Hi all!

Excited to announce that the first book in the re-released Twice upon a Time series is out now. I had so much fun setting them in medieval times and adding a dose of fairy tale magic and humor. It was also a great chance to give the prince a chance to tell his own version of the story. So boys, these books are for you, too!

I hope you enjoy them, and may all YOUR fairy tale wishes come true!

xo

Picture me jumping up and down and screaming when my editor called to tell me. I’m still jumping (just on the inside now.)

Thank you everyone who found this book in the bookstore and took it home, and to the bookstores who have been so supportive of it, and to all the people at Little Brown for thinking of such creative things to do with it–my favorite was the Hershey bars with the book cover as the wrapper! Yum!

Here is a link to the list on the Times’ web site. It will be in the actual paper on Sunday (Christmas!).

Happy holidays!!

Wendy (still jumping)

MOVIE UPDATE: Jeremy Fink is now available ONLINE on Walmart.com! Saves ya a trip to the store! (which is out of them!) This is the only place you can get the movie until its nationwide release in March.

And check out the newest movie trailer!

Ok, I just read the youtube comments, and seriously guys, it doesn’t matter that Lizzy’s hair isn’t red. Two seconds into the movie and you’re like, that’s totally Lizzy! She and Jeremy are the perfect fit.

I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! I’m putting together a special section of my website that will link to the supercool Jeremy Fink movie site (jeremyfink.net). If anyone wants to give feedback on the book (not the film), I’d love to hear from teachers and librarians on how you use the book in your schools, and from moms, dads, and kids of course! If you put your thoughts in the comment section below, I’ll pull it from there. Thanks so much!!

A reminder that if you want a book signed for a Christmas or Chanukah gift (or just because you want one!), you can order it through my wonderful local bookstore and they will holler for me to come in and personalize it for ya. Their number is: (973) 729-6200.

Last but not least, even though they won’t be out for a few more months, I wanted to give you a sneak peek at the returning (and new) books in the TWICE UPON A TIME series. Your favorite fairy tales as you’ve never heard them before! Now with new covers! New books in the series! First up on Feb 1 is Rapunzel, then Sleeping Beauty on April 1, then Beauty and the Beast on June 1st! You can pre-order them now.

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I’m so thankful for all of you!!! Best wishes for a happy and healthy holiday season! Wow, that snuck up fast!

xo

If anyone is near Westport, CT, the Bow Tie Cinema will be showing the Jeremy Fink movie at 7 pm, this Thursday, the 27th. Before that, at 4:30, the Westport Library is doing a panel on Book to Script to Film. Hope to see you there! (also a showing saturday morn at 10 but I can’t go to that one…)

Well, this is a first for me. I’m blogging to you from 40,000 feet on my way to California. Why is it that any time you fly and they show sitcoms it’s the ONE EPISODE of that sitcom that you’ve already seen? And why does time move so slowly on an airplane? Back on earth, no doubt three years have passed while I’ve been cowering in this seat praying to any kind of immortal being that happens to be listening.

What a weird thought—I’m not on earth right now.

But I digress. I’m here to talk about the JEREMY FINK PREMIERE in NYC last night! Watching it on a big screen with a live audience was an amazing experience—especially when most of the cast was in the audience with you. The humor and heart of the movie really jumped out at me, and the actors who brought it to life did such an amazing job. I know there were a lot of tough choices to make in terms of what to keep from the book and what to let go, and I hope when you guys see it you’ll keep in mind that not everything can make it in. That said, they added some things too, which I wound up loving. Too bad I can’t rewrite the book to include some of them! The cast and crew worked so hard last summer in the sweltering NYC heat to bring the book to life and finally got to see the fruit of their labors. The writer/director Tamar Halpern brought her own insights and heart to the film while and strived to make every scene special. She added some super-cool stop-action animation throughout that conveyed Jeremy’s thoughts in a way that live-action couldn’t.

