First off, I want to thank the many Minions who responded to my tweet on Saturday by coming out to the RT book fair to buy books. Auntie Heather loves you! Actualy…Auntie Heather loves ALL of you – but I really needed some Minion love that day, so thank you. Nobody rocks it like the Minion Horde!

Now…onto SHOCK, FEAR, and BATTLES!

SHOCK: Auntie Heather has lost her voice! Apparently, I gabbed too much during the LA Times Festival of Books and the Romantic Times Convention, and now I can barely whisper! It’s shocking because…well, I never shut up. I LOVE to talk, and now I can’t. So cross your fingers for me, Minions, because I miss talking!

FEAR: I have a new book coming out! It’s called “FEAR: 13 Stories of Suspense and Horror”. It debuts on September 2nd. And I’m in good company. The anthology was edited by R.L. Stine and it’s filled with great spine-tingling short stories by the likes of yours truly, Meg Cabot, and many other awesome writers. The best part? All proceeds will benefit Reading Is Fundamental! Here’s the description:

Don’t turn out the lights. Don’t go out alone. And whatever you do, don’t let down your guard. Because your neighbors may seem normal, but why do they collect knives and eat their steaks so bloody? And when the boy of your dreams finally asks you out, why is there something so…lupine…about him? and if your brother’s fear of the dark is so childish, how do you explain those shadows creeping out of your closet?

In thirteen blood-chilling stories from true masters of suspense, including five New York Times bestselling authors and four Edgar award nominees, nothing is what it seems and no one is safe…

Pretty cool, right? And check out this cover!

FEAR is available for pre-order right now. And by the way…that creepy story that was mentioned in the description about shadows coming out of the closet? That’s my story! It’s called SHADOW CHILDREN. So order it, buy it, enjoy it, and help out RIF.

Now, onto BATTLES: Tomorrow, I’m heading over to Pattonville Heights Middle School in Maryland Heights, MO for the battle of the books!!! If you’re going, I’ll see you there…I’ll just be kinda quiet.