tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79549621350218663212024-03-12T21:25:32.082-07:00Erin Langeerinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.comBlogger203125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-40109961770788892672014-02-13T20:12:00.001-08:002016-06-30T12:35:05.382-07:00...and then one day, the little girl who loved to write realized she had to stop writing blogs in order to write more books.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">for updates on books, appearances, and other general happenings, please VISIT MY WEBSITE. it's easy. click the pic below or </span><a href="http://www.erinjadelange.com/"><strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">click here</span></strong></a><span style="font-size: large;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">if you're looking for more in-depth info, check out the FAQ tab above or cruise through the blog archives to the right ---></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b>thanks for stopping by!</b></span></div>
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-86533207274473236862013-10-24T08:10:00.001-07:002013-10-24T08:10:27.907-07:00teen readers rockUm, seriously? It does not get any cooler than this:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/_1k2G3pe9UQ?list=UURSsHx4M8JCnRZr2VClSSDQ" width="560"></iframe>
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I'm so honored that BUTTER made YALSA's 2013 TEENS' TOP TEN list!<br />
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28 nominees and 32,000 votes means a lot of teens were out there <strong><em>reading</em>, </strong>and a lot of librarians were connecting kids with books. How awesome is that?<br />
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To all of those teen readers and librarians who spent a little time with Butter over the last few months, thank you Thank You THANK YOU, from the bottom of my heart. you so completely rock.erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-33561901441270174672013-09-03T09:38:00.000-07:002013-09-03T09:38:31.771-07:00the road to book 2I am having a moment.<br />
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Later this morning, I will be sweating over my laptop, stressing about new words in a new manuscript. This afternoon, I will be hosing off my car after a very muddy trip to the mountains. And tonight, I will be cleaning up a scrapbooking mess I made in the living room.<br />
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But right now... right this second... I am having a moment -- a good one. I have the day off work, and I'm starting it off on the back patio watching the sun shine on the yard and drinking a cup of coffee (iced. This is Arizona after all. It's only 8:30am, and my temperature gauge already reads 90 degrees.) <br />
This sunny caffeinated moment is how I am celebrating the launch of my second book, DEAD ENDS. (out today!)<br />
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I remember, after selling BUTTER, thinking the 2 year wait to publication would feel like a lifetime. In hindsight, it went by in a flash. But that flash was nothing compared to how fast it seems DEAD ENDS was published. We sold this book in the spring of 2012, so it's been a little under 18 months from sale to pub. For all but 1 of those 18 months, I was also planning my wedding, so I had very little time to obsess about this launch the way I did the first time around.<br />
In fact, this quiet moment right now may be the very first time I've actually reflected on the road to book 2 at all.<br />
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I wrote the first draft of DEAD ENDS the month after we sold BUTTER, in part to keep myself from clicking on my email inbox every two seconds. *Best advice ever, by the way! There is a lot of waiting around on the path to publishing. Use that down time to write something new! Once edit letters and blog requests and cover comps start rolling in, you may find your writing time is being eaten away!<br />
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After my speed-drafting, I sent the manuscript (then-titled <em>Billy D. & the Bully</em>) off to one of my crit partners, who told me what I already suspected - I had a good start, some great characters... and not much plot. <br />
So I spent the next 9 months or so rearranging, revising and rewriting. By the end of the year, with more help from crit partners, I had something worth submitting.<br />
It was another few months before we sold it, and then I hit a wall of "now what?"<br />
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See, the first time around, every moment is a milestone. <br />
book sale? champagne dinner out on the town!<br />
cover reveal? splatter the internet!<br />
launch party? everyone you know is coming! <br />
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It's a two-year-long party to celebrate a dream come true. But if book 1 is the dream, what is book 2?<br />
It took me some time to figure out BUTTER wasn't the end of a journey but the start of a new one. And DEAD ENDS is the first step down that new path - a path that forks off in many directions, like a "choose your own adventure" book.<br />
Do you want to write full time?<br />
Do you want to explore a new genre?<br />
Do you dream of longevity as an author?<br />
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It's a path of nothing but possibility, and it's a little intimidating, because once your biggest dream comes true... do you dare dream bigger?<br />
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For today, my dream is this: that readers who pick up DEAD ENDS will meet Dane, Billy D. and Seely... share their journey... and find something to love.<br />
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erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-34203582066964967762013-08-26T08:21:00.001-07:002013-08-26T08:21:23.660-07:00Rebel Bully Geek Pariahonce upon a time, an aspiring author wrote a manuscript. it was a huge accomplishment, because after decades of writing, it was the first time she ever got to "The End" in one of her stories. <br />
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but that story was bad - like so many first attempts at novels. this would-be writer had a lot to learn, and by the time she understood what needed to be fixed, it seemed less daunting to just write an entirely new book.<br />
