Promises, shmomises
Why do I promise such things as updating this in a certain time? Whenever I say that, just add a month. Oy!
Got lots to talk about but also lots of pages to write, so just a few quick things…
Thank you to everyone who voted for FINALLY for the Children’s Choice Book Awards!! There were over half a million voters! (not all for my book, obviously, since the hilarious Lunch Lady and the Summer Camp Shakedown by Jarrett J. Krosoczka won in our category.) It was a fabulous night, where I got to hang out with my editors and other publishing folk who I never get to see, and meet some of my favorite authors (will update my Author Pals page soon, I promise! Although we all know how much THAT’S worth! ;o) but here’s one to tide you over. 
That’s me and Alvina Ling (my wonderful editor at Little, Brown) with…wait for it…LeVar Burton, who played Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: Next Generation! Alvina and I are huge Star Trek nerds (but in a good way!), so we were very smitten. He was there to support the world of children’s books, for which he has so generously and effectively been an advocate for twenty years through Reading Rainbow.
Below is a sneak peek at the cover for the next book in the “birthday” series, coming out September 1st. Soon to be 13-year-old Tara makes one big mistake…and has 13 chances to fix it in 13 GIFTS. Come meet newcomer Tara, and hang out with Amanda and Leo from 11 BIRTHDAYS, and Rory from FINALLY. And remember, life in Willow Falls is never as it seems.
Oh, and I just had to share my new favorite thing, discovered at my good friend’s Ilissa’s daughter’s bat mitzvah (shout out to Rachael S! You rock!). This picture doesn’t do it justice. Picture Rice Krispie Treats, wrapped in Fruit Roll-Ups, stuffed with Swedish Fish, Gummy Bears, licorice, and Tootsie Rolls. Seriously, does it get any better than that? Wish I’d thought to put this in The Candymakers!
This Spring has been filled with school visits, and I’ve had SUCH a great time. I’ve met wonderful kids and seen some book projects that just astounded me in their creativity. And when I figure out how to post a video in here, I’ll include some songs from a play one school did for Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, with real professional, Broadway singers singing original lyrics that 5th graders wrote! SO AMAZING!! (of course i cried!). I still have more visits to come, although you know you’ve been on the road too long when your key doesn’t work so you go to the front desk and tell them, to which they point out that the key says “Hilton Garden” on it and you’re at the Fairfield Inn. And to make it even more embarrassing, I was on my cell with Rebecca Stead (i’m such a name dropper) at the time so she got to witness my shame, first hand. Well, through the phone anyway. Guess I should clean out my bag more often!
And thank you everyone who wrote in a title suggestion for the new book. As soon as Alvina returns from the wilds of Australia, we’ll have a final title!
And last, but definitely not least, thank you to all the students in Vermont who voted for 11 BIRTHDAYS in the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award. It’s the first award for 11 BIRTHDAYS and I’m so honored! I’m really excited to meet as many of you as possible when I come up there in a few weeks!
i luv u wendy! tht is awesum i cant wait to hear the title or 2 read 13 birthdays
and tht rice krispie thing looks good:0
my mouth is watering
so yah
i hope u have a candyabulous ala docious day!;)
Wow that’s great!It’s sad you didn’t win but,still you tried!
11 birthdays also won the MA children’s book award! i voted for it. 🙂
-Rae
Note from wendy: Thanks, Rae for letting me know it won!! You rock!!
It did?!Awesome(: I can’t wait until 13 Gifts come out!
Please post something when it does,also please post when it’s out!
Hey Wendy,
You met the Reading Rainbow guy?! Authors are so lucky!
Anyway, I love the cover for 13 Gifts. I read 11 Birthdays, but never got around to Finally. However, all this talk over the series has piqued my interest. Finally is (finally) on my reading list!
Also, love the sushi. I’m a sucker for candy shaped like food. Ever have one of those gummi hamburgers? Delish!
Oh Wendy, you are so amazing, you are the BEST. I hope you had the time of your life at the Children’s Choice Awards, although I can see from your pic it wasn’t that hard! I haven’t even read 11 Birthdays yet, but as soon as find THAT and get it, I can’t wait to check out 13 Gifts! And congrats to your friend’s daughter on her Bat Mitzvah, and those candy sushis look AMAZING!
Have a great week, Wendy!
-Liv 🙂
I want candy sushi!
Hi, Wendy! This was the most recent place I could comment on so I am just gonna do it here! I just read the Candymakers (because I am absolutly in love with candy) and I have now labeled it the best book I have ever read. Seriously. I finished it in 3 days which is pretty amazing for me, at least! But after I was finished, I was sooooo sad! this might be a rumor but one of my friends said you were coming out with a sequel. Well, I strongly advise you to beacause I miss it sooo much! I feel like a part of my is missing! Your writing is really amazing and I miss my Candymakers! And that is CRAZYYY that you didnt win! you totally should have!
lots of love,
Grace Nashville, TN
i. need. candy….woah….why do i suddenly feel like wendy mass? hmmm…*shrugs* its a mystery;)
I’m so excited for 13 Gifts! I can’t wait 😀 September 1, I’ll remember to write it on my calandar 😉
That’s great Wendy. :] It’s a shame you didn’t win- you deserved it. But oh well, there’s always next time, right? And it’s good you won the MA children’s book award. :] Also, it’s great 11 Birthdays won the Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award. :] Yup, thats it.
