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We have a great variety of events happening this week. Take in an author’s visit, a writing workshop, a literacy fundraiser or a poetry presentation. As always, please visit the sponsoring bookstore or organization’s website for full details.
Neal Shusterman will discuss and sign UNDIVIDED, the last book in the bestselling UNWIND Dystology for young adults. Teens control the fate of America in the fourth and final book in the NYT bestselling Unwind dystology. Proactive Citizenry, the company that created Cam from the parts of unwound teens, has a plan: to mass produce rewound teens like Cam for military purposes. And below the surface of that horror lies another shocking level of intrigue: Proactive Citizenry has been suppressing technology that could make unwinding completely unnecessary. As Conner, Risa, and Lev uncover these startling secrets, enraged teens begin to march on Washington to demand justice and a better future.
But more trouble is brewing. Starkey’s group of storked teens is growing more powerful and militant with each new recruit. And if they have their way, they’ll burn the harvest camps to the ground and put every adult in them before a firing squad—which could destroy any chance America has for a peaceful future.
Illustrator event!Join SCBWI-BV, as we attend a free lecture, featuring James Gurney, author and illustrator of the DINOTOPIA series. James Gurney specializes in painting realistic images of scenes that can’t be photographed, from dinosaurs to ancient civilizations. He is also a dedicated plein air (outdoor) painter and sketcher, believing that making studies directly from observation fuels his imagination.This is sponsored by The Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts (AVPA) at Texas A&M University.
October 23, Wednesday, 10:30 – 12:30 and 12:30 to 1:30 The George Bush Library and Museum, College Station Wayne Edwards, The Family Poet Free. For grades 3-8 and adult learners; Reservations are advised.
Comic poet Wayne Edwards will present his latest book of rhyming poetry for children, KIDS ONLY LAND. Through discussion of the three R’s of rhyming verse – Rhyme, Rhythm, and Repetition – he helps inspire interest in both reading poetry for pleasure and writing one’s own as a form of art. His humorous illustrations of poems engage and delight all ages. Contact bushlibrary.tamu.edu or email [email protected], or 979 691 4006 for telephone reservations.
Jesicca Capelle will lead a workshop at Write Space: How to World-build in Every Genre: World-building is a term that many people associate with science fiction and fantasy, but all novels require careful crafting of the world of the characters. This workshop will take writers through the process of creating a world that feels “real,” whether that world might be down the street or across the universe. We’ll look at using actual and imagined settings in realistic fiction, recreating the past for historical fiction, transforming landscapes based on alternate history and future developments, and venturing to new planets and high-fantasy worlds. We’ll learn what to consider when crafting both the society and culture of a setting and the environment of the characters’ daily lives. Lastly, we’ll discuss the importance of knowing much more about your world than readers will ever see, as well as how to decide what details to share without “dumping” too much on readers. Come prepared to apply these lessons to your own writing through exercises designed to help you connect more deeply with the details of your story’s world. We will discover how to craft “believable” worlds through careful study of excerpts from adult and children’s books in many genres including well-known works such as The Help, Gone Girl, The Hunger Games, Water for Elephants, The Hobbit, and The Graveyard Book.
Callista Gingrich will meet and greet customers and sign her new book, FROM SEA TO SHINING SEA. Callista Gingrich shares a new adventure into American history with Ellis the Elephant as he explores the untamed wilderness with Lewis and Clark. He learns about the Louisiana Purchase, the two explorers’ epic journey across the North American continent, and the amazing discoveries and innovation it sparked.
Appearing with Callista will be author Newt Gingrich with his new adult nonfiction title, BREAKOUT.
Kathy Duval will present Make It Shine!: Polish Your Picture Book Manuscript to Its Full Potential. A successful picture book is an art form combining lyrical language and dynamic images, each dependent on the other. To compete, your work must shine, as well as follow the conventions of today’s crowded market.
This hands-on revision workshop will take a fresh look at your characters, setting, plot, and picture book language. Participants will complete exercises to polish their prose, as well as create a dummy to see how your text fits into a picture book format. Feedback in small groups will help you take your picture book to the next level.
Houston non-profit literacy organization, READ3Zero, will honor students nationwide at a memorable Luncheon and Book Signing event for this year’s winners of the I Write Short Stories For Kids By Kids contest and celebrate the organization’s 5th anniversary. The event will feature the works of 55 published student authors and illustrators. The Keynote speaker will be Neil Bush, chairman to the Barbara Bush Houston Literacy Foundation, and the event will be emceed by Deborah Duncan of Great Day Houston.
