Thoughts on the Book Blogger Convention, and special thank you's

We spoke of many things at the Book Blogger Convention on our author/blogger relationship panel.  I learned a lot from my fellow panelists, Nicole [Linus's Blanket], Amy [My Friend Amy], Bethanne [The Book Studio], Kristi [The Story Siren], and Caridad Pineiro [Caridad Pineiro's Blog].  Transparency and respectfulness were two recurring themes.  So was the need to blog not with an eye on gain, but with an eye toward community.  I spoke of my respect for bloggers who take time to read books, take time to craft their opinions, take time to share those opinions with the world.  I revealed my recurring worry that there are bloggers out there who have been kind to my books and that I, the author who does not Google Alert herself, does not know and has not said thank you.

Today an angel whispered in my ear, You may want to check out these two blogs, Books and Movies and You've GOTTA read this!.  I did, and may I now say, publicly, thank you, to both the angel and these two generous readers of The Heart is Not a Size.  I learned from both reviews, as I always do, and they are particularly helpful to me today as I turn my attention to a scene in a book that features horses.  Write longer, one urges.  (I am trying.)  Stay focused on the root of people.  I am working on that, too. Thank you both, so much.

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Seaward

I went away with my boys to swim alongside the dolphins (it was nearly dusk, we were mostly alone, the dolphins came this close; I speak of the South Carolina coast, my father's home). Above us pelicans embroidered the sky with their beaks and made their laser dives for fish. A storm gathered on the horizon. I tried not to think, only to be.

Meanwhile, the world went on. Meanwhile, someone very kind out there nominated HOUSE OF DANCE for the ALA's Best Books for Young Readers list, so that HOUSE now joins UNDERCOVER on the same panel of considered books. Meanwhile, The Story Siren (have you seen her site? you must visit, if you haven't) posted a HOUSE contest, which is still running, if any of you would like a shot at a signed book.

http://www.thestorysiren.com/

We returned to a house, stilled. To one week more of being a family of three, until we become a family of three except that one of the three happens to be away at a most amazing college—the most amazing college for that one of three.

I'm not in the mood for much of anything, save to cheer our Michael Phelps on. Dolphins, be with him.

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