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Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. BEA  I'll be signing copies of Stalked by Death at the SHP booth (#2567) on Friday, May 31 from 9:30-10:30am. If you're there, come see me!
2. Field Day  I helped out with field day at my daughter's school last Friday. She had a blast, and I loved getting to see her with all her friends.
3. My dying Kindle  I had one good week where my Kindle worked great and now the big black bar is showing up across my screen again. :(
4. Editing  I'm editing again all week. :)
5. Runes Trailer and Giveaway!  I'm participating in the trailer reveal for Ednah Walter's YA paranormal, Runes.  

I've been reading more lately, and at first I wasn't sure how that was happening. Well, I figured it out, and it's very simple. So I'm going to share my trick with you.

Five minutes here and there adds up. I realized there are plenty of places where I can pull a few minutes. The problem is that I'm usually doing other things. While I have perfected reading while running on the treadmill, I can't read while doing a lot of other things, like cooking, getting dressed, doing my hair, etc. So, I let my Kindle read to me. Yes, the mechanical voice is annoying, but after a while I stopped noticing it. 

So now, I read when I can, and when I can't, I let the Kindle read to me. All those minutes add up, and I'm finishing books quicker than I have in a long time. If you've been following my blog for a while, you know I'm a big multi-tasker, and this is just that. I'm multi-tasking, and it's making it easier to keep up with all the great books I want to read.

Now I'm challenging you. Where are some places in your day that you could allow your ereader to read to you?

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. My Kindle is dying :(  Twice last week, I turned on my Kindle to find a big black bar across it. Luckily, resetting the Kindle made it go away, but I'm afraid this is a sign that it's going to die.
2. Family Expo  I had a great time at the Family Expo yesterday, hosted by State Representative Rosemary Brown. Thanks to everyone who came and chatted with me about my books.
3. Editing  I'm editing a few of my books this week before I get more client edits at the start of the new month. Wish me luck, please.
4. BEA shopping  I may have bought some new outfits for BEA. :)
5. Onesie cupcakes  I'll be making onesie cupcakes for my sister's baby shower next month. I really hope these come out cute.

Summary:
There's more than one way to be powerful . . .

It is during a routine school project that Abby Silva--sixteen and nearly friendless--makes a startling discovery: She is descended from women who were accused of witchcraft back in 1600s Salem. And when Abby visits nearby Salem, strange, inexplicable events start to unfold. Objects move when she wills them to. Candles burst into sudden flame. And an ancient spellbook somehow winds up in her possession.

Trying to harness her newfound power, Abby concocts a love potion to win over her longtime crush--and exact revenge upon his cruel, bullying girlfriend. But old magic is not to be trifled with. Soon, Abby is thrust headlong into a world of hexes, secrets, and danger. And then there's Rem Anders, the beautiful, mysterious Salem boy who seems to know more about Abby than he first lets on.

A reckoning is coming, and Abby will have to make sense of her history--and her heart--before she can face the powerful truth.

My thoughts:
The cover drew me in instantly, and then I read the blurb and knew I had to read this. Abby discovers she's the descendent of one of the most famous witches persecuted in Salem, and as such, she can't ignore that strange things have happened just because she thought about them. She knows she's using magic, and it tempts her to make a few changes in her life. Starting with the boy she's had a crush on for a long time. But this action has some major consequences, since he already has a girlfriend.

If that's not bad enough, Abby is being pursued by a group of witches who want her to join their circle and get vengeance on Salem for the witch trials. Abby doesn't want to be evil, but with the pull of the magic and her connection to the sexy Rem, she has a really hard time separating her human self from her witch self.

This is such a quick, fun read. I could really identify with Abby. What girl wouldn't want to use magic to get what she's always wanted and to put the mean girls in high school in their place. If you like books about witches, definitely pick this one up.

Just for fun:
Abby can't resist doing a few spells on her classmates. If you had magic for a day and could use it on anyone you went to high school with, what would you use it for?

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Family Expo 2013  I'll be at the Family Expo held at East Stroudsburg High School South on Sunday from noon to 3pm. I'll be displaying my books and talking about writing.
2. Reading  Somehow I'm managing to find more time to read. I'm not even sure how I'm doing it.
3. Edits  Just sent off edits for Face of Death (Touch of Death #3), which made me cry. There are some emotional moments. Now I'm getting back to edits on Into the Fire, which also has a section that gets me every time. I need more tissues.
4. Revising for my agent  In the midst of all my edits, I'm also revising a novella to hand over to my lovely agent. Good thing I love editing and revising so much. ;)
5. Allergies  This crazy weather is killing me. One day it's 80 the next it's 50. I'm sneezing like I'm trying to set a world record, and I wake up every morning with a sore throat. I'd love some consistent temperatures.