Alexandra Bracken, NYT bestselling author of THE DARKEST MINDS and NEVER FADE, will discuss and sign IN THE AFTERLIGHT, the finale in the DARKEST MINDS series for young adults. Ruby can’t look back. Having suffered an unbearable loss, she and the kids who survived the government’s attack on Los Angeles travel north to regroup. Ruby tries to keep their highly dangerous prisoner in check, but with Clancy Gray, there’s no guarantee you’re fully in control, and everything comes with a price.
When the Children’s League disbands, Ruby becomes a leader and forms an unlikely allegiance with Liam’s brother, Cole, who has a volatile secret of his own. There are still thousands of other Psi kids suffering in government “rehabilitation camps” all over the country. Freeing them–revealing the government’s unspeakable abuses in the process–is the mission Ruby has claimed since her own escape from Thurmond, the worst camp in the country.
But not everyone is supportive of the plan Ruby and Cole craft to free the camps. As tensions rise, competing ideals threaten the mission to uncover the cause of IANN, the disease that killed most of America’s children and left Ruby and others with powers the government will kill to keep contained. With the fate of a generation in their hands, there is no room for error. One wrong move could be the spark that sets the world on fire.
We have three great authors coming to Houston this week and a free writing workshop, plus a fist-time event which we hope will become an annual tradition. As always, please check the sponsoring bookstore or organization’s website for the latest, most accurate information.
Join Garth Nix to discuss CLARIEL, his thrilling prequel the Old Kingdom series. Clariel is the daughter of one of the most notable families in the Old Kingdom, with blood relations to the Abhorsen and, most important, to the King. She dreams of living a simple life but discovers this is hard to achieve when a dangerous Free Magic creature is loose in the city, her parents want to marry her off to a killer, and there is a plot brewing against the old and withdrawn King Orrikan. When Clariel is drawn into the efforts to find and capture the creature, she finds hidden sorcery within herself, yet it is magic that carries great dangers. Can she rise above the temptation of power, escape the unwanted marriage, and save the King?
Scott Westerfeld will discuss and sign AFTERWORLDS, his newest novel for young adults. Darcy Patel has put college on hold to publish her teen novel, AFTERWORLDS. With a contract in hand, she arrives in New York City with no apartment, no friends, and all the wrong clothes. But lucky for Darcy, she is taken under the wings of seasoned and other fledgling writers who help her navigate the city and the world of writing and publishing. Over the course of a year, Darcy finishes her book, faces critique, and falls in love.
Woven into Darcy’s personal story is her novel, AFTERWORLDS, a suspenseful thriller about a teen who slips into the “Afterworld” to survive a terrorist attack. The Afterworld is a place between the living and the dead, where many unsolved—and terrifying—stories need to be reconciled. Darcy’s heroine Lizzie falls in love, but a new threat resurfaces, and Lizzie’s special gifts may not be enough to protect those she cares about most.
Whether you’re participating in National Novel Writing Month or not, fall is a great time to get started on a new project. For the October meeting, we’ll discuss how to plot a new project, including three-act structure, brainstorming, and outlining. We’ll even have some advice for the “pantsers” in the group, and tips and tricks to stay motivated all the way to “The End”. Come ready to discuss what’s worked for you (or not worked for you) in the past and get ready to pick up some new techniques!
October 19, Sunday, Noon-5:00 PM Rice Village: Greenbriar to Kirby, Rice to University Better Block Houston
Join local authors to celebrate Houston by re-imagining our public spaces. The Better Block project provides a one-day living workshop of how a “Complete Street‟ works, by actively engaging the community, helping them to visualize better outcomes for the future, and empowering them to provide feedback in real time. Better Block is a fun and interactive demonstration of a “Complete Street” —and what it can do for a neighborhood.
Inprint Cool Brains! Series presents Roland Smith, author of numerous picture books and young adult books, including the I, Q series, the Storm Runners series, Jack’s Run, Zach’s Lie, Peak, and the riveting Cryptid Hunters saga. In MUTATION, the final thrilling title in Roland Smith’s popular Cryptid Hunters series, monsters of legend come to life!
