Time flies when you're working up a storm (and trying to buy a house, sell an apartment and other general life stuff). I really didn't mean to go this long without an update. But honestly, selling 23 books since September 1 just seemed more important, you know?

I haven't done a "hurray for my clients" post in a while, so, in the spirit of holiday cheer, let's do it!

All of my clients' novels published this year that were eligible (save one which didn't come out until November, so will hopefully get in next year) are nominated for Best Books for Young Adults: BOY PROOF by Cecil Castellucci, STAINED by Jennifer Richard Jacobson, RHYMES WITH WITCHES by Lauren Myracle, VALIANT by Holly Black, FUNNY LITTLE MONKEY by Andrew Auseon, and REBEL ANGELS by Libba Bray. I'll be sitting in the discussions in San Antonio quite nervously next month...sure hope they all make it. Strike that, I'm going to be positive...they're all gonna make it!

BOY PROOF and RHYMES WITH WITCHES are also both nominated for Quick Picks.

STAINED was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year.

BOY PROOF was named a Publishers Weekly Flying Start.

REBEL ANGELS, Lauren Myracle's TTFN, and Holly Black's THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES all spent time on the New York Times bestseller list this year.

SKETCHES FROM A SPY TREE by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer, PRINCESS ACADEMY by Shannon Hale (my newest client, hurray!), and FOR YOUR PAWS ONLY (Spy Mice #2) by Heather Vogel Frederick all made the New York Public Library's list of recommended children's books for 2005.

FUNNY LITTLE MONKEY is one of the five finalists for the 2005 Borders Original Voices Award in the intermediate/YA category.

REBEL ANGELS was named an Amazon.com Best Book for Young Adults.

Toni Buzzeo's THE SEA CHEST won the Children's Crown Gallery Award.

Libba Bray's A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY was named YA Book of the Year by the Northern Atlantic Independent Booksellers Association.

Julia Durango's YUM! YUCK! (co-written by Linda Sue Park) was named a best book of the year by Nickelodeon Magazine.

I'm sure I'm forgetting a few things, but still a rather impressive list nonetheless. I'm so proud of my clients! And you know what? I think I can finally even say aloud that I'm pretty darn proud of myself as well. I love what I'm doing, and I'm fortunate to be working with such fantastic writers and artists, and I'm just glad that I can help each and every one of them get their work out into the world. To think just a little more than five years ago I was stuck in that dreaded state of unhappy employment, where every day I woke up and dreaded going to the office. If you'd told me then that this is where I'd be just five years later...well, let's just say I'd have had strong doubts for your sanity.

I'm off to Texas for a week...given the onset of the transit strike, I suppose I picked a good time to get out of town. Hope everyone has a great holiday season!