A Post I Didn't Think I'd Get to Write

Yesterday the New York Times sent out their bestseller list for Sunday the 19th.

Paranormalcy was #7 on the children's list.

I mean, PARANORMALCY WAS #7 ON THE CHILDREN'S LIST HOLY COW HOW ON EARTH DID THIS HAPPEN?? (Also, is it just me or is 7 the best number EVER? I freaking love the number 7! It even has a special significance in the book!)

I won't deny that I secretly hoped-against-hope to crack the list (who doesn't?), but considering that (as far as I know) only one other debut YA author has hit the list their first week out this entire year, I didn't let those hopes get too high. It was unrealistic. I would say I don't know how it happened, but I really do.

You.

Thank you for reading my blog. Thank you for reading my book. Thank you for telling people about it. There is no other possible way that I could have hit the list. I can't even begin to tell you

Laptop here. Kiersten is staring off into space, frozen with this creepy, tear-filled grateful smile on her face. I think her brain short-circuited from joy. It's not a pretty sight.

Listen. You know how Kiersten was in the middle of thanking you? Well, you know what? I blame you. That's right. This is YOUR fault. I had many fond hopes and daydreams that her book would crash and burn, that no one would pick it up, that she'd give up this silly pursuit of her life-long dreams and pick a less obnoxious life path. Like becoming a hermit. In a cave. Without wireless. A dream that keyboards the world over would be safe from the insane tap-tap-tapping of her tiny, hated fingers.

But NO.

You couldn't let that happen, could you?

But it's not just your fault.

I blame THESE TWO for conspiring to sell/buy Paranormalcy. Shame on you both. Shame on Harper Children's in general for encouraging and funding Kiersten's cruelty to keyboards.

I blame THIS ONE for teaching Kiersten to be a better self editor so the above culprits were willing to get Paranormalcy out into the world. That adorable smile hides true evil.

And I blame THIS ONE maybe most of all for telling Kiersten to write the idea in the first place. You owe me another "N" key, Atalie.

And of course I blame Hot Stuff and Kiersten's family more than anyone else, for being supportive and telling her things like, "I always knew you could do it!" COULD, yes. SHOULD? NO! Think of the "N"s! The innocent "N"s!

But this still brings me back to you. You, who read her blog. You, who support her. You, who actually went out and bought her book and told others to do the same. You know what you are? A bunch of enablers! That's right. Shame on you all.

Laptop? What on earth are you talking about?? We're saying THANK YOU.

Well, I'm saying thank you, at least. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Seven times seven times seven times seven.

Last night in the middle of the night my son woke up, desperately saying, "Was it a dream, Mom? Was it a dream??"

I kind of feel the same way. Here's hoping I don't wake up.