Marty and his best friend, Luther, have managed to rescue Marty’s cousin Grace from the clutches of the nefarious pseudo-naturalist Noah Blackwood, but their most dangerous mission lies ahead of them. Marty’s parents have been missing in Brazil for months and their trail has all but run cold. With time running out, Marty and the Cryptos Island crew race off for Brazil—where they discover that Noah Blackwood has twisted the natural order of things beyond their wildest, most terrifying dreams.
*Please note that the book signing will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, please see Inprint’s Event Page.
I had such a great time at the TweensRead festival this weekend! This is the third time I’ve been to this event, and WOW, the crowd has grown! Every session was jam-packed with kids eager to hear from the twenty authors who participated, including local author Varsha Bajaj. Most sessions were standing room only. According to Valerie Koehler’s newsletter for Blue Willow Bookshop (which handled books sales for the event) over 1700 people attended, and 70% were tweens.
We’ve got more good stuff happening this week, both thanks to our good friends at Blue Willow Bookshop:
Ellen Hopkins is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many books for teens, including CRANK, IMPULSE, and TILT, as well as the adult novels TRIANGLES and COLLATERAL.
In her new novel, RUMBLE, Matthew Turner doesn’t have faith in anything. Not in family–his is a shambles after his younger brother was bullied into suicide; not in so-called friends who turn their backs when things get tough; not in some all-powerful creator who lets too much bad stuff happen; and certainly not in some “It Gets Better” psychobabble.
No matter what his girlfriend, Hayden, says about faith and forgiveness, there’s no way Matt’s letting go of blame. He’s decided to “live large and go out with a huge bang,” and whatever happens happens. But when a horrific event plunges Matt into a dark, silent place, he hears a rumble…a rumble that wakes him up, calling everything he’s ever disbelieved into question.
Tyler Whitesides will discuss and sign STRIKE OF THE SWEEPERS, his newest novel in the JANITORS series for kids. The stakes have never been higher, and you’ve never seen squeegees do this before! It is a wild and slightly unsanitary ride as Spencer, Daisy, and the rebels find themselves chased by Mr. Clean’s new and terrifying breed of toxite: the Sweepers. Time is short. With the fabled Manualis Custodem in hand, Spencer must figure out how to summon the founding witches if they ever hope to mop up and save education.
September 21-27 is Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read! My childhood would have been grayer without so many of the books that were banned in other places, including CHARLOTTE’S WEB, WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE, A WRINKLE IN TIME, THE OUTSIDERS, and oh, OH!—THE CALL OF THE WILD, my all-time favorite book! Thank you to the librarians, teachers and parents who fought back!
An all-day celebration featuring keynotes with Jacqueline Woodson (BROWN GIRL DREAMING; Nancy Paulsen Books) and Margaret Peterson Haddix (THE MISSING series; Simon & Schuster). Topic panels include National Book Award winner William Alexander; Lou Anders, MG author, Hugo award winning editor and a Chesley Award winning art director; plus MG authors Jonathan Auxier, Varsha Bajaj, Megan Frazer Blakemore, Jessica Brody, Jennifer Brown, Matthew Cody, Stu Gibbs, Jimmy Gownley, S.E. Grove, Bruce Hale, Karen Harrington, Jennifer Holm, Jaleigh Johnson, Varian Johnson, Kirby Larson, M.A. Larson, Natalie Lloyd, Matt London, Megan Shull, Obert Skye, Greg Leitich Smith, Matthew Ward, Tom Watson, and Jennifer Ziegler.
Joy Preble will be the guest author for the Banff School Book Fair. She’ll be talking about THE A-WORD and THE SWEET DEAD LIFE as well as her next novel which will be coming in 2015.
We have a lot of exciting events this we, from early readers to young adult, authors and illustrators. There is also a free writing workshop, so take notes and mark your calendars. While you’ve got your calendar out, be sure to put a big circle around September 27th for Tweens Read 2014!
Kelly will also be appearing at Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands, September 18, Thursday, at 7:00 PM
For fans of Olivia and Eloise, this stunning debut from Kelly Light is an irresistible story about the importance of creativity in all its forms.
Meet Louise. Louise loves art more than anything. It’s her imagination on the outside. She is determined to create a masterpiece–her piece de resistance!
Louise also loves Art, her little brother. This is their story.