Bats at the Library by Brian Lies Another inky evening’s here- The air is cool and calm and clear. Can it be true? Oh, can it be? Yes! Bat Night at the library! Join the free-for-all fun at the public library with these book-loving bats! Shape shadows on walls, frolic in the water fountain, and …

     I first met Beverly Cleary's memorable character Ramona Quimby as a supporting character in Henry and the Clubhouse where she all but stole the book. I was in graduate school before I discovered that after Cleary finished the Henry and Beezus series, she had gone on to give Ramona her own literary stage, where Henry and big sister Beezus were the background characters. The notion of D.E.A.R. (Drop Everything and Read) was something I would've loved in my childhood. I had to fashion my own notion of D.E.A.R. It was called Stick a Book in Your Lap and Look Like Your Paying Attention in Class. (OK, it isn't much of an acronym.) It did not make me popular with my teachers.

    As a adult writers and teachers, we need to make time for our own D.E.A.R.  I'm not talking about reading the latest (adult) best seller, or flipping through whatever literary dregs are in the doctor's waiting room. I am talking about reading the newest children's books that interest you. You know....the kind of book you want to write?

     I assumed that writers, especially children's writers, are readers. However, I never gave much thought as to what they were reading until last month. I was teaching an adult Writing for Children's workshop and had brought in tons of books from my personal collection (not the books I wrote; the books I own) to use as examples of different styles of writing. I have a very expensive book buying habit, because for the last fifteen years I have either lived where there was no library, or very poor ones. Books have changed since we were kids, even if you are a lot younger than I am (which is probably almost everyone reading this.) Yes, there are classics, like Ramona and her friends who will never die.
The first Henry Huggins book was published in 1950, Charlotte's Web, 1952  A Wrinkle in Time 1962.   These are timeless books although I sometimes wonder, given today's publishing climate if any of these three would be considered "commercial" enough to be published today.

   But back to my workshop.  My students devoured my books, then asked. "Where did you get these books?  How did you even know about them?" These writers were mostly young mothers who read to their children....whatever happened to be on the display counter in the picture book section of the library.   "These books aren't at (fill in the name of your local chain bookstore).  How could I find them in the library, if I don't know they exist?"

    Valid points. Chain bookstores, the only ones available to a good chunk of us, feature "sure sellers"...movie tie-ins, "celebrity" picture books, books that have become TV series or movies. A few of the books I brought were Newbery/Caldecott winners. Those are always front and center in bookstores and libraries, but for the rest of us hardworking, writers, just finding our books is a real challenge, let alone reading them.  They are out there....it's  just knowing where to look.

    That's why I spend thirty minutes of my D.A.R.E. each week scouting out the newest books online. Where?  Goodreads is one of my favorite places to see what other readers (and not professional reviewers) think of a book. (I do not know what affect it's recent acquisition by Amazon will have on this site, if any, but there are already thousands or reviews that have been written before this happened.)
I also like Kirkus Reviews.   Kirkus is a subscription service with a pretty hefty price tag. Their selling point is that they preview books up to two months pre-publication, which is great if you are a book store and need to know two months in advance if you are going to order the book. If you are willing to wait a whole week after publication, you can read the review online, for free. Kirkus is issued biweekly, except for a week mid-summer and one the first of January.

     You can also sign up for Publisher's Weekly online. Another print publication with a steep subscription price, you can get daily digests of articles, news as to what editor has been promoted, demoted or moved to another publisher. Thursdays is there special children's edition.  All free.

    There are tons of bloggers (including us!) who interview authors when they have a new book coming out. However, I would be amiss if I did not mention my favorite source of quality reading recommendations.  That is Cooperative Children's Book Center located at the University of Wisconsin. In addition to interviews and news about programs and lectures (if you happen to live in Wisconsin), b they review a "Book of the Week." The BOW is always a recently published book the staff at CCBC think is outstanding. They don't waste their time on junk. You may not agree with all of their choices but you will read them knowing that their selection was carefully considered by a group of people whose only "agenda" is to expose the children's literature community to the widest and best range of the newest books.

   So why are you still reading me Right now, drop everything and scout out your next lit of D.A.R.E. books.

Posted by Mary Ann Rodman

Here’s what I’ve been reading lately:

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) by Mindy Kaling of The Office and The Mindy Project fame

Um, love her. A fun, quick read.

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

This one is going slowly for me (and the foot-binding accounts are hard to stomach) but it’s a vivid window onto a fascinating world: 19th-century China. I’m also intrigued by the idea of a novel about a friendship.

From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

This is an old favorite I’m reading to the kids. What could be more exciting than running away to live in the Metropolitan Museum?

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

Laughed a lot reading this memoir.

The Little Bookstore of Big Stone Gap by Wendy Welch

Nonfiction. A little gem about the at-times hilarious ups and downs of opening a used bookstore in a small town. Felt like I was having tea with a friend.

Outliers: The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell

I’d been meaning to read this nonfiction for a long time (I read The Tipping Point  in the last year or so). Fascinating look into our assumptions about what leads to success.

