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A refreshing and simple concoction, actually: Boodle’s Gin, Citronge, and lemon juice. \u00a0Why Boodle’s? \u00a0Coupla different reasons, not the least of which it’s got a distinctive floral aroma to it, but mainly because it is the only London Dry Gin not\u00a0<\/em>to include citrus in its flavorings. \u00a0I figured that since the White Lady calls for a hefty slug of lemon juice\u00a0and <\/em>the Citronge adds yet another citrus note, I wanted to ease up on all that and let those flavors come through on their own. \u00a0This was a clean, wonderfully smooth drink, and I could easily have had two.<\/p>\n Which, in some ways, I thought,\u00a0yeah, honey, go for it. \u00a0<\/em>It’s been that kind of week.<\/p>\n If you haven’t heard, I’ll make it short and sweet: my lovely publisher, Egmont USA, is closing its doors on Jan. 30. \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Believe me, no one is more shocked than I. \u00a0Yes, the publisher’s been up for sale since October, 2014, but I think most of us thought . . . piece of cake. \u00a0I mean, people do <\/em>realize that Egmont’s generated a ton\u00a0<\/em>of award-winners, right? \u00a0That Egmont’s Len Vahlos is up for a Morris Award next week?<\/a> \u00a0No? \u00a0Then what about the fact that Egmont boasts such heavy-hitters as\u00a0Michael Grant, Bree Despain, Catherine Jinks, and Walter Dean Myers (a lovely man who I was fortunate to meet before he passed last year)?<\/p>\n You see why we figured . . . piece of cake. \u00a0Egmont’ll be snapped up in a heartbeat.<\/p>\n Alas, no.<\/p>\n So what does this mean? \u00a0Well, for one . . . my publisher’s gone; my terrific editor is kaput; the Egmont USA team, that’s been so supportive of every one of my books, will be no more.<\/p>\n That all sucks.<\/p>\n But Egmont’s shuttering it doors does not mean that you can’t find Egmont books. \u00a0Not only will the spring catalog–including THE DICKENS MIRROR\u00a0<\/em>(the sequel to\u00a0WHITE SPACE<\/em>)–appear, but every single one of my Egmont books will still be available. \u00a0All the usual suspects will carry them. \u00a0You’ll be able to buy them just as you always have, and for the foreseeable future. \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n So never fear. \u00a0I’m not going anywhere, and neither are my books. \u00a0When you’re done with my Egmont offerings, you can always bop over to Carolrhoda Lab and find my titles there, too.<\/p>\n Yes, there are some ramifications. \u00a0For my fellow authors whose books were scheduled after June . . . those books won’t happen. \u00a0So, comparatively speaking, I’m pretty lucky.<\/p>\n But that doesn’t mean everything’s roses. \u00a0Yes, review copies of\u00a0DM\u00a0<\/em>have gone out. Bookstores have placed orders, and so have libraries. \u00a0Now more than ever, though, you guys–my readers–become even more important. \u00a0Don’t get me wrong: you always were\/have been\/are. \u00a0I LOVE hearing from folks. \u00a0I LOVE knowing that you LOVE a book. I answer every email. \u00a0(I really do. \u00a0I know how much courage it takes to hit <send>.)<\/p>\n But if you want to help me and other Egmont authors . . . now is the time to make some noise.<\/p>\n Lots and lots of noise.<\/p>\n I’m serious.<\/p>\n Tell people how much you love what we do. \u00a0Encourage your friends to try us out. \u00a0Put your love out and up there for people to see. \u00a0Word of mouth–you guys–has always been what propels a book. \u00a0Any writer knows this. \u00a0You can hype a book until you’re blue, but if it’s all smoke and mirrors and people don’t really LIKE it . . . that book will disappear.<\/p>\n Well, I’m not planning on going anywhere, and I’d love your help to make sure of that.<\/p>\n Oh . . . and the sublime. \u00a0Well, there were two things, really. \u00a0First–and this is some irony for you–on the very same day I got the word about Egmont, the Horror Writers Association put WHITE SPACE\u00a0<\/i>on its long list for Superior Achievement in a YA Novel. \u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n Which totally blew me away.<\/p>\n I know I don’t stand a chance. \u00a0The odds of me making it to the short list are astronomical. \u00a0Still . . . this is quite an honor. \u00a0Gosh, I want me one of those little haunted houses. \u00a0(Notice, too, that there are TWO Egmont authors on the list. \u00a0As I said . . . some irony there.)<\/p>\n