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so that first book went into the trunk to collect dust. the writer pulled it out every so often to steal things from it - scenes, ideas, snippets - until finally this aspiring author became an actual author and nearly forgot about that first trunked story.<br />
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until one day... she opened the manuscript looking not to steal from it but to rebuild it. she held this idea that had been so close to her heart in her hands and thought, <em>what if</em>? what if this book could see the light of day? what if the only line that stays the same is "The End" and the rest could be rewritten from scratch? <br />
what if your <em>first</em> love was "the one" after all?<br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">i'm pleased to announce my own "first love" is coming to bookstores in 2015!</span></strong><br />
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i can never make those PM announcements fit on my blog! so, in case you can't read the pic, my next book will be REBEL BULLY GEEK PARIAH, a story of 4 teens with nothing in common until they find themselves on the run, with only each other to trust. part thriller, part Breakfast Club on wheels.<br />
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and if you <em>can</em> read the pic, you'll see there's a 4th book coming after that, but more on that in the pretty distant future! ;)<br />
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-80035323255770020082013-08-19T21:37:00.000-07:002013-08-19T21:37:55.195-07:00and on we go*blows dust off blog*<br />
*clears throat*<br />
*taps mic*<br />
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oh my. where in the world have i been?<br />
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well, for starters, i was here:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9b9pq1WvKk5tjI9Vqbgws1lqu3C7R3obbuHfKgkUAuDPed6evF07IbPFYMpXz_hjqSGa7vtZKvzPcH_Y0BdxNTLH86psYHz3QT_WtLpIs70tr8z7UgkpJRV2OACmvkIl0vYGPA3dHsN0/s1600/wed1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9b9pq1WvKk5tjI9Vqbgws1lqu3C7R3obbuHfKgkUAuDPed6evF07IbPFYMpXz_hjqSGa7vtZKvzPcH_Y0BdxNTLH86psYHz3QT_WtLpIs70tr8z7UgkpJRV2OACmvkIl0vYGPA3dHsN0/s400/wed1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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that's me in the dress!<br />
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and then i was here:<br />
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when you're having a BIG FAT ITALIAN WEDDING, planning can kind of take over your life. but now things are settling back down, and it's time for BOOKS to rule my life once again!</div>
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on that note, i have some exciting events coming up in the next few months!</div>
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first, and most important! i will be celebrating the <strong>launch of DEAD ENDS with a signing at Changing Hands on Saturday, September 7th at 5:00</strong>. if you're in Arizona, i hope to see you there!</div>
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coming up in <strong>October</strong>, i'll be presenting at the <strong>SCBWI AZ annual conference</strong>, along with an incredible lineup of authors, editors, agents and more (including my own fabulous agent, Literaticat herself, Jennifer Laughran!) <a href="http://scbwi-az.org/Events.html" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">click here for more info and registration</span></strong></a>!</div>
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then, in <strong>December</strong>, i'm thrilled to be a guest author for the St. Louis Public Library's incredible <strong>Read It Forward</strong> program. i went to college (and attempted to write my first novel!) in Missouri, so this event will feel like going home.</div>
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more news to come, but that might be just about enough for my first blog back! stay tuned...</div>
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<br />erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-66742280010659149622013-06-28T08:09:00.000-07:002013-06-28T08:09:02.094-07:00Dead Ends Jacket Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Two big Ws have kept me away from the blog for far too long - <span style="font-size: large;"><strong>W</strong></span>riting & <span style="font-size: large;"><strong>W</strong></span>edding. But as soon as this wedding planning winds down, I will be gearing up for the release of DEAD ENDS in September! </div>
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And you can't have a book release without a cover, right? If I was thrilled when I saw the front cover for DE, then there are no words for how I feel about the full jacket. Well, maybe one word. Amazeballs.</div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;">Are we still saying amazeballs? I'm usually behind on these things.</span></div>
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Anyway, enough of the drum roll. Check out the jacket!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gxdUEo36hpcQgeiwq5ArR0jiQ1jOnjPcs49gN9OPxTm3uh458bH-eIYeLZjhLKzCFZwJQZ4yr8ynxWmoOyRGbc7To5cAx_bPGZR78RZfYBKnQ_PwNlR10RgtbP_qT4BiEpqwzpRD4Ig/s1600/DeadEndsJacketPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="167" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6gxdUEo36hpcQgeiwq5ArR0jiQ1jOnjPcs49gN9OPxTm3uh458bH-eIYeLZjhLKzCFZwJQZ4yr8ynxWmoOyRGbc7To5cAx_bPGZR78RZfYBKnQ_PwNlR10RgtbP_qT4BiEpqwzpRD4Ig/s400/DeadEndsJacketPic.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I love it love it love it. Every inch of it. The whole thing just begs you to lean in closer. And for those of you who may have read an advanced copy of DE already, how cool is it that Seely is on the back cover?!<br />
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-47122215910026585722013-04-25T05:00:00.000-07:002013-04-25T05:00:05.290-07:00ARC Winners!we have a winner!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
actually, we have 2.<br />
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thanks to all who entered the giveaway for an ARC of DEAD ENDS. i was pretty blown away by the response. the two winners were chosen by my favorite random number generator, Random.org!<br />
