In Which I Hang with the Apocalypsies as the End of the World Looms

Authors of young adult novels are a friendly, helpful bunch. Back in 2007, a tradition started among YA authors having their debut that year to form a group to help each other out, cross-promote, and all that good stuff.

Since then, every year a new group sprouts up, so my group was the 2012 crowd - the Apocalypsies, so named by Gretchen McNeil for the Mayan Apocalypse supposedly predicted (but not really) for Dec. 21, 2012.

I love the folks in this group. They are funny, kind, and very talented. I had my first (and perhaps last - if the end is really nigh. ...Nah.) signing with some of the Los Angeles contingent at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore in Redondo Beach on Dec. 1. We each read a short snippet from our book, answered questions, gave away swag, and ate chocolate cupcakes made (or perhaps they were engineered... she does write steampunk) by Suzanne Lazear.

Dang, it was fun. The readers who joined us asked great questions - sex, cocaine, and gender bias were all discussed (!) I always enjoy meeting and hanging out with my fellow authors, who never fail to be very interesting people.

Here we all are. I was not having a good hair day, but I did have a good day.

From left to right, Suzanne Lazear (and her fabulous daughter), Ann Stampler, Carrie Lawler Arcos, Jenn Reese, Gretchen McNeil, Jennifer Bosworth me, Sara Wilson Etienne, and Elana K. Arnold.