Frequently Asked Questions
Q: "How do you pronounce your last name?"
A: I pronounce it "Peter-froind" (think "Freud" with an N), but if that's too hard for you, "Peter-friend" works great. That's what it means in German, anyway, and it's how my dad and grandfather pronounce it.Q: "Is there going to be a third book in the killer unicorn series (that started with Rampant & Ascendant)?"
A: Yes, someday. I don't have a title, publisher, or release date yet, though. But I promise I have not abandoned Astrid! Meanwhile, enjoy the killer unicorn short stories.Q: "How many books are in the Secret Society Girl (Ivy League Novel) series?"
A: There are four books in the series. The correct reading order is: Secret Society Girl, Under the Rose, Rites of Spring (Break), and Tap & Gown.Q: "Are you going to write any more books in the Secret Society Girl (Ivy League Novel) series?"
A: Tap & Gown is the last book in the series. (It's time for Amy and me to graduate!) If you're interested in reading further in the series, check out the free secret stories.
Category Archives: writing advice
Last night, my pal Pam Bachorz and I were supposed to participate in a chat on worldbuilding at yalitchat.org. Unfotunately, neither Pam nor I are a member of that particular organization. We were confused and thought we were participating in … Continue reading
The incomparable Tamora Pierce talks about why she writes books for young women: Why do I write so many strong female characters? When I was a kid, 7-8 books out of all books written for kids through teens had boy … Continue reading
I stumbled across this essay by an MFA graduate a few weeks ago, and I’ve been thinking about it for a bit. I do not have an MFA, though a few of my friends (both published and unpublished) do. I … Continue reading
The comment thread on last week’s post regarding submitting your work regardless of what some other writer might say about its chances at publication has spawned a lot of interesting side discussions: about revising on the advice of an agent … Continue reading
I got a letter from an aspiring writer the other day with a question about the marketability of her work. Basically, she’d written a book that might be sold as an adult novel or as a YA novel. She’d written … Continue reading
On Thursday, I finally sat down and started work on my new book. See the word counter over there on the right? Pretty, pretty orange! Look at the way it creeps up on that vast swath of unwritten white! So, … Continue reading
The reason I haven’t blogged much this week is that I’m sick. I hate being sick. Hate hate hate. So when I’m sick, on top of feeling like crap, I’m in a pretty poisonous mood. At which point, it’s usually … Continue reading
Note: Read this first. I’m beginning to suspect that there is a new “get into college” book out advising teenagers that one way to stand out on their applications is to publish a book. I can’t imagine what else it … Continue reading
The sun is shining, the sky is that deep blue it only achieves on cloudless days at the peak of fall, and the forest floor in Rock Creek Park has turned the precise color of Rio’s fur. She’s getting her … Continue reading
I get this question (or a variation on it) a lot so I decided to do a blog post about it. It’s amazing to see how much things have changed in twelve years, from when I applied to colleges. When … Continue reading
