Meg's Diary
Win a Book
New Size 12 Cover/Reviews/Award
Well, I have a new review for my December 27, 2005 release, SIZE 12 IS NOT FAT, and you know what that means: A new cover!
I don't know why every time I get a new review, it is accompanied by a new cover. This is the final cover for this book (I hope), but not the final review. I was surprised to remember when I saw this cover that there actually IS a red dress in the story. Check it out:
From Kirkus Reviews:
"YA veteran Cabot (Teen Idol, 2004, etc.) bumps it up a notch with a mystery set in a residence for college freshmen.
Heather Wells used to rock the pre-pubescent set, belting out hits like "Sugar Rush" in malls all over America. Now, just shy of 30, she's yesterday's news. Her mom stole her savings and bolted for Europe with her agent; Cartwright Records canceled her contract; her fiance, Jordan Cartwright, is getting it on with size-2 Tania Trace; and Heather has ballooned to the proportions of a normal American female. So she takes a job as assistant director of a residence hall at New York College, just off Washington Square, hoping to hang in past her probationary period and earn tuition benefits so she can get her degree. But hanging in is a challenge when two students are killed while elevator-surfing. Nerdy girls like Elizabeth Kellogg and Roberta Brace don't usually get their kicks jumping between the roofs of elevator cars. But Heather can't get NYPD Detective Canavan to look for foul play, and she doesn't even bother airing her theory to her boss, Rachel Walcott, or Rachel's assistant Sarah. That leaves private eye Cooper Cartwright, Jordan's gorgeous brother, who took in Heather when his father's record label booted her out–if only she can bring herself to level with the elusive man of her dreams.
Appealing to the kid in anyone."
Reviews are a funny thing. I'm always really surprised when I get a good review. I was one of those students whose stuff was almost universally hated by my English teachers and most of my fellow creative writing workshop attendees, so I'm more used to negative feedback than positive. I sort of like negative feedback. It gives me something to complain about besides the fact that I am 38 and a half years old and still get zits.
On a different note, I recently learned that I have apparently been the recipient of a Decency Award for my book, ALL AMERICAN GIRL.
I am not sure what a Decency Award is, but apparently, they take your book and put it on a special shelf in libraries, so conscientious parents can know that your book is 100% smut-free and therefore appropriate for their child.
While I am ALWAYS delighted to get an award–because, basically, I never win anything—this news disturbed me. Or rather, it disturbed the 16 year old in me. The 38 and a half year old me is delighted that a book of mine that might not have been read by a certain segment of the population might now actually be read by them.
Because, let's face it, a certain segment of the population picked up copies of THE PRINCESS DIARIES after the movies came out and were horrified to find that the books are quite unlike the movies (i.e. the books mention condoms). This made many of them vow never to read one of my books again (I know this because they wrote to tell me so).
So it's good that these people might actually read at least ONE of my books, and possibly come to realize that, while they may not be Disneyesque, they're still…well, funny. And personally I think the heroines make good role models, in that they are kind to others and stick up for themselves. For the most part.
But to the 16 year old in me—well, let's just say if you had told me when I was 16 years old that when I was 38 and a half years old, I'd win a decency award for something I wrote, I'd have killed myself.
But then if you had told me when I was 16 years old that when I was 38 and a half years old, I'd win a decency award for something I wrote, have had something I wrote be made into a Disney movie, be living in Florida, and still be getting zits, I'd have REALLY killed myself.
And if you had told me when I was 16 years old that when I was 38 and a half years old, I'd win a decency award for something I wrote, have had something I wrote be made into a Disney movie, be living in Florida, still be getting zits, and be married to He Who Shall Not Be Named In This Blog–a guy I detested because when I was 16, he was 22, drove a red BMW, listened to Neil Young, and was always saying thing to me like, "Isn't it past your curfew? Don't you have to go home now?" when he saw me at college parties I shouldn't have been at anyway–I'd have not only killed myself, I'd have spontaneously combusted like one of those vampires on Buffy.
It's funny how your opinion on the things you hated (HWSNBNITB) and the things you thought were cool (leggings) when you were 16 change when you get to be 38 and a half.
But not EVERYTHING changes.
More later.
PS THREE DAYS TILL "CATEGORY 7: END OF THE WORLD," THE MOVIE EVENT OF THE YEAR, SUNDAY NOV 6 9PM EST on CBS. BE THERE!!!!!
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