Where'd You Go, Red Ryder?

Anyone know the reference in the title?

My mom will.

If not, here you go: Obscure, I give you that. Un huh. 

Maybe obscurity is underrated. What do I know?

Anyway, I've been gone for a long time.

Why? Because, honestly 2016 into 2017 was a motherf*cker. There, I bleeped that for my teen readers, if I have any here. Make yourselves known if I do.

I've been bogged down in the sorrow and heinousness of politics and the state of our world. Hey, this is me, I wear my truth on my sleeve. It is NOT okay, what is going on out there, and I've been doing my damnedest to step up, and help make a change in this world. It often feels way more like spinning my wheels -- like WHAT DOES IT ALL MATTER?!?! -- but then I think of Obama and I "lace up my shoes."

Two ways I've been inspired to participate (besides screaming into the abyss of social media) are through this incredible and growing local group I joined called ATLI which you can join too, and the second is to begin to support a young local candidate for Town Supervisor who has been inspiring the crap out of me lately,  Darryl St. George.  When the political mess seems too huge at the federal level, focus in, and support local.

One of the silver linings that has come out of the past months of darkness is that I just completed the rough draft of a collaborative manuscript with my friend, and ridiculously-talented writer and truly good human, Nora Raleigh Baskin.

It is mystical, magical, and yet realistic, and we hope unique. . . and is now in the hands of our agents. We shall see. We shall see. But early BETA reader feedback has been amazing, and regardless of what the publishing professionals say, I think it's one of my favorite things I've ever written. Amazing to have a friend to work with and help bring lightness to the dark.

As for more book stuff, the eye-popping paperback of THE MEMORY OF THINGS comes out August 29th, and my next -- and fourth! -- novel IN SIGHT OF STARS, is well on its way to the world.



Slated for Winter 2018 from St. Martin's Press/Wednesday Books, I got a sneak peek at the cover yesterday and it is equally eye-popping and good. 

NO, I can't show you yet, but will show you in early June, with an exclusive cover reveal on the Nerdy Book Club, so stay tuned for that.

Last, but not least (for now), we are -- yay!!! -- gearing up for Teachers Write! A virtual writing camp for teachers, librarians and educators, started by the amazing Kate Messner. As always, I will be hosting Friday Feedback here with some fun and exciting guest authors! Hope to see many returning campers as well as meet new ones! Join the facebook page for news on dates and other fun tidbits!

In addition, I'm gearing up to run some more local tween, teen and adult summer novel writing workshops. If you're local and interested, click HERE, and email me at g.polisner@gmail.com for more information!

I'm sure I've forgotten a ton of things. But it's bright and sunny out and my dog wants to play, so catch you again soon,

Gae