Artisanal Gluten-Free Cooking by Kelli and Peter Bronski

I confess I haven’t cooked anything from this one yet, but it’s a lovely book, and I’m intrigued to try, especially recipes involving their special flour blend.

In other news, I’ve been watching Game of Thrones (love that Tyrion!!) and have to try this Top of the Lake I’m hearing about. Also, recently learned that Fashion Star features someone from my hometown, so, I’ve got to catch up on that. What about you? Read anything great lately? Watching anything that shouldn’t be missed?

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:

1. Advantage: Heartbreak (May 7th)  Less than one month until the second novella in my Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series releases! This book has so much emotion and tons of swoony moments. I'm really excited for it.
2. Reading  I'm trying to get caught up with all the books I downloaded to my Kindle recently.
3. Switching tenses  Last week I finished drafting a new WIP, and now I'm going to switch it from present tense to past tense. I think it will work better that way. *sigh*
4. Melinda's Museum Magic  I have another picture book coming out soon through G8 Press. I should have a cover image to show you soon!
5. Cover Reveal  Spencer Hill Press has another cover reveal. It's for Milayna by Michelle Picket. 

No, I'm not talking about reading your own writing. I've heard a lot of people say they can't read the same genre they are currently writing. They think it will influence what they write. I have to read what I'm currently writing. Maybe it's because I write so many genres (everything from picture books to middle grade to young adult to new adult). Reading the genre I'm writing keeps my head in the right place.

This month I worked on edits for three of my books. Two were YA and one was lower MG. I edited the YA novels back to back and read YA books while I was editing. That ensured I had the YA mindset for my edits. When I moved to my MG novel, I switched to MG books. And more so, I made sure those books were the exact age level of my book. I found it really helpful because I knew when my voice crept out of that age level, and I was able to fix it.

What about you? Do you read the genre you're currently writing or editing?

You've probably heard people say that you can't compare yourself to other writers. In truth, you can. But you shouldn't. Why? Think about this. Your book comes out and you watch your release day sales. Your rank is good and you even make some best seller lists on Amazon. Great, right? Yes. But then you go to that place. The one where you wonder how So-and-so's book did on it's release day, which happens to be the same day as yours. Don't check! Seriously, don't.

Writer envy is never good. Writers should support each other, and we should also celebrate our own successes, no matter how they compare to others. Who cares if So-and-so's book did better out of the gate? Good for So-and-so. You aren't them. Your journey will be your own. Congratulate So-and-so and then be happy that people are reading your book.

The same goes for when you're querying. We all see other writers get agents and wonder when it will happen for us. Don't compare the number of rejections you've gotten. Don't think about how many months you've been querying compared to your friend. Be happy for other writers and keep pushing forward with your own work.

How do you avoid writer envy and/or the urge to compare yourself to others?

It’s been 50 years since the original author of Amelia Bedelia, Peggy Parish, debuted the popular children’s book series. Peggy passed away in 1988 but her Amelia Bedelia legacy lives on. Herman Parish, Peggy’s nephew, took over the series after Peggy’s passing.

First Book recently interviewed Herman Parish about Amelia Bedelia turning 50 and why books are important for young readers.

First Book:  How was a beloved character like Amelia Bedelia created? Was there any inspiration?

Herman Parish, current author of the of Amelia Bedelia children’s book series

Herman Parish:  My Aunt Peggy Parish would often take things literally, not continually as Amelia Bedelia does, but enough times that one could understand how she could have come up with the character naturally. Peggy also drew inspiration from the class of third graders she taught. She would ask them to do something and a student would ask “Do you mean for us to do what you said?” When Peggy thought back on her exact words, she realized that if they were taken literally, there could be a problem. That got her to thinking that there might be a story there.

A couple of years after Peggy passed away, I heard an intriguing tale that may offer a clue as to why she made Amelia Bedelia a housekeeper. I was visiting Peggy’s hometown of Manning, South Carolina and spoke with one of her cousins. They had been playmates at their Grandparents house, where a big dinner was served every Sunday. The Grandparents were named — surprise, surprise — Mr. & Mrs. Rogers.

Mrs. Rogers had both a cook and a housekeeper. There was also a younger housekeeper whose main job was to look after the children because she was hopeless at housework. Peggy’s cousin recalled a time when this young housekeeper had to fill in for the older one. Mrs. Rogers told her to “sweep around the room.” This young housekeeper did just what she was told: she swept the edges of the room clean, but left the center of the room untouched. All of the children laughed at her mistakes. I asked this cousin if he had ever reminded Peggy about this maid. He said that when he did, Peggy did not say anything — she just smiled.

First Book:  50 years. Would you or your aunt ever think this series would continue on for so long?

