Oh, the shame

Forgive me, readers, for I have sinned. It's been bloody ages since my last confession blog post. No excuses this time. Let's just pretend this little blip never happened and have a quick round-up of what I've been up to, eh?

1. Finishing the first draft of book three. It was arduous. Like pulling teeth (but without the help of suitable tooth-pulling tools). There's still a lot of work to be done to make the story, y'know, make sense, but I'm taking a few days off to deal with all the other work I've been putting off since December. *cries*

2. Signing a contract to write a book for the wonderful Barrington Stoke. I'm crazy excited about this project. Here's what I know so far: it'll be published next year; the setting for the story is a house party; I'm stealing one of the characters from my crazy NaNoWriMo novel because I hearted her so much and decided she deserves to see the light of day instead of being banished to the shadowy depths of my hard drive until the end of time.

3. Going on tour! I visited a number of schools in and around London in February. It was awesome and exhausting.

4. Going to New York! I visited a number of shops and restaurants and spent a ridiculous amount of money I don't have. I bought these boots:

Aren't they amaaaaazing? I also met up with Nova Ren Suma and Victoria Schwab and Barry Goldblatt. It was officially Good Times.

5. Seeing The Hunger Games. I may have been a little over-excited about this (to the extent that I said 'OMG' out loud while sitting at a restaurant table all by myself). I saw it on an IMAX screen, so even tiny Peeta looked huge. I liked the film a lot, but loved the book MOAR. My thoughts: Jennifer Lawrence is spectacularly good; Lenny Kravitz is nothing like the Cinna in my head; Rue may well be the cutest person I have ever seen with my eyes; I wish the film was at least fifteen minutes longer; Stanley Tucci makes everything approximately 57% better.

I think that just about brings us up to date. I trust you are all well? If there's anyone out there still interested in what I have to say, that is...

PUBLICATION DAY! WOOT! AND A CONTEST! DOUBLE WOOT!

My book comes out today. My SECOND book. I can no longer call myself a debut author. Sad times. But the silver lining is that my book comes out today!

I'm kind of proud of this one. Writing it was not easy, but it turned out pretty much exactly like I wanted it to. I do hope you like it.


To celebrate the occasion, I'm giving away a copy of my favourite YA book of the year. It's this little beauty...

To be in with a chance of winning the unbelievably awesome IMAGINARY GIRLS, just leave a comment telling me your favourite YA book of the year, and tell me WHY it's your favourite. I'll pick a winner at midday on the 27th. The contest is open worldwide.


I'm muchly looking forward to picking up some recommendations to add to my somewhat intimidating TBR pile.


I suppose I'd best get on with the celebrating then. This morning it involves drinking tea and taking Griffpup for a walk. Exciting times, yes?

Nova Ren Suma plays Chocolate or Cheese?

Let me tell you about this book I read a few months ago. A book that blew my tiny mind. It crept and crawled its way inside me in a way I've never experienced before. It made my throat hurt and my skin itch, and believe it or not, these are good things. The book in question was IMAGINARY GIRLS, written by my dear friend, Nova Ren Suma. (I heartily recommend Nova's middle-grade novel, DANI NOIR. But do read IMAGINARY GIRLS first because it's all new and shiny.)

IMAGINARY GIRLS is Nova's debut YA novel and it's achingly beautiful. You must read it. And luckily for you, it's published one week from today! And oh my isn't the cover the most beautiful thing you've ever seen with your eyes?!


Here's the trailer...

And here's the description from the official IMAGINARY GIRLS website...


Chloe's older sister, Ruby, is the girl everyone looks to and longs for, who can't be captured or caged. When a night with Ruby's friends goes horribly wrong and Chloe discovers the dead body of her classmate London Hayes left floating in the reservoir, Chloe is sent away from town and away from Ruby.

But Ruby will do anything to get her sister back, and when Chloe returns to town two years later, deadly surprises await. As Chloe flirts with the truth that Ruby has hidden deeply away, the fragile line between life and death is redrawn by the complex bonds of sisterhood.


To celebrate One-Week-Till-Book-Birthday I had to get Nova on here. And, of course, instead of asking her lots of clever questions about her incredible book, I asked her to play Chocolate or Cheese? The rules are simple: you must choose between two options. The option you do not choose is off limits for the rest of your life, so you have to think very carefully before answering. It's a serious game for serious people. *cough*


Reading or writing?
Writing. (I'm on deadline... I have to say that, in case my agent or my editor sees this.)


Reading or listening to music?
Reading. A good book can be its own kind of music.


Facebook or Twitter?
Sadly, I say Twitter. It's an addiction. I wish I'd never had my first taste.


Mountains or ocean?
I grew up in the mountains, and I do think I am more myself there than anywhere else, but I also spent my childhood and teenage years feeling absolutely trapped in the middle of nowhere and begging to get the hell out. The ocean makes it seem like there's somewhere else to go... even if it's off in the far, unseen distance. So I'd pick ocean.


Korean food or Mexican food?
Korean! The first time I ever ate kimchi, my mother-in-law had to wash each piece off in water before I could swallow it, but I've gotten a bit better with spiciness. One of my favorite meals is dolsot bibimbap with tofu. That's the bibimbap served in the hot stone pot. I like when it comes out of the kitchen sizzling.


Muffins for hands or squirrels for feet?
WTF, Cat! I can visualize this all too well and it's a bit traumatizing. Obviously squirrels for feet. I can't type a novel with two muffins.


IMAGINARY GIRLS or DANI NOIR? (Mwahahahaha!)
You know what I'm going to say. IMAGINARY GIRLS. I started it before DANI NOIR, and picked it up again after, and, besides, I put my heart and soul and all my hopes and dreams and nightmares into it. It's pretty much the most true thing I've ever written.

