Maggie Bean in Love, available December 22!

I've gotten many emails asking when Maggie Bean in Love will be out, and I'm very happy to announce its official release date of December 22!

Now, if you're like me, this news might seem both good and not-so-good. It's good because YAY!, Maggie's fun love story will be out just in time for Valentine's Day! (And Christmas, which means I get one extra present this year.) :) But it's slightly not-so-good in that it's currently March. It feels like my sister and I were just lounging in our pjs by Mom's Christmas tree last weekend. And next December is still NINE months away!

The key to waiting? Keeping busy! Here's what I'll be doing in the next few months to help time fly:

1. Writing, writing, writing. Every day. I'll continue some new YA projects I've been working on, as well as Ruby's Slippers, my next 'tween book, which will be out in summer 2010.

2. Watching American Idol and Dancing with the Stars. Fortunately (or unfortunately, I can't decide!) these shows take up a LOT of time. And they tend to come around again pretty quickly, so are very good for distraction.

3. Going to the beach. This one's only good for a few months, but sitting in the sand on warm summer days will definitely make those few months feel like the shortest of the year!

4. Running, running, running. I've never been a runner. Or a jogger. Or anything close. Like Maggie, I always dreaded the annual mile run in gym class. However, I'm doing something totally crazy right now: I'm trying to BE a runner. Like, a real one, that keeps track of miles and everything. Not only that, I'm hoping to eventually participate in a marathon, which is so many miles I get tired just thinking about it!

Coincidentally, the marathon I'm training for is in December. Which means I'll be running as long as I'll be waiting for Maggie Bean in Love to come out.

Which means thank goodness for writing, reality TV, and warm summer days at the beach!