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i know i promised to announce the winners here on the blog, but i hadn't banked on clever email addresses that don't make every winner's name clear. since i don't want to give anyone's email address out here, i'll give you the winning numbers instead.<br />
#10 and #92<br />
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10 & 92, you each got an email from me. CONGRATS! <br />
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for those who did <strong><em>not</em></strong> get an email from me, GOOD NEWS! you can still win a copy of DEAD ENDS on goodreads. there will be 5 winners, and the contest is open for another month. <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/giveaway/show/47127-dead-ends" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;"><strong>click here to enter</strong></span></a>!<br />
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thanks again!erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-81730780281848341112013-04-11T08:28:00.000-07:002013-04-24T21:06:06.436-07:00Win an ARC of DEAD ENDS!<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><strong>COVER!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><strong>CONTEST!</strong></span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-size: x-large;"><strong>CAPITALIZATION!</strong></span></div>
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In honor of some very important news today, I am writing this post with all the proper letters capitalized. (Well, hello there, shift key! Remember me?)<br />
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Today is the day I get to share my new cover for <strong><span style="font-size: large;">DEAD ENDS</span></strong>, coming September 3, from Bloomsbury. (Yes, I give you permission to just scroll down now for the reveal.) <br />
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I am <strong><em>in love</em></strong> with this cover. Each time I look at it, I see another layer of the story - the road, the backpack, the grit, the way a true friend can lift you up, the way we sometimes hit a wall even when it looks like the whole wide world is right in front of us... It's just perfect.<br />
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So, to celebrate this perfect new cover, I simply must give away an ARC! See the contest details below! (It's easy peasy to enter, I promise.) But first, without any further drumroll, I give you the cover for DEAD ENDS!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie_mPpijswdT-kxtFyprxHmlqZmWBtjNlHH5k0rtq-bPK8ybCDkxr261kV2kX-EcnHLRMkJp2TC0UaP2We6ZjiJnK3QIOfRpauvoNPrXjDNQhP4ib3XSNIqSndjDlpNhYcjtOZIRtehI/s1600/DeadEndsNEWCOVER.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgie_mPpijswdT-kxtFyprxHmlqZmWBtjNlHH5k0rtq-bPK8ybCDkxr261kV2kX-EcnHLRMkJp2TC0UaP2We6ZjiJnK3QIOfRpauvoNPrXjDNQhP4ib3XSNIqSndjDlpNhYcjtOZIRtehI/s640/DeadEndsNEWCOVER.jpg" width="420" /></a></div>
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<em>Dane Washington is one suspension away from expulsion. In a high school full of “haves,” being a “have not” makes Dane feel like life is hurtling toward one big dead end. Billy D. spends his high school days in Special Ed and he’s not exactly a “have” himself. The biggest thing Billy’s missing? His dad. Billy is sure the riddles his father left in an atlas are really clues to finding him again and through a bizarre turn of events, he talks Dane into joining him on the search. </em></div>
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<em>A bully and a boy with Down syndrome makes for an unlikely friendship, but together, they work through the clues, leading to unmarked towns and secrets of the past. But they’re all dead ends. Until the final clue . . . and a secret Billy shouldn’t have been keeping. </em></div>
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Add <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13617804-dead-ends" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">DEAD ENDS on Goodreads</span></strong></a>!<br />
Pre-order it <a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781619630802" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></strong></a>, or <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dead-ends-erin-jade-lange/1114258555" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></strong></a>, or <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dead-Ends-Erin-Jade-Lange/dp/161963080X" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">here</span></strong></a>, or wherever else books are sold!<br />
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OR... <strong><em>WIN</em></strong> an advance copy by filling out the form below. Two winners will be selected at random.<br />
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<strong><span style="color: red;">UPDATE: THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. The entry form has been removed. Thanks to all who entered! 2 Winners to be announced Thursday morning and contacted via email. :)</span></strong><br />
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Thanks for celebrating with me! *Happy Dance*<br />
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<br />erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-57537777430034135462013-03-20T05:00:00.000-07:002013-03-20T05:00:06.210-07:00The Next Big Thingthanks so much to <a href="http://www.dianezahler.com/blog-3/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Diane Zahler</span></strong></a> for tagging me to participate in THE NEXT BIG THING blog chain!<br />
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if you haven't heard of it, The Next Big Thing is a campaign that started in Australia and spread all over the world. essentially, authors and illustrators answer a series of short, speedy questions to introduce their next project, then they tag another author to answer the same questions the following week. not sure how long it's been going, but it sounded like fun, so here's my Q&A:<br />
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<strong>1) What is the working title of your next book?<br /> </strong>Dead Ends.<br />
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<strong>2) Where did the idea come from for the book?<br /> </strong>It started with a series of conversations between two characters who I could not get out of my head. I had to write the book twice to figure out their story!<br />
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<strong>3) What genre does your book fall under?<br /> </strong>Contemporary YA.<br />
