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It's silly, but I must say...
Happy Birthday to Me!
Actually, I'm not a fan of my birthday. Well, I'm glad I was born and all of that, but the actual day comes at a bad time of year. Everyone's broke and burned out from the holidays and trying to get back into the routine of their lives, but then there's this other obligation cropping up that needs to be attended to. Really, do we have to? It's hard to get in the celebratory spirit after all that spirited celebrating in December!
But I must say, the celebratory spirit was sparked when a package arrived from Nancy. This was a total rogue-gift surprise as we're not in the habit of sending each other birthday presents.
When I first unpacked it, I wasn't sure what it was...or, more specifically, said. And then, poof! There is was, popping out at me.
SAMMY KEYES.
I actually squealed.
I love how the "K" is a fire escape.
I love that there are scrolls at the beginning and end--like bookmark "S"s.
I love how the angle of the streetlight is one you would see if you were jaywalking.
I love that the "Y" is a fork in the pathway...something Sammy faces in every adventure.
And I love that the whole thing is a little mystery, not obvious at first (especially in person vs the photo for some reason) and then you piece it together and go Ah-ha!
So mine turned out to be a fine (and fun) birthday, full of kind words and nice phone calls and surprises, but I know what you're more interested in is Elvis's birthday because that's when Showdown in Sin City comes out. So let's fast-forward to that!
Two days to go!
There's a plan in place at Random House for the release and wrap up of the Sammy Keyes series (which I'll tell you more about in a future post). First up, on Jan 8th, Random House is tweeting about the release of Sin City. To you tweeters, this is, I'm sure, not a big deal. But I'm not a tweeter. I don't twitter or Twitter. (And I'm never aflutter, and definitely don't flitter,okay?) And neither does Nancy. But she and I have to come up with this tweet so the RH's New Media Marketing people can send it out there to all the people following RH on Twitter (and there are a lot of them).
So here's what I've submitted to Nancy as a possibility:
It’s Elvis’s b-day & the release of SAMMY KEYES & THE
SHOWDOWN IN SIN CITY, where Sammy stows away, storms Vegas, and finally meets
her dad.
140 characters exactly (which for you other non-tweeters is the max characters for a tweet).
I'd ask for suggestions, but you haven't read the book, so it would be kinda hard for you to give input. (But if you're the Twittering type and have input, let's hear it!)
That's it for tonight. After all, it is my birthday! Thank you for checking in and for being a part of my life. See you next Sunday!
55 comments:
Happy Birthday!
Happy Birthday! That picture is amazing!
I'm so excited for the release. And as a person who doesn't use Twitter (much), I find that pretty exciting!
I'm glad you had a good bday. :) Love your gift from Nancy! Now onto Sammy! ... and Elvis. Yay!
That present is soo cool!! And I'm happy you had a great b-day. And my mom has a bad b-day date,it's December 14th,right before x-mas. And I don't have a twitter,but right now I wish I did! And it's only 2 more days until Sin City!!!!!!! YAAAY!!! :D
While I don't use twitter much, that is an excellent tweet. Happy Birthday! What nancy gave you is very cool. I love looking in everyday life to see if I can find letters like that.
Ky
Happy Belated Birthday! That picture is so cool; now I want to go around with my camera finding letters.
My sister is a New Year's baby, one brother's birthday is 3 days before Christmas, and my nephew's is a week before Christmas. Family birthdays were relatively subdued (our favorite meal, cake, and presents), so my brother just moved his celebration with friends a week early (he's an introvert, so he only wanted to celebrate with his 5-6 best friends, who always prioritized him). My sister's friend who throws the big New Year's bash always has a cake and candles, and they sing to her just after the ball drops.
My nephew (now in college) moved his birthday party to a New Year's Eve sleepover starting when he was in middle school... his school started back 1/2, so most of his friends were back in town. It also gives their parents a night with no (or fewer) kids, and my sister's Christmas leftovers always get polished off. It works so much better than having only a few people show up and everyone stressed out just before the holiday that he doesn't mind celebrating two weeks late.
I like the tweet. I bet older fans who haven't kept up with the series will see it and start catching up on what they've missed.
happy birthday! :)
my book has officially shipped from Amazon! free shipping so I have to wait until Thursday, but still..I'm so excited to read it!
