Fabulous News and a Pretty Picture

Hi all!
The news:
Graceling is a finalist for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction and Fantasy (the SFWA's award for YA given concurrently with the Nebulas). Its fellow finalists are Lamplighter, by D.M. Cornish; Savvy, by Ingrid Law; The Adoration of Jenna Fox, by Mary E. Pearson; and, with the best title ever (in my opinion), Flora’s Dare: How a Girl of Spirit Gambles All to Expand Her Vocabulary, Confront a Bouncing Boy Terror, and Try to Save Califa from a Shaky Doom (Despite Being Confined to Her Room), by Ysabeau S. Wilce. In other words, I'm in fine company -- and why isn't my title 33 words long? :o)
Also, Graceling is a nominee for the 2009-2010 Georgia Peach Book Award. Check out the other nominees here, and forgive me for not listing them -- there are 20. The cool thing about this award is that teens in the state of Georgia vote for the winner. The other cool thing is that I'm in the company of Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely, Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games, and a bunch of other lovely books :o)
Finally, Graceling is a finalist for the Indies Choice Book Awards in the category of Best Indie Young Adult Buzz Book. These awards are presented by the American Booksellers Association. My fellow finalists are The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman; The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins; Little Brother, by Cory Doctorow; My Most Excellent Year, by Steve Kluger; and Savvy, by Ingrid Law. I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record, but, hello. Good company!
That's the news. Before I get to the pretty picture, Melissa Marr is giving away some free books this month, including 3 signed copies of the U.K. edition of Graceling. Go here to enter the drawing!
Also, one more thing: everyone I know seems to be sick right now. Everyone is sick! So this is just a wish that everyone feel better! Feel better soon, everyone!
And now, here's the pretty picture. It's the cover for the Fire ARC in the USA and Canada (Dial Books for Young Readers, Fall 2009). The cover for the final book may be different from the ARC cover.

As always, feel free to tell me what you think. I made sure to post the Graceling cover above so you could compare if you want.
Comments
We eagerly await Fire (and the cover is really pretty.)
I noticed Fire is under Dial Books, and Graceling was published by Harcourt. I'm guessing this is because Kathy Dawson recently began at Dial, which provokes another question in me--is it the norm for an author to go with their editor from imprint to imprint? Are you two a package deal?
(I'm asking mostly because I spoke with Kathy at the SCBWI NYC Conference, and loved her, and couldn't imagine having to break it off with her simply because she switched houses!)
I think that about sums it up.
Congrats on all the nominations! You deserve it.
Congratulations on all the nominations!!
(May actually die if I don't get that galley.)
Hmmmm wondering how I can get to BEA in NY this year....... :P
And of course Congrats on all the nominations! :)
--Candelion
"i cant seem to tell them apart anymore"-heros and thieves by vanessa carlton
Fire is on its way, how exciting for all of us.
And congratulations on the well-deserved recognitions :)
It Depends on the Day -- I read Jenna Fox and loved it! I should have said that in my post, actually. I'll have to find a way to work it into a post soon.
Sara K -- I would follow my editor to the moon :o)
Will you be going on a book tour upon the release of Fire, and if so, what is the probability of you coming to central Kentucky? (we do wear shoes*)
*most of the time, anyway
And I entered that draw that Melissa Mar's doing! *fingers crossed*
And on the nominations wow! Graceling is up there with some awesome company! You must keep us updated on it!
.Ashley
Congrats on the noms, they are well deserved. I have been recommending Graceling to everyone I know.
That cover's gorgeous. Will Bitterblue have a weapon on the cover too?
congratulations on all of the award nominations too :)
And the cover is gorgeous. Do you just love it?
-Cucumber
FANTASTIC cover. I love it. It goes right with that of Graceling. I can't wait to get it.
:D
No tour per se, but I'll be doing a few events in the fall that might involve local bookstore stops (none in Kentucky, however -- sorry!), and as the time nears I'll be sure to make an announcement. At some point I'll probably be adding a "My Schedule" link to the blog -- I'll focus on that project after I get my FAQ page up.
Congrats on all the awards and nominations. Thats quite a lot. =]
On the subject of tours... Delaware or near Delaware would be amazing! No one ever comes here. =[
Amazing cover by the way!
- ARC dancer