GHOSTLIGHT release date, pre-order details, and COVER!

So . . . I have a release date for my next book: August 4, 2015

And now I get to share the cover with you...


Click photo to enlarge!

What is Ghostlight about? Well, we don't have final flap copy yet, but my own "Hollywood Pitch" would be:

Super 8 meets The Haunting.

If that doesn't resonate for you (as it wouldn't for most 12-year-olds), I would say that it's a story of three kids who are making a ghost movie in a derelict mansion -- a sad shell of a home that's harbored dark secrets for decades. Hijinks and spookiness ensue!

The book is already up for pre-order at these vendors (currently with a crap version of the cover, alas):



Did you know that pre-orders are LOVE? Lisa Schroeder explains it here.

I'm so excited about this book and can't wait to share it with you!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Christmas glee, part II

In contrast to my craving for horror in October, I love a bit of holiday schmaltz at Christmas time. And Hallmark always delivers! Some of it is too sentimental and predictable even for my tastes, but this year I've encountered some very satisfying and poignant stories. Click the link to learn more AND to find out when this movie might repeat on the Hallmark channel so that you can watch!


A Christmas Wish (2011) -- this one features Kristy Swanson (the original Buffy the Vampire Slayer) as a struggling divorcée (!!!) who, despite being a hard worker and loving mother, can't seem to catch a break. Great cast in this one.


A Princess for Christmas (2011) -- oh, this looked like it would be so cheesy, but I had to watch for Sam Heughan (Jamie Fraser in Outlander). I was pleasantly surprised! Even Sir Roger Moore did a nice job. I actually preferred this foray into fairy-tale-romance-in-a-castle to the newer A Royal Christmas.


Angels Sing (2013) -- the rare Hallmark movie without a budding romance at its center, this one really pulled at my heartstrings. Exceptional cast! (Was this even made for Hallmark? I can't tell.)


Nine Lives of Christmas (2014) -- Simply adorable! Charming and sympathetic romantic leads + CATS = Happy Sonia.


The Christmas Shepherd (2014) -- This one had a slow start, but it's one of the best Hallmark movies I've seen. Or maybe I'm just a sucker for the ones with animals. Highly recommended.

And for something a little different:
Fans of Martin Freeman and/or Christmas pageant stories really need to see Nativity! (2009). I purchased it from Amazon.co.uk last year but never got around to watching and sort of forgot I had it. Oh, what fun! It's quite silly at times, and the actual pageant might seem a bit irreverant to some, but overall it has such a big heart and the finale (set among the ruins of the old Coventry cathedral!) is so satisfying. Check out the trailer, but keep in mind that it does tend to focus on the silliest bits:


For those not in the UK, this movie is available for download from Amazon ($2.99 to rent!) or on disc from Netflix. Not available on Hulu, sadly.

(I think I'll skip Natvity 2: Danger in the Manger with David Tennant, and you couldn't pay me to watch Nativity 3: Dude Where's My Donkey? with Martin Clunes. *shudder*)

What about you? Any fun Christmas movie discoveries this year?

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Christmas glee, part I

I've been on the hunt for a miniature Nativity set for a while now. The problem is . . . the human figures in most Nativity scenes have given me a mild case of the creeps since I was a little kid. I don't mean baby Jesus, of course. I'm just more interested in the Nativity animals than the people. Perhaps C.S. Lewis would have understood?

Last week I found my dream Nativity scene in the little gift shop at Local in Norman. This "Gentle Friends" Nativity set came in a round wood box and contained the most delightful creatures! Of course they're not necessarily historically accurate, but they fill me with glee nonetheless.


Here you see a very bold-eyed cow along with the donkey and sheep.


We get a bit more fanciful with a goat (?), a pair of fowl (is one of them a rooster?), and, of course, a cat. NOT A DOG, FOLKS! A MAJESTIC GINGER CAT!


And here they gather in the hay to wonder at the new born king.

I called Local to see where they obtained this set, hoping to share that information with you, gentle reader. The only thing they could tell me is they bought their sets back in the spring from Portico Collections as part of some trade show in Dallas, TX. I can't seem to find any details about who actually makes the "Gentle Friends Nativity Set" (please don't let it be desperate third world children!). Google turned up a photo on Pinterest, but that's about all I could find.

Do you have a treasured Nativity set?

Just for fun: The Worst and Weirdest Nativity Sets. (Zombie Nativity???)

