In the weeks since the launch of Grounded, things have grown calmer. The tiny storm of DEBUT! is over, and now the book is simply out in the world, finding its readers.

The number one question I’ve been asked since the book launch is “How is it selling?” The answer is “I do not know.” There’s really no way for me to keep track of that information. My publisher will let me know at some point, and until then it’s probably best if I don’t worry much about it. I have the second book in the Tyme series to worry about. That’s my priority now. But thank you to everyone who has asked me “How is it selling?” because even though I can’t give you an answer, that question indicates that you care enough about me to wonder how my book is faring. I genuinely appreciate that.

Wonderful Things That Have Happened Since the Last Time I Posted:

1) My author visit at the Burien Library was spectacular. Many of my students, their parents, and my colleagues came in on a beautiful Saturday morning to be there and celebrate with me, and it was a blast. I had nearly 100 guests – an amazing audience. There were cupcakes, and prizes, and I signed tons of books, and it felt… Well, there’s only one way to explain how it felt. I used to practice my autograph, as a kid, because I assumed that one day I would be a famous actress and people would want my signature. I grew up eventually, of course, and realized that the only people who wanted my signature also wanted my money. So to have people lining up waiting for my autographs was the fulfillment of a dusty, impossible, long-since folded away childhood dream.

It felt AWESOME.

2) Grounded received a lovely review from SciFiChick.com.

3) My editor, Cheryl Klein, who is the very best of editors, wrote a post on her blog about how we met, and how GROUNDED came to be. I love the post. It reminds me how lucky I am to be working with Cheryl (as if I could ever be in danger of forgetting).

4) Finally, this week, Grounded received its second starred review from the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, written by Kate Quealy-Gainer. You have to subscribe to The Bulletin to access the reviews, so I’ll just include a few quotes here:

“Morrison has a deft hand with both world-building and pacing, carefully constructing the geography and various politics of the fairy-tale world of Tyme in between chase scenes, bridge collapses, narrow escapes, and bargains with all sorts of devious beings.”

“…readers who are wise enough to understand that there is more than one side to a story will find this to their liking.”

I have much to be grateful for, so I won’t complain that this lovely three-day weekend is at an end and I must return to work tomorrow. Instead, I will eat some ice cream and watch Daria and make believe that it’s actually a four-day weekend.