Spring is in the air, and that is a VERY good thing. It's amazing how some warm temperatures can really brighten your spirits.

I was lucky enough to catch two excellent events featuring three wonderful authors this week; that, coupled with the brilliant weather, has given me a real spring in my step. Monday night I attended Sarah Blake's reading and Q&A about The Postmistress; the original program was snowed out, but thankfully rescheduled for a date I was in town. I normally do not enjoy it when authors read, preferring to hear them talk, but Sarah's reading dropped me right into the mood and the story. The Postmistress was one of my Bets On picks to start the year, and it was such a thrill to see it debut on the New York Times and IndieBound lists. You can see our full Bookreporter.com feature for the book here.

Calling all Kidsreads.com readers! Have you ever had a burning question that you wanted to ask one of your favorite authors? Well, Cornelia Funke, the internationally bestselling author of THE THIEF LORD and the Inkheart trilogy, wants to answer YOUR questions! Send your inquiries here, and she will try to respond to as many as possible in a special online video. This fall, RECKLESS, the first installment in Funke's new fantasy series, will be released, and this could be the perfect opportunity to find out more about it. Funke is anxiously awaiting your questions, so send away! The deadline for this is March 15th. Feel free to share this with your teacher, your friends and your local librarian!

Has your child ever had a burning question for a favorite author? Well, Cornelia Funke, the internationally bestselling author of THE THIEF LORD and the Inkheart trilogy, wants to answer questions from her young fans. Send their inquiries here, and she will try to respond to as many as possible in a special online video. This fall, RECKLESS, the first installment in Funke's new fantasy series, will be released, and this could be the perfect opportunity to find out more about it. Funke is anxiously awaiting your child’s questions, so send away! The deadline for this is March 15th. Feel free to share this with your child's teacher, their friends and your local librarian!

I am getting a tad bored with the gray and white palette outside my window. The flakes have been flying for days --- yesterday there was a point where I could not see across the street from the office in New York, and today, while the backyard is pretty, I am ready for some color. My good friend Seale Ballenger just passed me a link to a church sign that said, “Whoever is praying for snow, please stop.” I am in agreement. I love snow days when I can enjoy them and kick back, but these storms have meant I just hunker down and work at home instead of at the office. Not so much fun!

Last month, we launched a new feature inviting all of you to write guest posts on the Teenreads.com blog. And while we're SUPER excited about the posts we've been getting so far, we are less than thrilled with the name we came up with for this feature --- "Reader Q&A." We want to spice it up, but instead of our staff trying to figure out a new moniker, we are turning to YOU (after all, this is YOUR feature!). Send us your suggestions by filling out this form by Monday, March 8th. The winner and runners-up will receive some new reading material from Teenreads.com as thanks for their creative genius. For more details, click here.