Happy Belated Birthday! That tweet is perfect! Cannot wait to receive it :D
I love the gift Nancy got you, it's amazing!
Happy Birthday again! Great gift! I wish i could get you one... I hope your day was AMAZING. I can't wait until Sin City comes out. This book is like such a big point in the series... so much suspense leading up to this release... it's gonna be amazing!
--Yusa
I know!! I can't believe tomorrow is the release of Sin City!!!!
Happy Birthday!! :D And I have an awesome Sammy Keyes suggestion :) How about Mary Mouser? I was watching a movie, and Mary Mouser was this skateboarder chick. I think she'd be a GREAT Sammy. :3
-XxSammyKeyesxX
I think it was in Frenemies and yeah i think she was on the list of actresses...
Yeah,she was on Frenemies. And I can kind of picture her as Sammy,cause on Frenemies she did ride a skateboard.
By the way I got Sin City today!!! And it is amazing!!!!!!!! :D
The book was flipping awesome! I loved it!!! I loved the whole "discovering why Heather is the way she is", Sammy's dad, the END! I won't spoil anything, but it was amazing! One of my favorites! I'm going to be sad when the series draws to a close. :(
Wendelin, did you know who Sammy's dad was going to be at the beginning, or did you figure it out later in the seris/didn't know for sure yet? You probably can't answer, though, becuase I don't know if your answer may give too many spoilers.
I just finished the book. Read the whole thing through in one sitting. Now I'm just like WOW! I mean really, WOW! That was totally incredible. I can see why you wondered if you even needed to write Killer Cruise after reading Sin City. The ending was just perfect, but I'm glad there's more Sammy. There can never be enough Sammy. Kudos Wendelin on an amazing book!
AHHHH you guys are killing me here with the good comments. I NEED to get that book soon... Its in transit towards my library and its probably gonna be there by tomorrow!!!! The tension is killing me!
It's still "on order" in my library's system. Who knows when I'll get it. Aaaagggghhhh!
Oh, thank you for the wonderful comments! I've had such a hard time waiting, and now you understand why :-)
MLV: You're right, I can't say yet, but will eventually.
So glad those of you who have read it like it so much! Happy, happy!!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!! Wish my birthday was around here, because than I could get all Sammy Keyes Books or something :/ AAAAAAHHH!!!! My library says "1 of 3 holds" Only if time could speed up. :/ I AM SO EXCITED I am just guessing WHO SAMMY's dad is! ANY ways to Wendalin, may all your (LATE) birthday wishes come true.
I JUST FINISHED IT AND I LOVED THE WHOLE THING. IT WA AMAZING AND FANTASTIC AND THERE WERE SO MANY PARTS THAT MADE ME LAUGH AND I JUST LOVED IT. I was reading it on my couch next to my sister and when the part of finding out who her dad was came I was jumping up and down and saying I knew it, I knew it, I knew it. I just loved this book so much and thank you so much for writing these books. I don't know where I would be if I didn't have Sammy inspiring me through out my life. Thank you so much!
Ky
I'm getting close to the end of the book,and its amazing!! And thank you sooo much for putting such effort into these books!!! :) and I have the same question Mrs.Leo Valdez has,and you'll tell us after everyone has read it. :)
Guys, guys, guys, stop it, stop it, stop it. You're killing me here. I literally like check the library thing every five minutes to see if its here yet. NO LUCK. Ugghhh why can't the transit go faster. Its already on some library's shelves but not mine! ANd you said you knew it so i keep wondering who it could be!!! I will like be the last person to find out... Patience is not working here. So the wait continues... on and on and on. :(
--Yusa
OMG i think just to rub it in my face i got an email from Goodreads : A book on your To-Read shelf is now available!
Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City
by Wendelin Van Draanen
In this pivotal book in the Sammy Keyes series, Sammy tackles the persistent mysteries of her own life.
Mysteries like: Who is her father? And why has her mother kept it such a secret? How long can she manage to hide out in Grams' seniors-only building before someone catches on? Is her mother really ...more
-____________-
Yusa, at least your library already *has* it. Mine orders in batches, only like once a quarter, so it could be "on order" for weeks until they actually order it. And then they have to process all the books (put bar codes and anti-theft devices), ship them to their host library, and then transfer them to my library. Which takes forever because they're doing that to hundreds of books at once!
