Kiersten Really Is That Awesome

I am beyond ecstatic to announce that my best friend Kiersten White has gotten herself a three-book deal with HARPERTEEN.

(It would be appropriate to imagine me jumping around wearing all orange clothing right now.)

That's right, people, Kiersten is that awesome. It's about time people take notice of what I've known for, like, forever. Go over and congratulate her.

Kiersten has been one of my closest friends since we met May of 2008. We were both new writers trying out that whole query scene, except she was WAY better than me and I knew it. But she was nice and helped me out a lot with my bad writing. And she never said out right that it was bad—she's polite like that.

She also has a myriad of skills, like cleaning up throw up, getting ignored because she looks like she's still sixteen, and pushing a tank of a double stroller wherever she goes.

Oh yeah, and she writes really incredible books.

Books that I get to read first. Neener neener.

In all seriousness, she is one of the most caring, intelligent, and diligent people I know. I love her to death, and I am grateful everyday that she still talks to me. I have been known to be a little...crazy. But she's put up with all my whining and drama patiently and with a much needed dose of humor, even when she was the one who almost died. I don't know what I would have done without her this past year.

So congrats, Kierst, and you better soak it all in. You deserve every little piece of this whether you think that or not. I'm drinking Dr. Pepper all next week in honor of you, and I swear I'm gonna figure out how to take you to dinner asap.