J. G.

It's been a long time since I posted to LJ. It used to be my fave place to hang out in the whole world. I guess I'm feeling nostalgic. I miss it! How is LJ land.

I remember rumors of Twitter and people started heading over there. And now. That is where I hang out too. And Facebook. But I think I'll start popping my head in here from time to time to see what is happening in the LJ world I used to love so much!

Cheers!
JaNET

I need to go to the bookstore and buy up a vat of new YA books.
That is all. You may resume your activities.

I'm trying to figure out what my character would have on the walls in his bedroom and wondering if anyone with teen boys knows if they put posters on their walls or do the decor on their own or do they just let mom or dad still be in charge of the decor. I know my sisters teen girls have walls plastered or individualized with cool stuff, but not sure about boys.

Anyone?

Of course I support the huge cry out in the YA community against the craziness that has come up about Speak and Twenty Boy Summer. These are wonderful, wonderful books and so far from pornography that it sickens me to have the comparison made.

I wish I could write a longer post that envelops my feelings on the subject. I am pressed for time though so can only throw my support into the virtual world. I will do my part in the real world too, in libraries and in encounters with the people who actually buy the books and read them. And LOVE them.

I vow to Speak Loudly against this horrible type of ignorance. Never let the victim be shamed into silence. Don't pretend that ugliness doesn't exist. Do something about it. Talk about it.

You know what's right. So do I.

Yippee!

As I have lurked in the background of the online world, so busy with life not really feeling like I had much to say, changes have been going on. First of all I was lucky enough to be adopted by the new editor at Sourcebooks, Teen Fire, Leah Hultenschmidt, and she is fabulous. Capital F. Leah comes from Dorchester, with a great reputation as an editor in the Romance Industry. Since I started out writing romance and was a member of RWA for several years, this is exciting news!!!

We have spoken on the phone and have been working on revisions and now I have been told I can offically post the cover for THE WEIGHT OF BONES, selected with input from the great folks who voted at the TEEN FIRE website.

http://teenfire.ning.com/forum/topics/help-us-pick-the-new-weight-of

The votes really did count because the cover that I was originally shown is not the cover that was chosen. I am SOOOOO happy with the cover that was chosen (it was secretly my favorite) They added some spice to make it even better and without further blah blah blahing....here is is!!!



THE WEIGHT OF BONES is going to be released in APRIL 2011!

I am really excited about this book (it's a weepy one for people who love weepy books as much as I do) and can't wait for the next steps in the book journey!!!

To tat, or not to tat, that is the question.

I am contemplating a new tattoo. Possibly on my foot or ankle. Even though I am married to the most conservative man in the world who equates body art to corruption and sin, I think it's time for a new one. He will adapt. :) After all, he did adapt to the nose pierce. Which he also struggled with. But proved he has some flexibility in his old bones. ;)

But it is not his body, it is mine and I have been bitten by the urge. I think it's because I'm approaching a half birthday. I find them so much more difficult-- the halfies, knowing the next one takes me over the edge towards a new decade. Not that I want to be ashamed of my age. But that's a whole other conversation! The tat.

I am in contemplation mode now. It has to be something meaningful to me. Something to do with who I am today. And how do I identify myself most (besides being Mom to fabulous Superson)

Writer of course. Perhaps a phrase? A title? An image. Hmmm.

Well. Not really a new name. It's been my name for um...12 years (had to stop and do a mental calculation hee hee) Janet Gurtler.

I'm so very excited to finally be able to officially jump up and down and screech, "HURRAY, HURRAY, The Weight of Bones is going to be published!"

I really love this book, which is about sisters, Tess and Kristina, and the roles we take on in life and how difficult it can be to change them. FYI- I love sister books. Sisters can have such complicated relationships, yet at the core of this bond is someone who gets you, who has your back when it's down to the crunch and someone who is (hopefully) always there for you in one way or another.

My agent Jill though says it better on the blurb from PM.

Children's:
Young Adult Janet Gurtler's THE WEIGHT OF BONES, a twist on MY SISTER'S KEEPER for teens, in which a brainy high school freshman embraces yet resents the shadow of her beautiful, popular, volleyball-scholarship-bound sister, but when the senior is diagnosed with bone cancer, it drastically changes both sisters' lives, to Sourcebooks Fire, by Jill Corcoran at The Herman Agency (NA).

The book journey was a wee bit serendipitous, I think. Even though the editor who acquired The Weight of Bones left Sourcebooks for a new opportunity, he is a fabulous guy who I am so grateful to, for bringing the book to acquisitions and getting the wonderful,"yes". Haven't officially "met" my new editor yet but have heard wonderful things about her, and looking forward to working with Sourcebooks soon! Fortunately she was one of the people who was on the acquisitions team, so is already behind The Weight of Bones!

So why the new name, Janet Gurtler?

Well. Some of the books that I write are super edgy. ie- Waiting To Score. When WTS was published, I chose to use my initials as it was a "boy" book and it made more sense to leave the name androgynous. MacLeod is the name I went by as a teen so it made sense. Thus. J.E. MacLeod. BTW- I have a couple of more books in me that might lend well to the J.E. MacLeod name, so that's not dead and gone, but for my more commercial books, the name I go by now will be the name on my books. Thus. Janet Gurtler.

It means I will eventually be coming up with a new blog and new website for Janet Gurtler, but will link one to the other for easy reference.

I can't wait until The Weight of Bones comes out, and look forward to the many great stops along the way to publication. Revisions! Cover! Copyedits! ARCs! Promotion!

It's going to be a fun and exciting ride!

In case anyone hasn't seen this, LJ's own Megan Crewe, who is one of the nicest authors I've never met (tee hee) and an amazing writer to boot- has some very exciting news!

July 8, 2010

Children's:
Young Adult Megan Crewe's THE WAY WE FALL, in which a 16-year-old challenges her fears, finds a second chance at love, and fights to keep her family and friends safe as a deadly new virus devastates her island community, to Catherine Onder at Disney-Hyperion, in a significant deal, at auction, in a three-book deal, for publication in Winter 2012, by Josh Adams at Adams Literary (NA).

Congrats, Megan, is it strange I feel kind of mama proud like?

July 7, 2010

Children's:
Young Adult Janet Gurtler's THE WEIGHT OF BONES, a twist on MY SISTER'S KEEPER for teens, in which a brainy high school freshman embraces yet resents the shadow of her beautiful, popular, volleyball-scholarship-bound sister, but when the senior is diagnosed with bone cancer, it drastically changes both sisters' lives, to Sourcebooks Fire, by Jill Corcoran at The Herman Agency (NA).

Seeing it on Publisher's Marketplace makes it kind of real, right? I am SO excited about this book and have been sitting patiently on the deal while contracts were being drawn. But finally I get to say....HOOOOORAYYYYYYY!!

So thrilled for my friend Bethany!

Children's:
Middle grade Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus's GRANDFATHER GANDHI, known as Bapu, Father, to all of India, was more than a renowned world leader whose work changed the world; he was also a grandfather; an untold and personal glimpse into the life of Gandhi when his troubled grandson arrives in India, to Namarata Tripathi at Atheneum Children's, by Regina Brooks at Serendipity Literary Agency