Friday, January 29, 2010

Things to Celebrate

Okay, so today's the first day of my monthly newsletter. I hope you got it. It will go out on the last Friday of every month at 9 AM EST (some of you thought I was kidding with the schedule thing, didn't you? Um, nope). And every first Monday of the month will be a book discussion. I think this will really bring us together as blogging buddies. Or maybe it'll bomb and I'll quietly fade into the great black abyss...

Anyway, February's book is The Dark Divine by Bree Despain, so meet me back here on Monday to discuss.

March's book choice is...announced in the newsletter. I really hope you got it. Oh! And the contest details were revealed in painstaking detail. Painstaking. Sort of.

Celebratory point two: as of today, my ebook is 25% off. The sale will go through February 28. Discount code: 25percentoff. Order here.

Numero Tres: I won some blog awards.

Thanks to Corra McFeydon for this one.





I'm giving it to: Elle, Carolyn, Kerri and Brandon.

And then I got this one from a few different people that I'm embarrassed to say I can't remember. (Hey, if you went to such lengths to stuff your inbox, you'd understand why I can't find the emails. I think Emma was the most recent.) I'm supposed to list 10 things that make me happy.

1. Eating out.
2. Reading good books.
3. My kidlets.
4. Listening to the rain fall.
5. Long showers.
6. Loud music.
7. Driving fast.
8. Peanut butter cookies.
9. Stroking YA covers at Barnes & Noble.
10. Blogging.



I'm passing it on to: my critique buddies. Ali, Jenn, Stacy, Christine, Suzy, Bethany, Danyelle, Beth, Mandy, Windy


And I got this one from Lorel Clayton. Thanks!



I'm giving it to: Lisa, Karen, Scott and Holly.



Tiana gave me this one:


I guess I have to answer these questions with just one word:

Your Cell Phone? Old
Your Hair? Short
Your Mother? Kind
Your Father? Hardworking
Your Favorite Food? Pizza
Your Dream Last Night? Dreams?
Your Favorite Drink? Gingerale
Your Dream/Goal? FinishEH
What Room Are You In? Kitchen
Your Hobby? Writing
Your Fear? Dogs
Where Do You Want to be in Six Years? Here
Where Were You Last Night? Home
Something You Aren't? Alone
Muffins? Okay
Wish List Item? iPad
Where Did You Grow Up? Newton
Last Thing You Did? Blog
What Are You Wearing? Glasses
Your TV? On
Your Pets? Nonexistent
Friends? Chatty
Your Life? Happy
Your Mood? Melancholy
Missing Someone? No
Vehicle? Runs
Something You Aren't Wearing? Socks
Your Favorite Store? Amazon.com
Your Favorite Color? Yellow
When Was The Last Time You Laughed? Critgroup
Last Time You Cried? Lastweek
Your Best Friend? Dr.J
One Place You Go To Over and Over Again? Library
Facebook? Farmville
Favorite Place to Eat? Olivegarden

I'm giving it to: Angie, Nisa and Jaime.


Got any exciting news to share? A promotion? Finish a chapter? Sent a query letter? Let me squee! with you.

69 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congrats on the awards!!!

Yay, got the newsletter--exciting stuff! Got some reading to do.

Good times ahead! ;)

Anonymous said...

Nice awards. I can see why you got them!

I got the newsletter. Very nice!

I think the best news I've gotten this month is that I got an agent! It's so very exciting.

Happy Friday, everyone!!

Jonathon Arntson said...

I too liked the newsletter. What I liked most about it is that it reminded how many people are giving away query critiques and that I would totally enter, but I don't even have a manuscript yet, let alone a query (although you totally dashed the notion that the manuscript always comes before the manny.)

Okay, so moral of the story: get to work!

Tere Kirkland said...

Got the newsletter! Looks great, and you know how excited I get about contests.

If it makes you feel any better, I already knew how to pronounce your name. ;)

And congrats, lynnrush, that's amazing news!

(My verification word is teamente. Sounds very Hogfatherish to me, lol.)

Shannon O'Donnell said...

I just got the Dark Divine in the mail this week - Yay! I'm very excited about the whole newsletter and book of the month idea.

Congrats on your new and lovely blog bling! :-)

GunDiva said...

Exciting news? I just registered for the Writer's Police Academy!!! and signed up for your newsletter. :) Not even 9 am and it's already a good day.

Jennie Englund said...

"Olivegarden."

That made my whole morning!

Mary E Campbell said...

congrats on the awards - I gave you one too btw check out my blog. I just bought your book - thanks for the discount.
Can't wait for the Dark Divine Discussion

PJ Hoover said...

