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I’m putting the following books on my to-read list. I chose these particular books of the many the above authors have written because either these particular characters or the genres (fantasy, adventure, and historical fiction) are the most different from my own work.

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So…after two months of worrying about me being on a panel speaking about challenged books in front of 500 people, and then two weeks of anxiety, and then a day of absolute fear right up to (and during) the panel…I “did good”! I knew I had a lot to say–Scars has been challenged at least once formally that I know of, and informally in Meghan cox Gurden’s op-ed. My abusers tried to silence me most of my life; I don’t want to be silenced any more. But actually speaking about it all in front of 500 people live felt pretty scary. I think I spoke well, though–honestly, emotionally, passionately, and intelligently. I still can’t believe I spoke well! It took a while for me to know it–but I started taking it in afterward from the many responses and from people telling me that in so many ways.

I know public speaking is hard for many people, at least at first. It is for me, too. But for me there’s also the added layers of all the abuse training–my abusers repeatedly telling me they’d kill me if I talked (and since they’d murdered other children in front of me I knew they could), and abuse that happened on raised stages (like child porn), and all the years I learned to be silent, quiet, and not speak out, except through my writing and my art. But yesterday I learned that I CAN speak publicly, even to a large group, and it can be okay and even a good experience.

Some of the time before my panel I felt alone and scared and insecure as the hours stretched on, so I took a breather, and sat in the hallway against the wall. But doing that I felt like I was socially awkward and sticking out, the way I had as a teen. And then who should come by but A.S. King (Everybody Sees the Ants, Please Ignore Vera Dietz)! She sat herself down beside me so easily, and we sat, backs against the wall, talking. Amy was reassuring and understanding, and so down-to-earth. I loved hearing about her own experiences, and just…spending time. Hearing Amy talk about ALAN so enthusiastically made me want to join.

I also got to meet C.J. Bott in person–she recognized me as I passed by, and we talked briefly, and then she sat down for a bit with A.S. King and me. C. J. Bott did a lovely review of Scars, and we’d talked back and forth via email a bit, so it was cool to meet her in person. She’ll be vice president of ALAN next year!

I also talked a bit with Professor Melanie Hundley, who was an incredibly friendly, bright spot in the day, introducing me to other authors and to teachers, pointing out my handouts to others, and just being lovely.

It helped to have such friendly, caring people around!

The whole experience was also made better by my wonderful book publicist Julie Schoerke, picking me up at the airport, taking me to dinner, and then coming the next day to be with me for my panel. I was getting more and more scared the closer it got to my panel, and thankfully Julie arrived about an hour before. She sat on the floor with me i

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It's hard to top yesterday's blog post. I mean, we were talking about a great cause--Breast Cancer Awareness Month--and giving away chocolate! If you missed it, check out the post and enter to win here.

So, I decided to post about a new author I just discovered--she's quite a talent and popular in the YA scene and how it made me feel to discover her when everyone else seemed to already know her. And what does that mean about me as a writer and reader?

First, I'll tell you a little about the author. Her name is Heather Brewer, and I saw her speak at a great reading festival St. Louis holds each year, THE BIG READ. Brewer is from the St. Louis area, and she drew my attention at this event because she was 1. a YA author (that's my aspiration) 2. Dressed so cool with a pink streak in her hair 3. Writes about vampires. I drug my husband over to her tent, and we sat down. Then she started talking about her series, The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod, and these teenage fans in the audience were noticeably excited. She was a great speaker--enthusiastic and real and genuine. You could tell how much she cared about her characters, and how much those teenagers did, too. She went on to talk about the five books she had already completed in the first series (from Eighth Grade Bites to Twelfth Grade Kills) and how she is currently writing a spin-off series. I kept thinking: I am an aspiring YA novelist. I have a children's/teen's book blog, and I have never heard of this author and Vlad Tod. Where have I been? How am I so out of touch? I immediately bought book one of the series, she signed it for me, and I gushed on and on about how much I enjoyed her talk and couldn't wait to read the series.

The first book is great--it will appeal to boys and girls (tween to teen) as well as their parents. I am almost finished with it and have already checked out Ninth Grade Slays from the library. I still am having trouble getting over the fact that this author wrote five books--which they sell in major bookstores and YA bloggers write about, and I had no idea. Where's my market research? Where's my reader instinct?

So, I posed this question to our Facebook Fans: how do you feel when you discover a new author? I mean, I feel excited to have discovered Heather Brewer, but I also feel so out of touch. If she just had one book, like debut novelist Jay Asher, whom I had already read, I wouldn't feel so well. . .slow. Here's what some of our Facebook fans had to say about new authors they've found:

• Holli Moncrieff: "I was so happy to discover Elizabeth Berg. A co-worker lent me her book "Talk Before Sleep", about Berg's experiences helping her friend die with dignity, and it was such a beautiful, heart-wrenching book. I've worked my way through all of ...her novels, and it always seems like a new one has just been released. . .Both my moth
  7 Comments on Discovering New Authors--Exciting!, last added: 10/24/2010
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  Jodi said, on 10/23/2010 7:33:00 AM
  

  I know Margo, sometimes I feel just a few steps behind too! Then when I do discover someone I want to tell everyone. One person I read and loved was Mindy Friddle and I didn't find her until her second book was out. If only we could read EVERY book every written. Sigh.

