And the winner of THE WIG IN THE WINDOW is...

According to randomizer.org, the winner of the SIGNED hardcover copy of THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher is:

MICHAEL G-G

Congrats, Michael! Expect an email from me, asking for your mailing address.

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I'm taking a blogging break for a few weeks, to get ready for Christmas and still have time to work on my fourth novel and some picture books. Those of you who know me on Facebook may already have heard this, but I just signed my first contract with Highlights for Children, for a rebus story. I know they don't publish right away (or ever), but it's a sale, and I'll take it! I normally wouldn't mention things like this on the blog, but I'm tickled pink because the first time I submitted anything to Highlights was in 1995. So there's a lesson for all you aspiring writers. 

Persistence pays off. 

(Sometimes it just takes longer than you expected!)

Herr's Christmas display, Nottingham, Pennsylvania

Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! May all your publishing dreams come true in the coming year. And if you're not a writer, but you are a reader, may you discover
new treasures in Children's literature in 2014 and share them with all of us!

Winner of THE MONSTER IN THE MUDBALL... and an intriguing quote

Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving weekend and didn't have to go shopping that day. I'm wondering how long it will be before retailers start trying to get you to do your Hanukkah/Christmas/Kwanzaa shopping in August... Will this consumer madness ever stop? Okay, forget I asked that. So buy books, people. If you must buy something, buy books! Preferably from brick-and-mortar stores. Small Business Saturday doesn't have to be limited to the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Thank you. I'll get down from my soapbox now.

Besides, I have a winner to announce. According to random.org, the winner of the hardcover of THE MONSTER IN THE MUDBALL by S.P. Gates is (ta da!):

ROSI

Congratulations, Rosi! And expect an email from me asking for your mailing address. Readers, don't forget my other giveaway, the signed hardcover of THE WIG IN THE WINDOW by Kristen Kittscher, still going on at this post. 

I have no MMGM book review this week, due to family celebrations and travel, but if you go to Shannon's blog, you can find links to many other wonderful posts.

However, I do have a middle grade quote for you.

"Books are like truth serum – if you don’t read, you can’t figure out what’s real."

                                                              -- Freak, in Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick  

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What do you think, reader? Do books help you figure out what's real?