Happy Launching to Kate Messner!

Congratulations to Kate Messner launching her new middle grade title tomorrow!  

The Brilliant Fall of Gianna Z

Walker Books, September 1, 2009

Gianna Zales is a star runner with one more hurdle to jump before she goes to cross-country sectionals ­ a monster leaf collection project. To get it done, she'll have to survive a rival who desperately wants to take her place at sectionals, a grandmother who leaves her false teeth in the refrigerator, and a best friend whose feelings about her are changing like the leaves.Gianna Z needs a stroke of brilliance to make it work!

"Gianna Z. is total best friend material ­ full of energy, humor, and heart."  ~Linda Urban, author of A Crooked Kind of Perfect

"Laced with humor and heart, this is an insightful and affecting read,offering a compassionate portrayal of a family member's illness and the discovery of beauty and inspiration in nature and poetry."  ~Booklist Review

Kate's bookstore launch will be held at The Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelbourne, Vermont this Saturday, September 5th. In addition to reading and signing, they will be serving Nonna's famous funeral cookies from the book, and the kids will be taking the Great Tree Identification Challenge.  And, the Flying Pig will be hosting a virtual book signing for Kate through Friday. If you'd like your own personalized book, you can call the store at (802) 985-3999 and place you order.  The book will be mailed to you. This is a fabulous way to let remote your FFF (family, friends, friends) participate in the festivities.

Check out Kate's Book Trailer

Kate is generously donating a signed copy of her new book to one of our reader's local library. We'll hold a drawing at the end of the week.  All SVP followers will be automatically entered, or you can leave a comment to get entered as well. Best of luck to you each!

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As we mentioned a couple of posts back, as a *new* feature to Shrinking Violets, we want to celebrate our readers' launch days this year. Whether it is your first book or your fifty-first, a launch day ought to be celebrated.  If you'd like your title to be featured this year, please email me!  We can post a simple shout-out, introvert-style with no actual shouting, but we'd also love to post your book cover, a photo of you, your blog and/or website info, and any special plans you have to celebrate your launch.  If you don't have any plans, and would like some ideas, let us know that as well. :-] Finally, we invite you to share a signed copy of your book to be raffled off one our readers/followers for donation to their local public library in their name.  

And, on the day of your launch, we'll also sent out a ShrinkngViolets tweet in your honor!

As follow-up to last week's post New York v. Introverts, I want to let you all know that I will phone my editor this very morning at 11:00 a.m.  And I swear I won't hang up on her like I've been known to do a few (read forty) times in my life when the mere answering hello sent me into a lather.  I did email her Friday and asked if I could talk to her on Monday. So this isn't exactly a breezy Gosh, I need to run something by my editor-- I think I'll give her a ring-a-ding. It's completely pre-meditated and I've had all weekend to perseverate about it.  But the Bellagio was not built in one day!  Casual and breezy bound to be next on my list.

In the random but interesting category,  I recently read an interview with actor Ryan Reynolds, who co-starred in the film The Proposal with Sandra Bullock.  He was describing the challenges he faces being in the limelight.

"I feel like a flesh-covered antennae processing way too much information, reading into everything. As I get older, I've learned to control that better."

Ryan is the winner of today's Shrinking Violet "Oh Yeah, Probably an Introvert" Award. We'll be sending Ryan a gas card to drive up from Los Angeles to take Robin and I out to lunch. Afterwards, we'll head and over to our local indie where Ryan will be given the opportunity to hand-sell our books in front of the store.  Congrats, Ryan!  If you'd like Ryan to hand-sell any of your books, just let us know.

Lastly, for those of you looking for some tips for handling Big Talkers at parties and social events, here are some great ready-to-deploy tips from Ellen DeGeneres. 

Here's to a great September to us all--

Mary Hershey