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<strong>4) What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?<br /> </strong>I can never answer this question! It's hard for me to imagine any actors playing my characters. Good thing I'm not a casting director!<br />
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<strong>5) What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?</strong>A bully and a boy with Down syndrome form an unlikely alliance when they team up to find one of their missing fathers.<br />
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<strong>6) Who is publishing your book?</strong>Bloomsbury.<br />
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<strong>7) How long did it take you to write the first draft of the manuscript?<br /> </strong>One month. I wrote it during NaNoWriMo! (note: I spent almost a year <strong><em>re</em></strong>writing it.)<br />
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<strong><span>8)</span><span></span> What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?<br /> </strong>Another question I have a hard time answering. I always try to tell a story I haven't read before, so if there is a similar book out there, I haven't read it yet. <br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>9) Who or what inspired you to write this book?</strong>I knew I wanted to write a story from the perspective of a bully, and when the second character came to me, I had to think long and hard about his voice. He felt very unique to me, but it took some time before I figured out he had Down syndrome. I had recently witnessed a teenage boy with Ds having an argument with his dad in a store, and I think something about that fight stayed with me and worked its way into the character.<br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>10) What else about the book might pique the reader's interest?</strong><br />
Even though there is a character with Down syndrome, this is not a story <em>about</em> Down syndrome. It's just a story. And one of the characters just happens to have that trait.<br />
<br />
the Next Big Thing chain continues with <a href="http://annegreenwoodbrown.com/blog/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d;">Anne Greenwood Brown</span></strong></a>! Look for her post next week.erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-82673728969940181302013-03-11T08:24:00.000-07:002013-03-11T08:24:31.612-07:00festival of booksschool visits, panels, and workshops - oh my!<br />
<br />
i just got back from the Tucson Festival of Books and thought i'd share some of the highlights.<br />
<br />
my weekend started with a visit to St. John the Evangelist Catholic School, where i met some incredibly bright and inquisitive students.<br />
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do ignore my crazy facial expressions! ;)<br />
<br />
then it was off to the festival, where i got to present a workshop with awesome author Tom Leveen!<br />
here's me and Tom putting on our "serious author" faces at the signing afterward:<br />
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well, Tom looks serious anyway. i kind of look like i'm doing my "mean girls" face.<br />
<br />
then Tom and i joined the AMAZING A.S. King for a panel, and i tried not to be fidgety sitting next to an author i admire so much.<br />
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...tried and failed, that is!<br />
this is me fidgeting with the case for my glasses:<br />
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and fidgeting with my hands under the table:<br />
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but A.S. and Tom are way too much fun, and i didn't stay nervous for very long. i had an absolute blast talking to the group. can't wait to go back next year!<br />
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erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-26911612459701329062013-03-07T06:52:00.002-08:002013-03-07T06:52:58.297-08:00love from londonGood morning!<br />
or, to all you lovely folks over in London, Good afternoon!<br />
<br />
BUTTER hopped the pond today to make his UK debut.<br />
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and what a welcome!!<br />
<br />
i woke up to<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/children_sbookreviews/9895801/Butter-by-Erin-Lange-review.html" target="_blank"> <strong><span style="color: #38761d;">this review in The Telegraph</span></strong></a>. <strong>(link! click it!)</strong> and some amazing well-wishes.<br />
i'm also excited to say BUTTER is a book of the month at the Victoria Station branch of WH Smith!<br />
<br />
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thanks to author Mo O'Hara for snapping this shot!<br />
<br />
more British BUTTER fun to come with a blog tour later this month! (click on the banner below for details.)<br />
<strong></strong><br />
but for now, i just want to say to my news friends overseas, <br />
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<strong><span style="font-size: large;">Thanks for making a girl (and her characters) feel welcome!</span></strong></div>
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<strong></strong>erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-40819413341119688362013-02-19T20:13:00.000-08:002013-02-19T20:13:45.420-08:00best lines OSCAR edition5 days to OSCAR, and for the first time in years, i'm genuinely excited about the show. <br />
<em>so many</em> good contenders this year!<br />
<br />
and i'm thrilled to say part of what makes some of the best picture nominees so amazing is the writing. in honor of the fabulous scripts that made it to the big screen this year, i thought i'd do a movie edition of <strong>Best Lines</strong> today - featuring my favorite one-liners from a few of the top nominees. <br />
2 WARNINGS: <br />
#1 - there is an f-bomb in one of these quotes. <br />
#2 - said quote may make you spit liquid out of your nose with laughter.<br />
<br />
<u><strong>LINCOLN:</strong></u><br />
- "Trust? Gentlemen, you seem to have forgotten that our chosen career is politics."<br />
- "I could write shorter sermons, but when I get started I'm too lazy to stop."<br />
- "Shall we stop this bleeding?"<br />
<br />
<strong><u>DJANGO UNCHAINED:</u></strong><br />
- "Your boss looks a little green around the gills." <br />
"He just ain't used to seeing a man ripped apart by dogs is all." <br />
