I’ve been putting off doing this blog entry because every time I sit down to write it, I start to cry. My week since debut has been so humbling and amazing. I just can not believe the support I’ve had from friends, family, writers, and people I don’t even know. It just blows me away. There have been so many cool little moments, and I am grateful for every one of them, everyone of you. People are reading my book now, people I know and don’t. I started this book almost five years ago, and I don’t think any amount of time could prepare me for this. There are so many things about publishing that are hard to deal with, hard to swallow, but it’s every bit worth it when my mom tells me about a little girl in foster care who is not a reader, but read my book in a day (dang straight I sent her a tiara!). I think back on all my experiences with literature as a kid, how sometimes I felt books were the only way I could understand the world. To have a young reader connect like that to my words, it’s amazing. And unexpected and surreal and sweet. So thank you to readers present and future. Whether you like the book or not, thank you for engaging yourself in the story.
Ha! I AM CRYING AGAIN. I am such a sap. What you really want to know about is the cake, right? Behold, the glorious confection, created by the awesome people at Retro Bakery in Las Vegas. I showed them my cover and they made this, complete with a fondant compact. It was the richest, most delicious treat ever. (Vegas friends, YOU MUST GO THERE. Buy a cupcake, then pick up Lisa Schroeder’s It’s Raining Cupcakes and indulge in a day of sweetness)

For my release party, I decided to make it a PARTY. I’ll only have one debut, and I suspect subsequent books are like babies. Your first one, everyone is really pumped about, but by the third or fourth, all your family is like, "Yes, we know you are an author/mother. What’s new?" (even though, of course, every book and kid is special! Also, I confess, my number three baby is the definite favorite right now. That might just be because she is curled up on my lap, making sucking motions in her sleep. The Cuteness almost hurts)
My mom especially made it a great day. The woman was a party planner in a previous life. It also helps that the book is about, you know, princesses. I wrote my release-day sister, Kimberly Derting (THE BODY FINDER–it’s a suspenseful read) and asked if she was having a hard time finding swag for her serial killer book. I didn’t see that section at Party City.
We booked a room at a country club. Probably the first and last signing I’ll do where the bathrooms had marble and FREE MOUTHWASH. It was fun looking up after signing each book and seeing people I hadn’t seen for years. Like two of my high school friends/college roommates, who are there to remind me what a pig I was in college any time I might Diva Out.

And my little sister, who flew into town just for the day, and my event planner mother, who paid for said flight. Yes, she is the cute sister. I’m okay with that, though, because I got to wear these shoes.

I have finally given in to the The Frills. Look for these at future events. I’m going to have to wear them a lot to pay them off. Of course, my feet were under the table for most of the night, so I had to get up and point them out periodically.

My fam. Yep, this might be our Christmas Card this year. Or last years CC, or my daughter’s birth announcement, since I… um… never did those.
At one point, I overheard my oldest daughter say to her friend, "See that famous lady over there? That’s my mom and she wrote this book for me."
Again. The Cuteness.

Signing for my friend, Jenny, and her green-haired son. At first I got super excited because one of my character’s had green hair, but I was reminded it was almost St. Patrick’s day and the green was not for me.

And here is the room I never got to hang out in, but I hear it was nice.