Well, it’s here again, the holiday to celebrate St. Valentine, who was beheaded for caring more about his neighbors than his government. I don’t know anyone at all who feels like that these days, do you?
Valentine’s Day was always a big deal in my house growing up because my mom loved hearts. A crafter, she loved drawing hearts, painting hearts, cutting things into heart shapes, and then giving/selling her hearts to other people.
Flowering Heart by Barb Cabot
So of course as a teenager I grew to hate hearts, simply because there were way too many in my house/life, and flowery hearts didn’t vibe with my dark adolescent angst and nihilistic world view. I extended that hatred to Valentine’s Day, and then social media, since what are you supposed to do if you like something? Heart it.
Don’t even get me started on what it was like to get heart valve surgery and have to spend an extended period of time in a cardiac ICU/rehab in New York City, the city with a heart as its logo. The first thing they did when I came out of the anesthesia was give me a pillow to hug. A giant heart-shaped pillow.
Heart on a Spring by Barb Cabot
But ever since my mom got diagnosed with Alzheimers, I began to find that hearts–especially hers–didn’t bother me as much. And now, on the first Valentine’s Day without my mother–she passed away on Thanksgiving Day, 2025–I’ve realized: Hearts aren’t that bad.
Angel Christmas Ornament Singing from Heart Song Book by Barb Cabot
In fact, I actually understand now why my mom–who was nicknamed Jinx by her family, because she was born on Friday the 13th–loved making hearts so much, and why she made so many of them:
Barb Cabot as a young woman
Because when everything else in your life feels completely out of control, one of the best things you can do for your mental health is escape into a fantasy land–especially one of your own making.
Barb Cabot, Queen of Hearts
According to therapists, this isn’t a bad coping strategy (so long as you still allow yourself to feel things, and don’t get so lost in your fantasy land that you forget to do your laundry, clean your room, maintain your relationships, and pay your bills).
It’s unfortunate that it took losing my mom (and my cat and my faith in the government, all in a single year) for me to get that her obsessive heart-making was no different than my obsessive writing of stories where girls find out they’re princesses, babies can solve crimes, and magic is real. Just like my mom would escape into her flowery hearts when times got tough, I like to escape into stories of female empowerment.
So get ready. Here’s a look at just a few of the worlds I’ve been escaping into lately…and into which I’d like to welcome you:
The Princess Diaries Graphic Novel
The hilarious classic The Princess Diaries is back and better than ever in an all-new, full-color graphic novel adaptation, illustrated by Bethany Crandall! Pre-order now from any retailer and submit your receipt to HarperCollins to receive an exclusive gift – a Genovian passport holder! June 30, 2026
The Magic We Made
She doesn’t believe in magic. He is magic. But when they meet, a spark is lit, and neither will ever be the same in this charming new standalone from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot! Pre-order now! August 11, 2026
Detective Baby: Dance Team Drama
Boss Baby meets The Baby-Sitters Club with a touch of Ocean’s Eleven in Detective Baby—a laugh-out-loud, hijinks-heavy graphic novel series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Meg Cabot. Illustrated by Amelia Allore. Pre-order now! September 1, 2026
You can purchase these or any of my other books at Judy Blume’s non-profit, indie bookstore Books and Books Key West. Just click here, fill your cart online, jot down how you’d like the books signed/personalized in the Comment section, and they’ll make sure your books get signed, then delivered to you!
If you want to escape even harder into the land of fantasy, visit the Meg Cabot Official Merch Store, where 100% of the proceeds of sales goes to charity (charity of the month: Vow for Girls) . There, you can stock up on all of your Genovian and Mediator needs (if you have suggestions for other merch you’d like to see, be sure to email me to tell me, and we’ll see what we can do).
I know it’s only February, but the last few months have seemed like years to me. I think it’s hard for all of us who, like St. Valentine, care more for humans than we do about the stock exchange.
Books (and hearts) can’t save the world, but they can definitely help keep our spirits up as we fight to take care of our neighbors.
And that’s something I know St. Valentine (and Barb Cabot) would love.
More later.
Much love,
Meg
