sarah · dessen

1. Okay, so clearly you guys know the books really well. So much for me thinking my questions were hard. D'oh! At any rate, here are the answers:
What is the name of Ashley's ex boyfriend in That Summer? Sumner
What is the name of the catering company in The Truth About Forever? Wish Catering
In Someone Like You, what does Halley's dad do for a living? He is a DJ at a local radio station.
In Just Listen, what is the name of Owen's radio show? Anger Management
What kind of car does Rogerson drive in Dreamland? Black BMW
What is the name of Dexter's dog in This Lullaby? Monkey

2. I have a dog named Monkey as well, and this week he---gasp!---caught and killed a rabbit in the backyard. I know, I know. Like I don't have enough stress right now! Even worse, my husband was not here, which meant I was left to deal with situation. It was dark, thankfully, but I could see he clearly had something, it was alive---and then not---and that he was not going to drop it no matter how many times I yelled at him to do so. Finally he came back to the house, but then I had to do something with the departed rabbit because I couldn't leave it out there for him and Coco to go mess with again. So I got my flashlight, braced myself, went out on the porch and....completely freaked out. I couldn't do it. I knew I should, that I was capable of it, but I just froze up. So I called my neighbor, who said, "Be right over!" and then appeared with a flashlight, a shovel and a hefty bag, a few minutes later. Thank God I have such great neighbors. I mean, really. He is my hero. As for Monkey, I just don't even know what to think. I know dogs will be, well, dogs. But now whenever Sasha and I are reading Pat the Bunny (her favorite book right now) I find myself looking over at him warily. I know people with cats deal with this fairly often, but bunnies? Fluffy ones? Good God.

3. I think I mentioned that I am such a nerd I signed up for the Lock and Key mobile club a few weeks back, which means I've been getting text messages about myself and my books. It's the height of narcissism, right? But also totally surreal. This week the message was "Lock and Key is out in one week. Are you ready?" and I was like, "God, I hope so!" Although I think I am the only one who had that reaction. Hopefully.

4. Speaking of the new book, the contest to win a Lock and Key necklace and other fun stuff ends on Monday, so if you haven't entered, jump on over here to throw your name in the pot. One entry per person, please, and good luck!

5. Finally, something I just can't even begin to wrap my mind around: there is now a children's book about Mommy Having Plastic Surgery. As Seth Meyers and Amy Poehler would say, really? Really? But apparently the author--- a plastic surgeon---says there is a need for a book like this, to explain to kids what it means when Mommy has a tummy tuck or a boob lift. All I can say is, well...I don't even know what to say. So I'll just say...

Have a good weekend, everyone!