It didn’t take long for cool submissions to start showing up. Photos and postcard stories are some of the early bird entries. Don’t wait: send along your art/writing/music now and feel free to add a description of the piece.

Okay, I’ve got to go and decide how much cheese is enough. I already know there is no such thing as too much cheese.  Which reminds me, I’d love to get a meditation on cheese for the gallery. People don’t muse about cheese in public nearly enough.

Again, the submission info:

Send your work via email to andfurthermore@shaw.ca. We will need your name and your contact information. Submissions should include the following:

I, _______ [fill in your name], am the author/creator of this work. I give my permissions to Susanjuby.com to post this _______ [specify material: i.e. photo, story, etc.] on the website, Susanjuby.com.

One of the exciting new features of the new and improved website will be a little feature I like to call The Rare Birds Gallery. It is a section dedicated to you, the community of rare readers and writers who have the good taste to visit SusanJuby.com. Ahem.

Here’s the concept: Submit a piece of writing [no longer than 250 words], short video (music or otherwise, but please, nothing rude or it will be embarrassing for both of us, but mostly for me), or your art in a JPEG format.

Send your work via email to andfurthermore@shaw.ca. We will need your name and your contact information. Submissions should include the following:

I, _______ [fill in your name], am the author/creator of this work. I give my permissions to Susanjuby.com to post this _______ [specify material: i.e. photo, story, etc.] on the website, Susanjuby.com.

What should you send? Anything funny, offbeat or unusual is welcome. The theme here is Rare Birdism, as defined by me and by you.

We will be accepting submissions until we’re not anymore. They will be up for about six months and then we will open the gallery for new submissions.

Come on: show us what you’ve got!

xox

Yes, it’s true that we celebrate neurosis around our house for the holidays.

Thanks to Book Club Girl and writers for all the great holiday posts…

(Please don’t forget that you can download an e-galley of Woefield from a link on Book Club Girl!)

It has been ages since my last post. I would like to report that is because my big break in Hollywood finally came through and I’ve been cast as Neytiri’s madcap aunt in Avatar II: Bigger and Bluer! but the truth is that working on my own sci-fi story and teaching and coming up with facebook statuses has taken most of my time.

The big drive now is to decide on where to hold the launch party for Woefield. It would be nice if it was a thematically appropriate joint, but I don’t know anyone willing to let us use their run-down farmhouse. The launch itself will take place April 1, which is when the main character arrives at her newly inherited farm. Please mark the date off on your calendar. I’ve booked quite a few appearances in the spring and summer and will put a tour and festival schedule up soon.

The book will be released March 8. Some amazing writers have blurbed it and I am eternally grateful for their kind words:

“Susan Juby is a marvel. Wise, witty, and full of heart, her writing draws you in and won’t let go. And just when you think it can’t get any better, it does. I never wanted to leave Woefield, and you won’t, either.”  –Meg Cabot, author of The Princess Diaries and Insatiable

“Disarming, endearing, and laugh-out-loud funny, Home to Woefield is a wry look at a handful of misfits brought together by farmland only slightly more fertile than the moon. A bewitching debut as quirky and charming as they come.”  –Tish Cohen, author of The Truth About Delilah Blue and Inside Out Girl

“You will cheer for Susan Juby’s delightful cast of characters… As funny as it is heartbreaking, and in voices as original as the story itself, you won’t soon forget the inhabitants of Woefield Farm.”  — Robin Antalek, author of The Summer We Fell Apart

“Juby takes us on a downright riotous and warm-hearted ride… Home to Woefield is a fun, fabulous read no matter what the growing season!”  — Susan Gregg Gilmore, author of The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove and Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen

Those blurbs alone are enough to make my holidays festive!

The Canadian galley features some blurbs from readers:

“It’s quite a good book except for all the swears.”  –Tammy, age 8, Junior Poultry Club Secretary

“I thought it was the best thing I ever read. Course, it is the only thing I ever read.”  –Ed Gander, Unemployed Forklift Operator

“The wife’s been after me to read it, but the playoffs are on.”  –Jerry B.

“I guess it was okay. Could have used more sex.”  –Anonymous comment left on RagingMetal.com

Obviously, they are less than glowing, but I appreciate the honesty.

I was also thrilled that Nice Recovery made the Globe and Mail’s list of top 100 books of 2010.

On the writing front, I’m embroiled in a new round of revisions to my novel and the concept for another book is boiling away on a burner beside it. Ideas are such pushy things!

Behind the scenes, the website is being revamped and revised. If it goes a little haywire, please be patient. I know SusanJuby.com is at least as important to you as Google and Facebook and your banking page, but we will get things sorted.

With all best wishes to you and yours.

Also, I did a supported headstand in yoga recently. Just thought I’d mention it because, in addition to the nice blurbs, it’s a new cornerstone of my self-esteem.

Oops. Better go. The dog just threw up all over the carpet.

xoxo