Michael Fry will discuss and sign KING KARL (Disney-Hyperion), his newest novel in the ODD SQUAD series for kids. Nick, Molly, and Karl have nowhere to turn but to each other in KING KARL, the latest Odd Squad adventure, and they’ll need every ounce of wit, resourcefulness, and help they can get in order to rise above their biggest challenge yet.
Melissa Marr will sign and discuss MADE FOR YOU (Harper Collins). Eva Tilling wakes up in the hospital to discover an attempt has been made on her life. But who in her sleepy little North Carolina town could have hit her with their car? And why? Before she can consider the question, she finds that she’s awoken with a strange new skill: the ability to foresee people’s deaths when they touch her. While she is recovering from the hit-and-run, Nate, an old flame, reappears, and the two must traverse their rocky past as they figure out how to use Eva’s power to keep her friends—and themselves—alive.
Join the Houston YA/MG Writers and YA author Kathleen Bagley for this free workshop! Dialogue is the backbone of character, but it is also notoriously hard to get right. It can be too long, too short, too wordy, too sparse, and, worst of all–sometimes dialogue just doesn’t work. But how does one know if one’s dialogue is working? In this hands-on workshop/lecture, Kathleen will show you several examples of dialogue that DOES work, and we’ll focus on what is done right. I’ll also show you how to cut out lengthy, unnecessary dialogue, and, most importantly of all, how to work with the most important aspect of dialogue: what is left unsaid. (Bring a writing utensil, because you’ll definitely be writing and sharing.)
Mari Mancusi will discuss and sign SHATTERED ( Sourcebooks Fire), her newest novel for young adults. Trinity, Connor, and Caleb are holed up in an abandoned West Texas farmhouse. Their only problem is Emmy, a baby dragon who is growing like crazy. When Emmy is caught on tape and the video goes viral, they find themselves on the run again. Their only hope comes from an old map leading to a man who has come from the future to help them.
Cynthia Kadohata—author of the Newbery Medal–winning book KIRA-KIRA, the National Book Award winner THE THING ABOUT LUCK, the Jane Addams Peace Award and Pen USA Award winner WEEDFLOWER—will discuss and sign new novel for children HALF A WORLD AWAY. (Atheneum Books for Young Readers).
Eleven-year-old Jaden is adopted, and he knows he’s an “epic fail.” He’s sure that’s why his family is traveling to Kazakhstan to adopt a new baby—to replace him. And he gets it. He is incapable of stopping his stealing, hoarding, lighting fires, aggressive running, and obsession with electricity. He knows his parents love him, but he feels…nothing.
But when they get to Kazakhstan, it turns out the infant they’ve chosen has already been adopted, and literally, within minutes, they are faced with having to choose from among six other babies. While his parents agonize, Jaden is more interested in the toddlers. One, a little guy named Dimash, spies Jaden and barrels over to him every time he sees him. Jaden finds himself increasingly intrigued by and worried about Dimash. Already three years old and barely able to speak, Dimash will soon age out of the orphanage, and then his life will be as hopeless as Jaden feels now. For the first time in his life, Jaden actually feels something that isn’t pure blinding fury, and there’s no way to control it, or its power.
There are three exciting events happening this week, including two writing workshops and a much-anticipated YA event with three popular authors—all on the same day! Eek! Choose wisely!
Join the writers of the Katy Kritique Group and The Space City Scribes for a free workshop! They’ll cover plotting, beginning with a discussion of the three-act structure and moving into the story needs of various genres. This is the first in a series of free writing workshops from these authors.
New York Times Best Selling author, Christie Craig, will cover two topics in her upcoming 2 hour workshop. The topics are “Rejection” and “Blame it on the Parents: Characterization and Motivation.” Christie Craig writes her popular SHADOW FALLS Young Adult series under the name CC Hunter.
Kiersten White and Stephanie Perkins will be in conversation with THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE author Jennifer Mathieu to discuss and sign their newest novels for young adults.
Kiersten White will be discussing ILLUSIONS OF FATE. Jessamin has been an outcast since she moved from her island home of Melei to the dreary country of Albion. Everything changes when she meets the gorgeous, enigmatic Finn, who introduces her to the secret world of Albion’s nobility, a world that has everything Jessamin doesn’t—power, money, status . . . and magic. But Finn has secrets of his own, and the vicious Lord Downpike will do anything to possess them. Unless Jessamin, armed only with her wits, can stop him.
