Destiny Week

Sorry about your snow up there, people who don't live in Florida. 
But what a great season to bring a book into the world.

All those poor teachers and librarians freezing, delayed openings, snow/ cold days. Nothing better to do (well, nothing they'd rather do) than sit home with a warm cup of tea and one of Miss Sister's brownies. 

And read a book.
Maybe even MY book!

Thank you for all the sightings of THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY around the country, in young readers' hands, on tabletops and bookshelves.

Some things I loved about my book's week?

1. "Seeing" it for the very first time in a bookstore. 
Via Twitter, Facebook and email. Of course.

(This happens to be the wonderful ANDERSON'S Bookstore in Naperville- Thanks, Terry Shay- where I'll be on Sunday, February 1st. More to come on that, but so excited!)











2. Fun Tweets:
Especially the new hashtag.

Andrea Davis Pinkney ‏@AndreaDavisPink  Jan 6
Happy Book Birthday to #TheWaytoStayinDestiny by @ARScattergood, just named an Amazon "Best of the Month" pick! http://ow.ly/i/89Ll6  

(Of course, that hashtag could seriously cut into your 140 characters. But go ahead and use it. I love it.)

3. And most of all, already hearing from teachers, and even their students, that they like the new book.

Happy Book Birthday, indeed!

Happy Book Birthday! THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY

A few days before Christmas, I got to actually hold the book in my hot little hands.
My fabulous, fantastic editor, Andrea Davis Pinkney, sent a few early copies, and such a sweet note.

 The best part about seeing the Real Deal? Besides the gorgeous cover, designed by Elizabeth Parisi and Sara Wood?

The great quote from Kirby Larson on the back. Wow, I'm swooning down here!

I think I'll spend the day appreciating all the amazing things that have happened to me since my brilliant agent, Linda Pratt, said let's do this! It's not often that we slow down and enjoy the moment, is it?

So happy Book Birthday to me and my book. I think I'll eat some cake.

But first, a HUGE thank-you to all my Scholastic team, my Twitter friends, Facebook buddies, and fellow Nerdy Book people who've embraced this book since it sneaked onto a few shelves over the weekend. And even before. It's scary birthing a book.
I can't thank you enough. (But I'm happy to share the cake.)


I think it was you, T.J. Shay, who got the first glance. And sent me scurrying off to my local Barnes & Noble to check it out.

(Okay, yes. My book is near the bottom. But they're alphabetical! And no way is a librarian going to mess with the ABCs of bookshelf arrangement.)

They had already sold a few, according to the nice guy who let me sign what was left.





There were others who caught a glimpse before today.

And shared on Twitter.

 John Scovill @Johnlit360  ·  Dec 31
Here it is @ARScattergood : ) 

Tweets! Too many to mention! 

Like:
Michele Knott ‏@knott_michele Jan 4

Last holiday #bookaday was an amazing one @ARScattergood The Way to Stay in Destiny. All kinds of awesome!!

Such fun seeing your book baby in amazing company, no? 
2015 is going to be a big reading year for me!

@CarrieGelson  Jan 3
My #mustreadin2015 list is great! http://bit.ly/1rQpD7k  @LieslShurtliff @ARScattergood @marburyjack @nielsenwriter

@MrSchuReads  Dec 31
. @ARScattergood You're hanging out next to @sharonmdraper

Hey, I love hanging out with Sharon Draper. 

He saw it at one of my favorite Indies: Anderson's! 

Another big thank-you to my fellow book bloggers who've said lovely things about this novel. 

And to Amazon for choosing it as a best January release for middle-grade readers.

I guess you could say THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY has been celebrating all week.
And I'm good with that.

Off to find cake.