GirlPie - You’re right, of course, That’s finally what got me: I was afraid of becoming a voice who could influence whom? Yeah. Maybe I ought to take a long, hard look in the mirror about that one.

Thanks for the support.

Look at those beloved characters the best-of-the-best create… I’m from the Nancy Drew era (ahem) but am still carrying some of her lessons (although I only adopted her because I couldn’t be Sherlock Holmes, my REAL hero…)

You embrace that YA Reader and the genre like the transformational-yet-entertaining cash-cow-of-creativity that it is and build your fans now that’ll love you into your eighties. me and Earl included.

I agree with you that it can be hard to find a “balance” sometimes - you might not want to share great news because you don’t want to feel like you’re bragging, or it might not even pan out the way you’d hoped. Furthermore, people can be so jaded these days that they’ll either tend to focus on the negative or be distrustful of any praise or happiness that comes their way. Or, they’ll be so leary of taking a chance on something that really could make them happy that they’ll stay in the “safe zone.”

Yep, screw “safe,” take chances, and live life. :)

I lost a friend last weekend in a horrible tubing accident in CO., she was 29, a single (and devoted) mom and now she’s gone. We need to make “Happy” every day, who knows when our time is up!

Thanks for sharing the news with a few “friends” we’ll be here to support you 100%

Mary Ellen - Well, to be fair, I was holding back for a number of reasons. There were so many things up in the air–including whether I even wanted to do it–I felt funny about mentioning it. I think my change of heart comes from thinking I maybe do want to do it, even if it’s “only” a YA book (and I may get branded as “only” a YA writer.)

I finally decided that whatever I write will be my writing, period: if people feel like sticking me in a box, that’s their biggie.

Jeanne - Thanks. All sized hips are welcome!