Provo Children's Book Festival

I've been asked to participate in the Provo Children's Book Festival next week on Saturday, May 15, 2010, at Academy Square in Provo (the library). I'll be signing my book from 3-5. See you there.

Mystery Writers of America Awards Night

Thanks to the Mystery Writers of America for a great time at the 2010 Awards banquet. They did a wonderful job of making all of us nominees feel honored, even though there was just one winner in each category--and I didn't win, but I did feel honored. Peter Abrahams received the Edgar for his book Reality Check. After the ceremony the MWA put out stacks of books by the nominees and shopping bags and we were able to take home as many as we wanted. Christmas in April!!

Great time at LTUE

Thanks to all the hundreds of participants and attenders at BYU's science fiction and fantasy conference (28th annual Life, the Universe, and Everything) February 11, 12, 13. You made my experience tons of fun and very worthwhile. I enjoyed presenting on panels for "Writing strong female characters," "Worldbuilding 101," and "Writing strong child characters." Having a few hundred people attend my sessions was exciting. I also learned a lot from the other presenters.

Got the letter; nomination is official

Got the official letter today from the Mystery Writers of America about my book's nomination! Seems there's a big banquet and other festivities in New York City in April. Wahoo!

Edgar Award Nomination

Wow! Thanks to the Mystery Writers of America for the Young Adult Nomination for an Edgar Award for The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone. Keep your fingers crossed!

Also, thanks so much to Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin for taking such care with the book.

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone one of 5 best of 2009

Thanks to The Children's Hour, a literacy group from Arcadia, California. They chose Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone as one of the Five Best of 2009 in the 12+ category.

Here is their review found at http://www.tchliteracy.com/brm-n09-2.htm:
In 1903, sixteen-year-old Petronella's birthday party promises to be a spectacular event at her country estate outside London. However her party begins to unravel, when her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, accidentally swallows an exotic beetle from Tou-eh-mah-mah and becomes obsessed with consuming insects during the party. Two uninvited guests from Panama are kidnapped during the party, and Petronella, the handsome Lord James Sinclair, and his sister decide to investigate. Ransom notes disappear, along with insect clues (devoured by Uncle), and London appears in danger of a malaria outbreak. Well-meaning but meddling relatives, Scotland Yard, and a faithful butler aid Petronella and friends in their efforts to avert an international crisis and prevent the spread of a deadly disease. As for Uncle Percival's disgusting appetite for bugs, the butler, Moriarty, comes to the rescue with an antidote. An intrepid heroine, this Victorian Nancy Drew is endearing and humorous in her persistent efforts to save her family, friends, and country.

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone Nominated for Cybil Award

Thanks to Colleen Mondor for nominating Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone for the Middle Grade division of the Cybil Awards for 2009. The Cybil Awards come from literary bloggers. Thanks for the nomination! Once again, the list of nominees is impressive and intimidating. It's an honor to be listed among them.

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone Submitted for Edgar Award

Somebody very kindly submitted Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone as a possible nominee for the Young Adult division of the Edgar Awards. Thanks to whoever submitted and I hope it wins! However, I looked at the list and lots of other great books have been nominated, too. It's an honor to be listed among them.

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone now an I-Phone app

Now you can download Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone as an I-Phone app for $9.99. Cool

http://appadvice.com/app/340684385

Life, the Universe, and Everything

February 11-13, 2010 I'll be participating in the 37th Annual LTUE science fiction and fantasy symposium at Brigham Young University as a panelist. The actual name of the symposium is the Marion K. "Doc" Smith Symposium on Science Fiction & Fantasy. The symposium is free to the public. Find out more about it at ltue.org.

Authorpalooza, December 15, 2009

On December 15, 2009 from 5:00-7:00 p.m., several Utah authors, including me, will be at the Jordan Commons Barnes and Noble for a book signing party we're calling an Authorpalooza. Come and I'll sign your book and also meet many other Utah authors.

Thanks to the Historical Novel Society

Thanks to the Historical Novel Society for making Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone an editor's choice for Fall 2009 and for the great review!

School Library Journal Review

Thanks to the reviewers at School Library Journal for saying nice things about Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone in their October issue.

Podcast Interview of Me

My daughter makes delightful podcasts at

jellycast: avocadoknits

She interviewed me for one podcast at

http://www.jellycast.com/directory/index.php?page=jellycast&id=220

It was a lot of fun. Go check it out.

Great fan letter

A lovely lady who is even older than I am wrote me the following fantastic fan letter:

I think I will bypass the Vile Vial. But I may be in need of some of Professor Lepworthy's formula.

About 30 years ago a fly flew up my nose and though I blowed and blowed and coughed and swore a bit, it did not come out. It moved over into my cheek and caused a lot of ooohs and ahs before it dissolved.

I'm thinking I should be prepared just in case a beetle should try it. In the meantime keep buying your bug spray.

I love the book.

You never can tell who will connect. I love this letter.

Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone goes Audio

Good news! Today Houghton Mifflin was offered a deal to turn Petronella Saves Nearly Everyoneinto an audio book by Audible. Cool.

Second Petronella Book

The second Petronella book is now with the editor. Thanks for all the encouragement from friends and others who have read the first one. Let's hope the editor likes this one, too.

A Blogger mentions my book

I googled my book and found that a blogger (Chasing Ray, actually Colleen Mondor, who is a reviewer for Booklist, Bookslut, Eclectica Magazine and the Voices of New Orleans.), checked out the Houghton Mifflin catalog on January 16 and chose my book as one of the books she is looking forward to. She says,

The Entomological Tales of Augustus T. Percival: Petronella Saves Nearly Everyone by Dene Low, illus by Jen Corace. Okay, the tagline "a mysterious and lively romp through Edwardian England in 1903" caught my eye as well as the charmingly retro cover but this description - this description is one of the best I've seen ever: "You would think Petronella’s sixteenth birthday would be cause for celebration. After all, fashionable friends are arriving at her country estate near London, teas are being served, and her coming out party promises to be a resplendent affair. Everything is falling nicely into place, until, suddenly—it isn’t. For Petronella discovers that her guardian, Uncle Augustus T. Percival, has developed a most unVictorian compulsion: He must eat bugs. Worse still, because he is her guardian, Uncle Augustus is to attend her soiree and his current state will most definitely be an embarrassment.
During the festivities, when Petronella would much rather be sharing pleasantries with handsome Lord James Sinclair (swoon), important guests are disappearing, kidnapping notes are appearing, many of the clues are insects, and Uncle Augustus is surreptitiously devouring evidence. It’s more than one sixteen-year-old girl should have to deal with. But, truth be told, there is far more yet to come . . ."

That is not a description that can be resisted, no way, no how.


So you can see why I'm excited.