And the most important question of all... Chocolate or cheese?
I hope you still like me after I answer this question, since I know how important cheese is to you. Chocolate. Forever and always chocolate.

Oh dear. Never mind. Is it too late to take back those things I said about your book? Sigh. I suppose I still like you... sort of. Mostly because you like Korean food as much as I do.

Anyway, people, go buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

You can follow Nova on Twitter here and check out her website here.

Editz, I haz dun them

Well, I've got to input all the changes to the word doc, and sort out the bits where I've written 'THINK ABOUT THIS' and 'THIS PART NEEDS TO BE GOOD'. So there's a few more days of work still to be done. I'm getting there though. Should hopefully be ready to send to Agent Victoria next week. If I can get rid of all the tedious repetitions, that is. Repetition is my worst writing crime. Here's what happens: I come up with a nice turn of phrase, pat myself on the back for being so clever... and then realize that I've said exactly those words earlier in the book. *sigh*

In other news, my unbelievably lovely friend Mikey B brought me the best present ever from New York:

And it's signed! Best present ever, right? I think I'll read it over Christmas. At the mo, I'm reading GOING BOVINE, by Libba Bray. Has anyone out there read it? I am loving it. I can't remember the last time I read a book and had no clue where it was heading - it's a magical mystery tour of a book.

Here's something lovely for you to look at, in case you haven't already seen it:

Isn't it gorgeous? IMAGINARY GIRLS is due out in June 2011 from Dutton. It's written by my friend Nova Ren Suma, who is made entirely of loveliness.

That's all for today, folks. Hope you're keeping warm, wherever you are. Unless you're in Australia, in which case I hope you're keeping cool.

NYC books etc

I got back from New York last week. Suffice to say that my suitcase was considerably heavier on the return journey than it was on the way out. The trouble is that New York is full of stuff, and I like to buy stuff. Specifically, books and clothes. Oh, and toothpicks in the shape of swords (seriously, they're great for serving hors d'oeuvres).

If you can believe it, I was actually more restrained on this trip. Last time, I went a little bit nuts. But back then I had a full-time job with a salary and everything. Things are different now. So I didn't buy every little thing that took my fancy. I thought: do I really need this in my life? No? Oh. But would everything be better and shinier if it was in my life? Yes? Awesome.

So, here are the books I bought:

The Lighter Side of Life and Death, C.K. Kelly Martin
I Know it's Over, C. K. Kelly Martin
Twenty Boy Summer, Sarah Ockler
Beautiful, Amy Reed (already read this on - it's bloody good)
Dairy Queen, Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Nothing Like You, Lauren Strasnick
Her and Me and You, Lauren Strasnick
Shark Girl, Kelly Bingham
Sea, Heidi R. Kling
Hush, Eishes Chayil
In the Path of Falling Objects (excellent - mega-creepy, best book I've ever read about brotherhood)
The Tension of Opposites, Kristina McBride
Mentor - a memoir, Tom Grimes (not YA! Not fiction! But it IS about two writers...)

Thanks to everyone for their stellar recommendations.

Other things I did in New York included eating Korean food with my amazing friend Nova, whose YA novel Imaginary Girls will be published by Dutton in June next year. (I have a feeling this is going to be a very special book.) I also met up with some other fabulous friends, drank sangria, ate good and bad Mexican food, went to see The Social Network and pounded the pavements of Manhattan listening to my iPod.

It's wonderful being back. No, really. Ahem...

Book heaven

This is Strand, aka my idea of heaven. I went here three times in five days. 18 miles of bookshelves! That's a whole lot of books, and happily for me, a whole lot of YA.

Yes, we have YA sections in bookshops in the UK. But they are small. This YA section was HUGE. There was even a 'YA sports fiction' shelf. WTF?!

As you can probably guess, I bought a book or two. I could have filled a whole suitcase, but I had to leave SOME room for clothes, right?

On the first day I bought:

From bottom to top, that's:

Going Bovine, by Libba Bray
The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E Pearson
Boyproof, by Cecil Castellucci
Jellicoe Road, by Melina Marchetta
Tithe, by Holly Black
Break, by Hannah Moskowitz
The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier
Beyond the Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier

Then a couple of days later, I supplemented that lot with:

The Secret Year, by Jennifer R Hubbard (an ARC for $1.99!)
Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by John Green & David Levithan (another ARC for $1.99!)
Willow, by Julia Hoban
Tenderness, by Robert Cormier
Story of a Girl, by Sara Zarr
Once was Lost, by Sara Zarr

I read Story of a Girl on the flight home. The voice is spot-on, and ALL the characters are portrayed as real, actual, interesting people with lives of their own - not just plot devices. It's a perfect read.

So I also met up with the completely fabulous Nova Ren Suma. Nova writes YA AND middle grade. How cool is that? It was very exciting to finally meet up with someone who's been so lovely and supportive and fun to chat to on the interwebs. And she was even more awesome in person, if that's even possible. Check out her debut novel, Dani Noir. It's a treat. And I can't wait to read Imaginary Girls, which is to be published summer 2011. I have a feeling it's going to be ever so slightly blimmin' brilliant. (Nova, if you're reading this, please come to London SOON.)

Here's a pic that perfectly represents my trip (well, except for the mardy face... I really WAS happy most of the time, honest):

It rained. A lot. Proper, torrential storms. Please note the droplets of rain on the hat and the soggy t-shirt. It was way too windy for umbrellas, so I was pretty much soaked for most of the time. But I didn't let that stop me from doing some serious shopping. See below.

I was going to finish off this post with a picture of ribs from Blue Smoke, but I figured some people might not find ribs particularly appetizing... Let's just say they were lip-smackingly good. Nom nom nom.