Odds n' ends

Hello! A lot has happened since my last post and there are so many things that are making me happy.

1. Writing. I'm working on a new book idea and it's coming along swimmingly. It's still early days and I haven't even shown it to my agent, but as writers out there are sure to know, it feels great to have an exciting new project going.

2. Good health. I've been sick as have my kids and husband, so I'm just now getting back into working out. I love doing yoga and spin class and the combination does wonders for my body and mind.

3. School Visits. The latest two schools were elementary schools, a little younger than I'm used to, so I put together a new presentation called "Imagine the Possibilities!" where I show funny pictures of myself and how many times my dream has changed. It's fun for me to talk about this because it relates to everyone, young and old, and it reminds me just how far I've come as a writer and as a person.

4. Coaching boys' basketball. I've coached soccer and it was such a wonderful experience, and since I actually played basketball once upon a time, I was really looking forward to trying my hand at coaching it. The boys keep me on my toes and it's so amazing how far they've already come.

5. Skiing and snowboarding. Here in Utah, we've had lots of snow which means great days on the ski hill. My youngest is loving the sport so far!

6. Hot air balloons. This is really random, because while we have hot air balloons floating around quite often in the warmer months, it's not every winter day we get to see one.

What has you in a good mood today?

What I'm Writing This Year

2010 is going to be an exciting year for me because my third novel, LIFTED, comes out in June. When you have a book coming out, you find yourself writing all sorts of things, from media releases to interviews for bloggers to email responses to fans. It's also important to keep your web-site and blogs updated.

Last night, I wrote a new presentation because while I've been doing school visits for middle and high schools, now I'm being asked to present at elementary schools. I'm also working on a workshop I'll be presenting at Utah Valley University March 15-16. (Web-site with more info to come.) I really love finding new and creative ways to inspire and educate, and presenting at schools and conferences is one of my favorite parts of being an author. It not only allows me to pull from my education (I majored in Speech Communication); it gives me the chance to connect face-to-face with readers, potential readers, and writers of all levels.

As far as books, I have a sweet friendship-based middle grade idea, kind of like the Ro-Coms but for younger readers, and I'm hoping it will be a go. Also, I'm working on a paranormal idea. Right now, I'm researching like crazy and learning all sorts of fun things. I'm a firm believer that you need to learn the rules before you break them and give them your own unique flavor. My goal is to have at least one and hopefully two books published every year, so I have a lot of work to do this year to keep that happening!

I hope you're having a wonderful 2010!

School Visits Rock!

My favorite parts of being a YA author are getting to work in my pajamas, receiving email from readers, hanging out with cool authors, and visiting schools.

Today I got to visit Grantsville Middle School in Utah, along with 5 other authors, an illustrator, and a photo journalist. Right when I walked through the doors, I was pleasantly surprised to see a lovely young lady holding a "Wendy Toliver" sign like chaffeur drivers do at airports. Kyra took me around the whole day, letting me know what to expect and keeping me from getting lost. First up was a delicious dutch oven lunch in the library, followed by an assembly in the cafeteria where the talented Jessica Day George (of Dragon Slippers fame) had the students in stitches when she explained that her 8th grade teacher told her she was such a great writer she could just quit school. Which didn't go over too well with Jessica's mom, needless to say.

Next I was taken to a classroom where I gave a talk to two separate groups of students. They asked some great questions and I hope they learned something from me, or at least were somewhat entertained by my sleep-deprived presentations. I had a personal first when one of the guys offered to be my agent. Finally, we had a book signing in the gym. In addition to books, I signed countless bookmarks, pieces of paper, foreheads, and hands. It was a wonderful day and I'm thrilled to have been a part of it.