Herman Parish:  Peggy Parish passed away in November of 1988. All during that spring and summer, she and Amelia Bedelia were celebrated at national meetings and conventions of teachers and librarians because it was Amelia Bedelia’s 25^th Birthday. So Peggy must have had a sense that the character she created would live on long after she was gone. I’m sure that Amelia Bedelia will be around long after I am gone, taking the world at face value as she does exactly what she is told to do.

First Book:  Why are books so important for young readers?

Herman Parish:  I’ll tell you what my Aunt Peggy Parish thought because I agree with her. She believed that there was a very narrow window when a child would be or could be interested in reading. If you missed that opportunity, it was very difficult to engage them later. She felt that reading was important because a child’s imagination can take them anywhere. It opens them up to all sorts of possibilities in their own lives.

First Book: Over 40% of children in the US do not have age-appropriate books in their homes, nor in classrooms or programs they attend due to the fact that they simply cannot afford new books. As someone who writes children’s books, how does this affect you?

Herman Parish:  Well, I would be optimistic about it. I would say that whatever could be done to get just one book into the hands of those 40% would give them a big boost make a huge difference to them. Also, whatever books they get would be cherished and recalled fondly for years to come.  As a writer, I do my best to write the best books that I can. That way, if one of those children in the 40% happen to read one of my books, they will have fun. Reading what you like to read one book at a time will develop the habit of simply liking to read, which will be with them for the rest of their lives. I only hope that children would find my books fun to read, which would encourage them to keep reading and seek out other books they would enjoy.

First Book:  What was your favorite children’s book?

Herman Parish:  My Aunt Peggy sent me a copy of The Cat in the Hat when it was first published. At that time, my father was in the Air Force and we were stationed in England. I remember thinking that the Cat himself must be an American because he was so brash and bold, which is how the British saw us. I identified with this character as a role model, as I was born in Texas and wore cowboy boots and jeans in the first grade at an otherwise tame British primary school. The other kids probably thought that I was the Cat!

Amelia Bedelia books are available on the First Book Marketplace, a website exclusively for educators and program leaders that work with kids in need.

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by Bruce Lidl

The last few weeks have seen a number of big developments in the digital comics realm, from the highs of Marvel’s big announcements at SXSW to the lows of JManga’s imminent closure. Comixology continues to distance itself from its rivals, and with the new Submit program is poised to expand greatly the revenue possibilities for independent creators. By all accounts the digital slice of the comics industry does remain considerably smaller than its print sibling, and there are many comics fans that steadfastly prefer their floppies, yet little doubt exists that the trend and momentum for growth is strong for digital comics, JManga’s demise notwithstanding.

The crucial undercurrent to ever expanding digital offerings has been, and continues to be, the seemingly unstoppable proliferation of devices capable of displaying digital comics in an effect and compelling manner.  And even more specifically, it is the specific recent trends towards ever larger smartphone screens and paradoxically, smaller and cheaper tablets devices.

The tide towards larger, and higher quality, phone displays has been going on for a number of years, but has clearly picked up steam in recent months. Last week saw the announcement of the eagerly awaited Samsung Galaxy S IV, with very nice 5 inch display sporting a 1920×1080 resolution, up from last year’s S III which had a 4.8 inch 1280×720 screen, and rapidly approaching the “phablet” category of Samsung’s popular Galaxy Note II, with its 5.5 inch screen, considered gargantuan not very long ago. The speed at which smartphone screens have grown, particularly on the Android side has been astonishing, especially when you consider the fact that the very first Samsung Galaxy phone from 2009 had a 3.2 in, 480×320 pixel screen, relatively tiny by today’s standards. And of course, even mighty Apple, which had resisted the trend towards larger screens in favor of consistency and compact sizes, finally changed course and released the iPhone 5 last year, bumping the screen from 3.5 inches to 4 inches while maintaining a “Retina” pixel resolution (1136×640). Reading digital comics on a smartphone has gone from a somewhat eccentric notion to a far more mainstream possibility, at least with readers willing to zoom in and out, or let their reading be directed by functions like Comixology’s “Guided View.”

