1. All right, people, it’s November. Which means I am saying goodbye to Halloween—which somehow became, like, a week-plus long holiday, what’s up with that?—and turning my attention to Thanksgiving. YES! I love an eating holiday. Also, this year, I am going to host dinner here at my OWN HOUSE for the very first time. I am 41 and have lived here for 12 years. This is what happens when you live in your hometown: you have traditions, you follow them, and it’s really hard to break out and try something new. But this year, I am determined. So we will be making the turkey, the potatoes, the apple pie. I am nervous AND excited. I might even wear an apron. Eeek!
2. The day AFTER Thanksgiving is Black Friday. For some, that means shopping, but for us, this year, it’s the day my husband is going on the South Beach Diet. He’s trying to lower his cholesterol and this is supposed to be a good way. Now, when you are married, it is all about The Team. Which means if he is on this diet, I need to do it as well. But OH my goodness. The first two weeks I can’t have wine or caffeinated coffee. WHAT? I’m scared. Maybe I can load up on both like crazy in the time UNTIL then? Which would leave me tipsy and energetic, not the best combination. Especially when hosting Thanksgiving for the first time. Rut-roh!
3. Also in November is the VERY last round of trips for the Tour That Never Ends. The weekend of November 19-21 I’ll be at the Miami Book Festival AND The ALAN conference at NCTE. Details will be coming soon, but I’m really excited for both, as I’ve never been to the Miami Festival (but have heard great things) and NCTE/ALAN is one of my longtime faves. Packing, however, will present challenges: talk about climate whiplash. Need to start planning, I think.
4. I also want to take ONE more trip before the end of the year, when I have to seriously buckle down, stay home, and WRITE. I’ve been dying to go to New York for fun, not work, and of course stalk the Good Morning America studio one morning because I’m basically obsessed. I’m thinking early December, and I tweeted Josh Elliot and Sam Champion asking if they thought it was better to try to get tickets or just stand outside. And Josh Elliot TOTALLY TWEETED ME BACK saying he’d help me get a good spot. YESSSSS! I almost died. Major, super big props are also in order for John Green, YA author extraordinaire, who basically tweeted me up to both the GMA guys to make my plea more valid. We YA folks stick together. Stay tuned for news of THAT adventure. You know I will be documenting. When I am not totally freaking out starstruck. I just hope I don’t scare anyone. Fingers crossed!
5. Finally, as I DO wind down all this book stuff, I just really want to thank all of you for the support. For reading this blog (and understanding when I decided to step back from it a bit) for supporting the books, for coming out in Canada and here in the US, for just basically being super awesome. The BEST part of touring is meeting my readers, and I am so grateful for every kind word, every handshake and card and retractable Sharpie you have given me. You guys RULE. I am hoping that 2012 will be all about me writing another book you’ll like as much as this one. Thanks.
Have a good weekend, everyone!
I saw your tweet this morning from the GMA guy and knew you were psyched!
Hi, Sarah! I love your blog.
I wish I can meet you someday! ! Your books have changed my life. I love you! Thank you for writing.
I love you So much you have to come to Pittsburgh! Promise? I would love to give you a hug! You really are my inspiration (I want to be an Author) so anytime I get discouraged or get Writers Block (Which happenes alot!) I just think ‘WWSDD?’ (what would Sarah Dessen do?) and then read one of your books and I’m good! Well Bye!
i totally did the south beach diet thing and DID NOT give up my coffee. but i still lost the weight AND had my coffee.
i do not think i could ever obey a diet that told me that i couldn’t have coffee. that is just mean.
I’m definitely glad that you keep up with the blog even though it’s not as frequently as before. I love reading it! And twitter is a nice way to balance out filling everyone in on the little day-to-day things that might have previously made it into a blog post.
Someday, you’ll have to come to Seattle! We’ll turn out for you!:-)
Wow… Blogs like this remind me of why I love you. You connect with your fans and seem so human. It’s awesome.
That’s all.
I just started reading your blog and I love it! Thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope your next tour brings you to upstate NY.
Yay, so happy The Five is up! I love Thanksgiving too, and all the eating. Especially the eating.
Wow, that sounds super hard. I always admire people who can do those intense diets, because I could never!
I’m going to New York in early December too! You are SO incredibly lucky to see GMA. You must tweet all about it!
Just wanted to say, you are the most amazing writer ever, and I can’t wait to hear more!
