Hello there! I'm
Wendy Toliver, the new Buzz Girl. I'm so happy to bee here! I've been reading the Books, Boys, Buzz blog since its inception and have enjoyed every minute of it. Back in 2007, I was lucky enough to have been chosen to moderate the workshop the Buzz Girls presented at the RWA National Conference. Top row: Marley, awesome YA author Sara Hantz, moi; Bottom row: Simone, Heather, Dona, and Tera. If Steph and Tina were in this photo, it would be complete!
Since I am a YA author, you probably guessed I love reading and writing. That's true. And I also love visiting schools and presenting workshops and speeches at writers' conferences. Last year, I was asked to present the luncheon keynote speech for the League of Utah Writers. At first, I was nervous because, let's face it, I'm not nearly as famous or accomplished as most authors who are and my poor husband had to listen to me talk about it for the rest of the drive home. handed the keynote mic. So I decided I had to come up with something completely different. But try as I might, I couldn't come up with anything brilliantly unique. Then, on a long drive home from the RWA National Conference in San Francisco, delirious from lack of sleep, the idea hit me,
You know how some cell phone plans have a "Fave Five" option? Well, I took that idea as the basis of my speech and chose celebs we all know to represent the five people in the world who have helped me become a published author. 1.) Jay Leno was the friend who kept me in the publishing industry loops and updating me on changes. 2.) Randy from American Idol was my critique partn
er, offering me constructive criticism and helping me hone my craft. 3.) Lance Armstrong kept me from feeling sorry for myself when I received rejections or seemed to be getting nowhere, and 4.) Paris Hilton was my friend who partied with me whenever I had even the smallest of successes. And what Fave Five group would be complete without Oprah (who, of course, remains to be called, but the fact that she's on my Fave Five means it could happen!) LOL!
I remember looking around the audience and getting a lot of "What the heck is going on?" and "You've got to be kidding!" looks when I started my speech and my cell phone rang (It was Jay Leno, calling to tell me he heard my dream agent was in town.) and I answered it! And that's how I started my first-ever keynote speech. To this day, people might not know who I am, but if they were in that conference room that day, they remember my crazy speech. I hope the point of my speech also stayed with them, which was that no matter how talented you are, and how solitary a writing career sometimes seems, you still need friends. Friends you can call on whenever you need to brainstorm, vent, cry, ask questions, or pop that cork on a bottle of champagne.
That's why I'm so delighted to bee a Buzz Girl. I've had the pleasure of meeting Dona, Tera, Heath, Marley, Steph, and Tina and reading their amazing books, and though I alr
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So, Liz and I have been sitting on some fairly big news for a while now: we're writing a book. It's called Pop Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community, and the good folks at ITI are going to publish it, sometime in 2008.
So while we feverishly research, write, and revise the manuscript, we have a request of all of you, dear Readers & Friends of Pop: we have this survey, you see, and it would help us out tremendously if you'd be willing to answer our questions. It's one thing for us to write about what we think makes a great marriage between pop culture & libraries; it's quite another, more powerful thing to quote our experienced colleagues on this topic.
So, if you're willing, our survey is right here.
We apologize in advance if you see e-mail survey-related e-mails on various list-servs. We're trying to gather as many responses as the library community is willing to provide.
Thank you so much for taking the time to participate. We know our book will be that much better for your contributions!
Cross-posted by Liz at Tea Cozy.
ETA: Despite our early testing of the survey, there were some problems. They are now fixed, or should be -- if you have problems, leave a note in the comments or e-mail sophie DOT brookover AT gmail DOT com. Thanks!
And welcome, SLJ readers!
So, there's this really nice article about PGTL: The Book on School Library Journal's website today. Needless to say, Liz & I are beside ourselves with delight. In the immortal words of our patron saint, Flavor Flav, "yeeeeah, boyyy!"
If you're in the NYC area, come by NYPL's Teen Central on Thursday at 4pm for a special Jewish Book Month panel featuring: myself, Judy Goldschmidt, David Levithan, Sarah Mlynowski, and Lisa Ann Sandell.
http://www.nypl.org/events/breventsdetail.cfm?EventID=59422.732988
...in that one way to make one's adolescent angst useful later in life is to repurpose it for inclusion in a short story collection AVAILABLE NOW FROM BLOOMSBURY!
Check it out:
First Kiss (Then Tell): A Collection of True Lip-Locked Moments.
25 teen authors recount the story of their first kiss. Mine's called "First Las Kiss." And I'm in some truly excellent company.
Now, if only I were making royalties off of all of those painful memories....
I love that you are on your second Alphasmart and how well that works for you!
Good luck meeting your deadline!
meep! I didn't even know those Alphasmart things existed. It's like a laptop without the internet or distractions - I love it!
P.S. Good luck on your deadlines!
I started out on an Alphasmart -- they rock! Good luck on the dash, TLC!
best of luck, Tera!
Good luck, TLC! I have no idea what happened to my Alphasmart. I think I lost it in the divorce settlement...LOL. It's a great writer's tool!
Good luck, Tera!! We know you can do it. :)
I've always wanted an Alphasmart. Good luck with your deadline. I bet Daisy is so glad you are finally home!