"But you are used to it?" <br />
"I'm just a little more used to Americans than he is."<br />
<br />
<strong><u>ARGO:</u></strong><br />
- "If we wanted applause, we would have joined the circus."<br />
- "Brace yourself. It's like talking to those two old fucks from The Muppets."<br />
<br />
<strong><u>WRECK IT RALPH:</u></strong><br />
- "What's going on in this candy-coated heart of darkness?"<br />
<br />
<strong><u>MOONRISE KINGDOM:</u></strong><br />
- "Our daughter has been abducted by one of these beige lunatics!"<br />
- "Why do you always use binoculars?" <br />
"It helps me see things closer. Even if they're not very far away. I pretend it's my magic power." <br />
<br />
<em>and finally, the line i have quoted so many times in my terrible Scottish accent, Handsome has banned me from saying it around the house:</em><br />
<br />
<strong><u>BRAVE:</u></strong><br />
- "I am Merida, and I'll be shooting for my <em>own</em> hand!"<br />
<br />
what were some of your favorites? who do we think is going to win in the script-writing categories?erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-47860005606719217412013-02-07T07:09:00.001-08:002013-02-07T07:09:25.973-08:00social media slackerit's been 4 days since my last tweet.<br />
17 days since i've posted on facebook.<br />
21 days since i've blogged.<br />
<br />
<em>...one week since you looked at me, cocked your head to the side and said "i'm angry" five days since you laughed at me...</em><br />
sorry. couldn't resist a little Barenaked Ladies interruption.<br />
and yes, if you know that song, it will now be in your head all day.<br />
you're welcome.<br />
<br />
i'm posting my sorry social media stats to illustrate what happens when i'm writing. i'm always tinkering with something, but usually that something gets tossed into the "No!" or "maybe later" files with other partial manuscripts. then it's back to the interwebs!<br />
but this thing happens when i break through the 10,000-word barrier, and suddenly i'm a woman obsessed - tossing aside everything BUT writing. <br />
and that includes social media.<br />
<br />
i used to stress about this. i used to worry that if i wasn't being loud online, then no one would hear about my books. i actually put more pressure on myself to <strong>tweet</strong> than to <strong>write</strong>.<br />
...until one day i looked up and realized i hadn't reached "The End" on anything new in more than a year. somewhere along the line, my writing time had turned into <em>email-tweet-post-promote</em> time.<br />
<br />
i still don't know if any of those things help sell a book, but i know this much: they won't help you write the next one. so i've learned to give myself permission to be a social media slacker every now and then. and if you're like me and find yourself choosing between writing and tweeting, then i give you permission too. a few weeks of internet silence won't kill your career. blank pages just might.<br />
<br />
and so ends another post about my love-hate relationship with social media. i will tweet it. i will facebook it. and then i will crawl back inside my writing cave and not worry about it.<br />
...at least for a few days. ;)<br />
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-23094154857625096572013-01-16T07:05:00.000-08:002013-03-14T08:29:21.424-07:00Dead Endssorry to be so mysterious, but i had to do a little magic to make this post disappear. ;)<br />
keep an eye out for a new cover for Dead Ends coming soon!<br />
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erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-40817078507713389392013-01-14T07:00:00.000-08:002013-01-14T07:00:04.629-08:00party like it's 2013if one simply <em>must</em> have the flu, i say it's best to have it at precisely the right time. <br />
<br />
for me, the right time was the middle of last week, so that i could be 100% contagion-free before shaking hands with dozens of fabulous people. and when i say fabulous people, of course you know i'm talking about teachers and librarians!<br />
<br />
this past Saturday, a group of Arizona children's authors hosted a Thank You event for local teachers and librarians, and it was an honor to meet so many dedicated educators and book lovers. i was also thrilled to be hanging out with these folks:<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDnyk1QHIUlqVYtLc9Zt3HbF_54c9Ts3RoDcUCZyLxn-8xH7Rj7yNoXdZAknbMTYX-Ocf9w38RIIpSkB_R3K5AAJbNa3nt1PY9F_N4DzhE9lO_n6xMLPUwUjqoIeXAtIshiBrYdnlvX8/s1600/IMG_2252.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTDnyk1QHIUlqVYtLc9Zt3HbF_54c9Ts3RoDcUCZyLxn-8xH7Rj7yNoXdZAknbMTYX-Ocf9w38RIIpSkB_R3K5AAJbNa3nt1PY9F_N4DzhE9lO_n6xMLPUwUjqoIeXAtIshiBrYdnlvX8/s400/IMG_2252.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Host Authors! (I always end up front and center in group photos. Something to do with being 5'1")</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
i think the event properly kicked off 2013 for me, so consider the blog hiatus over!<br />
one of my goals for this year is to do more events, and this was a great way to start. here's what else is ahead in the new year:<br />
<br />
you'll find me at YAllapalooza later this month. (click the cool banner below, created by Changing Hands, for more information on this writing conference and general kid lit extravaganza!)<br />
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and coming up in March, i hope to see you at the <a href="http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">Tucson Festival of Books</span></strong></a>. (<strong>link! click it!</strong>)</div>
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in the meantime, watch the blog. i'll have a little something to show you very soon!</div>
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erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-90418720116536943192012-12-19T07:06:00.000-08:002012-12-19T07:06:42.567-08:00UK CoverHiatus Interruptus once again! This time so I can squeal over my UK Cover for BUTTER. <br />
Singular, deceptively simple covers are my absolute faves, so I am lucky to now have 2 such covers for B! <br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">...and perhaps a third, for DEAD ENDS, but more on that later. ;)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
Anyway, introducing the delicious new BUTTER cover, <a href="http://www.faber.co.uk/catalog/butter/9780571294404" target="_blank"><strong><span style="color: #38761d; font-size: large;">coming from Faber</span></strong></a> on March 7th, 2013...<br />