  Margo Dill said, on 10/23/2010 4:47:00 PM
  

  Glad I'm not the only one, Jodi. :)

  Sybil Nelson said, on 10/23/2010 7:42:00 PM
  

  I love discovering new authors as well. I haven't done so recently. It seems like I'm a late comer to everything as well. Right now I'm really into Philipa Gregory. And a few months ago I "discovered" Meg Cabot. Talk about late!

  Margo Dill said, on 10/24/2010 8:56:00 AM
  

  Oh Sybil, you are a reader after my own heart. I love it--discovered Meg Cabot. :) But I guess we just need to focus on the fact that we discovered them at all, right??? :)
  
  Margo

  Annie said, on 10/24/2010 9:39:00 AM
  

  C'mon, Margo. I heard Heather over a year ago....in Omaha. :) Welcome to the party!!
  
  No, I understand what you're saying. I read an Erik Larsen book and thought 'WOW! Great author.' Then, when I started talking to others about him and this book, I find out he's written several great books....and I'm the last one to the party.
  
  Reading doesn't have to be about keeping up with the NYT bestsellers list or jumping on some author's bandwagon because everyone else is. It's about finding a story that resonants with you and sharing that reading love with others. :)

  Margo Dill said, on 10/24/2010 3:49:00 PM
  

  Annie:
  Maybe i just need you to keep me posted on the party invitations! :) I love what you said in your last paragraph. You are so right!
  
  margo

  Zulema E. Suárez said, on 10/24/2010 4:57:00 PM
  

  Margo,
  
  You are not alone. I always discover authors and television shows after everyone else has moved on. For example, I have been watching Oprah at the gym, lately, now that she is going off the air. But that is okay--I am use to it by now!

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*Young adult contemporary fantasy (paranormal)
*Eighth grade boy vampire as main character
*Rating: Eighth Grade Bites is an exciting read with a great teen character that all of us can relate to–even though he’s a vampire.

Short, short summary:

This is the first book in Heather Brewer’s The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series. I am new to the series thanks to THE BIG READ in Clayton, MO and getting to hear Heather Brewer speak and read. Apparently, I am not as up on YA lit as I thought–as this series is very popular and Heather has already gotten Vlad Tod all the way to twelfth grade and ended the series. (BTW, she said she is currently working on a spin off series, so that’s exciting!) Anyway, in Eighth Grade Bites, the reader is introduced to Vlad Tod, an 8th grade vampire who can go to school during the day and does eat a fair amount of blood–although all blood comes from a hospital that his “aunt” gets for him. He has a best human friend, Henry; and basically, Vlad is just trying to fit in in junior high–he is pale and skinny and not overly popular–plus his fangs want to slide out at inopportune times. He likes a girl but is unsure of himself, and he is bullied by two huge jerks. Meanwhile, other vampires are in his town looking for him. They aren’t too happy that his father ( a vampire) married his mother (a human) and that they had an offspring. BTW, I enjoyed this first book so much, I have already checked the 2nd one out from the library, Ninth Grade Slays.

So what do I do with this book?

1. A majority of this book is about Vlad Tod trying to fit in and about getting bullied. All your YA readers will be able to relate to these concepts. Everyone, popular or not, is trying to fit in. As a journal assignment, ask students to compare/contrast themselves to Vlad’s predicament and self-esteem issues. How do they handle these issues?

2. Ask students/teen readers to predict what they think will happen in Ninth Grade Slays based on the first book in the series and the clues Heather Brewer includes in the story. Also, some paperback versions have an excerpt for Ninth Grade Slays, and students can use that for clues.

3. Do a character study on Henry or Vlad or even Mr. Otis. You can also ask students to compare/contrast Henry and Vlad as well as write down the qualities of a loyal friend. These are all good assignments if your students are reading Brewer’s series as an independent reading selection.

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Five Things I Learned from Heather Brewer's Book Signing...

I attend a lot of author events because, well, I love to meet authors. Most recently I saw Heather Brewer, author of the best-selling Chronicles of Vladimir Tod series, doing a signing at my local B&N to support the release of book #4 in the series, ELEVENTH GRADE BURNS. This was a particularly fun author event for me (more on that below) and Heather did a terrific job addressing her young (and not so young) audience about her writing career and her books and her characters. Here are a few things we learned:

1) Give yourself permission to write.
Not to get all Nike on you, but if you want a career as a writer, it's not going to happen unless you just do it. Although it was something Heather longed for for years, she was told by parents and even her beloved librarians that being an author wasn't really an option and she'd need a "real job." Finally, she said, after her youngest child started school, she discussed her career options with her spouse. What would you do, he asked her, if money didn't matter and you could do whatever you wanted? I want to be an author, she told him. Then do it, he said. (She proceeded to write, find a agent, get a book contract, and hit high on the New York Times Bestseller List.) It's okay to give yourself permission to follow your dream. But if it takes a supportive, encouraging significant other, that's OK too.

2) Goal setting is important.
Heather's Brewer's formula: butt + chair = writing. Even when she's on tour she writes 1,000 words a day. Books don't write themselves, after all. So, again, just do it.

3) Mine the painful stuff for material.
Heather told the bookstore audience about growing up in a small town where she felt like an outcast and was bullied. (Except when she spent time in the library. "Bullies don't know there is a library," she said.) She calls upon these experiences as she writes her main character, Vladimir Tod. Because, really, who's more of an outcast than a vampire in junior high?