New York, NY, January 24^th, 2008-Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing is pleased to announce the launch of the first annual Simon Pulse Blogfest. The two-week event will take place March 14-27^th, 2008 and will bring together over one-hundred top teen authors and their fans to one online destination. Readers will be asked to submit questions for the authors in advance, and then fourteen final questions will be selected - one for each day of Blogfest. Simon & Schuster authors will answer the "question of the day," which will be posted on the Simon Pulse Blogfest at http://www.pulseblogfest.com/. Teens will be able to post their own thoughts about the question and respond to the authors' answers.

Each blog entry will have a byline that includes information about the author and their latest book. Additionally, each post will link to a full contributor page featuring the author's photo and biography, detailed information about their latest book, and information on their entire S&S backlist, as well as links to the author's personal website. Simon & Schuster is the first major publisher to host this type of online event and has already confirmed front-of-store retail placement at national chains to promote this unique opportunity.

"I can't wait for March and the SimonPulse Blogfest," New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins said. "I am excited about connecting with my readers in such a creative way." The online experience has been influential in building Hopkins' growing fan base. The author of books written in verse about timely and controversial subjects like drug addition and suicide, Hopkins has been at the forefront of connecting with her teen fans through online venues and she was one of the first authors to sign up for Blogfest.  

"This is a great opportunity for Simon & Schuster's teen authors to come together and not only cross-promote their works to get the widest exposure possible, but also to give all of their fans an incredible online event that promotes reading and offers a behind-the-scenes look into what it's like to be an author," said Rick Richter, President and Publisher of Simon & Schuster's Children's Publishing.

The following Simon & Schuster authors are confirmed to participate:

Kim Antieau, Marc Aronson, Avi, Lauren Baratz-Logsted, Lauren Barnholdt, Hilari Bell, Phi Bildner, Franny Billingsley, Holly Black, Jennifer Bradbury, Kate Brian, Linda Buckley-Archer, Marina Budhos, Christian Burch, Deb Caletti, Janet Lee Carey, Cassandra Clare, Rachel Cohn, Rhody Cohon, Susan Cooper, Melissa de la Cruz, Stacia Deutsch, Allison van Diepen, Frances Dowell, Erin Downing, Sharon M. Draper, Kathleen Benner Duble, Kathleen Duey, Clare B. Dunkle, Jennifer Echols, Thomas Fahy, Susan Fletcher, E.R. Frank, Lorie Ann Grover, Randi Hacker , Margaret Peterson Haddix, Pete Hautman, Julie Hearn, Nancy Holder, Ellen Hopkins, James Howe, Jeffry W. Johnston, Cynthia Kadohata, Ronald Kidd, Annette Curtis Klause , Chris Krovatin, Nancy Krulik, Evan Kuhlman, Dakota Lane, Hope Larson, Richard Lewis, Julie Linker, Greg Logsted, D. Anne Love, Whitney Lyles, D.J. MacHale, Eric Marcus, Amanda Marrone , Kelly McClymer, Lisa McMann, Kai Meyer, Annabel Monaghan, Kate Morgenroth , Sarah Mussi, Donna Jo Napoli, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Ken Oppel, James A. Owen, Bronwen Pardes, Staton Rabin, Randi Reisfeld, Ashley Rhodes-Courter, Paul Ruditis, Alex Sanchez, Elizabeth Scott, Gloria Skurzynski, Brian Sloan, Tom Sniegoski, Sonya Sones, Todd Strasser, Wendy Toliver, Roderick Townley, Kristen Tracy, Adrienne Maria Vrettos, Judy Waite, Robin Wasserman, Scott Westerfeld, Matt Whyman, Elisabeth Wolfe, Bil Wright, Janet Ruth Young

ABOUT SIMON & SCHUSTER CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, one of the leading children's book publishers in the world, is comprised of the following imprints: Aladdin Paperbacks, Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Libros para niños, Little Simon®, Little Simon Inspirations^TM, Margaret K. McElderry Books, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Simon Pulse, Simon Scribbles, and Simon Spotlight®. While maintaining an extensive award-winning backlist, the division continues to publish acclaimed and bestselling books for children of all ages. In addition to numerous Caldecott, Newbery, and National Book Award winners, Simon & Schuster publishes such high-profile properties and series as Eloise, Olivia, Raggedy Ann & Andy^TM, Henry & Mudge®, The Hardy Boys®, Nancy Drew®, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts®, Nickelodeon's® Dora the Explorer®, Blue's Clues® and SpongeBob SquarePants®, and Mirage studios' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles^TM. For more information about Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, visit our website at http://www.simonsayskids.com/.

Simon & Schuster, a part of the CBS Corporation, is a global leader in the field of general interest publishing, dedicated to providing the best in fiction and nonfiction for consumers of all ages, across all printed, electronic, and audio formats. Its divisions include Simon & Schuster Adult Publishing, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Simon & Schuster Audio, Simon & Schuster Digital, and international companies in Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit our website at http://www.simonsays.com/

CONTACT:

Paul Crichton

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

212/698-2809 /paul.crichton@simonandschuster.com