Book Reviewing 101

It's hard to write about Book Reviewing. 

Yes, it's subjective. You can't love everything!

Yes, it's difficult deciding which books to review. Should we review books written by people we know (using know in the broadest sense)? 
Writing about reviewing books is a tricky topic.

Hats off to Virginia McGee Butler for this objective and thoughtful blogpost, her personal take on book reviews.

I've written often about the subject. Click HERE to read what I said about a terrible review of a Eudora Welty short story. Shame on you, most-likely-a-student reviewer!

Note: I wrote that in 2011. 
When it was still a bit of a novelty for students to trash books.

Writers work very hard, getting the words just right. 
If they're not right for me, they could be perfect for somebody else. 

As I said, it's tricky.

 From Library Way, near the New York Public Library, 

photographed on a sunny summer day.

(And thank you very much, Virginia, 

for my very first blog review of THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY. )

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.