Hey...Carrie Harris just posted about that book too. Are you gals working together?
I'm looking forward to the Austin SCBWI conference starting tonight!

Christina Lee said...

Shoot getting on that newsletter NOW. And that's the book I'm reading right now....
congrats on awards...
ok what does it mean if my word ver. is "packsl" (as in PAXIL) as in, I need some for my anxiety, now! :)

Veronica and Thomas said...

Well deserved awards Elana!

Jon Paul said...

My exciting news is that I just signed up for the newsletter.

Sorry. Slow. :)

Kelsey (Dominique) Ridge said...

Congrats on the blog awards. :)

Southpaw said...

Stroking YA covers at Barnes & Noble." I can see you now.

I got my newsletter too!

Congrats on your awards and thanks for the Silver Lining. I have to ask a question though. What is the proper etiquette for these?

Carolyn V. said...

I still have to read the Dark Divine. I've gotta get it.

Thanks so much for the awesome award! You are so sweet! =)

Emily Ann Benedict said...

Barns and Noble does seem to have amazing powers. ;)

Congrats!

Elana Johnson said...

Southpaw, I'm not sure what you mean... I usually just post the award and say who gave it to me (when I can remember *blushing*).

And Mary, I saw that! Doh! It was so late last night, you guys. I had critique group and yeah. I really need a vacation from my life.

And I'm trying to figure out how to send the newsletter to new subscribers (anyone who signed up after it went out this morning). This might require a lot of brain cells, something I'm seriously lacking this morning. But I will prevail! Oh, yes, I will.

And PJ - I so want to come to the Austin SCBWI conference! So. Bad. Maybe I'll apply to speak there next year or something...It'd be awesome to meet you. Oh! And I'm sending you an email today.

Happy Friday, peeps!

Kayeleen Hamblin said...

I finally finished the tax stuff that has prevented me from putting a lot of time into my writing recently. Now I can start doing what I love to do, instead of what I have to do. Yay!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

I'd call that a plethora of awards!

Have fun with the newsletter!

Tina Laurel Lee said...

I have been enjoying your blog. Schedules appear to work!

Unknown said...

I just finished your newsletter - love it and can't wait for the contest!

Brandon said...

Thanks so much, Elana! All of your awards (and more!) are well-deserved. I always look forward to stealing a bit of work time to catch up on what you post here. :)

And I just realized I never signed up for your newsletter. I'm fixing that now.

Southpaw said...

Elana, I just wanted to know if that was it. Thanks.

Stephanie McGee said...

*applause*

So much to be excited about! Yay! Have a good day!

Unknown said...

Good news - I'm still alive! Mwahaha! And, even better, I got your news letter. I am so excited!

Congrats on the awards and thank you for thinking of me! :)

Kerri Cuev said...

Very cool newsletter!!!
I am excited about book of the month. I really wanted to read Beautiful Creatures. Now to read it and discuss it...ok I will stop squeaking with excitement!

Congrats on your well deserved awards! My squee is I finished a chapter of my new story!

Kristen Torres-Toro said...

Wow--kudos to you for making all of those links! :0)

Anonymous said...

I have no news and in some cases, that's good news but not in this one. Just no news. Boring, huh?

Love the newsletter, btw.

Tamika: said...

Congratulations on all the deserving awards!

Thanks for the discount on your book too- payday is five days away. This will be my treat for editing the dreaded first chapter!

Steena Holmes said...

Love the newsletter :0) It made me smile! Awesome contests!

Michelle Gregory said...

congrats.

how interesting... i have a character named Tiana. i'll have to visit that blog just to see who she is.

thanks for the comments on beautiful chaos.

B.J. Anderson said...

Woo hoo! So many awards! Congrats!

Corey Schwartz said...

Oh, good thing you mentioned your newsletter. It was in my spam folder!

And, UGHH, I've been pronouncing your name wrong all this time!

Voidwalker said...

Nice job getting all those awards. You roxors.

As for news on my end, eh, I started my workout routine again. Yay for physical exercise right? Tell me yes, cuz I need a boost of encouragement lol.

Cindy R. Wilson said...

Congrats on the awards! I've been enjoying your advice on query letters. Might have to check out the newsletter, too :)

Fun news? I sent out query letters recently, have gotten requests back for a partial and full so far. I am hoping there will be more good news to come.

Angie said...

Thanks for the award! That's sweet. From your one word answers, I see we have more in common than I knew. I am also afraid of dogs and my favorite color is yellow. :) Got your newsletter! It's great. (I'm excited for this contest).

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

congrads on awards.

Jennifer Shirk said...

Congrats on the awards!!