Stephanie Perkins will be discussing ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Hopeless romantic Isla has had a crush on introspective cartoonist Josh since their first year at the School of America in Paris. And after a chance encounter in Manhattan over the summer, romance might be closer than Isla imagined. But as they begin their senior year back in France, Isla and Josh are forced to confront the challenges every young couple must face, including family drama, uncertainty about their college futures, and the very real possibility of being apart.
Debut author Skylar Dorset will discuss and sign her novel for young adults, THE GIRL WHO NEVER WAS. In Selkie’s family, you don’t celebrate birthdays. You don’t talk about birthdays. And you never, ever reveal your birth date. Until now. The instant Selkie blurts out the truth to Ben in the middle of Boston Common, her whole world shatters.
Because her life has been nothing but a lie—an elaborate enchantment meant to conceal the truth: Selkie is a half-faerie princess. And her mother wants her dead.
Doris Fisher, won the Crystal Kite Award for the Texas/Oklahoma Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators region this year for her book, ARMY CAMELS, TEXAS SHIPS OF THE DESERT. Doris will talk a little about her writing journey, so don’t miss hearing her story. Also, local writers who attended the National SCBWI Conference in Los Angeles this month will share what they learned from the many breakout sessions and keynotes.
Teen librarian Sandy Hall signs her debut YA romance novel, A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, which was selected as the first novel to be published by Swoon Reads, a crowd-sourced teen romance imprint. This sweet romance between two college students is told from 14 different viewpoints. The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together.
Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it.
Please remember to check the website of the sponsoring bookstore or organization for the most up-to-date information on these events.
Our local bookstores are hosting several events this week to keep us reading and out of the heat, plus there may still be room in Houston’s new writers’ workshop venue, Write Space, for this week’s class. Here’s the details:
Deborah Masterson joins Storytime to read MY BROTHER BOBBY BOUGHT A PET SNAKE. Bobby buys a pet snake, and now he has a big problem. Can you help him figure out what to do?
Kirkus says, “This cleverly illustrated picture book will have readers pondering their own endings and possibly inventing further adventures for Bobby and Sue.”
August 1, Friday, 3:00-7:00 p.m. August 2, Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. Kroger #017, 1440 Studmont St.
Rebecca Nolen, MG Author
Multi-age group author Rebecca Nolen will be signing books, including her middle grade fantasy, THE DRY. West Virginia, 1895. A deadly dry spell has left the earth parched and souls desperate. Crops are failing. Cities are starving. A missing newspaper man doesn’t account for much in times so terrible, except to the twelve-year-old son he left behind. When Elliot Sweeney discovers the search for his father has been called off, he boards a train alone to find him.
His quest leads Elliot into the depths of an abandoned mine, with a peculiar pocket watch, a blind burro, and a gutsy girl at his side. He discovers a world he never dreamed of, even in his worst nightmares, and lands smack in the middle of a war between two kingdoms. Monstrous insects, smiling villains, and dark riddles are everywhere. Deciding who to trust may prove to be his greatest challenge, while the fate of the world above hangs on Elliot’s choice.
This revision workshop is led by Matthew Salesses, author of I’M NOT SAYING, I’M JUST SAYING (Civil Coping Mechanisms). Revision is often held up as the key to good writing. But rarely does an author or editor walk you through concrete strategies for how to revise. There are, however, some real steps one can learn. In this 6-hour course, we will go over 20 of these steps and will emulate some of them with our own stories in class. Students should bring with them the first two pages of a story they want to work on.
A.G. Howard will sign and discuss her young adult novel, UNHINGED (Amulet). In this second book of the Splintered series, Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole. She was crowned Queen of the Red Court and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the boy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly appealing Morpheus. Now all she has to do is graduate high school. That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland–where she (partly) belongs. Could she leave Jeb and her parents behind again, for the sake of a man she knows has manipulated her before? Will her mother and Jeb trust her to do what’s right? Readers will swoon over the satisfying return to Howard’s bold, sensual reimagining of Carroll’s classic.
Jennifer Armentrout will kick off her tour for OPPOSITION, the fifth book in the LUX series from Entangled Teen. Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came. She can’t believe Daemon stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred. Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.
Last week, I ran away, down south to Oxfordshire and a wonderful old Quaker house and garden called Charney Manor. I was going to the Scattered Authors Society annual July retreat.
If that word makes you think about the sounds of silence, the scratching of pens and gloomy sighs over quietly tortured drafts, you’d be mistaken.
