I am running behind in all things, blogging included, but I’m managing to gather together a few links and photos and newsy bits to assemble something that’s not-quite-an-actual-blog.  But it’s close.  Close-ish.

I spent November 7 – 11 in Austin, Texas, visiting several elementary schools in the Round Rock school district and having a marvelous time.  Thank you again to all the students, librarians, teachers, and parents who made the trip so special.  Now I’m home in snowy Minnesota (we had the first big storm of the season last night), frantically catching up with correspondence, typing the last pages of the still semi-secret YA project–more detailed news about that soon, I hope–rehearsing for Phoenix Theatre’s Christmas production of “Yes, Virginia, There Is a Santa Claus,” and making up for lost time with Brom Bones, who was very, very glad that we came back.

(Walking in Austin at night, and working on the Secret Project at Spider House Cafe.)

Two new reviews of The Shadows have turned up: A splendid one from National Geographic Kids here, and a mostly very positive one from the blog Muggle-Born here.

Other good news on the poetry front: One of my superstition pieces will be included in Issue #4 (out in December) of the journal Fantastique Unfettered, amid some awfully shiny company: http://www.fantastique-unfettered.com/2011/11/issue-four-aka-ralewing-table-of.html

And, before Halloween becomes any more embarrassingly distant, here is a photo depicting the fate of our Accidental Pavement Pumpkins.

Thanks, all, for the many marvelous All Hallows Read recommendations!  Several of you mentioned books that I’ve loved, too–books that helped me learn to read (The Berenstain Bears), a book I smuggled off of my grandma’s shelves and devoured while hiding behind an armchair (Flowers in the Attic), a book I pored over again and again during high school and college (Frankenstein–Drat that eighteen-year-old prodigy Mary Shelley!), a book I loved so much I named my dog after it (The Legend of Sleepy Hollow; Brom Bones heartily endorses this particular choice), and books I read while wedged into a corner so that nothing could sneak up behind me (basically anything by Stephen King).

Without further ado, the randomly selected winners of the giveaway are:

1. Andrea Polk

2. Brenda Tjaden

Winners, please send me your postal addresses (via jacqueline@jacquelinewest.com) so that I can put your books in the mail ASAP.   (Or perhaps that should be ITTBRUTCWAFOHN — In Time To Be Read Under The Covers With A Flashlight On Halloween Night.)

It’s time to try something I haven’t tried before: A giveaway.

Yes, in the spirit of All Hallows Read (www.allhallowsread.com), I am offering two gift packages full of Halloween-y literature.

The first package will include a signed hardcover copy of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume One: The Shadows, a signed ARC (Advance Reading Copy: a paperback version of a book that is issued before the book’s official release, so that reviewers, booksellers, and other literary people can get an early look) of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Two: Spellbound, and a brand-new softcover copy of one of my childhood favorites: Bunnicula, by James Howe.

The second package will include a signed hardcover copy of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume Two: Spellbound, and a fresh-from-the-bookshop paperback of Avi’s The Seer of Shadows, a ghost story rich with art and atmosphere.

What do you have to do to win?  Just leave a comment on this blog–at WordPress, at LiveJournal, or via Goodreads–with the title of your own favorite frightening read (and, of course, your name) by Tuesday, October 25th, one week from today.  I’ll pick winners at random, post the names/contact the recipients, and put the books in the mail as soon as the winners email me with postal addresses.  Ideally they will arrive in time for Halloween, when you can give them to other readers you love, or keep them for yourself.

And speaking of The Shadows, here’s a lovely new review: http://jeanlittlelibrary.blogspot.com/2011/10/read-scary-books-of-elsewhere-shadows.html.

And, AND, speaking of Halloween and books and other fun things, if you are within driving distance of River Falls, Wisconsin, don’t forget to stop by Karma Gifts from 1:00 – 3:00 on Saturday, October 29th for the Books of Elsewhere signing, reading, an art contest, and autumn treats!