While the increase in smartphone screen sizes is powering more digital comic reading (and hopefully sales!), a trend towards smaller screens on tablets is paradoxically also contributing to expanded digital comic penetration. Apple’s iPad basically invented the category of the tablet, and has dominated sales since its release in April 2010, and continues to be an excellent device for digital comic reading, with a brilliant 9.7 inch screen that has increased in resolution iteratively from the original 1024×768 to the current 2048×1536. However, the recent relative success of Android-based tablets with smaller form factors, primarily in the 7 inch screen range, has demonstrated a hunger among some consumers for smaller and cheaper alternatives to the iPad.  Beginning with the original Barnes & Noble Nook Color and then really taking off with Amazon’s Kindle Fire and Google’s own Nexus 7, smaller and less powerful Android tablets at the $199 and below price point have established themselves as real options for customers outside of the Apple orbit. And just as with the iPhone, Apple has not remained unmoved in the face of fierce competition, as shown by the November release of the smaller 7.9 inch 1024×768  iPad Mini. Overall, something like 170 million tablets were sold in 2012, with roughly half coming from Apple, and the rest overwhelmingly split among mostly Android providers (Microsoft’s push into Windows based tablets have struggled mightily, and current analysis puts the number sold at less than 1.5 million units since the October 2012 release). The surge in sales of smaller (less than 8 inch screen size) tablets has exploded in the last few months, with about half of tablets sold in the fourth quarter of 2012 fitting into this category, and driving the adoption of tablets ever higher. Smaller devices and cheaper prices have put tablets into the hands of an ever expanding body of potential comics readers, for while the screens used in the smaller tablets tend to be inferior than those on their larger cousins, they do still present a quite nice package for comic reading. More compact form factors also boost portability, although even the 7 inch tablets won’t fit into many pants pockets.

The boom in demand for smaller and cheaper tablets is expected by industry analysts to continue through 2013, and in fact, the iPad mini is currently even outselling its larger standard iPad sibling, while the rise of popularity in Android offerings will likely lead to that segment overtaking Apple this year.

How has the the shift in device formats affected your digital comics reading habits? Do the new devices encourage you to read more digital comics? Personally, I still read most of my digital comics on my 24 inch desktop monitor, but I do use my relatively large (4.8 inch) smartphone screen more often than in the past, and I like using the “Guided View” option quite with it.

Have you been affected by the JManga shutdown? Do you consider the DRM aspect and the vulnerability of locked-downed purchases a crucial weakness of digital comics? Do you prefer to purchase from Comixology, the publishers’ own sites directly or from online retailers like Amazon? Are you interested in Netflix style offerings of unlimited reading of older titles? Do you acquire comics from unauthorized sources, and does the ease of use of pirated comics versus the restrictions of legitimate content enter into your purchase decisions? Have you been swayed away from physical copies entirely or do you get some titles digitally and some in print?

My golden retriever, Traffy, has been a therapy dog for the last three years and has been irregularly visiting our local school for children with multiple sensory impairments as well as a home for people with Alzheimer's. It wasn't supposed to be irregular it was supposed to be regular but last year Traffy got very sick and had to have a benign tumour, the size of a newborn baby, removed from her abdomen. She'd had the same problem three years before but the cause of the problem wasn't diagnosed then, which it now has been and so hopefully there'll be no more tumours and she's back to being her healthy, full of energy, lovely self. The first time she had the problem I was told that she should be put down as there was no hope of her getting better (there'd been complications after the operation) but I said no give her more time and she recovered and once she was fully better she became a therapy dog.

When I was in sophomore English class, my teacher Ms. Barnes hit us with a revelation: The Author Is Not The Narrator.

I had never considered this possibility before.

In our essays, we got red marks against any phrase like, "The author believes," or "The author states that," correcting it to "The narrator states."

"In fiction, you cannot assume the opinions in a book are the author's, only the narrator's."

This is more obvious in a first-person narration. The narrator of Catcher in the Rye is Holden Caufield, not JD Salinger; the narrator of Jane Eyre is Jane, not Charlotte Bronte. But things get murkier with third person. Some third-person narrators are invisible, channeling only what the main character sees and knows. Some take a small step back, seeing and understanding a bit more than the main character can. Some go even further back, switching back and forth between two or more characters' POVs. Others are omniscient, understanding everything at once. Some, like To The Lighthouse, flow in and out of characters' consciousnesses. And still others are unnamed and yet have a presence and clearer personality.

The latter kind is the kind I write with for my adult novels: Austenland, Midnight in Austenland, and The Actor and the Housewife. I love the style and humor available to me with that narrator.

I assumed that everyone had a Ms. Barnes who cleared up the narrator/author thing in 10th grade, but I continually hear from adults who are confused.

"I can't tell if the opinions are Jane's or the author's," a reader of Austenland might complain.

The answer is: neither. The opinion is the narrator's. Unless it's stated in dialog, unless the narrator says it's the character's opinion, then the only thing you can be sure of is that it's the narrator talking. I am no more the narrator of my books than Julia Roberts is Erin Brocovich or Heath Ledger is the Joker. I am the artist channeling a character. All the characters, including the narrator.

It's not accurate to assume that the opinion of any of the character's is the author's opinion. Same of the narrator. The narrator is always character.

The narrator of Princess Academy likes to slow down and savor moments. She stays close to Miri and only reports what she knows, but uses words in a way Miri wouldn't. The narrator of The Actor and the Housewife has a lot of opinions. That narrator wants to laugh, sometimes with the characters and sometimes at them. The narrator of Book of a Thousand Days is Dashti, the main character, reporting in the very moment the action happens, though translated from her native tongue into English by an unknown narrator who had license with word choice and expression. The narrator of my book coming out next year is the main character, told in retrospect from a point after the action occurs. The narrator of the Books of Bayern is close to that of Princess Academy with a desire for richness, the dramatic, the imperative of each moment.

