the blog

I'm still floored by this article that posted today on PRI. The full radio interview will be up on PRI's The World with Marco Werman soon. In the meantime, here's the...

So one of the best parts about the debut year has been meeting other writers, especially ones you click with. Renee Ahdieh, (THE WRATH AND THE DAWN Putnam/May) is one such writer and in the year that we've known each other we've gotten to be good friends. So here's us...

The lovely peeps at EW.com are hosting a short interview and the first trailer for AN EMBER IN THE ASHES!!! I was fortunate enough to go down to the sound stage in Los Angeles a few weeks ago and watch as part of the trailer was shot. I met the actors (a beautiful,...

Wooo, MTV's got the inside scoop on the first two chapters of EMBER. I also fess up on who my ideal Commandant would be in the film adaptation. Here it is, enjoy! : http://www.mtv.com/news/2051414/exclusive-ember-in-the-ashes/ And yes, this is me right now:  ...

Probably going to be the last one for a while. I hope you like it! You can find it here.

In lieu of a Top Ten List, I am doing a year-end List of 2015 Debut Awesomeness, (inspired by Kung Fu Panda.) The first part comprises the 2015 debuts I've read. There are a ton more that I haven't read, but which will, of course, have their own brand of awesome....

Hot sky, searing white. Low roofs and dead grass. The motel. My home. A tenant gets belligerent and refuses to pay the rent, refuses to leave. My parents run the motel. They must evict her. So my father calls the police. They will help. The squad car arrives. Dad...

Here's a link to an "inspiration" post I did for the awesome folks over at NaNoWriMo. In it, I talk about three works that have inspired me (Two books and one TV show) and why. I hope you enjoy!...

Here's a Fall present for you. Baa Mix 80.  Julian! Lupe! Andrew! Cold War Kids! Theophilus! IT’S TOO MUCH GREATNESS. *Swoons* If you're going to listen to one song on here, let it be the spectacular musical chaos of "Where No Eagles Fly" because WOW. (Oh, and...

After the disappointing (also, free) U2 album, I needed something to put my faith back in rock. Knew I could count on the Kooks. "Bad Habit."  P.S. This is a precursor to Baa Mix 80, which should be up later today or tomorrow....

Soul paces unsatisfied Bound in this body. Mind rages Beats fists against the doubt. Heart bucks, thrashes, fights To cast off ties and tethers. My head is loud. Loud with Shadows that menace and Drifting dunes of truth. Below above inside outside always A bass beat...

Huzzah for the music of late summer/fall! I still have my summer and spring mixes on heavy rotation, but the fall mix is starting to take over, just in time for Sept. The new mix is up on my music page. Favorites include Thousand Eyes, I Don't Wanna Be Here and Shut...

The fantastic Nerdist.com hosts an article and short video about my trip to Comic Con. We play "This or That?" and much geeking out occurs. Also Optimus Prime gives AN EMBER IN THE ASHES a thumbs up, which might be one of the greater moments of my life. Here's the...

If you, like me, have been listening to a lot of what Jack Black once deemed Old Sad Bastard* music, then here's something to shake it up. "Let it Burn" by the Orwells. *From "High Fidelity", when Barry is trying to play his mix tape and Rob nixes it....

The cover for AN EMBER IN THE ASHES  was revealed this morning on the Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy Blog!!!!! Here's the link to the reveal and the interview. Much appreciation to Penguin's designer Emily Osborne, as well as design shop Art Machine. Their vision and...

This'll get the week off to the right start. Overdose by Little Daylight. Love the bass. Video is ok. Song is better. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36MwnqW2sGg

I’m supposed to be working on edits but I figured someone out there might need a good song this morning as much as I did. This is Grouplove, “Let me in” off TFIOS soundtrack. If the music is any indication of the movie's awesomeness, I'm going to be a mess by the end....

The spectacularly rad Kelly Loy Gilbert (here’s her Twitter) tagged me on her My Writing Process Blog Hop. Kelly and I met after a group of Bay Area writers got together a few months back and I can honestly say that her kindness and practicality have restored my faith...