A year ago, Neil Gaiman blogged about the lack of traditions involving books and proposed starting a brand-new one: Giving each other scary books for Halloween.   Other bloggers replied (some of them recommending The Shadows, which in turn was tangentially mentioned on Mr. Gaiman’s blog, making me squeal with delirious delight), the idea spread, reading lists were generated, and websites were born.  Behold: www.allhallowsread.com.

I will jump all over this bandwagon.

And so, without further ado, here is my completely unsolicited list of 2011 All Hallow’s Read recommendations for young readers.

Bunnicula, by James Howe.  Its sequels, Howliday Inn, The Celery Stalks at Midnight, and Nighty Nightmare (the titles alone should tell you how awesome they are) are also fabulous, funny and scary — my favorite combination.  As kids, my brothers and I read the covers off of these books.

The Witches.  This may be my favorite book by Road Dahl, which is sort of like saying “This is my favorite cup of coffee” when there’s a whole pot of the delicious stuff sitting right beside you.  But this is Dahl at his darkest, twisted-est best.

The House with a Clock in its Walls, by John Bellairs.  Mysterious old houses.  Unexpected magic.  Edward Gorey illustrations.  Enough said.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, retold by Alvin Schwartz and illustrated by Steven Gammell.  My fourth grade friends and I pored over these books.  We read them aloud at slumber parties; we shuddered over Gammell’s artwork — to this day, I don’t think I’ve seen a still image that has frightened me more.  This book and its two sequels left a serious scar on my already overactive imagination.  (“The Wendigo”?  I can’t even type that title without looking over my shoulder.)

Something Wicked This Way Comes, by Ray Bradbury.  This feels to me like the dark counterpart to Dandelion Wine: gorgeous, eerie, and wonderful.

(Or, of course, you could get my books.)

And speaking of All Hallow’s Read: Karma Gifts, a great indie shop in downtown River Falls, Wisconsin (about 40 minutes drive from the Twin Cities, for you urban folk) will be hosting me for a special Halloween event on Saturday, October 29, at 1:00 p.m.  The Shadows and Spellbound will be available (though it wouldn’t hurt to pre-purchase or reserve your copy), and I’ll be signing books, reading aloud, chatting, and answering questions.  See www.karmagifts.co or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Karma-Gifts/124160727248 for more information.  Fall treats!  Art projects!  Local business!  Come on down!

Hello, hello, hello.

I am typing this on my spanking new WordPress blog, which feels a bit like driving a new car, where all the buttons are in slightly different places and you turn on the windshield wipers when you’re trying to set the cruise control, but I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it.  Eventually.  I’m trying the automatic cross-posting to LiveJournal function, so we’ll see how that works, too.   If, for whatever reason, you want to find older journal entries, they should still be readable at http://jacquelinewest.livejournal.com.

I’m currently drafting one project, revising another, and working on a few short stories with the shards of time in between.  My brain has essentially been divided into three warring pieces, and I’m having trouble finishing nonfictional sentences.  That’s my excuse for making this a very linky post.

First, and very belatedly, a writing-and-cooking focused interview is up at the incredibly fun blog Pots ‘n Pens: http://potsnpens.blogspot.com/2011/09/interview-with-jacqueline-west.html.  If anyone who reads it actually uses my recipe for black pepper tofu, I will be very happy — and so will the person with a fresh batch of black pepper tofu.

Strange Horizons, one of the best science fiction journals currently in operation, is holding its yearly fund drive. Donors are entered into a prize drawing that features a slew of amazing work.  Check out the prizes available: http://www.strangehorizons.com/fund_drives/2011/prizes.shtml. (As you may notice, one donor will win a signed copy of The Books of Elsewhere, Volume One: The Shadows…)

And some new reviews of Spellbound are out:  Dave Wood’s Book Report, a feature of the RiverTown Newspaper group, discusses the book here, and Arlington Public Library covers both volumes (and calls Volume Two ‘even better than the first’ — Hurray!) here.