It is as fun for me to write different narrators as it is to write different characters. And my narrators are as much me as are all my characters. Ani and Selia, Ungolad and Geric, Miri and Dan, Tegus and Khasar, Rapunzel and Jack--they came from the same place as my narrators, and yet all speak with a different voice.

Summary:
R is having a no-life crisis—he is a zombie. He has no memories, no identity, and no pulse, but he is a little different from his fellow Dead. He may occasionally eat people, but he’d rather be riding abandoned airport escalators, listening to Sinatra in the cozy 747 he calls home, or collecting souvenirs from the ruins of civilization.

And then he meets a girl.

First as his captive, then his reluctant guest, Julie is a blast of living color in R’s gray landscape, and something inside him begins to bloom. He doesn’t want to eat this girl—although she looks delicious—he wants to protect her. But their unlikely bond will cause ripples they can’t imagine, and their hopeless world won’t change without a fight.

My thoughts:
I admit that I read this book because I'm dying to see the movie and I prefer to read the book before I see the movie adaptation. Having said that, I wish I would've read the book before I saw the movie trailer. Why? I love the trailer. It cracks me up. I thought the book would be more comedic than it is. Having said that, I did really enjoy the book.

I remember people saying zombies will never be big because they aren't sexy. Enter R. Even though I was grossed out by him describing the body parts he was eating, I still fell for him. He is trying to hold on to his humanity and be more like the living. How can you not swoon over that? I did. I wasn't crazy about Julie's character though. She was really mean to R's best friend M, and I didn't see a reason for it. He was helping to protect her. If she could see the humanity in R, I felt she should've seen it in M, too.

The dynamic between R and Julie was very well done though. There's plenty of conflict but I rooted for them despite everything they had working against them. I have to admit the ending was predictable, but even though I knew how the book was going to end, I still enjoyed it. It was the logical ending for them in my mind.

Just for fun: Can a zombie be sexy?

Today’s guest blog post is from Ann Shaw, Director of Philanthropy for Pi Beta Phi Fraternity. Ann has held this volunteer role for the past six years. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Arkansas and her Master’s in Education from the University of New Orleans. Ann taught for over 25 years as an early childhood teacher and is passionate about literacy.

Ann Shaw, Director of Philanthropy for Pi Beta Phi Fraternity

In 1987, the U.S. Congress designated March as Women’s History Month to ensure that the history of American women would be recognized and celebrated in schools, work places and communities throughout the country.

Pi Beta Phi Fraternity for Women was founded in 1867 by 12 students at Monmouth College in Monmouth, Illinois who were the pioneers of the women’s fraternal movement. While our country was rebuilding after the Civil War, few women attended college. The women of Pi Beta Phi were visionaries of their time not only because they founded the Fraternity and patterned it after the men’s fraternal organizations of that time, but also because they were philanthropically minded and wished to better society.

Pi Beta Phi members continued their philanthropic interests by creating a school in 1912 in the remote Appalachian Mountain hamlet of Gatlinburg, Tennessee to provide formal education. In November 2012, Pi Beta Phi members celebrated 100 years of literacy service in Gatlinburg. From their original mission to the continuing legacy of Pi Beta Phi Elementary School and the Arrowmont^® School of Arts and Crafts, Pi Beta Phis are proud of their commitment to literacy not only in Gatlinburg but across the United States and Canada.

Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book, reads to girls at a local DC program

In the next 100 years, Pi Phi’s Read. Lead. Achieve.^® literacy platform will continue to provide direction for Pi Phi’s mission “to lead the way to a more literate society” through its partnership with First Book, Champions are Readers program, Arrow in the Arctic, Fraternity Day of Service and local initiatives.

Kyle Zimmer, president and CEO of First Book, is a visionary too, as she had the dream to put books into the hands of undeserved children through the inception of First Book. Both organizations work to end illiteracy and realize the importance of reading and how it is a predictor of success in school and life.

Both organizations work to end illiteracy and realize the importance of reading and how it is a predictor of success in school and life.

Pi Phi strives to lead the way to a more literate society and has supported First Book’s mission financially and through the volunteer efforts of our members. First Book and Pi Beta Phi are making a difference in the lives of children through their philanthropic efforts to create rich literacy environments, improve interest in reading and encourage children to be readers.

While we celebrate the accomplishments of women during National Women’s History Month, let us remember not only the women who have made significant accomplishments to better society but those women who read to their children, surround their children with books and encourage their children to love reading.

Pi Phi recently made a special edition of the title, Remember the Ladies: 100 Great American Women available to First Book’s schools and programs. If you work with kids from low-income families, sign your program or classroom up with First Book.

