The New York Public Library's Best Books for the Teen Age 2006 has been formally announced and posted online here http://teenlink.nypl.org/bta1.cfm, if you'd like to read it. My book made the fantasy section, which I'm quite excited about.

In the Shadow of an Oak is cooking right along at 255 pages. I should finish it by the end of the week, possibly tomorrow (!) if all goes well. I'm not sure what I'm going to work on next, which is unusual for me. Typically by the time I reach the end of one book I have another one in my backbrain pestering me to be written. It's kind of weird to not have one waiting in the wings this time and I'm feeling a little odd about that.

Recitals are in May, my first one is in two weeks. I'm nervous and hope that all my dancers do well, but I'm also looking forward to having the pressure off. The last few weeks of the school year are always stressful, and I walk around with this vague feeling like I've forgotten something all the time.

For those of you who are also writers, are there websites, message boards, or chatrooms where you like to hang out and talk with other teen writers? I'm looking for places to get involved and promote my book. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

And that's about it for me.

- D