Robin Brande, Author, Dog Lover, Coffee and Chocolate Addict. Living an Interesting Life.

Fiction author Robin Brande talks about writing, reading, and other vital matters

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Hot dang!!

This is so cool! I just found out about it a few days ago, but now that they’ve officially announced it, I can tell you guys. Here’s from the press release:

“The Teen Services Division of the Michigan Library Association (MLA) is pleased to announce that Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature by Robin Brande, published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, is the winner of the 2008 Thumbs Up! Award.

The Thumbs Up! Award was established in 1986 to recognize the excellence in, and to celebrate the uniqueness of, Teen/Young Adult literature. Young Adult and Teen Librarians from all over Michigan determine the winner. . . . Brande will accept her award at the Michigan Library Association’s Spring Institute conference, to be held April 15-17, 2009 in Lansing, MI.

“Four honor titles were selected by the 2008 Thumbs Up! Award committee: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie (published by Little, Brown), Don’t Call Me Ishmael by Michael Gerard Bauer (published by HarperTeen), Freak Show by James St. James (published by Dutton), and Twisted by Laurie Halse Anderson (published by Viking).”

SWEET!!! What an honor! And what great company to be in! I’m really, really happy about the award–thank you, Michigan Library Association!

So if any of you live in or around Lansing, MI, and you feel like coming out next April to say, “Hey, Robin, it’s me, [your name here],” then by all means please show up at this event.

I’ll say it again: THANK YOU, MICHIGAN!

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29 Responses to “Hot dang!!”

  1. Felicity Says:

    Hey! I might be able to come. I don’t live to far away from Michigan and my Dad’s been dying to go to his two old colleges.

  2. robin Says:

    Cool, Felicity!

  3. Sara Says:

    Hot, HOT dang! That is awesome news. I’d faint, just being in that list of authors you typed. By April, you’ll have a bunch of new books under your belt, too, and be able to relax and enjoy a trip to Michigan. Woo-hoo!

  4. Bill Says:

    Congratulations! Definitely well deserved!

  5. Jen Robinson Says:

    Congratulations, Robin!! That rocks, and is certainly much deserved.

  6. Elizabeth Says:

    Robin, I had the pleasure of being on the committee that chose your book, and it couldn’t have happened to a better book or a nicer person.

    I have known this for a week now and been DYING to tell you, but I didn’t think it would be right for you to hear it from me first.

    Congratulations on a well-deseved honor!

  7. robin Says:

    Elizabeth, no way! That’s so cool! Thank you so much!!!! How funny that you’ve been keeping that under your hat–good job!

    Thank you, Sara, Bill, and Jen! I really appreciate your sweetness!

  8. MJG Says:

    Congratulations, Robin, the good news just keeps rolling in after almost one year of Evolution on the market. I love hearing that committees/readers/fans are still discovering your book and putting it ‘out there’ for other readers to enjoy. Keep it up, I know more of your writings are just around the corner.

  9. Heather Harper Says:

    Congrats, Robin. That is wicked awesome! It really is a great book and I stupidly left my copy at home. (I always forget something.) Was going to have you sign it. Poo.

    And too funny, Elizabeth. I don’t know if I could have held my tongue for a whole week. Lol.

  10. robin Says:

    Thank you, MJG. How nice!

    Heather, next time!

  11. adrienne Says:

    YEE HAW, ROBIN! WOO!

  12. Kelley Says:

    What a treat that your first published novel is getting so much honor and attention! And it’s well worth it all. You have worked so hard for this, and as others have said, it couldn’t have happened to a better person. I echo you: “Hot dang!!!!”

  13. Lady T Says:

    Congrats,Robin! Very noice:)

  14. Vivian Says:

    Wahoo! Your book is so awesome, I bet there will be more awards. Congrats!

  15. Shai Says:

    CONGRATS ROBIN!! YOU ARE AWESOME!!

  16. robin Says:

    Thank you, Adrienne, Kelley, Lady T, Vivian, and Shai! It means so much to get your cheers!

  17. Jessica Burkhart Says:

    Congratulations!! I love that book! :)

  18. robin Says:

    Thank you, Jessica! How nice!

  19. Felicity Says:

    I saw Evolution, Me, & Other Freaks of Nature displayed at my library today! It said “winner of multiple teen awards”. I was so happy.

    Oh, I forgot to say CONGRATS!!! somehow. *looks sheepish*

  20. robin Says:

    Felicity, thanks for telling me about that! That makes me happy. It’s still so weird to see my book places–real places like libraries and book stores, instead of just imaginary places in my head. Every time someone tells me they’ve seen the book out in the world, it’s still kind of a shock for me.

    A good shock!

  21. Carli Says:

    congrats!!!! :) :) :)
    i hope some day, when i become an author, i will become as popular as you.

  22. robin Says:

    Thanks, Carli. By the way, you did an excellent job in my writing class! (I assume that’s you, Carli?)

  23. Dylan Says:

    That’s so cool! Way to go Robin! You totally deserve it!

  24. robin Says:

    Thanks so much, Dylan!

  25. jules Says:

    Congrats!

  26. Dylan Says:

    AW your welcome! Keep up the good work!

  27. Little Willow Says:

    CONGRATS! :)

  28. robin Says:

    Thank you, Jules, Dylan, and Little Willow!!

  29. Jone Says:

    Congrats, Robin. Well deserved.