Title: Scarlet Author: Marissa Meyer Publisher: Feiwel & Friends Publication Date: February 5, 2013 ISBN-13: 978-0312642969 464 pp. ARC provided by publisher Marissa Meyer fans will not be disappointed in Scarlet, Book 2 in The Lunar Chronicles. It has all the heart-pounding action, humor, and touches of romance that Cinder has. Scarlet centers on Scarlet, the granddaughter of Michelle

I was recently gifted a Kobo and now have read three books on the ereader. I like that it's not backlit. After working on my laptop, I don't want to stare at another screen. I like that I can purchase ebooks through my local bookstore for it and check out books from the library and hold many books in one small place. I don't like that it has to be recharged, turned off on airplanes, doesn't feel like a book or smell, I can't easily tell how far into the book I am, the formatting isn't beautiful but functional, etc. I can see the benefits of ebooks in certain circumstances, but I am far from converting entirely to electronic.

I'm not disgruntled about ebooks. I wish I liked them more--I'd love space for a dresser in my bedroom, but all the walls are taken up by book cases. I receive royalties for ebooks just as I do for paper books. But I do believe it's important to consider the consequences if ebooks take up too much market share.

Often ebook retailers who also sell e-readers sell ebooks at a loss in order to promote their e-readers. If ebooks are sold for significantly less than their hardcover and even paperback counterparts, it's less likely people will invest in the latter. Paper books will come to seem ridiculously overpriced. Which they are not. Publishing is not a fat cat industry. No one is getting rich (except a very few megaseller authors, which represent such a tiny percentage of the industry they're hardly worth mentioning). Look at anyone down the line: editor, agent, publisher, publicist, distributor, bookseller, author, and you see that everyone is trying to make a living and no one is wealthy. No one gets into any part of publishing with the intent of striking it rich (unless they're woefully ignorant). They do it because they love books and care about literacy.

So, what happens if ebook prices dip down lower and stay lower? Customers like that because they can buy books for less. HOWEVER, the smaller the print run of a paper book, the more expensive it is to publish, the less profit a publisher makes. If most editions sold of a book are electronic, publishers won't be able to afford printing hard copies. Many books would only be available electronically, and those in paper would be more expensive.

So what? Maybe everything goes digital in the future. Save the trees, right? But what about those who can't afford an e-reader? What about libraries, schools, kids? Right now, public libraries are "the great equalizer" as someone said. Anyone can have access to most any book for free in a library. But if some books are only available as an ebook, only those with readers will have access. Libraries are already underfunded. What will happen if fewer hard copies are printed and the prices go up?

I don't know how this will all play out, but I am concerned. Some say, keep the market open and don't be afraid of change. But the change I foresee isn't just a different industry, it's one that is actually smaller, more prone to monopolies, and less accessible by the poor and by children. I want quality literature. I want freedom of speech. I want all children and adults to have access to thousands of different books, any one of which might change their lives.

Carol Rasco, president and CEO of Reading Is Fundamental (RIF), recently answered some questions about the importance of the RIF and First Book partnership that has been established for many years. 

Q: RIF and First Book are sometimes thought of as competitors rather than partners. Could you put this myth to rest and explain the importance of this partnership?

Carol Rasco:  RIF and First Book have been close partners for many years. The missions and values of both our organizations are closely aligned, as we both strive to ensure that children in need have the high-quality books and resources they need to be successful.

Far from being competitors, we are strong collaborators! Through our continually growing partnership, more than 1,000 RIF programs across the country are able to access new, quality books for their kids through the First Book Marketplace. At the same time, many of the programs in First Book’s network use our resources for teachers, parents and community volunteers. These materials are developed based on Common Core Standards and cover multicultural favorites and science, technology, engineering, the arts and math themes.

We consider ourselves soldiers in the same war to close the gap of inequity when it comes to educational materials for kids in poverty, and we will continue fighting side by side to get more books into the hands of kids in need.

Q:  How have First Book and RIF worked together in the past?

Carol Rasco:  For over a decade, First Book has served as a distributor in the RIF Ready Pack program, providing access to low-cost collections of high-quality titles for RIF programs nationwide, through the First Book Marketplace.

In recent years, First Book and RIF have collaborated on numerous special projects such as the distribution of 600,000 new books nationwide in 2010-2011, a joint effort to support programs affected by Superstorm Sandy by providing 1,500 new books to Sandy affected areas in 2012, and, most recently, First Book won the bid to distribute 120,000 books for RIF’s Multicultural STEAM reading collection.  I also currently serve, and have served for several years, on First Book’s Advisory Council.

Q:   What are RIF and First Book currently working on together?