Your books are great. Is there hopefully going to be a sequel to Every Soul a Star?
That’s so cool (13 Birthdays). Are you going to write more books for the birthday series? I predict (and probably will be write) that it’s going to be just as good as all your other books!
I love your books. You’re such an inspiration to everyone of my friends, we all love you!
Hi,Wendy 🙂 I just got a letter from you and I nearly screamed 😀 I was so happy, I showed ll my friends. They’re big fans of you, too. When I wrote my letter to you, I was in 4th grade, and I got to choose my favorite author and write to them. I thought of you really fast. By then, though, I hadn’t read all of your books. But now I’ve read them all and can’t wait for the next one! Thank you so much for taking the time to respond to my letter, it really means a lot to me 😀
–Yours Truly, Saarah
Omg I Luv your books! I just finished Heaven Looks a Lot Like The Mall! And it was awesome! Im doing a book report on it and there is so much to tell in such a short space! I also luved the 11 birthdays, and 12 Finally. They were so good and once Im near the end with one of your books, I dont want it to end! Well, thank you so much and i hope you keep writing amazing, and fun teen books! 🙂
Hi, does anybody know of a good way place to remember the details about the last two books without have to read them again? I have read about a gazillion books since those and I just need a little refresher! You should have heard my shouts of pure, utter glee that came out of my bedroom when I saw this!!!
PS…I LOVE every soul a star!
My favorite book of yours is A Mango-Shaped Space because Mia is me. It is really cool to relate to because I have synesthesia myself. I have grapheme color-synthesia. My case is not as wild as Mia’s but I see a lot of things in the same way and in her point of view.
Your really an inspiration for my writings!
i wendy i love your books!! I was at the DCF thing today, at the end I got to tell you my ideas for the title of your new book, but you probably were so busy and stuff that you forgot it.
So my ideas for the title are
How many 14 year olds does it take to create the universe?
and, Joss’s World
I loved the presentation you were so good, congratulations on winning!!!
that was supposed to say hi in the begining
so, hi wendy I was at the award (DCF) and you said somthing about naming a book and getting your name in the book! well I have a great name for the book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! here it is: The Universe Puzzle
Dear Wendy Mass,
I love your books. I recently went to the DCF awards when you where there. You said that if we could come up with a name for your new book our name would be in the book. I wanted to suggest (if it was in 1st person) ” I didn’t mean the universe, I really didn’t ” If it was in any other perspective ” The day (main charecters name) broke the universe. Those are just a few of my suggestions. Can’t wait to read your new book !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
🙂
Hi!! I just read 12 Finally and I really enjoyed it. The thing is, I just started 11 birthdays. It has some of the characters in 12 Finally and it makes me confused. I didn’t know that these books were linked in any way. Or are they. I’m really confused here. Also, I was looking at the other comments and I did not know that there were any other books in this so called “Birthdays Series.” Could you please update your website so that I know what other books you have written. I love your writing!!! 🙂
I found it easier to read 11 birthdays first, i understand your. Confusion!!! Just remember, in finally remember these things and you can solve the “puzzle” wendy created,
Amanda and leo hang out all the time
The lady with the duck birth mark
How they said that they were planting apple trees on there b-day party
And more, when you are confused, think of events in finally!!!!!
Fan of wendy, Ellybell
Rebecca Stead is a great author! When You Reach Me was really good! I’ve read basically all of your books. My birthday is the 19th, so 13 gifts will be awesome! I remember when you came to my school last year. Rambling is fun, don’t you agree. I finished The Candymakers in a day, and th rest of your books in about two days (I was coming back from vaccation, driving 7 hours for Candymakers.). You are truly a great author. Please continue to write.
Ramble=Done
Mind=Blown
Jordan+nadraJ
I can not believe 13 gifts is coming out September first!! That’s me bbfs g’day and she is turning 13, we are huge fans!!!!!!!
I can no wait for 13 birthdays to come out!!!!!!!! I find it weird how it comes out on my bff’s birhday and she is turning 13!!!! My birthday is on the 10th so 13 birthdays is on my wishlist!!! I just got my friend to start reading your books and she is reading 11 birthdays!!! I just finished finally and i was ondering if you were going to make another book in the birthday series after 13 gifts?!?!? I hope you do!!!!! You are amazing!!!!!
Dear Wendy,
I can’t wait ’till your next book 13 Gifts comes out. Me an others have been wondering, will you write a one about being fourteen? Oh, please! I love your books they leave us all in awe after another one of your amazing novels. Your my favorite writer!
I finished 13 Gifts last night, and it was amazing! It kept me on my toes! My favorite part was when Connor thought David was changing religions! The first book I ever read by you was 11 Birthdays, and its also my favorite, so the whole book set had sentimental value to me! I love your work!
-Peri
i luv wendy mass thats all the book i luv to read im like a realy huge fan and i was so excited to find out wendy mass was coming to my school but that was last year but it was great i bought a signed copy of jermey fink and the meaning of life
Hi Wendy I absolutely love your books you are a genius. I was wondering are you working on another book like about someone who is 14 in willow falls I don’t want to be pudgy but I recommend that the name be Anna I’m just saying hehe. But me and my friends love your books so keep writing. I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!