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydL_Eam8E-GaekHmGNwX-bxeiP2qZI1Mb67OA5M-q0nm_2rxClK3Rhn4guTVtwqevWi-kKi7Jc7Ly4Xj3_LXL_4QxU4SUh21qCfNHxU3w9kiDzkenQBPXZ-yGkC5VLO7feaUh8IVFfDs/s1600/Butter_FLAT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjydL_Eam8E-GaekHmGNwX-bxeiP2qZI1Mb67OA5M-q0nm_2rxClK3Rhn4guTVtwqevWi-kKi7Jc7Ly4Xj3_LXL_4QxU4SUh21qCfNHxU3w9kiDzkenQBPXZ-yGkC5VLO7feaUh8IVFfDs/s400/Butter_FLAT.jpg" width="253" /></a></div>
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YUM!erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-87149856270738353852012-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:002012-12-08T08:00:04.303-08:00introducing...i interrupt this holiday hiatus to bring you a bit of news!<br />
<br />
if you cruise around this blog, you'll find many a mention about a little book called Billy D. & the Bully. <br />
like BUTTER, this is a book i named after my main characters. what can i say? i'm a little lazy when it comes to titles.<br />
<br />
fortunately, there is a great team of pros at Bloomsbury to help me come up with something just as fitting for the story but not quite such a mouthful.<br />
<br />
so i'm super excited to announce next year's book is now titled....<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><span style="color: #274e13; font-size: x-large;">DEAD ENDS</span></strong></div>
<br />
and the cover is <em><strong>awesome!!!!</strong> </em>i can't wait to show it to you! stay tuned.erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-31898716100156195862012-11-27T07:18:00.002-08:002012-11-27T07:18:45.639-08:00FAQs and a hiatusHello & Happy Holidays!<br />
<br />
i am sneaking this blog post in at the 11th hour to make sure November does not end up with zero posts! i also wanted to announce what may already be obvious - i am on a blog hiatus until the new year.<br />
<br />
<strong>EJ, what will you be doing on your hiatus?</strong><br />
Writing.<br />
<br />
<strong>What are you writing?</strong><br />
Something I have no business writing. Two somethings, actually. I've never written 2 rough drafts at the same time. We'll see how it goes.<br />
<br />
<strong>What if you have book news while on hiatus?</strong><br />
I will definitely break the silence to announce anything exciting... like, <em>ahem</em>, perhaps a cover and new title for next year's book! ;)<br />
<br />
<strong>Why are you writing this post in a Q-and-A format?</strong><br />
Oh! Because I wanted to draw your attention to the new FAQ tab at the top of the blog! I don't get asked questions all that frequently, but when I do get Qs, they are frequently the same ones. I thought it was about time I put them all in one place.<br />
<br />
hope you all have fabulous holidays and happy new years. i'll be back bloggin' at ya in January!<br />
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-89213219714877868452012-10-24T08:21:00.000-07:002012-10-24T08:21:44.308-07:00Bully is a BuzzwordLast week I posted some links to recent guest posts I did on bullying. One of the bloggers asked me whether there has been an increase in bullying or just more awareness.
<br />
<br />
I’m no expert on bullying beyond my own personal experience with it, but as a member of the media, I do know a little something about “hot topics” and just how they get so sizzling. I know how the media can blow things up – how we can unintentionally (and unfortunately) trivialize serious issues by over-discussing them – how we can take powerful words and turn them into meaningless “buzzwords.”
<br />
<br />
BULLY is one of those buzzwords.
<br />
<br />
Just the other day, a dear friend of mine told me I was bullying a coworker, because of the way I was speaking to her. My friend meant no harm or offense, and she was right to correct me for being rude. But for the record, I was being a condescending know-it-all, not a bully.
<br />
<br />
At least, not according to Merriam-Webster.
<br />
<br />
<u>Here are 3 definitions of “bully” (<i>noun</i>):
</u><br />
<b>Merriam-Webster:</b> “a blustering browbeating person; especially one habitually cruel to others who are weaker”
<b></b><br />
<b>thefreedictionary.com:</b> “a person who is habitually cruel or overbearing, especially to smaller or weaker people.”
<br />
<b>dictionary.com:</b> “a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.”
<br />
<br />
There is an important word these definitions all have in common: <b>HABITUALLY.</b>
<br />
<br />
Other definitions use words like “repeated” and “constant” and “over time.” The word that comes to mind for me is <b>relentless</b>. That’s how I would describe my own personal experience with bullying. It wasn’t just the cruel things my peers said. It was that they said them <i>all day every day</i>. I don’t think I would have been as scarred by bullying if it hadn’t been relentless – if it hadn’t been HABITUAL.
<br />
<br />
This is not to say an attack that happens just once is okay or any less painful for the target, but is it always “bullying?” And if we call every act of cruelty “bullying,” are we minimizing it for the children and teens who are daily targets of abuse?
<br />
<br />
As a journalist, I see so many stories cross my desk in the newsroom with the word “bully.” It’s a catchy word, and these days, a press release or news blurb with that word will get read, and there’s a good shot it will worm its way into a newscast, just like all the other buzzwords. But it’s not always an accurate description of what’s happened.
<br />
<br />
Worse yet… other than my friend calling me a bully, the last dozen times I’ve heard that word used out loud were all on episodes of <b>“The Real Housewives of <i>Wherever</i>.”</b> Every real housewives reunion show seems to have someone who gets called “the bully.” If that doesn’t trivialize the word, I don’t know what does.
<br />
When these women say “bullying” – when <i>many</i> people say “bullying” – what they’re really talking about is kindness vs. cruelty.
<br />
<br />
And maybe that’s okay. Choosing kindness over cruelty may be the root of the anti-bullying message, and perhaps it will be effective in solving the problem. I just worry that over-using the word “bully” will eventually make it meaningless. We see this in newsrooms every day. The audience gets bored with hot topics and buzzwords, because too much exposure desensitizes us.
