Another Epic Milestone

There are a lot of surreal, exciting, amazing, unbelievable moments on this crazy journey I'm on (and thank goodness because they help balance the hectic, sleepless-night-inducing, terrifying ones). But yesterday was a BIG one.

I wish I could show you the absolutely GORGEOUS ARCs for LTSF that my amazing publisher sent me--but alas, I'm not allowed to since we haven't revealed the cover (which I am ALSO dying to show you). But I can't stop staring at them. Nor can I stop staring at my bookshelf, where BOTH of my books are now on display, which is so incredible I am having a hard time wrapping my head around it.

And then, there was this inside the ARC:

I ... I can't believe I already qualify for an "also by Shannon Messenger."

I also can't believe that these crazy stories that filled my head and refused to leave until I wrote them down are slowly making their way into the world. I've already gotten some amazing, tear-inducing emails from some early readers telling me how much they enjoyed it. And after BEA a LOT more people will have them.

It's scary and stressful and half the time I feel like there's an avalanche coming for me and I'm going to be clobbered any second. But I also get to hug my book--MY BOOK--and dance around with it and take embarrassing pictures to send to my agent and editor (oh, you know you'll do exactly the same thing!). And that is worth every single second of the stress--and then some.

So if you need me, I'll be twirling with my ARCs like the biggest nerd on the planet. And then diving back into book 2!

(Also, I'll be at Mysterious Galaxy tonight for the YA or Bust signing with Stephanie Perkins, Gayle Forman, and Nina LaCour. If you're in the area I hope to meet you there!)