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

November tea and a book: The Signature of All Things

I first saw The Signature of All Things recommended at the blog of Stephanie Burgis, and knowing how much Steph and I have in common when it comes to fiction preferences, I figured it would be just my cup of tea. Prior to this, I'd never read a book by Elizabeth Gilbert, who (as you probably know) shot to fame with her memoir, Eat, Pray, Love. I became a fan of Elizabeth Gilbert the person, however, when I saw her Ted Talk on creative genius. And when I learned that the heroine of this novel is a botanist in the Victorian era, I was eager to dive in.

What an odyssey! All I wanted to do all day was read Alma's story, which is not to say I found the book perfect, but it certainly was wildly absorbing and thought-provoking. (And since I tend to recommend children's books on this blog, I want to be sure you know this is an adult story, probably suitable for older teens and up.)

If you'd like a little more context, please watch this three minute book trailer. I love it particularly because Gilbert admits to searching out an actual house in Philadelphia to be White Acre (the grand house where Alma Whittaker grows up), because she likes to "go out and roll around in the world" she's inventing. I certainly can identify with that!



And now for tea . . .

This month I chose the Almond Oolong from Adagio. I don't drink Oolong that often, but I wanted to feature something a little different, and its delicacy and fruity/nutty flavor paired nicely with a sweet treat.


That red blob, a frosted sugar cookie, is supposed to look like an autumnal maple leaf, but oh well! My tummy was pleased. You can find the recipe here. And be sure to use almond and vanilla extract in your frosting. :)

To conclude, I'll link you to this List of Thanksgiving novels from psychologytoday.com. I attempted The Ghost at the Table (too dreary) and finished A Patchwork Planet (nice). Would you second any of the other recommendations on the list? If so, please let me know!

Happy Thanksgiving!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]

Con fun -- The Walking Dead edition

This past weekend I attended Wizard World Tulsa Comic Con with Tara Hudson. We went for Norman Reedus (Daryl from The Walking Dead) but got so much more than we bargained for!

First, some context -- I can't handle the big cons anymore. I get too panicked, claustrophobic, and angry. But since this one was entirely contained within the Cox Convention Center, I hoped it would be more manageable. As it turned out, the Tulsa Comic Con far exceeded my expectations.


Our first adventure was the photo op with Norman Reedus. The wait wasn't too long, and once he arrived they moved people through pretty quickly. Clearly, I was delighted to meet him! (I just WISH I'd thought to put on my sunglasses and mug at the camera along with him.) Later we stood in line for his signature for a loooong time, but I couldn't really begrudge the wait because he was taking great pains to shake hands and chat with each person who came through. I was pleasantly surprised by his patience and consideration. (Random aside: when looking for a Tulsa Comic Con graphic I found this photo -- how adorable is that?)


Shane is one of my favorites from TWD -- I do have a soft spot for the bad boys -- so I was pleased to discover that Jon Bernthal, who often seems to play dark/devious/tormented characters, is very charming and easygoing in real life.

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Michael Rooker (Merle in TWD, Yondu in Guardians of the Galaxy, etc.) was a hoot. Very friendly and chatty. Sweet with little kids and, um . . . fiesty with the ladies!

[Another random aside: in the above photo you can see my orthopedic boot. I fell back in September -- was in a hurry, not paying attention, and the toe of my wedge heel got caught in a clump of grass. Down went Sonia! Anyway, I was sure it was a sprain. When it didn't seem to be getting better, I got an x-ray at Urgent Care. No fracture. But the pain just kept plaguing me. So I got an MRI and they found a nondisplaced fracture along with bruising and a sprained ligament. Hence the boot. It was a challenge to get around the con, but Tara was very patient with me, and all the guests kindly asked about it. Tara and I decided that next year we should each have some sort of injury AND carry a baby/toddler dressed in a hand-sewn costume. Then we'd get ALL THE ATTENTION. Heh.]


One of my favorite moments was meeting Scott Wilson (Hershel). He's just as warm and fatherly in real life as on the show. He gave each of us a hug and after the photo he reminded me how to properly use my crutch. (He should know, right?)


We capped off the day with a visit to rising star Jerry Bennett, who gives so much to Oklahoma SCBWI and is an amazing artist. He even gets quoted in this NPR feature about the con. Yay!

We only attended on Sunday -- not the craziest day, I'm sure -- but things still got pretty busy. The staff, however, were patient and cheerful, the attendees polite, and the guests exceptionally gracious. It was Tara's first con, and I think she had a blast. We're definitely on board for next year!

[Cross-posted at Livejournal]