6/1/08: Hey, Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies won the Lambda Literary Award! Very cool.

3/18/08: Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (my latest Geography Club sequel) is a Lambda Literary Award Finalist! (I suspect it's the first time a "flip book"--two books in one--has made the shortlist.) The book has also been named a New York Public Library "Book for the Teenage."

2/5/08: They're rehearsing a production of my stage adaptation of my book. Geography Club, here in Tacoma, Washington. Two performances only! See below for details.

2/4/08: Finally got a (very nice) School Library Journal review of my middle grade fantasy, Dreamquest (ten months after publication and two months before the book comes out in paperback!): "Slumberia appears hauntingly liquid as dreams sometimes do, but beneath the surface is a sinister undercurrent. The story unfolds like a television show, fast paced and visual...the characters are well defined and the story line clever. Readers looking for a fun but edgy book will enjoy stepping into this unusual world with its grim circumstances and adventure." Meanwhile, SFRevu said, "Reminiscent of the movie Labyrinth...Entertaining...engaging and fun...interesting characters and fun sequences."

12/20/07: TeenReads.com has named Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (my latest Geography Club sequel) as one of their "Best of 2007." This is the fifth book of mine that they've picked, and I couldn't be more pleased (or impressed by their taste in books!).

11/03/07: How exciting! Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies has won the National Best Book 2007 Award in the "Young Adult" category. Not the National Book Award, alas, but hey, I'll take it.

9/21/07: Hey, Grand & Humble just won the Scandiuzzi Children’s Book Award here in Washington State. It was an honor just to be nominated, but since there is also a cash prize, it's even better to win!

9/14/07: Nice VOYA review of Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (the latest Geography Club sequel): "Hartinger uses a clever idea to show that perspective is everything...Hartinger's handling of Russel's parents is spot-on as well...Hartinger handles his characters with the right amount of angst and humor, making this a valuable read. 4Q, 4Q."

9/11/07: Interestingly, 9/11/01 was the day I turned in the final draft of my first novel Geography Club. Also, more good reviews for my latest book, Dreamquest. And here's scientific proof that the cover of my book The Last Chance Texaco is an eye-catching one (I so agree!).

8/23/07: Dreamquest, my first fantasy novel, has been nominated for the PNBA Award. I'm not exactly sure what that means, but it sounds good!

8/21/07: Nice new review of Split Screen (the latest Geography Club sequel), from Richard Labonte's influential Book Marks column: "Imaginatively delightful...Hartinger makes clever use of the fact that no two people live through - or recall - shared events the same way."

7/29/07: Lots of nice reviews for Dreamquest!"An outstanding, different fantasy," says the Midwest Book Review. "Brilliant...an amazing, original tale," says Book Chic.

7/18/07: I'm starring in a new "vlog" (video blog), Two Gay Guys, over after AfterElton.com.

7/9/07: Geography Club is an About.com Book Club Selection for July. Very cool!

7/7/07: So my latest book, Dreamquest, is officially out--a fantasy for kids nine and up. But yikes, I guess it's edgier than I intended!

6/22/07: How nice! I was invited the participate in the Summer Blog Bast Tour, here and here.

6/15/07: The Order of the Poison Oak will be published in Italian. The same publisher previously published Geography Club, which presumably did well. My books are currently published in six languages, with a number of other deals pending. Cool, huh?

6/10/07: Weirdly, my 2004 book The Last Chance Texaco is prominently featured in Barnes & Nobles, with big stacks in the "New Release" section all across the country. It's not a new release (the paperback came out in early 2005), but hey, I'm not complaining! (I reread it the other day, and it continues to be one of my personal favorites of my own books; I think the last 75 pages is some of the best "page-turner" writing I've ever done.) Now it'd be great if they actually tried stocking some copies of Split Screen (I swear, I do not understand the nonsensical corporate mind).

5/29/07: Great profile on me and my latest book, Dreamquest.

4/25/07: Great review of Split Screen in USA Today: "Hartinger has a knack for teen dialogue, and his characters spring to life — even in costume as the undead." On the USA Today blog, the writer said, "I really think this guy could be the next Judy Blume." Not bad, eh?

4/10/07: Split Screen: Attack of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies/Bride of the Soul-Sucking Brain Zombies (the latest Geography Club sequel) is on the InsightOut (a gay book club) Besteller List!

Upcoming Tour Schedule

All bookstore and library events are free; conferences may require a charge.

ROCHESTER, New York, April 2009. Details TBA.

Interested in my speaking at your organization, bookstore, or library? Contact me! (More information here.)

MY GUARANTEE TO YOU: I've been to way too many boring authors' event, so I guarantee that if you come to one of my events and I'm boring, and if you say so afterwards to my face, I'll give you a dollar! No questions asked!