I am excited about... When I was Joe, by Keren David

Man, I love this cover. It's even better real life. That boy's eyelashes are so luscious! Those blood spatters are embossed AND spot UV (yes, I am a geek, but I'm OK with that). AND the book is nice and chunky. I want to read it NOW!

Here's a synopsis for you:

When Ty witnesses a stabbing, his own life is in danger from the criminals he s named, and he and his mum have to go into police protection. Ty has a new name, a new look and a cool new image life as Joe is good, especially when he gets talent spotted as a potential athletics star, special training from an attractive local celebrity and a lot of female attention. But his mum can t cope with her new life, and the gangsters will stop at nothing to flush them from hiding. Joe s cracking under extreme pressure, and then he meets a girl with dark secrets of her own. This wonderfully gripping and intelligent novel depicts Ty/Joe's confused sense of identity in a moving and funny story that teenage boys and girls will identify with - a remarkable debut from a great new writing talent.

Why don't you head over to Keren's blog where she's running a contest involving boys in hoodies? Surely the best kind of contest there is.

I've been thinking recently about what a writer actually DOES on publication day. My book should be out this time next year, so I really think I should start planning now. In my head the day involves copious amounts of champagne and roaming around London in an open-top bus waving to strangers. OK, not really. In my head I have no clue. Please, someone, tell me what it's like OR what it SHOULD be like.