So while I’m glad for the growing spotlight on bullying, I’m concerned about how generalized the definition has become. <br />
<br />
It’s important that we are specific and accurate when we use powerful words like BULLY, so that people like the "Real Housewives" can’t smash them down into nothing.
<br />
<br />
For a more in-depth definition of bullying, visit <a href="http://www.stopbullying.gov/"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Stopbullying.gov</span></strong></a>.
<br />
And for more information about National Bullying Prevention Month, visit <a href="http://www.pacer.org/bullying/"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">pacer.org/bullying</span></strong></a>.
<br />
<br />
I just realized I used proper capitalization in this post. Hm. I guess it's a capital-letters kind of topic.erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-36044021225651398892012-10-19T08:31:00.000-07:002012-10-19T08:31:46.832-07:00breaking the silenceOctober has always been my favorite month, so it seems fitting that this is also an awareness month for a cause close to my heart. October is National Bullying Prevention Month. (<span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>For information about the evolution of NBPM and how you can get involved, please follow the links at the very end of this post.</em></span>)
<br />
<br />
i’ve done several guest blog posts recently about bullying. it’s somewhat comical, considering how much i’ve <i>avoided</i> talking about bullying here on my own blog, but i suppose it’s natural to be asked about it, since it’s a subject i write about. and there’s no time like my dear October to break the silent streak.
<br />
<br />
<u>so here are the links to those posts:
</u><br />
At Uniquely Moi Books, <a href="http://www.uniquelymoibooks.com/2012/10/erin-jade-lange-speaks-up-about.html"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>I tell the true story of an encounter with a bully.</strong></span></a>
<br />
At The Book Life,<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.thebooklife.com/2012/09/butter-blog-tour-guest-post-by-erin.html"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>I talk about bullies and bystanders.</strong></span></a>
<br />
At Bibliophilic Book Blog,<strong> </strong><a href="http://www.bibliophilicbookblog.com/2012/10/guest-post-by-erin-jade-lange-author-of.html"><span style="color: #274e13;"><strong>I was asked about cyber bullying.</strong></span></a>
<br />
<br />
that last post is what made me want to continue the discussion. in that post, i was also asked whether bullying was on the rise or whether it’s just getting more attention as a cause.
i’ve been giving that a LOT of thought, and i’m crafting a new blog post all about the explosion of bullying awareness and how it could backfire. <br />
so i’ll be back next week to explain why i think “Bully” has become a buzzword.
<br />
<br />
in the meantime,
<br />
<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Bullying_Prevention_Month"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">Click here to read about how Nat’l Bullying Prevention Month came to be.</span></strong></a><br />
And <a href="http://www.pacer.org/bullying/"><strong><span style="color: #274e13;">click here for the organization that started it all.</span></strong></a>
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-23518621999839101642012-10-08T19:51:00.000-07:002012-10-08T19:54:40.869-07:00book trailerit's National Bullying Prevention Month, and i'm planning a few things here on the blog over the next few weeks to participate.<br />
<br />
one thing timed specifically for this month is the release of the book trailer for BUTTER! (feel free to scroll down now. i give you permission.)<br />
<br />
you know, i always say i didn't intend to send a message with this book. i just wanted to tell a story. but i write about teenagers, and to me, bullying is a natural part of the teen experience - whether you're a target, a witness or even the bully. <br />
so i'm honored to have BUTTER on bookstore shelves during this important month.<br />
<br />
okay, enough rambling. here it is!<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ta-a06kH3Vw" width="420"></iframe>
erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-70167269930943499112012-09-25T08:09:00.000-07:002012-09-25T08:09:21.942-07:003-2-1 Launch!i love a good party. i love <em>planning</em> a good party. heck, i even love <em>cleaning up after</em> a good party.<br />
<br />
but i always dread the days leading up to the party - when you start to count on your fingers who RSVP'd and who didn't - when you start to wonder whether anyone will show up. because it's not a good party without guests. that's why i have to say THANK YOU to everyone who came out Saturday night to help me launch BUTTER into the world.<br />
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Thank you for your enthusiasm, for your laughter...<br />
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Thank you for buying BUTTER and waiting so patiently in line to get it signed...<br />
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and Thank you especially for eating the food!! :D<br />
<br />
as much as i loved having my friends and family there to support me, the biggest - and BEST - surprise of the night was seeing so many new faces. what a rush to meet the fellow writer who came out because she was touched by something i had written here on the blog... the reader who had reached out to me via email to share a very personal story after reading BUTTER... the young man who just happened to be browsing for books and stopped to listen to the talk and then stayed to buy a book. you all <em>made my night</em>!<br />
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i have to admit, all the preparations for the launch and my nerves had me wishing slightly that i could just get it over with. but from the moment i said hi to the first guest until i'd signed the very last book, i was having the time of my life. <br />
it was a thrill like riding a roller coaster - you love every screaming soaring minute of it, but when it's over, you realize it's gone by too fast, and you just want to turn around and get right back on.<br />