Carol Rasco:  RIF and First Book have recently joined together to distribute one million, brand-new books to RIF programs across the country, thanks to RIF’s long-time partnership with Macy’s! To date 500,000 new books have been distributed to RIF programs serving kids with the highest levels of need and the remaining 500,000 books will be dispersed, through the First Book Marketplace, prior to summer break. This initiative has allowed RIF to maximize our resources and acquire books for our programs through First Book at a cost way below retail price.  In addition, the distribution of these books has focused on key times when kids are out of school and in high need for resources, including summer break, when so many children in low-income areas are without the education tools they need to prevent learning loss over the summer months.

Q:   What are RIF’s plans for this partnership going forward?

Carol Rasco:  We know we can count on First Book’s ongoing support for our RIF programs and we are excited to continue growing our partnership and developing more creative initiatives to get high-quality books into the hands of kids in need!

Today, Mom and I are counting down about a author visits. She’s going to visit a school on Friday, so she can talk about being a writer, and read her book to the kids there.

Why I don’t like author visits.

3. Staying by myself. Mom will go away in the car for a long time. That means, no walking at the park, no jumping through my hula hoop, no treats in my IQ puzzles, and no bowling practice. Boring.

2. Bags. Mom will pack up tons of things to show the kids, and she will also put her laptop and LCD projector into bags. Bags are usually a LOT of fun. My head fits in there perfectly, and sometimes bags have treats in them. Or bacon. Or cake.

But school visit bags are off limits. Mom says the word, “Get your bony little head out of there.” No fun.

1. Kids. Mom will talk to tons and tons of kids at her school visit. I love kids. And they love me. Whenever kids see me, they pet me and hug me and say how cute I am. Plus, kids taste delicious, like candy. And sweat. And dirt. Yum.

What Mom likes about author visits.

3. Driving. Taking a road trip is always fun. Of course it would be more fun if I went along, but….

2. Reading. Mom loves reading stories. Story time was her favorite time of the day when she was a little girl at school, and it was her favorite time of the day when she was a teacher. Of course, I also love story time, but….

1. Kids. Mom has talked to hundreds and hundreds of kids in her careers as a teacher and an author. Thousands, maybe. She predicts that the kids at this school will ask her some of the same things kids at other schools have asked, “Are you rich?” and “Did you draw the pictures?” and “One time my dad got his finger stuck in the car door…” which is not a question, but….

This week, many of our partners and recipient groups are celebrating AmeriCorps Week to recognize the service of the AmeriCorps members working within their organizations to elevate the quality of education for the children they serve. Here at First Book, we’re proud to have some AmeriCorps alums on our staff and as volunteers working to help get more books out to the kids who need them most.

Charlette Kremer was an AmeriCorps VISTA member serving at Lewis-Clark State College (LCSC) in Lewiston, Idaho, in 2005. One of her first assignments was to establish a First Book College Advisory Board. Today, Charlette is the director of the Lewis-Clark Service Corps, which is the department where she served, and her staff now oversees First Book-LCSC, which provides books to four counties in Idaho and one in Washington. “Just last week, the Advisory Board met and awarded over $8,000 in books to nine organizations,” she said. “That brings our total to more than 48,000 books in just seven years. It’s a legacy for which I am very proud.”

Jonelle McCoy is a current AmeriCorps member serving in youth mentoring program at LCSC, but because of her experience working with students in the community struggling with literacy, she said she “jumped at the chance to volunteer” with First Book-LCSC. Her AmeriCorps service has given her the opportunity to work directly with students in the community struggling with literacy.

“It’s clear to me that the books we are giving to schools and agencies will make reading more accessible to hundreds of pre-K and elementary students in our local and satellite communities,” Jonelle said. “My hope is that one day soon there won’t be a need for my service, but until that day comes, volunteering with First Book remains a powerful way to impact and support early readers before they become the youth I see struggling in middle school.”

We’re proud to support AmeriCorps and the Corporation for National and Community Service with access to new, high-quality books and educational resources for the kids they serve across the country!

Writers need to be a part of the wider reading community, not just the writing community. Yes, you need to do it as part of your book marketing, but it’s also a way to widen your outlook about literature in general.

I recently judged the state level of the Letters about Literature writing contest for the Center for the Book. It was a fruitful day for me as a writer, because fellow-judges were librarians and teachers. Mention a recent title and you got an avalanche of opinions. What a refreshing day!

Input from the wider reading community is crucial for writers to maintain a balance. We sit in our caves and focus on the production of words to the exclusion of readers. Listen, there are lots of passionate readers out there.

The Letters About Literature contest asks students to write a letter to an author and explain how and why the author’s book impacted their lives. Wow. The range of books represented, the variety of authors and the passion of the students reminded yet again why we do this. Yes, to us and to us alone, it is the process that matters the most. But when our books go out into the world, it is the reader that matters. Connecting, angering, tickling, disgusting, enraging, delighting–our books should evoke something in that reader.

By stepping out of my writing cave and into the judging today, I was reminded that I do this for myself AND for the kids who read what I write. Today–I salute those readers. Thank you for caring so much about literature, for allowing words to touch you in deep and lasting ways.