Just got back from the ALAN conference, where I spoke on a panel with David Levithan, Laura Ruby, and Tanya Stone. The topic was "I Feel Good: Positive Portrayals of Sex in YA Novels." For a panel about sex, the talk was surprisingly tame, until David Levithan suggested we tackle the only remaining taboo - the orgy - and write it as a group. I started laughing so hard he thought I was going to have a heart attack.

Highlights: hanging out with my pop culture soul sista Jen Barnes in person for the first time ever (and also getting to know her good friend, author Ally Carter, who's adorable and sweet and so so so fun); having drinks with my speaking agent, Catherine Balkin of Balkin Buddies; finally getting to meet John Green and have several short, interesting conversations with him; saying hi to old friends (albeit briefly!) like E. Lockhart, David Lubar, and Nancy Werlin; talking to some serious passionate teachers in between sessions; getting to know more educators and some of the folks who work for Random House at the publisher's dinner on Sunday night.

Now it's almost Thanksgiving, and I'm cooking up a storm for the big day: sausage-stuffed mushrooms, pumpkin and sausage soup, coconut buttermilk pie, and pecan pie. Then on Friday, Joe and I are having Thanksgiving Part Deux with my parents, so I'm making more sausage-stuffed mushrooms and another coconut buttermilk pie. (Can you tell we're very sausage people? We're bacon people, too. You'd never know my mother and I are both full-blood Jews, but we are.)

I keep promising updates to the site, and I swear, they're coming. I'm in the process of integrating my online presence with that of my alter-ego, Lola Douglas. It's hard enough to keep up with my own life, let alone that of the two names under which I publish.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Two Parties, One Tux, and a Very Short Film about the Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman; Play Me by Laura Ruby

Freaks & Geeks (on DVD); Top Chef; The Office

Not much these days - any suggestions?

The election; Decorating Cents; holiday meal planning; watching gas prices fall