The moment I met Max Beer I knew he was Jeremy. Seeing him on screen only strengthened that belief. He brought Jeremy’s insecurities to life in such a believable way, and then grew along with the character as he went on his journey. As Lizzy, the wonderfully talented Ryan Simpkins brought a vulnerability and feistiness to her character that lit up the screen. The beautiful and gifted Mira Sorvino as Jeremy’s mom brought her own unique magic to the film. She was able to give the relationship between Jeremy and his mom more depth than it had in the book. Joe Pantoliano as Mr. Oswald was hilariously wacky. His interpretation of the character was very different from the book’s, but I loved it. (I should note, I’m a longtime fan of these guys. Rory and Michelle’s High School Reunion? Midnight Run? Modern classics!!)

I also thought it was amazing that the director and producers found such talented, spirited actors to play the people that Jeremy and Lizzy met on their journey. Even if they only had a scene or two, each of these actors brought something special to their role and they were a pleasure to watch. I loved every scene with Michael Urie as James. He had such a believable connection with Jeremy and an ever-present glint in his eye. Mike Starr as the police officer who gives them community service brought unexpected humor to that scene (as did the kids). Betsy Brandt did the same with her role as Madame Zalensky near the end of the film. Her accent! Those facial expressions! I could watch that scene over and over. And talk about facial expressions—Markley Rizzi as Oswald’s housekeeper was hilarious in a really subtle way. Marian Seldes threw herself into the role of the unstable Mrs. Billingsly with zest. Roscoe Orman (the beloved Gordon from Sesame Street!) as the astrophysicist Dr. Grady just lit up the screen with his gentle warmth and bright-eyed enthusiasm. Heather Braverman and Ryan Glassman brought the perfect amount of snark to their roles as new neighbors Samantha and Rick. David Thornton added a whole new level of oddness to the role of Simon Rudolph, and Daniel Cosgrove brought humor and kindness to the role of Lizzy’s dad.

I think the movie and the book really compliment each other. If you see the movie first, then read the book, you’ll find some subplots that couldn’t fit into the movie and these will fill out Jeremy’s world even more for you. And if you see the movie after you read the book, then you’ll get to see this imaginary world brought to life by amazingly talented actors who truly embody their roles.

The producer of the film, Lauren Bullock, spoke beforehand. She stressed how important it is to live every moment, to embrace it all, to fully live life, the ups and the downs. To prove her point, she had to leave the premier early to visit her dad in the hospital. And that’s exactly how life is. It gives you great moments of joy, and great moments of sadness, often within hours of each other. And it does this over and over again like a giant roller coaster. I can attest to that, too. I spent the day of the premier waist deep in water that swept away half of our house. A line from the poem Desiderata by Max Ehrmann helped me to remain sane as I washed off the mud and put on a dress: Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. Being surrounded in that theater by relatives, old friends, new friends, my wonderful publishers and agents gave me a night I will never forget and I am very grateful. I am grateful too, for the readers of the book who have waited so patiently and enthusiastically for the movie to come out. And not one of them will complain that Lizzy’s hair is blond not red. RIGHT? ;o)

So get thee to Walmart today for your very own Platinum Collectors Edition!

The plane is FINALLY landing in sunny California where I’ll be embarking on a week-long book tour for 13 GIFTS. The roller coaster ride of life continues. As I am forced to “turn off all electronic devices” for landing, I will leave you with this hope—may all your roller coasters only go up. At least for a while.

Xo

Ryan, me, Max outside the theater

Above–movie spotted in New Jersey under New Releases!

And in Northern California where I bought my copy!

HI everyone!

Happy to announce that 13 GIFTS, the next book in the series that began with 11 BIRTHDAYS and FINALLY, has hit the stores!! You’ll find all your favorite characters from the other two books, along with a lot of new ones. Enjoy!!

Here’s a video about it from the Scholastic Book Fair. We had a lot of fun filming it!

Starred Review below from School Library Journal!

After a failed attempt at stealing a goat from her principal’s office, Tara’s punishment to spend her summer with relatives in the small town of Willow Falls. As she soon discovers, its inhabitants are anything but ordinary. Tara’s younger cousin, Emily, stays up late to solve math theorems; David, who lives across the street, sings and chants in a hole in the backyard in preparation for his bar mitzvah; and best friends Amanda and Leo wear chalkboards to communicate with one another. These quirky kids and others help Tara as she seeks to collect 13 curious objects required by a mysterious woman in exchange for something essential not only to her, but also to the town. In her quest, she and her new friends dress up in Sunshine Kid uniforms, sneak into the historical society, and meet a celebrity heartthrob. Finally, on her 13th birthday, Tara comes to the realization that life is better spent in the game than on the sidelines. By fusing middle-school drama with just a sprinkle of magic and mystery, Mass provides an optimistic and genuine addition to the coming-of-age genre. Many readers will relate to Tara, a seventh-grade wallflower who gains self-confidence, friendship, and a true place in Willow Falls. Her narration has an authentic voice, allowing readers to experience her thoughts, motives, and feelings. Mass keeps the plot jumping like a fireworks display; there’s one surprise spark after another, all coming together at the end for a breathtaking finale.–Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City, UT