I'm trying not to read any comments, but I can't help it. At least no one has spoiled anything, despite their excitement. Thanks.
On a completely unrelated topic, I went to another writers' forum at my library, and they'll be having several more over the next few weeks, so I can distract myself with my own writing. 2013 is the year I write this book. I have until this weekend to finish pre-writing, and then it's on. The prologue was received well, so now I'm pumped.
Jessica : Aww that totally sucks! When WC came out i had to wait a month before i got it... Yeah ive been trying not to look but i cant help it. Thankfully no spoilers! Good luck on writing a book!
Oh my gosh! Sin City was amazing!!! I did not see that big reveal coming! Like previous comments said, I wouldn't know whether or not, or even how to continue the series. I LOVED IT, YOU'RE AN AMAZING WRITER!!!
Just got done finishing it a while ago!! It was amazing!! I can see why you were thinking about doing that book and being done,but I'm glad you didn't!!! :D
oh my GOD, just ripped through the book in 3 hours. the way everything came together was amazing! i'm also dying to know when while writing the series you decided on who Sammy's dad is. the ending was really sweet :) it's a little sad that Sammy's world is totally changing after this book, but all the events and the way everything tied together was incredible writing. can't wait for Killer Cruise!
That book was so cleverly written!=) And it certainly was the holy smokes of all of Sammy's holy smokes!=)
Book still hasnt come... Day 2 of torture....
Yusa and Jessica if I had an extra copy of sin city I would totally send them to you guys!! I can only imagine the torture! :/
Thanks... if itn not in my library by tomorrow i think i wont last... its like everyone knows but me!
You are absolutely amazing. I still cannot get over everything that happened in Sin City. Someday when everyone has read Sin City (like 500 times) it would be wonderful to know how you came about the idea of Sammy's dad.
Thank you for contining the series after Sin City, too. I cannot wait to see how Sammy (and everyone else) adapts to how things have changed. See ya on Sunday! Oh and happy late birthday!
Squee! It went from "on order" directly to "in transit" today! Woohoo! That means some time in the next 1 to 5 days, I should get my hand on it! Thanks, Gabrielle, that's sweet of you to think of it. Yusa, I hope your copy comes today!
I know those who've already read it are excited, and I'm even more excited by your reactions, but I urge you to carefully think about what you write and how it might color someone's reading even if it's not a specific spoiler. Saying things about what you think is going to happen after this book is a big thing that I'm sure you wouldn't want to know before reading it (I'm referring to maybe-tomorrow's comment in particular). You all have tried to be really careful -- I know you want to discuss it without spoiling it and how hard it must be, so thank you for your consideration.
Jessica: Yes in Transit! Mine had been IN TRANSIT for more than 2 days! Its arrived at almost all the other libraries on the list. It's taking forever! And like you said thank you everyone for being so careful with your comments!
Logged into the library's site, and there's one hold item ready for pick-up. I had two in transit, so I clicked hopefully to see which one. Not Sammy. :( They don't deliver on Saturdays and the library is closed Sundays, so unless it's delivered on a different truck in the next 2 hours, I have to wait until at least Monday. Decisions, decisions: do I run by the library on my run today, hoping it'll magically appear? Or let the other item sit until Sammy's ready too?
That happened to me today. It said one item arrived and i was sure it was that and it wasn't and i weas so sad :( But it arrived today. But i have to wait until my dad can go and get it... So close!
You guys are killing me!! I KEEP ON CHECKING MY LIBRARY ACCOUNT AND IT IS STILL 1 of 4 holds!! STILL! If I had the choice to be banned from the library for a year or pick to buy Sin City- I'd pick sin city... LITERALLY. So far I am having a whole week of torturing suspense, I feel like I'm dying here :( Melting...and melting...from suspense heating me up. Yup..that's how I would explain it.
Most probably i get the book tomorrow! I hope nothing goes wrong... because everytime im about to go to the library plans get changed :(
Isabel, I hope your library gets it soon. Being 1 of 4 holds means you're first in line, right? Mine won't come until Monday at the earliest. I had one book that took 8 days in transit -- and SK is coming from that same branch. I'm trying to make it come Monday by sheer force of will.
