NOVL

4.30.2013

FACT: The term “ice cream” shows up 32 times in Jennifer E. Smith’s This Is What Happy Looks Like.
It makes sense. Ellie does work in an ice cream parlor, after all. Plus, the whole thing is about a summer in Maine, an unexpected match, and HAPPY. What’s happier than ice cream? (Hint: nothing.) So, inspired by Ellie and the wide open summer that is so close we can taste it, Team Novl compiled The Ultimate Ice Cream Road Trip.
Please, go forth, read, road trip, and get happy. Don’t forgot to ask for sprinkles.

1: The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - Try the: Lychee | 2: Toscanini’s Ice Cream - Try the: Burnt Caramel or Ginger Snap Molasses | 3: The Creole Creamery - Try the: Lavender Honey | 4: Amy’s Ice Cream - Try the: Grasshopper | 5: Graeter’s - Try the: Black Raspberry Chip | 6: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream - Try the: Queen City Cayenne | 7: MOOMer’s Homemade Ice Cream - Try the: Amaretto Cherry | 8: Sweet Action Ice Cream - Try the: Salted Butterscotch | 9: Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream - Try the: Balsamic Strawberry | 10: Salt & Straw - Try the: Grandma Malek’s Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache | 11: Bi-Rite Creamery - Try the: Roasted Banana or Malted Vanilla | 12: Sweet Republic - Try the: Salted Butter Caramel — **FACT**: The term “ice cream” shows up 32 times in Jennifer E. Smith’s This Is What Happy Looks Like.

It makes sense. Ellie does work in an ice cream parlor, after all. Plus, the whole thing is about a summer in Maine, an unexpected match, and HAPPY. What’s happier than ice cream? (Hint: nothing.) So, inspired by Ellie and the wide open summer that is *so close* we can taste it, Team Novl compiled The Ultimate Ice Cream Road Trip.

Please, go forth, read, road trip, and get happy. Don’t forgot to ask for sprinkles.

1: The Original Chinatown Ice Cream Factory - Try the: Lychee | 2: Toscanini’s Ice Cream - Try the: Burnt Caramel or Ginger Snap Molasses | 3: The Creole Creamery - Try the: Lavender Honey | 4: Amy’s Ice Cream - Try the: Grasshopper | 5: Graeter’s - Try the: Black Raspberry Chip | 6: Jeni’s Splendid Ice Cream - Try the: Queen City Cayenne | 7: MOOMer’s Homemade Ice Cream - Try the: Amaretto Cherry | 8: Sweet Action Ice Cream - Try the: Salted Butterscotch | 9: Molly Moon’s Homemade Ice Cream - Try the: Balsamic Strawberry | 10: Salt & Straw - Try the: Grandma Malek’s Almond Brittle with Salted Ganache | 11: Bi-Rite Creamery - Try the: Roasted Banana or Malted Vanilla | 12: Sweet Republic - Try the: Salted Butter Caramel

25

4.09.2013

If your Tuesday isn’t full of rocket ship sugar you might be doing it wrong. That @aaron007 is one smart cookie. #punniest

4

4.05.2013

Friday. Getting your hands on the first copy of a book you’ve been waiting for. An extra lovely note from someone you love. Cinnamon rolls. A puppy in a windowsill. 3PM brunch. Wisdom via Demi Lovato. Book tour prep. New spring clothes. Doughnuts. Reading on your morning commute. A morning run. Nieces and nephews. Driving at night. Portland, OR. Cheese. Waking up early on the beach. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Almost-girlfriends & almost-boyfriends. Hawaii. Art. Twisting an Oreo cookie. Coffee beans.
And you? (Yes, you!) What’s your #happylookslike? — Friday. Getting your hands on the first copy of a book you’ve been waiting for. An extra lovely note from someone you love. Cinnamon rolls. A puppy in a windowsill. 3PM brunch. Wisdom via Demi Lovato. Book tour prep. New spring clothes. Doughnuts. Reading on your morning commute. A morning run. Nieces and nephews. Driving at night. Portland, OR. Cheese. Waking up early on the beach. Boyfriends. Girlfriends. Almost-girlfriends & almost-boyfriends. Hawaii. Art. Twisting an Oreo cookie. Coffee beans.

And you? (Yes, you!) What’s your #happylookslike?

12

4.03.2013

WARNING: Before you watch this trailer please prepare yourself to be creeped, majorly so.

Also, I Hunt Killers is out in paperback!

You’re unfamiliar? Well, the matrix below* explains it better than we ever could.

*Credit goes to The Readventurer.

16

4.03.2013

Julia Gazdag Taps Rob Gordon from High Fidelity as Fictional Pen Pal [Hello Giggles]

Inspired by the concept of building a relationship through letters - or, in some instances, over these here interwebs - Julia Gazdag dreamt up her ideal fictional exchange and the result…well, it’s what #happylookslike.

It begins like this…

Me: Hey Rob.
Rob: Hey Julia.
Me: How’s your record collection?
Rob: What?
Me: I mean, how are you?
Rob: You know the Beatles’ song Julia was about John Lennon’s dead mother who was killed by a hit-and-run driver off-duty policeman?
Me: Of course I know that. My cells are comprised of Beatles fact atoms. My white blood cells are really microscopic yellow submarines.

And ends like this…

I guess that’s what my happy looks like — listening to Smiths singles on the couch. Maybe get some good pad thai involved. To many people happy looks like: Sunrises over the harbor, ice cream on a hot day, a dog curled up next to you on the couch, evening strolls, great movies and thunderstorms.

But you’re missing many a great piece from the middle. Read the rest right here.

PS: Leave what #happylookslike to you in the comments section to enter for a chance to win a copy of This Is What Happy Looks Like.

5

4.02.2013

#HappyLooksLike pub day for Jennifer E. Smith’s new YA novel.
(We LOVE it. It’s true.) — #HappyLooksLike pub day for Jennifer E. Smith’s new YA novel.

(We LOVE it. It’s true.)

20

4.02.2013

“It was so good I reread the last fifty pages.” - OH in the office

25

4.01.2013

[While this is a worthwhile pursuit we thought it needed one teensy edit.]

252

3.30.2013

Oh, just this birthday card we found lying around the office yesterday.
(But really and truly and most sincerely, we’d like to wish a very happy birthday to Jennifer Rush.) — Oh, just this birthday card we found lying around the office yesterday.

(But really and truly and most sincerely, we’d like to wish a very happy birthday to Jennifer Rush.)

8

3.27.2013

Truth or dare?
Dare? Good.
Your dare, should you choose to accept it, is to watch Aaron Hartzler’s 10 Questions in ~~1 Minute~~ 2 Minutes and 20 Seconds and NOT smile the biggest smile. (It’s impossible.)

Keywords:
Amy Grant
Rihanna vs. Taylor Swift
Self doubt
Time wasting
Admirable fictional characters
Justin Bieber with his shirt on

5