Refreshing writers' retreats, BBF winners & epic Ruby Tour starts on Monday!

My writing station
at the Cape retreat

Summer's for vacations and taking time to refill the inspiration flask. I've been going to a small writing retreat in Cape Cod for years now, and I look forward to it, starting in February or March when the ice is thick and slippery and the thrill of winter has worn thin.
Here are pictures from our latest. A few times, I've started entire

Path to the inlet

novels there. This time, I did an 80-page revise on a new adult novella.
There's coffee, shameless gossip and shop talk in the morning, writing all day on the porch, a swim in the ocean at 5 pm. Each night, it's someone's turn to cook, and then we do writers' games. Encore is a big one, and a game we call The Dictionary Game. How to play? Someone picks a very obscure word from the dictionary and writes the definition down. Each player

The guilty parties

And our fave Colombian expat

writes a fake but hopefully believable def of that same word down. The host reads all of the defs and the players guess which one is the real def. Each person whose definition got a vote gets a point. It is a hilarious game, and it's very hard to read the fake defs with a straight face! I challenge you to try.

I've attended retreats in Squaw Valley, Mendocino, the SCBWI cons in LA and in NYC. I know there's a good summer writing workshop in Southampton, LI. Other retreats anyone? Spill!

On another note, I have winners from my Book Blog Fest giveaway. And before I announce, thanks so much to all of my new subscribers! You rock. Okay, drum roll.... winners:
Shannon A wins the $25 Amazon gift card, Krystina B wins a signed copy of Ruby's Fire, Jak C wins The Eleventh Palgue by Jeff Hirsch, Dayna J wins Rick Yancey's Fifth Wave, and C Lee  wins the illustrated Einstein quote poster!

Stay tuned for another epic giveaway when my Ruby's Fire tour with Xpresso Books begins this Monday, July 29! Grand prize? A KINDLE!!!

Award News, Ruby's Fire Cover Reveal & I teach at Philly Writers' Conference June 7, 8 & 9

Fireseed One just won a Wishing Shelf Bronze Book Award! The Wishing Shelf Award is a unique one because it's decided in large part by high school students. Students in the UK and Sweden voted for their favorite books. A big thanks to these participating schools: Worsley Bridge Primary School, Rokesly Junior School, Montpelier Primary School, Meadlands Primary School, St George the Martyr Primary School, Gainsborough Primary School, Gospel Oak Primary School, Mossfrd Green Primary School & Pelham Primary School.

I will teach Writing and Publishing Teen Fiction at the Philadelphia Writers' Conference on June 7, 8 & 9. This is always a fun and informative event, located in Philly's historic old city, near the Ben Franklin Museum and the Liberty Bell. For more details and info on registration, click here.

The cover for Ruby's Fire is officially done! Xpresso Tours is setting up a cover reveal blitz. I will have a book launch in June (and a tour with Xpresso in July and Aug). There will be a sign up for anyone who wants to help celebrate. Stay tuned. I will also be featuring the cover artist Jay Montgomery on Idea City.

Tomorrow, I'll have a left knee replacement. Yipes! I did way too many step aerobics classes, and jumped up on way too many high risers. No cartilage left. So, if it takes me a couple days to get back online, you'll know why. A heads-up to those who are jumping on pogo sticks, and rollerblading or running on hard asphalt--protect your knees.
Mad love for the online community, and for those indie authors and book bloggers who have already blurbed Ruby's Fire. Thank you!