“Charney”, as it is known,is definitely not silent. Charney is four often-noisy days, full of shared knowledge, skills and experiences, plus one or two grumbles and many reminders of the good things about being children’s and/or young people’s authors.
The retreat is all about self-help, the essence behind the Scattered Authors Society network.
So what did we talk about, you might wonder, and what did we do?
We introduced our other lives and our interests, as well as our books. We indulged in “Library 101”, a mock panel-game, airing those aspects of the writing life people wished could be sent to that place of no return, and those that make us happy.
There were periods of being informed: one very interesting double session started with two editors talking about their own role within publishing houses, and concluded with two very well-established authors suggesting ways in which a writer can be their own best editor too.
Another double value session was on the process and reasons for self-publishing. This remarkable discussion moved from the importance of using self-publishing for established niche and/or “book-of-my-heart” material but it also developed into a view of self-publication being used not as “replacement”, but as a way of maintaining and managing a broad and fluid author platform in the modern market-place.
One morning offered some refreshing glimpses of school visit styles followed by other suggestions and much discussion. It was a welcome chance for the “lone” school visitors to see or hear about other approaches but everyone came away with the mantra: “And don’t forget to read from your book as well!”
Two afternoons were given over to workshops: a calming “torn collage” technique that helped people reflect on their own work or similar issues – a workshop that is an established Charney favourite - and then a new “seven word sentence “exercise, still based on picture images, designed to help authors focus on the quality of their writing, rather than quantity.
There was some worry over what seemed to be a dud session: Work-In-Progress.
At first, when we met, nobody admitted wanting to come to what sounded like a down-beat session. However, when the moment came, several people arrived, with questions and/or readings, and the WIP session was so enthusiastically valued and lively that a second took place the next day! And in between a keen and generous photographer took author portraits during her free time, and another kindly made sure that all sessions started with five-minute readings.
Of course, some of the time was specifically social. Each evening, around six, everyone gathered on the lawn, sharing drinks, while swifts soared overhead through the summer air. One evening of lively comedy games grew into an informal song & music session, while the last evening brought the famous Charney Quiz, cunningly created so the most learned do not necessarily the most points.
The final day is always a little sad so as well as the start of plans for next year, two writers talked about their own use of writing retreats as a way of balancing the need to be in the world of story and the need for family and people. One chose solitary spaces, while the other preferred writing alongside other writers, and there was much wishful thinking and planning going on.
Charney was all of this, together with lots of time for questions, solitude for thinking and/or writing time for those who wanted to get work done, and the blessing of being easy “among our tribe”. Finally, after the last lunch, a small group remained, sitting in the sunshine and chatted about books they’d enjoyed. Others, like the swifts, were already off and away, travelling back to their homes and to real life, the pleasant days so soon over. Sigh!
I haven’t named anyone in this blogpost but you all know who you are, and thank you for making this year’s Charney such a very special time.
One last thing. It is a mistake to call the week at Charney Manor a retreat. Mostly, it is just a truly and lovely TREAT.
Penny Dolan
0 Comments on RUNNING AWAY or THE CHARNEY MANOR RETREAT. By Penny Dolan. as of 7/18/2014 3:05:00 AM
Sometimes even big events sneak up on me. The Mississippi Mud Bash happening at Murder By the Book this week took me by surprise. So here’s a heads up for a major event coming up in September; Tweens Read 2014 will be held September 27 at South Houston High School in Pasadena, Texas.
Katie Lea Yates signs her young adult book, THE PROVIDER.
The book: Finishing eighth grade and getting ready for high school is hard enough. Finding out that you can jump into the pictures you’ve drawn and become ruler of thousands of people makes it just a tiny bit tougher. Thankfully, I’m not alone. There’s a whole group of us. They’re very cool, and I love living with them. But it seems that I brought back a little more than my memories when I jumped into that first drawing-now I’m able to create things, or bring things from somewhere else, or . . . well, it’s complicated. And unfortunately, somebody might want us all dead.
Lindsay Cummings: THE MURDER COMPLEX (HarperCollins), an action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller. Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision. The plot thickens when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or is it part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?