Hey i love this blog it is wonderful please come to Abbotsford,bc my friend and i love all ur books we put them all on hold at the library
i would love it if you came 
To continue some of my medicine I have to watch my cholesterol, so I know what a pain that is. :/ I recommend Revolution Oats (with flaxseeds, good for lowering!) and I take milk thistle and some “cholesterol lowering” stuff pills every day.
I had to watch the cholesterol in foods, too, of course!
Did you know that a grilled Chick-Fil-A sandwich is one of the healthiest fast food options? Cutting back on beef helps (we have turkey burgers with burger seasoning now, they are amazing) and salmon is good, even in the form of sushi if y’all are into that.
I really wish him luck.
When I heard I had to cut down I really wanted to cry because I thought life was over. I enjoy food too much (and I feel like I’m way too young and healthy to be having this issue.) But really… we live in a good age. There’s a lot of cholesterol free cookies out there, too.
All I want to know is WHY would your husband go on a diet BEFORE Christmas?
I mean, I know a lot of people think starting diets after the holidays is kind of cliche, but there’s a good reason for waiting!
Good luck, Sarah!
Haye Sarah.
I CANNOT believe I’m writing to you. Seriously.
Please tell me you are writing a new book. Please do. Im love them. especially dreamland, along for the ride and just listen.
I want to tell you my story. Story of my life. The story because of of which i can totally relate to all your book characters. And on which you can write a book.
Anyways, i love reading your blog <3
I cannot WAIT for your next book!!!!!! I am addicted to your stories. They make me soooooooooooooooo ridiculously happy. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Hi! Well, I want to start off by saying your books are AMAZING! I first read your book Someone Like You, and I fell in love with the writing, the plot, and the characters (especially Macon
. Now I’m still trying to finish all of your books, but I can’t wait to start and finish each one.
It’s awesome that you have a blog that can be commented on. It’s super cool to be able to write to your favorite author/person you respect a lot. It makes fans like me excited because we can relate to a person who wrote the books we read constantly. For instance, its nice that your having a Thanksgiving at your house and all, and that Thanksgiving is important to you. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, just because all my aunts and my mom put together a potluck and a food competition with all these delicious foods, plus the traditional ones. And the pies… yum.
Anway, your blog is great! Please keep writing it… and books
Hey Sarah! You saying that you want to try and write another book next year, is like, a super early christmas present for like the next five years! Omgosh I can’t wait! You are so amazing and I love all of your books, I’m actually downloading some of them to my ipod right now! Hope your Thanksgiving goes well! Totally proud of you for taking on such a huge thing, I’m kind of doing the same, except I’m letting my mom keep the Turkey and Apple Pies, lol. Love you Sarah! God bless.
Hey Sarah! It’s been so interesting to read your blog and getting to see your personality shine through your entries! I just recently e-mailed you and I would love love love a response as it is a somewhat time sensitive issue. It’s the one from kbeadle, and the e-mail is from a UNC- CH student. You are one of my favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoy your books. Thank you so much for your writing and you time!
Speaking of John Green, I think he needs a challenge in the signing department. Would you ever consider signing the whole first printing of your next book? It would be so awesome!!
Hi, i just wanted to say thank you for coming to omaha a couple months back it meant a lot and well i didn’t even say hi to you because i was so shocked that i was standing right next to you and were speaking to me! Well thank you thank you thank you! i love your books and loved meeting you!
I know…. it’s November! :O
I’ve had some ideas for where you should take a trip and:
New York City
Chicago
Las Vegas
San Francisco
Los Angeles
Sacremento
Miami
Florida Keys
Alaska
France
Spain
Greek Isles or Greece
Germany
Austria
Italy
Washington D.C.
That’s all….. What do you think?
Hey, I just love ALL of your books. I read them over and over agian. I was wondering if ANY of them will ever be made into movies. I thin k they would do well as Teen movies!!! I would def. go see them on the big screen
I’m so excited that you’ll be at the Miami Book Festival!
I just finished reading This Lullaby and it was so good!! I read all day today and didn’t do my hw yet <3 I only read two of your books so far but now i wanna read all of them. Your books are the one of the best so far i've ever read in my life
You inspire me so much. Keep on writing!!! <333
Plus… you should try to come to Schaumburg, IL. I know, it’s not very well known, but hey, we have the second biggest mall in America (a.k.a Woodfield-the mall where I’m not allowed to go without my parents because they think I’ll get lost (sigh))! And it’s near Chicago. It would be amazing if you could come, anyway…
Bye
-Aquila
I cant wait for you to come to me in New York!