introducing felicity juniper pickle!

Listening To: Live and Die by The Avett Brothers

Today has been the sweetest day. The sun is shining. The weather is not boiling, finally. The coffee is brewing. The Avett Brothers are singing to me. (I mean, they're not actually *here* singing to me. But I'm listening to them sing. And a girl can dream, you savvy?) 

And I am super excited to finally show you Felicity's swanky jacket! 

Friends, welcome to Midnight Gulch. :) 

*SQUEALS* :) 

In the words of my beloved editor, "the cuteness is out of control." I want to live there. Also, I want that ice cream on the cover. 

The cover of A SNICKER OF MAGIC was illustrated by Gilbert Ford, a crazy-talented artist who has illustrated (and written) lots of awesome books. THREE TIMES LUCKY, one of my most favorite novels (!!!), was illustrated by Gilbert. If you'd like to read more about his work, here's his website. This book was also made cute by the incredible savvy of Nina Goffi and Starr Mayo. They all deserve a lifetime supply of Dr. Zooks Ice Cream. (When you read the novel, you'll realize this is the highest of compliments.) 

I can't wait for you to see the full jacket. When I saw the shadowy silhouettes of my characters on the back-cover (!!!), I. Flipped. Out. It's so bright and whimsical and fun! 

Here's a bit more about Felicity: 

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Midnight Gulch used to be a magical place, a town where people could sing up thunderstorms and dance up sunflowers. But that was long ago, before a curse drove the magic away. Twelve-year-old Felicity knows all about things like that; her nomadic mother is cursed with a wandering heart.

But when she arrives in Midnight Gulch, Felicity thinks her luck's about to change. A "word collector," Felicity sees words everywhere---shining above strangers, tucked into church eves, and tangled up her dog's floppy ears---but Midnight Gulch is the first place she's ever seen the word "home." And then there's Jonah, a mysterious, spiky-haired do-gooder who shimmers with words Felicity's never seen before, words that make Felicity's heart beat a little faster.

Felicity wants to stay in Midnight Gulch more than anything, but first, she'll need to figure out how to bring back the magic, breaking the spell that's been cast over the town . . . and her mother's broken heart.

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A Snicker of Magic is up for pre-order now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. If you pre-order it, let me know, because I WILL HUG YOU so hard. Unless you don't like hugs. Then we'll just high-five or whatever. The book will be in stores on February 25, 2014. Between now, and then, I have lots of fun things to share. And give away. 

But before we get to all that, I must tell you this: 

I hope your copy of A SNICKER OF MAGIC doesn't look exactly like the cute picture above. I hope it looks coffee-stained and dog-eared and tattered. I hope you eat ice cream while you read the book, and accidentally dribble it all over the pages. I hope the story sticks together and maybe sticks in your heart for a little while, too. 

Happy, happy weekending to you! :)