Rachel Harris:A TALE OF TWO CENTURIES (Entangled). Tired of her sixteenth-century life in Italy and homesick for her time-traveling cousin, Cat, Alessandra D’Angeli is lost. Until the stars hear her plea. One mystical spell later, Alessandra appears on Cat’s Beverly Hills doorstep five hundred years in the future. Surrounded by confusing gadgets, scary transportation, and scandalous clothing, Less is hesitant to live the life of a twenty-first century teen…until she meets the infuriating—and infuriatingly handsome—surfer Austin Michaels. Austin challenges everything she believes in…and introduces her to a world filled with possibility. But how will she return to the drab life of her past when the future is what holds everything she’s come to love?
Kristi Helvig:BURN OUT (Egmont). The last girl on Earth…just got company. Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth’s final years, a teenage girl yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns “red giant,” but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.
Julie Murphy: SIDE EFFECTS MAY VARY (HarperCollins)What if you’d been living your life as if you were dying—only to find out that you had your whole future ahead of you? When sixteen-year-old Alice is diagnosed with leukemia, her prognosis is grim. To maximize the time she does have, she vows to spend her final months righting wrongs—however she sees fit. She convinces her friend Harvey, whom she knows has always had feelings for her, to help her with a crazy bucket list that’s as much about revenge (humiliating her ex-boyfriend and getting back at her arch nemesis) as it is about hope (doing something unexpectedly kind for a stranger and reliving some childhood memories). But just when Alice’s scores are settled, she goes into remission. Now Alice must face the consequences of all she’s done, as well as her true feelings for Harvey. But has she done irreparable damage to the people around her, and to the one person who matters most?
Philip Siegel:THE BREAK-UP ARTIST (Harlequin Teen). Some sixteen-year-olds babysit for extra cash.
Some work at the mall. Becca Williamson breaks up couples. Becca knows from experience the damage that love can do. After all, it was so-called love that turned Huxley from her childhood best friend into a social-world dictator, and love that left Becca’s older sister devastated at the altar. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, Becca strikes back—for just one hundred dollars via PayPal, she will trick and manipulate any couple’s relationship into smithereens. One night, Becca receives a mysterious offer to break up the most popular couple in school: Huxley and the football team’s star player, Steve. To succeed, she’ll have to plan her most elaborate scheme to date—starting rumors, sabotaging cell phones, breaking into cars…. No one said being the Break-Up Artist would be easy.
Paula Stokes:THE ART OF LAINEY (Harper Teen). Soccer-star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—no reasons, no warning, and in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but with help from her friend Bianca, she resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back. And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. and decide to use the book to lure Jason back into Lainey’s arms. Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few “dates”, it looks like her plan is going to work! But now her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game.
I hope everyone enjoyed celebrating our Independence Day. My family had a great time in Fredericksburg at the National Museum of the Pacific War. Although I expected it to be there, it was still a thrill to see Sherry Garland and Layne Johnson’s gorgeous book VOICES OF PEARL HARBOR prominently displayed in the children’s book section.
John Sandford and Michelle Cook will sign and discuss UNCAGED (Knopf for Young Readers) the first book in their new Singular Menace series. In UNCAGED, Shay Remby arrives in Hollywood with $58 and a handmade knife, searching for her brother, Odin. Odin’s a brilliant hacker but a bit of a loose cannon. He and a group of radical animal-rights activists hit a Singular Corp. research lab in Eugene, Oregon. The raid was a disaster, but Odin escaped with a set of highly encrypted flash drives and a post-surgical dog.
When Shay gets a frantic 3 a.m. phone call from Odin—talking about evidence of unspeakable experiments, and a ruthless corporation, and how he must hide—she’s concerned. When she gets a menacing visit from Singular’s security team, she knows: her brother’s a dead man walking.
What Singular doesn’t know—yet—is that 16-year-old Shay is every bit as ruthless as their security force, and she “will” burn Singular to the ground, if that’s what it takes to save her brother.
Local author Dee Leone will visit KBB for a special story time with her new book BIZZ AND BUZZ MAKE HONEY BUNS (Grosset & Dunlap). Bizz and Buzz are two bees who want to make honey buns. So, they ask their friend Bear for his recipe. Although the directions seem simple, Bizz and Buzz make mistake after mistake, like finding a little “flower “instead of adding a little “flour.” What will “bee”-come of the honey buns?
