Why?  Because it’s a great story, filled with jump-off-the-page characters, a compelling plot and a satisfying ending.  But also because C. Lee McKenzie is my writing buddy.

I’ve never met Lee in person.  There’s three thousand miles between us.  I’m on the east coast, and she lives in California.  Sure I’ve seen her picture and she’s seen mine (the touched up one where I have no wrinkles) but there’s a good chance I could walk by her on a crowded city street and not recognize her.  Even so, I consider her a close friend. We’ve been through a lot together.

Writing buddies inspire you, build you up, fix your grammar, point out obvious things about your story that you somehow didn’t see, comment on subtle things that you never would have discovered, and keep you balanced as you find your way as a writer.  They are invaluable. Only a person who’s watched your novel grow, read your countless revisions and writes her own stories can understand the hope and heartache of a ‘nice’ rejection.  Heck, how many people outside of your writing friends even understand what a ‘nice’ rejection is?

When you’re less than two weeks away from the release of your first novel, you do a lot of thinking.  You do a lot of stressing but that’s for another post. I’m sure I would have given up if it wasn’t for Lee, my critique group partners and all my other writing friends. And I know that almost every person reading this post has had the same experience.  There probably was a time when you were ready to quit and someone was there to talk you off the ledge and point you toward your dreams.  I only hope I’m as good at dream pointing as my friends are.

What about you? Do you have a writing buddy?  Here’s your chance to give them a shout out.

Today is  another thirteenth on the calendar and not only a thirteenth, but the second Friday with the number thirteen in 2009. First February and now March. How “lucky” is that? I wonder if this has anything to do with the plunging stock market? And here we’ve been blaming greed. Tsk. Tsk.

I was thinking about how the world of children’s literature capitalizes on our superstition.  One famous example that pops up when you Google those key words is A Series of Unfortunate Events by Daniel Handler AKA Lemony Snicket.
Does he end his children’s book series at book twelve?

No.The final book is titled Book the Thirteenth. And did you notice that all of the other books in the series consist of thirteen chapters? Not accidental in the least.

I love that one character in Book the Thirteenth is called Friday. Hmmm nice. Literary allusion to Robinson Crusoe? Stranded. Alone. But there’s definitely a connection to that Friday the Thirteenth.

I’m really not superstitious. Really–fingers crossed–but this is the only post I’m doing today and I’m not sending out any submissions. Nope, not one.

ONE WISH

• Publication Season/Year: Spring 2009
• Publisher: Westside Books
• Release Date: April 23, 2009
• ISBN (hardcover): 978-1-934813-05-8
• ISBN (paperback): TBD

Overweight Wrenn Scott desperately wants to be popular and snag a hot boyfriend. Living with her single mom and younger sister, Karly, she lands a lead role in the high school musical, her voice for once overshadowing her weight. Pushing to get thinner by opening night, Wrenn’s waistline shrinks as she learns all the wrong ways to lose weight from a new “it-girl” friend in the show. Meanwhile, her mom is falling for Phil, “a balding Channel 8 News-nerd”; her sister is wrapped up in her own share of middle school drama, and Wrenn’s best friend has fallen for a guy she met online-but hasn’t even seen yet! Topping it off, geeky stage manager Steven has a crush on her. But Wrenn doesn’t want to be seen with him-she’s holding out for a trophy boyfriend whom everyone will envy. By opening night, the old Wrenn has almost disappeared. After a crisis reveals her weight-loss tricks, Wrenn realizes there are much more important things than being thin, popular, or even dating a hunk.

Praise!

Moving and heartfelt, ONE WISH is an engaging story of one girl’s bittersweet journey from ‘nobody’ to ‘noticed.’ Leigh Brescia perfectly captures what it’s like to long for something that’s just out of reach—and the sometimes surprising reality that comes from actually attaining it.

-Alyson Noel-

New York Times Bestselling author of Evermore and Saving Zoe

Leigh Brescia’s One Wish is a poignant story of a girl’s struggle to find herself in the midst of family turmoil and new temptations. Wrenn captures the reader’s heart with her quirky habits and shy dreams. Throughout the book, readers will wish Wrenn success as she tries to make her dreams come true, but Brescia proves that even when wishes don’t come true, life can be better than we ever thought.

-Mary Beth Miller-

Author of Aimee and On the Head of a Pin

“I loved One Wish and defy anyone to read it without a box of tissues handy . . .”

-Amanda Ashby-

author of Zombie Queen of Newbury High and You Had Me at Halo

“Brescia tackles important issues in her first novel, and Wrenn’s thoughts and the characters’ dialogue feel honest. . . . Wrenn’s shallowness makes her less sympathetic . . . but no less believable. Wrenn does finally show some growth and depth in the final chapters when she . . . begins to reflect on the choices she’s made.”

-Publisher’s Weekly-

“This is perhaps a less-stark view of eating disorders . . . but it is still realistic enough, and there is no happily-ever-after ending. The characters are well developed and three-dimensional, even the adults. This engrossing novel lets readers see this issue up close without being completely pessimistic.”

-School Library Journal-