Now that we’re one month into release for "Skavenger’s Hunt," I wanted to send you all a quick update. Following the incredible amount of support both this summer and fall, along with the strong word of mouth from early readers, I’m happy to say the book’s debut has exceeded my most hopeful expectations.

Most gratifying, of course, has been the notes and reviews from you, the reader. When I set out to write this book, it was with the intent of telling a story I’d be proud to share with my grandchildren (like Harper and Jack below, apparently Hunter was off in the Cars 3 section). But seeing it receive such strong response not only from the middle reader and YA crowd, while also spreading its wings to adult readers, has been the very best holiday gift I could have imagined. 

So again...thank you! If you’ve read the book and enjoyed it, please take a moment to write a one or two sentence review on both amazon.com and goodreads.com. As a best-selling author told me a few months ago, "the only thing harder than writing a book is getting someone to read it."

Happy Holidays everyone!

Well...here we are: already speeding through November with what once seemed like a distant publishing release date for Skavenger’s Hunt now here. 

First of all, to those of you who ordered paperback copies of my first-ever novel, thank you! The shipment emails should have landed in your inbox by now, with the actual “hold in your hands and turn the pages” edition of the book on its way. To say I’m excited (along with honored, and humbled, and a laundry list of other descriptions) would be an understatement.

Early Thursday morning of this week, I flew down from Portland to Inkshares in Oakland, where the production team had stacked almost a thousand copies of the Hunt on a table, awaiting my signature. It was a task I was thrilled to tackle, even if my pen-grasping fingers got a little wobbly a few hours in. 

To our Grand Patrons of the book (those who received personalized inscriptions) please don’t hesitate to let me know if I got anything wrong. There’s certainly a chance, given the number of books signed, though I hope that’s not the case. 

And one more thing. Every time I finished signing a book, I’d pause for a second to let the ink dry...but I think I was also pausing for another reason. It was to remember how lucky I was that someone, perhaps a close friend, perhaps someone I didn’t even know, had decided to buy my book. 

Thanks for that. 

 I truly hope you enjoy the story that’s tucked in-between Will Staehle’s amazing cover. If you do, I’d be so appreciative of a short, quick review on key sites such as Amazon and GoodReads. And if you’re planning on giving the book as a gift to a middle-grade or YA reader, please extend them a special word from me. 

Enjoy!