Sigh...................... I did like his version, but I felt sort of awful hearing HALLELUJAH on American Idol, if you know what I mean. I guess I think of it as a private, almost religious song, and I'm actually kind of possessive about it in a weird way.

I guess the only associations I have with that song are through the movie Shrek and American Idol. (I am not a religous person...) I think Jason Castro did an OK job. I like Jeff Buckley's version much more.

Thank you for your response about the book covers. It must take a lot of trust to turn the decision making over to someone else.

Speaking of book covers...What was it like to walk into a book store (or scroll through an online book store) and see your name on a book jacket?

Just wanted to pop over here and thank you for a brilliant book. I finished about a week ago and have already recommended to over a dozen friends on www.goodreads.com.

Thank you also for answering your questions regarding your approach to writing. Some of us need this kind of positive nudging so that we can keep writing and maybe, perhaps getting published one day.

Loved how this story came together in the end. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

[quote="JaevenStar] Speaking of book covers...What was it like to walk into a book store (or scroll through an online book store) and see your name on a book jacket?[/quote]

It was pretty anti-climactic to tell you the truth. My book MARGARETTOWN was on the shelves a month before the official "pub date" and before I'd even received my copies. I was just browsing the Barnes & Noble in the Grove in L.A. (where I was living at the time), and there it was. But the book felt like a stranger and completely separate from me, like someone from the past that I used to know really well. I was kind of, like, "Oh, hey, I know you." And then I said to my boyfriend, "Should I buy a copy?" (I didn't.) But yeah, it's funny -- once they're published, I kind of don't think about them anymore. For me, the real writing happens at my computer or in my head.

Oh, thanks so much! Such a nice post and I really appreciate you recommending the book to all those people!

And on that note, I just wanted to thank everyone who asked questions and took a break from waiting for Breaking Dawn to read my book. Stephenie always says she has the best fans, and it's true.

Yours,
Gabrielle