Happy Chinese New Year! Goodbye, Year of the Bunny, you were wondrous and strange. Hello, Year of the Dragon! I hope you toast marshmallows. In a good way.

I like to think of the beginning of the calendar year as practice and Chinese New Year as the actual new start. Appropriately, I feel much better today than I did on January 1st. I got myself a dragon to wear, because I am fond of totems.

The little card that came with him informs me that dragons are magical creatures that have the power to see all things clearly and they are emblems of good fortune and protection. Sounds like a good thing to have around my neck, especially layered with my bloodmilk poet’s heart.

Starting the Year of the Dragon off on a spectacular note, too! While I was making my coffee this morning my phone started alerting so much it didn’t know which alert sound to make (seriously, poor thing was quite confused) and they were all congratulating me because The Night Circus won an Alex Award, which is given by the ALA to “ten books written for adults that have special appeal to young adults.” (I am in very good company with this year’s recipients.)

Now, this I find particularly awesome because several years ago, way back when the circus was not nearly book-shaped, I read The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly and the informative bits on the back cover included the fact that it had won an Alex Award with a brief explanation of what an Alex Award was for and I remember thinking to myself: that sounds like a really cool award, and also: that is the kind of thing I would like to write, adult books that also appeal to younger readers.

Never expected to actually win the award, though. So I am surprised and delighted and honored and thankful. I love librarians.

In other news, this is my week:

Tuesday, January 24

7:00pm Joseph-Beth Booksellers/Reading & Signing
2785 Dixie Hwy Crestview Hills, KY 41017

Wednesday, January 25

7:00pm Joseph-Beth Booksellers/Reading & Signing
161 Lexington Green Circle, Lexington, KY 40503

Thursday, January 26

6:00pm reception Salon@615 Series/Reading & Signing
6:30-7:30pm program Nashville Public Library,
615 Church St, Nashville, TN

Friday, January 27

7:00pm Foxtale Bookshop/Reading & Signing
105 E. Main Street, #138, Atlanta, GA 30188

It’ll be a busy week but nothing compared to the whirlwind of the fall so I think I should be okay. I am taking lots of vitamin C, though, just in case. I leave tomorrow. Right now I am packing. And by “packing” I mean “making lists of things I should probably put in luggage at some point and staring at my to-read shelves trying to figure out which books to bring.”

Also I am out of tour practice so I might just be extra chatty during these appearances, you’ve been forewarned. And I shall do my best to keep tweeting & blogging while I’m on the road, with a dragon around my neck.


11 Comments

Jacqi Rose · January 23, 2012 at 12:45 pm

My 15 year old sister and a friend both bought copies of The Night Circus when they came to visit me in New York. They tried to steal my copy, which I usually allow, who wouldn’t want to encourage teen reading, right? But I hadn’t read it yet, so I told them no. So while they were here, they both picked up copies. Her friend actually managed to get her hands on an autographed one from a bookstore in Woodstock (sooo jealous). I only bring this up because I see you’ll be in Lexington this week, which is about 30 minutes from where I grew up, and where most of my family still lives. I’ll let them know you’ll be there, and I’m sure if they make it I’ll get a picture, and again, will be jealous. Have a great time in Kentucky!!

Cindy a.k.a. crichardwriter · January 23, 2012 at 1:41 pm

Being a dragon baby, I think I should get one of these totems too. I feel like this is going to be a really good year. I have always thought it was cool that dragons are the only mystical creatures in the Chinese zodiac.

Lucy "Sara" · January 23, 2012 at 4:37 pm

I want to audition for Poppet can you email me when you figure out when the auditions are?

Rachel · January 23, 2012 at 5:13 pm

And I want to audition for Isobel. I’m totally just messing with you. I read your PSA announcement. I hope you come to Salt Lake City or close.

Taylor Lynn · January 23, 2012 at 6:53 pm

I’m glad to hear that the Chinese New Year is treating you better than the calendar new year!! And such a great idea, to get a dragon necklace for the Year of the Dragon. Perhaps I should get some sort of dragon-y trinket…dragons are pretty awesome, after all. 🙂

And I know I already congratulated you on Twitter, but once more – super congratulations on the Alex Award!! THE NIGHT CIRCUS is a fantastic book and totally deserves to be awarded for its awesomeness. 😉

Have fun on your tour!!

Tobey · January 24, 2012 at 10:05 am

Congratulations on your Alex Award!!!! I love your book and I am slightly obsessed with it, and keep recommending it to all my friends, and posting about it on some of the discussion boards that I frequent! I have fallen in love with your characters and would love to go and visit the circus, I can see it all in my mind so vividly……thank you!!!

Enjoy your tour!

Tobey

Live, Love, Laugh, Write! by Ruthie · January 24, 2012 at 11:21 am

Congratulations on the award! I just read The Night Circus and it definitely deserves it 🙂 I love the book!

Paul · January 24, 2012 at 6:26 pm

Oh wow, congratulations on the award, E!

And also, happy New Year! I love your dragon. I bought myself a dragon pen in honour of the year. Definitely something to mark.

Marcheline · January 25, 2012 at 8:20 am

Your dragon … has it a name? If not, better get to thinking about it. Having an unnamed dragon about one’s neck is ill advised.

Here’s a good resource for ideas: http://www.20000-names.com/dragon_names.htm

librarymouse81 · January 25, 2012 at 12:41 pm

Congratulations on the Alex award. I’m sad to say that the only book I’ve read on the list this year is yours. I’ll have to peruse the list further and see what else I need to add to my To-Be-Read list.

Katie O. King · January 31, 2012 at 11:00 am

I also have a Pyrrha talisman in my possession, but in the form of an antique bee stamp symbolizing life and creativity. Mine was purchased last year in honor of my baby daughter Briar, whom we nicknamed “Miss B.” after her arrival. While that trinket has seemed to work its magic in many directions, it was not successful in aiding my battle against stomach virus last Thursday, keeping me from your much-anticipated appearance. I did, however, engage in the 10-sentence story contest, and applaud and look forward to your crafty mini-tales each week. I’m hoping to snag a signed copy at our local independent Parnassus Books! Buen viaje, Erin!

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