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writing is such a solitary thing. it's hard to know if what you're doing will reach anyone in a meaningful way. maybe that's why moments like holding my book for the first time and seeing it in stores didn't hit me the way i had hoped they would. for me, the most powerful moment of this journey so far happened Saturday. meeting readers face to face and talking with them about the book reminded me that writing may start out as a solo effort, but when that book gets out into the world, it's like sending an invitation to one great big party. and i, for one, hope the party never ends.<br />
<br />erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-83178965069822737802012-09-04T08:11:00.000-07:002012-09-04T08:11:15.691-07:00Happy Birthday BUTTER!!sooooo.... it's release day. <br />
officially.<br />
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<br />
i think i'm supposed to say something really profound on this day. but all i can think is:<br />
<em><span style="font-size: large;"><strong>eek! hee hee hee! wheeee! whoa. huh? wha?? really? wheeeee!</strong></span></em><br />
<br />
sometimes words fail me. <br />
or i fail the words, to be more accurate.<br />
i'm having a tough time putting them together in a meaningful way today.<br />
<br />
i know i should write a long post thanking everyone who helped make BUTTER come to life, but it would read an awful lot like the acknowledgements in the back of the book. <br />
which you can now read. <br />
because it is published!<br />
<em><strong>eek! hee hee hee! wheeee! </strong></em><br />
<em><strong></strong></em><br />
so let me say for now "ditto" to those acknowledgements and promise more thank yous to come. because what i really want to do today is say something to all of the writers out there still dreaming of publishing.<br />
<br />
Dear Writer,<br />
<br />
every single day you put words down on paper to tell a story is a miracle. every rejection you shrug off in order to keep writing is a triumph. every writing rule you break in order to tell the story <em>you</em> want to tell is an achievement. every friend you make along this bumpy path to publishing is a gift. and every moment that you get swept away by your own words - writing for the pure joy of it - is priceless.<br />
<br />
publishing is not the promised land. your imagination is. you have the gift to create your own worlds to escape to whenever you wish. and if your dream is to share those worlds with readers, then all you have to do is keep writing. authors come up from the slush pile all the time. i should know. i'm one of them. i can't tell you how to get published, because every writer's path is different. but i <em>can</em> tell you there's only one way to 100% guarantee you will <em>not</em> get published - and that's to stop writing.<br />
so keep getting up every day and putting words down on paper.<br />
one day those words will come to life inside of a book.<br />
<br />
i didn't fully believe it myself until today.<br />
<em><strong>whoa. huh? wha?? really? wheeeee!</strong></em><br />
<strong><em></em></strong><br />
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erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-17168700963685310072012-08-27T06:54:00.000-07:002012-08-27T06:54:18.547-07:00let's party!Good News!<br />
it looks like BUTTER is landing early. <br />
<br />
start looking for it in bookstores (or in your mailbox, if you preordered) on SEPTEMBER 4th.<br />
<br />
then, if you happen to be in Arizona. prepare to party! i'll be celebrating BUTTER's release with a launch party at Changing Hands at the end of September. details here:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><a href="http://www.changinghands.com/event/lange-sep12" target="_blank"><span style="color: #38761d;">BUTTER LAUNCH PARTY @ CHANGING HANDS</span></a></strong></div>
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there will be snacks and prizes and hopefully a lot of fun. hope to see your smiling faces there!erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7954962135021866321.post-17833813151359666292012-08-20T09:26:00.000-07:002012-08-20T09:26:32.864-07:00really? really.so this happened...
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6KBUIa1V4vIaKesFZitV77hzUB9r4ZDR2eHhTJCy1bdPuFdjRbd280Mk4Ij548RI2siqpBsRbUGRuEbn4yfK8GMA5ZmRfNfA6RO3uIB6xADs_9HFM-h-Wn4pSVrsjOtZVv0DpJP7hUU/s1600/bpic2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu6KBUIa1V4vIaKesFZitV77hzUB9r4ZDR2eHhTJCy1bdPuFdjRbd280Mk4Ij548RI2siqpBsRbUGRuEbn4yfK8GMA5ZmRfNfA6RO3uIB6xADs_9HFM-h-Wn4pSVrsjOtZVv0DpJP7hUU/s320/bpic2.JPG" width="239" /></a></div>
it sure looks like a real book, but somehow it still doesn't <strong><em>feel</em></strong> real, and i'm starting to think i will never wrap my brain around the fact that a lifelong dream is coming true.
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over the years, i've had the unfortunate opportunity to learn how i handle grief. each time in my life i've heard devastating news, i've let myself feel it for just a moment - maybe a day or two at most - let myself cry until i can't breathe. then a survival switch flips inside me, and i shove any pain into a little compartment in my heart, so i can move forward.
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i think that may be how i handle elation as well. my survival switch is keeping my emotions in check, because if i allowed myself to fully feel this moment, my heart might literally explode with joy.
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my mom recently sent me a box with hundreds of pages of writing from before i could even spell. in the back of one story, i wrote myself this little bio:
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<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><em><strong>My name is Erin Jade Lang</strong></em> <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(yes, I misspelled my own last name)</span><em> <strong>and I am eight years old. When I grow up I want to be a writer.</strong></em></span></div>
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i guess in many ways, i still feel like that 8 year old girl, playing pretend and wishing on a star. but sometimes there's just a split second - a flash of a moment - when i actually take it all in, and it's like that wishing star goes shooting across the sky. in those moments i have to look at myself in the mirror and have this conversation:
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<em>Is this happening?</em><br />
<em>It's happening.</em><br />
<em>Really?</em><br />
<em><strong>Really.</strong></em><br />
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<br />erinjadehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07209791582504174374noreply@blogger.com3