It’s a thrilling, humbling, exciting moment when an author you admire speaks out and vouches for you with a beautiful blurb. I am so excited to share this blurb for 17 & Gone from Kiersten White, who read the book and liked it so much that she actually reached out and offered (and I shrieked and squealed and thanked her effusively, and will probably tackle her with a hug if I ever get the chance to meet her at a book event), because when an author you admire says kind words about your book, there is nothing like it. Because she said this:

“17 & Gone is a sharply compelling story of what happens when we stop seeing what’s in front of us and start looking for what’s already gone. Intricately plotted and surreally imagined… Suma breaks reality and twists it back together in a devastating and beautiful new form.”

—Kiersten White, bestselling author of Paranormalcy and Mind Games

Thank you so much, Kiersten!! I am THRILLED!

On a more personal note, I also wish I could share with you a few of the crazed, awesome, and hilarious text messages I got from a friend and author I adore yesterday as she was finishing reading 17 & Gone. (Can a stream of text messages be “blurbed” on the back cover of a book, too? Heh. I’d share them here, but I haven’t asked permission.)

Speaking of 17 & Gone, I have seen irrefutable evidence that the ARCs I signed at the Penguin offices are trickling out into the world. (My expression in that last photo is hilarious.) Not only are the ARCs signed, they all include a letter from me. Thank you for the people who’ve gotten ARCs and tweeted me a picture. I love it!

(Featured image connected with this post thanks to @NereydaG1003!)