Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Ta Ta For Now!


Alas, I'm so new to the Ro Com family and already it's time to say goodbye. Well, it's been good while it lasted. And I'm still thrilled to be in the company of such amazingly funny, talented writers! My Ro Com isn't even out yet... Language of Love will be out this December as part of the "Love, Love, Love" title. It's my first stab at fiction, and I read many of the books by the wonderful authors here like Jenn Echols, Wendy Toliver, Niki Burham, and more, to learn about what makes a romantic comedy work. So I thank you all for setting the stage, teaching me through your writing, and welcoming me into the Ro Com family!

Even though I won't be blogging here anymore, please come by and visit my blog for teens, Smart Girls Know. I post there a few times a week about everything from writing contests and opportunities for teens to stuff going on in the world that is relevant to young women. You can also keep up with my other writing projects on my author website, friend me on Facebook, or follow me on Twitter (@DeborahReber).

Thanks for all of your support for this blog and the Romantic Comedies books, and I look forward to staying in touch!

XOXO Deborah Reber

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

It's Been A Thrill

One of the thrills of my life was when my agent called to let me know that Simon & Schuster were interested in buying Royally Jacked, my first book for teens, and that--double thrill!--they wanted to make it one of the two launch titles for an all-new line of romantic comedies. Thanks to all the great authors Simon Pulse discovered for the line--most of whom are right here on this blog--it ended up being a more successful venture than I ever could have imagined. And we have you, the readers who loved the books enough to write to us, to recommend them to your friends, and to talk up the books online, to thank for all of it.

It's been a wonderful adventure writing my four books for the romantic comedy line, and though the blog is ending, the adventure continues. You can follow the other authors at the links they've provided in their posts. If you'd like to find out about what I have in the works, you can visit my official Niki Burnham website and bulletin board (which I check regularly), as well as my personal blog, The Go-Ahead. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter. Feel free to post your thoughts or ask questions anytime!

Again, thanks so much for making this blog--and the romantic comedies--such a success. It's been a thrill!

Monday, August 23, 2010

Thanks For The Memories

What a ride this has been. From the moment I was graciously invited to join this blog in advance of PERFECT SHOT’s release, I’ve felt welcomed by the Pulse Ro-Com community. Having a forum where I can introduce myself as an author while connecting with other authors and readers was beyond awesome.

As a Jersey girl living abroad, being a part of this blog family has helped to soothe some isolation blues. There was always a spirit of fun and support here. This was no doubt a reflection of blogstress Jenn Echols who set the tone when she got this this party started years back. Merci mucho much for everything, Jenn! And while I’m making shout-outs… Thanks to everyone who made this blog a regular stop on your daily web browsing. Thanks also to those who have left comments and linked us to other sites. We so appreciate your enthusiasm for the Pulse Ro-Com series.


The good news is that the connections we’ve all made here will continue. Let’s meet up again at our various sites, blogs and social network hubs. You can find me on my blog, website, facebook and the S&S site. Let’s all pick up right where we left off, shall we?

Until Next Time...

Shhh …. don’t tell my editor but I’m sneaking away from the deadline I’m on for a couple seconds so I can say goodbye to this amazing Ro Com Community that the incomparable Ms. Echols created. Well, maybe it's not so much a “goodbye” as a “see you around” since we’re not dropping off the face of the earth or anything. The Ro Com writers are all over the internet, putting me to shame with my relative lack of participation in social media.

This blog was one of the first that I ever knew about that brought together a writing community with the readers. I've enjoyed every minute being part of the team and sharing stories and the writing experience with all the wonderful readers and aspiring writers out there. I've gained so many new friends here. Friends that call me P.J., which makes me feel even closer to you even if you don't know what I look like ... or that I'm a guy. (Not like this was hard to figure out. Clicking on the link to my website pretty much blew that "secret." Also my last name. There aren't too many Ruditises out there writing for teens.) Don't worry though. I don't think we've seen the last of P.J. At least, I hope we haven't.

Beyond this blog, I don’t have much of a web presence. My website is hopelessly out of date, but I am tweeting away on Twitter. At least, not when I’m on deadline. (I added that last part for my editor.)

TTFN!

Thursday, August 19, 2010

Simon Pulse Ro-Coms Rock!

As you might have heard, we are saying goodbye to the Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies blog. First, I want to thank the 11 amazing authors who've been contributing, from those who've been there from its inception (like the amazing Jennifer Echols, the blog's creater and web mistress) to some of our newest authors. It's been a blast getting to know you and read your books!

Personally, I received my invitation to join this talented, witty, and fun-loving group in 2007, right before my first ro-com (and first novel ever!), The Secret Life of a Teenage Siren, came out in December 26, 2007. It's hard to believe it's been that long! Then, about a year later, in Feb. 2009, Miss Match came along. Sinice then, I've been working on different projects, but my ro-coms will always have a special place in my heart, and that's thanks to all the fabulous Pulse Ro-Com readers out there! So thank YOU!

I know I speak for everyone when I say we hope you still stay in touch with us on our various web-sites and other blogs. Here are some good places to find me on the web: My web-site, Facebook, Twitter, Teen Fiction Cafe blog, Books Boys Buzz blog, and my official Simon and Schuster author page.


Goodbye, blog! *sniffle*

Almost four years ago in October 2006, just a few months after Major Crush, my first novel, had been published, I finally got the okay from Simon Pulse to start this blog. We've had hundreds of posts and countless visitors over the years, but I never thought that after four years, we'd still have eleven Simon Pulse Romantic Comedies authors participating.

However, we have decided to close the blog and concentrate on other projects. Over the next week you'll find other authors posting here to say goodbye and tell you where else you can find them online.

You know where to find me: my web site, my guest book, my personal blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

But I've really appreciated your support of this blog over the years. As a thank you, I'm giving away all four of my romantic copies: a copy of Major Crush, a copy of The Ex Games, and The Boys Next Door and Endless Summer together in one volume. I will draw one winner at random. To enter, you should be at least 13, and if you're a youngling you should have your significant adult's permission. You must enter before midnight Central Daylight Time on Wednesday, August 25. U.S. addresses only, please. It costs eighteen dollars to send Endless Summer alone to Vietnam. I found this out the hard way.

For a chance to win, just e-mail me at echolsjenn (at) yahoo (dot) com AND post a comment here about your favorite romantic comedy. It could be a Simon Pulse Romantic Comedy, another book, or a movie. Just don't say in your post, "You are my favorite author, Jennifer Echols, besides Catherine Clark," because I get enough of that already.

Thank you, blogosphere, for being so kind over the years. The day in July 2005 when I sold my first novel, and the day in October 2006 when I got this baby up and running, I never could have predicted how involved I would get with the reading and writing communities online, or how rewarding it would be.

Jenn ♥

Tuesday, August 03, 2010

When you were a teen, did you love or hate going back to school?

Hated it with a passion! I still get butterflies in my stomach when I walk through Target and discover that back to school supplies have replaced summer beach towels, and sunscreen. It wasn't that I struggled in school. I had plenty of friends and except for math and P.E. I did okay in class. I just didn't like school -- for a number of reasons. Summer was paradise mostly because of the freedom that came with it. Free to read books all day long, free to hang out at the beach, free to sleep in, free to watch the Price Is Right, free to do whatever the heck I wanted. No, I wasn't dying to return to tests, speeches, detention and stinky locker rooms. Furthermore, I'm a night owl. The summer nights of staying up late and then sleeping in were absolute heaven. I used to fantasize about throwing my alarm clock off a cliff. High school just seemed like this really slippery stepping stone I had to maneuver my way over before I could get to a much better place, college.