I'm sick, and a new SK book would be perfect for reading! One Hundred Years of Solitude is a bit too deep for a fuzzy brain, and I don't need to get more congested from re-reading The Running Dream.
Jessica, I'm sorry your sick. I'm pretty sure 1 of 4 holds means that I'm like waiting for 4 other people. I do agree that SK would be a book to read. You could try the Mortal Instruments Series too, or Soul Screamers series. Either of those or the SK series are awesome to read, ESPECIALLY the SK series- every one should know that. :D -- Once I had to wait two months for a book it was time consuming, at least this one IS coming faster than that book.
And yet, it's still 1 of 4, I am truly dying hear from the heat of suspense.
ITS HERE GUYS. FINALLY. I HAVE IT IN MY HANDS. GOODBYE WORLD. IM NOT COMING OUT UNTIL IM DONE. Though i figured out that since my dad picks up all my books he reads the backs and part of the insides to see what im reading and he was way to making it awkward by saying "I didnt know Sammy Keyes had a boyfriend." and im like "Uhhmmm...." but still. ITS HERE. YEs. Jessica:: I hope your comes soon!
Yay! I hope Jessica and Isabel get it soon to!=)
AHHH I REALLY WANT TO PUT THIS ON HOLD!!! It only just showed up in our library catalog, and now the site is down so I can't put books on hold. DYING HERE! Yusa, I feel your pain :(
This book sounds so amazing! :D
I wish I can give all the people that haven't read the book yet the book!!!
JUST FINISHED IT. THATS WAS THE MOST AMAZING BOOK EVER. MY HEART HAS BEEN RACING THE WHOLE WAY THROUGH. EVERY PART OF IT WAS PERFECT AND AMAZING. IT MADE ME SMILE SO WIDE THAT MY CHEEKS HURT AND CRY. WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH FOR THIS. I HAVE SO MANY EMOTIONS RIGHT NOW.... I FIGURED IT OUT LIKE ONLY 2 CHAPTERS BEFORE HER. THIS WAS SUCH A DIFFERENT MYSTERY THAN THE OTHERS BUT YET ONE OF THE BEST. PERFECT. JUST PERFECT IS HOW I CAN DESCRIBE IT. I DONT EVEN.... I NEED A MOMENT. I HAD TO STOP AT MOMENTS BECAUSE I WAS JUMPING UP AND DOWN SO HARD AND JUST SO EXCITED.THE FIRST 25 PAGES HAD ME SO INTO IT AND THE 200 HAD ME EXTREMELY EXCITED. AMAZING AND I CANT WAIT UNTIL THE REST OF YOU READ IT!
--Yusa
P.S. I hope you all get it soon!
I am trying to get into my library account....IT IS NOT WORKING....I've tried like over a dozen times... :'( ....
FINALLY got in....still 1 of 4..Still Dying From The Heat Of Suspense...hope you guys who have'nt had it yet get it later....I guess I count in that group...oh well
Yusa, thank you for your enthusiastic and yet completely spoiler-free reaction. So glad you finally got to read it. For those who've read it, don't forget that you can review it on Amazon, GoodReads, etc.
Isabel, I'm technically 2 of 4 (in our library, the 1st # = your place in line), but it's already "in transit" -- which would make sense because the library ordered 3 copies... except looking at the book's page, 1 is listed as "in transit" and the other 2 are listed as "transit request." As in they haven't shipped it yet, I think. Aargghhh. I really hope I'm the one "in transit" since it matches.
I'm so glad I live in the 21st century, though. I can't imagine waiting at the port for weeks hoping the next ship will be carrying Dickens's next "Little Dorrit" chapter. Books move so much faster now, and we can mostly track where they are on their way to us.
Jessica: I really hope you get to read it soon! I would send you my library's book if i could. I'm gonna try to will your book to come faster. Maybe if we all do it might work ;)
Jessica, good grief! Sorry you don't have it yet!
Everyone who has and said such complimentary things...THANK YOU!Just the sort of reaction I was hoping for!
See you tonight for the weekly update!
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