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I’ve said before that there are a lot of “hidden” perks of being an author. A few months ago I singled out the joy of having a top-notch copyeditor, Regina Castillo, to make me look far more literate than I actually am. Getting packages of books from my editor, Liz Waniewski, ranks up there too! And there are others . . .

For instance, almost exactly three years ago I met the absolutely awesome Catherine Gilbert Murdock (of DAIRY QUEEN fame) when she visited St. Louis for a book festival. We’ve been friends ever since, and she even (very graciously) blurbed FIVE FLAVORS OF DUMB. Well, I said I’d love to read any forthcoming novels, and in response she sent me an early draft of WISDOM’S KISS, which comes out tomorrow (Tuesday, September 13th)! And can I just say . . . WOW.

WISDOM’S KISS is a fairy tale of sorts. It’s told from several perspectives, using a playful mix of dairy entires, a play, letters, and more. (It is consistently hilarious.) The genius in the variety of formats is how seamlessly one section continues from another, sometimes overlapping for humorous purposes and to show the unreliability of one narrator’s point of view. It moves along at breakneck pace, has unforgettable characters, and a cat who deserves a spin-off novel in the future. Brilliant!

Incidentally, Catherine is hosting a live chat on her Facebook page at 8PM ET on Tuesday, September 20th. Definitely worth checking out.

Congrats to Catherine on the release. I’ll leave you with the pithy words of the Booklist reviewer (just in case you don’t take my word for how good the book is):

“Packed with double entendres, humorous dialogue and situations, and a black cat that will capture the reader’s imagination, this is a joyful, timeless fantasy that teens will savor.”