny. I'm super excited for this book =]

Anonymous said...

PS - Is the release date really in October? (That's what Amazon said) I can't wait that long! :P

Pooja Dimba said...

THE COVER IS SO AWESOME! I WAS SUPER EXCITED!!!
ITS SO COOL THAT THERE IS A PIC OF BILLY ON THE COVER... HE'S NOT GIVEN AS MUCH CREDIT!! HE'S ONE OF MY FAVORITE CHARACTERS... CLASS CLOWNS ARE SO COOL TOO!!!!
I AM SO EXCITED!!! :D I CAN'T WAIT!!!! GAAH
OUR SCHOOL HAD A WHOLE WEEK OFF AND NOW WE HAVE SCHOOL!! GAAH WAITING FOR SAMMY AND STUPID HOMEWORK IS SO... FRUSTRATING!!!
YOU ROCK!

bookfreak said...

I bet he has a big part in sk 13 becase hes on the cover....it has to do with the chicken hat or chicken....well see...still cant wait...=D
-fb

Jinnyd said...

YAY SO EXCITED! Wedding cake, dead rodents, a death threat masquerading as a dog tag, and a chicken hat! Can't wait!!!!!!

sammy4ever said...

ha! i like the way you put that jinnyd
'a death threat masquerading as a dog tag'
that's some good figurative language right there! :P

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Ha! You guys are great. Billy has a significant role, yes. I love Billy Pratt! Having fun with my editor; told her all about you guys. She's wishing she could get you the book earlier. I'm hoping to have her leave a comment while she's here.

Aside: where's xxCLxx? = "Stephanie"?

More later!

Anonymous said...

hmm, not sure what xxCLxx means, I'm not even sure what it says in my profile hahaha I'll check it :P

Jinnyd said...

I MUST read this, or get this, or beg my parents to drive me to B&N some Saturday afternoon when it comes out. I MUST! I can't rely on my school library anymore because the only book they have by you is Confessions of a Serial Kisser! Not that it's not a good book (I haven't read it yet, and really should soon...), I'm sure it's great, but THEY DON'T HAVE A SINGLE SAMMY KEYES BOOK! NOT A SINGLE ONE! Nor do they have a SINGLE Series of Unfortunate Events book.

My middle school had both series. COMPLETE. Now this high school is full of mostly what is labeled as "young adult" literature, which excludes most of my favorite books.

ACK anyway I MUST READ THIS!!! SAMMY'S DAD!! AAAAHHH!!!!

Anonymous said...

Hahah, I feel like an outsider. Stephanie, I don't think she meant you. My name is Steph(anie). I haven't been able to comment in a while because I've just been extremely busy. (Planning the DC trip for school, and grades are due next week and then soccer season starts in a few weeks.. if the weather here gets any better).
Anyways, I think it's interesting that Billy would have a hat on, and I guess it leads me to thinking that he'll appear more frequently in the book...? He didn't really make a huge appearance in CHC. I also think it's interesting that Sammy's hair is getting longer (not in a bad way. I mean, her hair has to grow SOMETIME, right? And I'm pretty sure cutting it isn't her top priority). Which makes me want to ask a few questions I've been meaning to ask for while now (“a while” as in, I've been meaning to ask you even before I started reading this blog, etc).
First, how does Sammy's hair look like? (leave it to me to think of her hair and eyes =] ) I've always wondered. I'm pretty sure it's brunette because some of the versions of the a few of the covers have her face slightly showing and it shows brunette hair. But I'm also wondering about the style. Is it wavy? Straight? Bangs? No bangs? =]
Second, what was up with that rumor about SK and the “Evil Electors”? Was it just some random rumor someone made up to make the fans shut up for a while, or was it one of the “possible” names. (I like Wedding Crasher better..)
That's it! Sorry it took me forever to comment..
-Steph

Anonymous said...

Oh, and JinnyD, for some reason at my school library they didn't add CHC to the collection of SK books..? But that doesn't really matter to me because I buy them right away anyways. Wedding Crasher comes out five days after my birthday. ;] I might be in Washington DC when it comes out, though, so I might even put it on hold.
And is Barnes and Noble going out of business?!? I heard it was..
that would completely suck because then I'd have to go to Borders and Borders a) is way too expensive.. like, $15 for a paperback..? and b) it doesn't have everything I like, which makes me mad.
I would cry if B&N went out of business. Just saying... =]

Elizabeth said...

I have a question too, but mine is about Candi Acosta. In Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief, if I remember correctly, Gina's friend's name was Candi. I find that interesting because Elyssa was referenced too, then she comes back up in Runaway Elf, so at first I was wondering if THE Candi Acosta was Gina's friend Candi, but when Gina said she had a 'rush job for a classy lady', then it took her a bit to remember when Sammy was freaking about sharing Heather's birthday, I was thinking if it was her friend she would have referred to her AS her friend. So in my mind, her friend Candi from the first book is not Candi Acosta, but I wanted to ask you anyway, so I know for sure :). (glad to get that nagging question off my chest finally) lol thanks, -Elizabeth

Jinnyd said...

xxCammyLoverxx--That sucks! I might have to buy Wedding Crashers too, seeing that I already have CHC (the only SK book in my possession! So far! And B&N only has Hotel Thief on the shelves! :-P).

And I also really hope that B&N doesn't go out of business. Then I would curl up in a corner of the public library, check out every single SK book (along with How I survived Being a Girl and Swear to Howdy and Flipped and Confessions of a Serial Kisser and maybe even the Shredderman series [they're pretty awesome!]) and horde them. But then other readers wouldn't get to read them...darn.

So is Wedding Crasher going to come out in the fall or late summer, you think?

Anonymous said...

xxCammyLoverxx - Ooh, okay, yeah I'm sure she meant you haha she wrote Steph so I got confused :P
And I was wondering about the Evil Electors rumor too, because I found out about it a long time ago and then nothing about it was mentioned hahaha.

sammy4ever said...

i think evil electors was a possible name for SK 13. i also heard something about the ultimate prankster but what do i know?

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

My editor has come and gone and we've got plans -- some of which I'll post on Sunday. All good! Meanwhile, answers:

Evil Electors was never a title. Someone online made that up and it spread while people wondered if I was dead...!

Ultimate Prankster was the working title for Wedding Crasher -- In other words, it was the title I had in mind as I wrote the early drafts, but Wedding Crasher seemed a better title after I'd written the story.

Elizabeth: you are GOOD! And you're right -- the Candi who is Gina's friend is NOT Candi Acosta.
More Sunday!

PS My editor got a big kick out of all y'all :-) and says hi!

StarKid777 said...

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!( I got a little excited with the exclamation marks) I am so excited about seeing the front cover of Wedding Crasher. Do u know the exact date the books coming out? I hope it's soon. The SK books are one of the best mystery series I have ever read(and I read a lot of mystery books).I really hope WC comes out soon.

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Love the excitement :-)
But it won't be out until October! BUT check in Sunday (wow, that's tomorrow) for an update -- we've got a "stop-gap" plan...

Elizabeth said...

:D thanks! And is Ms. Siscoe still your editor? Tell her hi back for me! :) I read your older post about the Flipped movie and Daniel, and just wanted to say that I agree, that is cosmic and incredible and seriously gave me goosebumps. So thank you for sharing it :) Can't wait to hear about your plans on Sunday!!!

Rose Sellman said...

wow i cant wait for the wedding crasher!!! you are my fave writer i bet you hear this a lot!!!

Nancy said...

Midget?!! Watch who you're calling short, Stretch!

Ha!

Wendelin Van Draanen said...

Tee-hee!!