Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards

My first book, The Tilting House, is a finalist in the Pennsylvania Young Reader’s Choice Awards, in the grade three-to-six category. It’s a pretty short list. I wish I knew some sneaky, underhanded way to get these brilliant Penn State kids to vote for my book…

Anyway, if you want to see the list, go here: http://tinyurl.com/3j6769k

It’s alive!

Just a quick note to update the status on the long and winding journey from idea to publication. The esteemed Abigail Samoun is about to officially launch her agency. More on that later. In the meantime, I just sent her what I hope are final changes to the Letter Off Dead manuscript. Abigail had a handful of young readers read the manuscript and they all had the same issues with the story.

I’m not overly fond of writing to please focus groups, but I agree with their criticisms and am happier with the story after the changes.

Abigail The Esteemed will begin shopping around the story, likely in early June. I’m happy to let her take on that part of the process. In the meantime, I’m full steam ahead on another story. It is a yet untitled young adult murder mystery–intimate, violent, set in Tacoma and jammed with local characters and landmarks. Classic noir meets Stadium High School. Hilltop vs. The North End. And a bit of Romeo and Juliet.

Stand by for news.

Tom