I finished my first chapter in my wip. (Yay!!)

PS. Eating out makes me a happy camper, too.

Kelly Polark said...

You are quite the multiaward winning blogger (and all well deserved!) :)
I didn't realize til today that you had a newsletter (I'm new you know ;), so I'm all signed up!

Lisa Nowak said...

Should I share the fact that one of the agents who was reading my full manuscript quit agenting to become an editor? I swear, if they don't die on me they'll find some other way to escape.

Seriously, though. I got your newsletter, and BTW, I did know how to pronounce your name. It just makes sense. Now that other Elana, the agent? She pronounces her name E-lawn-uh. Where's the extra "n"? I don't get it. Your pronunciation make much more sense to me.

Hilary Wagner said...

Hi Elana!

My squee! Part 1 of Nightshade City's sequel is done! It's being read by agent now and then off to pub! So excited/nervous! I really LOVE it, but one can only guess what they'll think!! Eeeek!

Congrats on your awards!! I love blog awards, so much fun!!

xoxo -- Hilary

Kathryn Hupp-Harris said...

My only squee for the day is that it's Friday. Isn't that something we can all squee!!!! about?

:-)

Kimberly Franklin said...

Congrats on your awards. You deserve them all!!!

Janet Johnson said...

I got the newsletter, too. Hooray for the contest! Boo for my fifteen chapters of editing to have a "ready" (is it ever really ready?) manuscript. (Not to mention the query letter).

Aaron Polson said...

Congrats, of course, and let's just celebrate Friday afternoon. WHOOT!

Liza said...

Congratulations on all those awards. Newton North or Newton South? I grew up one town over...rhymes with "Swellesley."
;-)

Jemi Fraser said...

Congrats on the awards!

I haven't checked my email yet - gotta go!

Katie Ganshert said...

Congrats on the awards! And the newsletter. My squee is that my book went out to lots of publishers this past week. Eeek!

Little Ms J said...

Ok, so I asked for the newsletter and I didn't get anything today. What do I do to be part of the cool kids club?

lisa and laura said...

Got it! Congrats on the awards...well-deserved. Nothing exciting here...boo hoo with us.

J.L. Campbell said...

I like what you've done here.

I received a couple of blog awards that I was supposed to pass on but haven't as yet, since I've been way too busy for my own good.

Gonna steal your idea and pass on both to other people in one blog.

Christine Fonseca said...

Thanks Elana! Your newsletter RAWKS!

Unknown said...

Thanks, Elana!!

Umm, I literally squealed when I read your newsletter. I'm going to have to move the So-Long Blogfest to later in the week. You and Shelli have already filled that day with too much awesomeness.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

Hmmmm, I didn't get the newsletter, and I was sure I signed up, so I shall simply sign up again. I don't want to be out of the loop!

Tabitha Bird said...

I'm not sure I got the newsletter. What do I need to do to get it?

I'm going over to check out your book. Great book and a sale. What is not to love?

Suzette Saxton said...

I do have exciting news to share!!! I am the very lucky recipient of fantastic friends who help me through my darkest days. Definitely squee-worthy.

Congrats on your awards. You so deserve them!

Bish Denham said...

Congrats on all those awards! Well deserved. And, it was in my mail box this morning, your newsletter! YEAH!

T. Powell Coltrin said...

Congratulations on the awards. For sure, I am with you on driving fast and blogging...oh and the others too.

Bethany Wiggins said...

Got a blog award from a good friend!

Christina Farley said...

Wow! Things are happening here. Congrats on your awards. Cool!

Diana Paz said...

Congrats on the newsletter and award! Your ebook sale is extremely tempting. (Commenting on the cheapness of one's husband is probably a bad idea). Here's my bit of good news- we're trying to buy a house. But I think it's sort of like starting a war that you hope to win, more than a reason to celebrate.

Elizabeth Mueller said...

Elana! I am passing my torch to you on the Honest Scrap Award!

Congratulations!

Christine Danek said...

Congrats onthe awards! I will have to subscribe to the newsletter.
:)

Danyelle L. said...

Congrats on your awards, and thanks! :)

Your newsletter is made of awesome. I think the book blog thing is an awesome idea, so no fading into any dark abysses, okay? :p

Linda Kage said...

Congrats on all the awards; can't wait to check out the book discussion Monday!

Anissa said...

That cover is absolutely gorgeous! I'll have to check out the book. Thanks.

Jackee said...

Newsletter came through fine, girl, thanks. And I loved the awards, but where the heck is Newton?

Anonymous said...

Congratulations on your awards!

Anonymous said...

Just popping in to say congrats on all the awards - and thanks for linking me! :)

Corra

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