How to use this Page

So proud and happy today to have Small Damages selected as the teen book club pick by the esteemed Dear Reader.com for this back to school week.

For more on all the interesting choices and the book club itself, follow this link.

Thank you, Suzanne, Valerie, and Dear Reader.com.

Display Comments Add a Comment

Today I'm honored to be filling in for Suzanne Beecher, the creator of that vast and wonderful book site, Dear Reader.  She's on vacation, building a tree house with her four grandchildren.  I, in my essay, am reflecting on patience, or rather, how writing Small Damages over such a long period of time taught me one of the most important things I now know about books. 

Small Damages has been chosen by Dear Reader as the featured title in the Dear Readers Teen Book Club for the week of September 3, 2012.  I would love for you to participate.

In the meantime, three copies of Small Damages are being given away this week.  Just hop on over here, to the Dear Reader site, for more information.

Thank you, Dear Reader!

Display Comments Add a Comment

I knew Dear Reader was a happening place months ago, when I was invited to stand in as a guest columnist for Suzanne Beecher.  Dear Reader is where a book-reading community gets built, where book clubs find their inspiration, and where conversations gather speed and force.  For my own guest column, I wrote about the young people I've met in my time as a young adult novelist—the passions they stir and the things they teach, the many ways that I am hopeful for and with them.

It was a special opportunity, and so I did something I've never done before—offered all six of my young adult books (the seventh,the Seville-based Small Damages, won't be out until next summer) as a summer giveaway.  And oh, what a response we have had.  I've heard from school principals and librarians, grandmothers and moms, fathers and grandfathers, uncles and aunts.  I've heard from young writers and young readers, students on the verge of college and students on the verge of applying to master's degree programs.  I've received notes from all across the country and all around the world.  Many readers have asked for YA books featuring a male teen; I'm 6,000 words into writing one of those.  Many described their particular passions, their favorite books.

I had originally thought that I would give all six books to a single winner, sweepstakes style, but as I read these notes through and considered the huge volume of mail, it occurred to me that there were some very right and particular titles for some very particular readers.  Here, then, are the winners, with the lines or thoughts that triggered my own "I have just the book for them" responses.  Please know, all of you, that I read and considered and valued and had a very hard time choosing winners.  I hope you'll look for books that sound interesting to you and let me know what you think.

Undercover, my first young adult novel, about a young, Cyrano-like poet and her discovery of her own beauty, to 14-year-old Kyla Rich, who wrote, "My 12-year-old sister and I love to read. .... you can never read too much, especially with how much you can learn from reading: Learn about the world, about scholarly things that you'd learn in school, or, sometimes, about yourself. I never really knew why I read so much or why I liked it but, as I read your Dear Reader, I realized why. I read to understand, to know beyond myself. Exactly what you said in your Dear Reader. I guess that might be another reason I write. My sister and I are writers, unpublished of course, and we write to craft the kind of books we like to read, to give someone joy, to help someone, maybe even start a craze. We write for even that ONE person who likes our books, even if it is just one. At least someone cares enough to read." 

House of Dance, about Rosie's quest to find a final gift for her grandfather (and her discovery of a wonderful cast of ballroom dancers), to Patricia Corcoran, who wrote, "I'm 63 years old and have read for as long as I can remember. Except for when I was growing up, I didn't read Young Adult books. I don't know why, but I didn't. About 3 years ago, I started reading them and thoroughly enjoy the ones I've read so far. I have 2 grandchildren, Gregory who is 9 and Emily who

3 Comments on Meet the Dear Reader Giveaway Winners, last added: 7/8/2011

Display Comments

Q said, on 7/7/2011 10:29:00 AM

Good picks. :)

Caroline Starr Rose said, on 7/7/2011 12:00:00 PM

Last week I ran into a woman I used to teach with years ago. She told me about Dear Reader and that it's run by a high school classmate of hers. Small world!

Susan Taylor Brown said, on 7/8/2011 3:47:00 PM

Love the way you chose these. Very generous.

Add a Comment