It’s been busy here at Pamie Central with the new book coming out. Have you pre-ordered yet? Did you know that pre-ordering helps me TREMENDOUSLY? If you’re a fan of anything I’ve written for free over the years and perhaps aren’t a reader of this type of book, please think about buying one for the person in your life who would love this kind of book. PS: Do you have any idea how sexy/romantic/sweet it is to buy a book for someone? It’s better than flowers, I promise you. (Unless that book is about dieting.)

These days you get two kinds of book tours — visual and virtual — and I’ve been hard at work writing copy or giving interviews for all the fascinating and fun websites I’m lucky enough to have feature either me or the book in the coming weeks. Here’s the rundown:

This week I had a lively radio interview with Gigi Levangie Grazer while walking around my backyard. We discuss writing, plastic surgery, movies my mother loves, and it somehow starts with, “Pam is a virgin.” [archived here.]

Today I am over at Novelicious, sharing my Top 5 Writing Tips.

Tomorrow, when you’re already reading Go Fug Yourself, you’ll see there’s a chance to win a free copy of YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE. [edited to add: contest info here]

On Monday I’ll be over at Chick Lit Is Not Dead with 5 Things I’d Tell the Teen Me. [edited to add: read the article here]

TUESDAY IS MY BOOK DAY! If you’re in Los Angeles, please come down to Skylight Books at 7:30 for fun and surprises. [Were you there? Did you miss it? Here are Jessica Schilling’s fantastic photos of the event.]

Here I am writing about love and loss and how I came up with this novel over at John Scalzi’s Big Idea.

I talk Wonder Killing, roller derby, TWoP, murderous crackheads, Star Wars, Anne Heche and my time in anime as I babble while getting more and more nervous over at This American Wife.

I make a Spotify playlist for YOU TAKE IT FROM HERE over at Largehearted Boy’s Book Notes.

Early press for You Take It From Here has been most kind. Special thanks to Jennifer Weiner for placing it high on her summer must-reads list alongside some amazing authors (and Molly Ringwald! Enjoy that, Little Pam!).

At NPR’s Monkey See blog, Linda Holmes writes a beautiful piece about writing and literature, comparing my book and Jennifer Weiner’s latest to Johnathan Franzen’s Freedom, and how they make you feel. She was then kind enough to mention the book (and Going in Circles) on that week’s Pop Culture Happy Hour Podcast.

Danielle Turchiano wrote such a heartfelt review I wanted to send her a case of Kleenex.

Noelle Wittkop also wrote a glowing review. And she called me her “favorite author” so she gets an A+ forever.

Susan at Sweeter Lemon named YTIFH an Awesome Book of the Week. “Oh, you guys. This book is so good. It even surpasses ‘Going in Circles’ as my fave Ribon book, and I really loved that book, too.”

Kritter’s Ramblings loved YTIFH. “This book touched my heart on a whole nother level…”

Just a Guy Who Reads Books sort of begrudgingly enjoyed the book, but needs to spend some time in Louisiana to see why Smidge’s accent can’t just be from any rando Southern town.

Speaking of reviews that sound like they’re going to be bad ones but end up being great, the reviewer over at The Readers Cafe wanted to hate this book so much she was practically salivating. Instead, I made her feel things and then she cried. Success!

This book caused From Tracie to send her best friend an extremely long email about what they will and won’t do for each other. So thank you to Tracie, and to her BFF, I’m sorry. Says Tracie, in her review: “If the standard of a good book is the emotions it conveys, the thoughts it sparks, and the way you find it touching your life after you close the pages, because the story sits with you (and I think it is), then this book is more than good. It is spectacular.”

Jesaka Long gives a great review over at her blog A Written Life: “When literary agents say they are looking for “voice-driven” writing (of any genre), I imagine they are looking for someone like Pamela Ribon.”

Books and Movies gives a four-star review: “[This book] was my first experience with author Pamela Ribon, but it won’t be my last.”

I gave a slightly spoiler-alerty interview over at Made Possible By Pop Culture on writing this book, and Danielle was most gracious. “I can only hope her story is deemed big enough to also take over the screen soon, too. We could certainly use a visionary like Smidge, a good friend like Smidge, and most importantly, an inspiration like Ribon in our lives.”

With 20four12, I converted another wary male reader into a surprised fan. All the credit here goes to his wife, who apparently demanded he get an advanced copy of the book. (Thank you!) “‘You Take It From Here’ is not a book I normally would have thought about picking up given my personal tastes, but I can thank my wife and her love of Pamela Ribon for exposing me to a book that is not only enjoyable, but rather thought-provoking. I recommend the book to anyone looking for a fun, interesting, potentially tear-inducing, summer read.”

Thanks to everybody who’s been supportive and/or patient throughout this book-hype time. It’s hard to sell books, you guys. I’m sure you know that, but if you don’t, I’ll say it again. Selling books is hard. If you’ve bought a book at all in the past month, by anybody, you’re a damn hero in … my book.

Okay, I have more words due in other places, which means I will write them while obsessively checking Amazon and Goodreads every eighteen minutes.