So I was talking about book-type milestones with my friend Trish Doller, on the exciting day she received her ISBN number. She's had a possibly even crazier path to publication than most, plus she is a professional bookseller, so she really got psyched! She was probably joking about getting her book's ISBN as a tattoo, but let's hope she was TOTALLY SERIOUS because that would rule. (If you're not way into books, you may not know that the ISBN is the official unique code each book gets & the way people in bookstores & libraries often look up books. It just feels soooo official that it's super exciting to new authors.)

This got me thinking about another really exciting milestone, which is the first time you see your book in a library catalog. This is of course extra thrilling if you are a librarian like me and just generally get pumped about things like subject headings and MARC records and such. Back when my first book was coming out, I (and my family) stalked the Library of Congress catalog because that's the first place where book records show up. It was so fun to see the book when it was finally added, and we all enjoyed staring at it in its library-format glory. But I have totally forgotten to stalk the LoC for book two! Thankfully, the ISBN discussion reminded me to go check it out and there it is! GUY LANGMAN, CRIME SCENE PROCRASTINATOR at the LoC!

The summary came out really cool (I'm still not quite sure who writes those) and I just love the list of subject headings:

• Forensic sciences--
• Fathers and sons--
• Death--
• Grief--
• New Jersey--
• Humorous stories.
• Mystery and detective stories

The way this book's subjects are both 'grief' and 'humorous stories' really sort of captures the project. Also: New Jersey. Pretty sweet!

Also, an update I know you're dying for: Grapes of Wrath is really good! It took me a while to start reading because I've been engrossed as all get out in the new young adult book CATCH AND RELEASE by my fellow 10er/friend/hero Blythe Woolston. It's actually not out yet, but Blythe convinced me to join NetGalley to get an advanced copy & I did so. It is not like I needed much arm-twisting because I loved Blythe's first book (THE FREAK OBSERVER) so much, but I was confused by the whole digital ARC thing & honestly much prefer books made of paper. Anywho, I will say more later, but here's what I have to say about CATCH AND RELEASE at the moment: This book could be 1,000 pages long and I'd still be sad when it ended. I'll let the LoC say the rest:

The subject headings for CATCH AND RELEASE:

• Disfigured persons--
• Automobile travel--
• Fishing--
• Trout--
• Communicable diseases--