ps. On the JEREMY FINK movie front…there will be a small NYC premiere at the end of the month and I’ll be sure to give you my full report then!

Okay, so I can finally tell you guys when the movie version of Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life is coming out…well, sort of. It might still be hitting a big screen here and there in the next few months, but if you don’t happen to live near “here” or “there”, you can still see it…and soon!! As in 6 weeks from now! The official release date on DVD and digital download (like Netflix, iTunes, etc,) isn’t for another 7 months or so (final date to come when announced)…BUT Walmart is too excited about the movie to wait, so they have the exclusive right to sell it starting October 4th!! So get thee to your local Walmart and pick up a copy or two. Hey, it cost less than 2 tickets and a popcorn and ya get to watch it as many times as you want!

I got to go to the recording studio in NYC to record the first chapter of the book, which is going to be included as one of the extras on the DVD. It was a lot of fun, and only a little intimidating! I’m such a big fan of audiobooks, and I loved getting to meet two of the voice actors who’ve recorded some of my books–Kathleen McInerney read all three of the “birthday books” (11 Birthdays, Finally, and 13 Gifts) and made them sound totally different, and Mark Turetsky recorded The Candymakers (all four voices!!) and was the voice of Jack in Every Soul a Star. I LOVED the jobs they both did, and after getting a small taste of the experience, am even more in awe of their talent. If you haven’t tried listening to a book yet, I highly recommend it.

Below is a sneak peek at the poster for the movie, and the tie-in cover of the paperback that will release on October 4th as well.

Movie poster above….book cover below…

I’m working on getting the final copy of the trailer, and as soon as I have a link I’ll post it here.

I’m going to see the movie this weekend and I’ll report back on it!’

I’d love to hear your thoughts on all this!

We have a winning title…Finally!! (no Finally’s not the title, that was a different book! Ok, a bad pun. Haven’t gotten much sleep lately!)

So in a previous blog entry titled: From A to Z, so many of you offered up amazing titles for the book about the boy who has to rebuild the universe (see the end of From A to Z to read the excerpt). After much deliberation between me and all the folks at Little, Brown publishers, the winner is…well, let me back up a little. So a few weeks ago I picked my leading contender–Pie in the Sky. Although my one hesitation was that there seems to be a lot of books with Pie in the title lately. Still, I liked it since the story really DOES have to do with pies in the sky and I like the fact that the quote means something that feels unattainable, or impossible. So I was telling my father-in-law the possible title and he asked, “Pie as in apple, or pi as in math, like 3.14?” I was about to tell him it was as in apple, when suddenly it hit me how well the other option worked. So I now present to you the title everyone agreed upon…PI IN THE SKY!!! Of course now i’ll have to figure out what Pi has to do with universe-building, but that’s for me to worry about. )

Since we couldn’t have come up with it without two of you who suggested Pie in the Sky, I’m happy to announce that Ingrid H and Jessica W will have their names in the book. I’ll contact both of you, too. Honorable Mention goes to Liz, for “Not-so-easy as pie.” (we’ll just pretend Lizzy from Jeremy Fink was for you!) Thank you to everyone who participated!!!! I thought there was another one with “sky” in the title, but I can’t find it. So if you offered one up, just let me know.

Now I’m off to eat a big slice of apple…pi?

I just want to thank all the kids and teachers and librarians and committee members who came from all over the state yesterday to celebrate your love of books and reading. It was amazing to meet all of you, and I was really honored to receive the award for
11 Birthdays. Plus, I got to miss a tornado by a mile on the way home! Not something you usually consider when driving from Vermont to New Jersey!

Really cool poster based on elements in the book.

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!