As we close out 2012, we’re looking back on the great things in social media and tech that caught our eye this year. We’re calling it The 5s! Today, we highlight 5 authors doing cool things on Pinterest.

If it feels like we talk about Pinterest a lot, well, what can I say? We do. We Pin things, we blog about Pinning things, we present at conferences about Pinning things…because the truth is, Pinterest is useful and valuable for sure, but it’s also just plain fun. And authors are a group of people who seem to be taking to the platform in unique ways!

Here are five authors doing some pretty cool things on Pinterest:

• Laini Taylor: Taylor, the author of books Lips Touch Three Times and Daughter of Smoke and Bone, uses Pinterest to give readers a look into her overall aesthetic — which, naturally, gives us a hint about the atmosphere of her work. Check out her Board for Days of Blood and Starlight, which is haunting and powerful.
• Melissa Walker: This is one of my favorite author accounts! Walker uses her Pinterest not only to document the inspiration for her own books, but also to share the stories behind other authors’ book covers. So if you’ve ever wondered how a book cover came to be, check out her Board on Cover Stories, which features titles like Elizabeth Eulberg’s Take a Bow and Gayle Forman’s Where She Went (and lots more!).
• Nova Ren Suma: Clearly organized, Suma’s Boards are easily linked to each of her books (including the forthcoming 17 and Gone), which gives readers a neat look into her inspiration. And, because it’s so nice seeing authors give love to other authors, check out her Board “Books I Love!“
• Laurie Halse Anderson: With an impressive 19 Boards, Anderson’s Pinterest account is brimming with cool stuff — not just Boards about her own books, but also Boards on writing stuff, her playlists, her favorite places, and my favorite Board, Favorite Books From When You Were a Kid. 
• Tera Lynn Childs: Whoa! Childs has a whopping 42 Boards, including a few about her own books (including Oh My Gods and Forgive My Fins). Like the others listed here, she uses Pinterest to bookmark images that represent or give inspiration to her work — but, in a twist, she posts Boards about her secret projects! Intriguing…

(P.S. I looked for male authors…I promise. Considering Pinterest’s demographic, which skews heavily towards women, I’m not surprised I couldn’t find any! If you know of any male children’s authors using the platform, please list them in the comments!)