Join author Debra Winegarten for a discussion of her new biography OVETA CULP HOBBY: COLONEL, CABINET MEMBER, PHILANTHROPIST. Oveta Culp Hobby (1905-1995) had a lifetime of stellar achievement. During World War II, she was asked to build a women’s army from scratch – and did. Hobby became Director of the Women’s Army Corps and the first Army woman to earn the rank of colonel. President Eisenhower chose her as Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare, making her the second woman in history to be appointed to a president’s cabinet. When she wasn’t serving in the government, Hobby worked with her husband, former Texas governor William P. Hobby, to lead a media empire that included the Houston Post newspaper and radio and TV stations. She also supported the Houston community in many ways, from advocating for civil rights for African Americans to donating generously to the Houston Symphony and the Museum of Fine Arts.
This first biography of a remarkable woman has been written for middle school readers. It traces her life from her childhood in Killeen to her remarkable achievements in Washington, DC, and Houston. Debra Winegarten provides the background to help young adult readers understand the times in which Hobby lived and the challenges she faced as a woman in nontraditional jobs. She shows how Hobby opened doors for women to serve in the military and in other professions that still benefit women today. Most of all, Oveta Culp Hobby will inspire young adults to follow their own dreams and turn them into tangible reality.
Join Ricci Casserly as she signs KATHY’S ADVENTURES (Tate) the story of a little girl named Ricci and her favorite doll, Kathy. Ricci and Kathy are the best of friends, and Ricci will do anything to care for Kathy. But as time passes, Ricci plays with Kathy less and less. One day when Ricci goes to her grandmother’s house to see Kathy, Kathy is gone. Come along with Ricci as she learns never to give up hope and follows her dreams of reuniting with her best friend.
Seventh-grader Martin Cruz hates his rotten new town, Lower Brynwood, but with his mom fighting a war in Afghanistan, he has no choice but to live with his crazy aunt. Then he gets a message from a tree telling him it’s cursed—and so is he.
It’s not just any tree either, it’s the Spirit Tree, an ancient beech the football team carves for good luck before the season opener. But every year they lose. Now the Spirit Tree is dying, and the other trees in the park are toppling around it like dominoes. The town is plagued with unexplainable accidents and people begin to fade, drained of life.
Martin must team up with a know-it-all soccer star, Hannah Vaughan, if he has any chance of breaking the curse. If they fail to save the Spirit Tree, it could mean the destruction of Lower Brynwood and a permanent case of bad luck.
Join author Dee Leone for a special story time/book launch for BIZZ AND BUZZ MAKE HONEY BUNS! Bizz and Buzz are two bees who want to make honey buns. So, they ask their friend Bear for his recipe. Although the directions seem simple, Bizz and Buzz make mistake after mistake, like finding a little “flower “instead of adding a little “flour.” What will “bee”-come of the honey buns?
We have two events happening this week, one YA and one picture book. But this isn’t any ordinary picture book signing—this is a very special event in support of the Ronald McDonald House featuring a special book from Newbery Honor and National Book Award Finalist Kathi Appelt. Your place in line will be assigned when you purchase the book from Blue Willow Bookshop, so if you don’t want to wait in what I expect will be a very long line, hurry to buy your copy ahead of time! See you there!
Non Pratt will discuss and sign TROUBLE, her debut novel for young adults. From Publishers Weekly: Friendship, betrayal, lust, and love are recurring themes in U.K. editor/publisher Pratt’s first novel exploring the trials of a British teen after she finds out she is pregnant. Reluctant to reveal the identity of the baby’s father, 15-year-old Hannah is surprised and relieved when her new friend, Aaron, offers to pretend he is responsible. But Aaron’s motives run deeper than wanting to help Hannah: part of him hopes that acting nobly might make up for previous actions that ended in tragedy…
Mogie is a real-life Labradoodle with a special talent: he always knows just what a sick kid needs! Give that dog a puddle and he’d splash. Give him a whistle and he’d roll over. Give him a rule and he’d break it.
One day a passel of puppies was born. Each puppy was designated for a Very Important Job, like Service Dog, or Search and Rescue Dog, or Groomed for the Show Ring Dog. Each puppy, that is, except Mogie. Mogie was a ball-chasing, tail-wagging, moon-howling pup. Not the kind of pup for any of those jobs! But there is a place that is just right for Mogie: a very special house where sick children and their families can stay while they undergo long-term treatment. A place with children who NEED a ball-chasing, tail-wagging, moon-howling pup. And there’s one little boy in particular who needs Mogie. And Mogie is about to prove he’s the best darn pooch in the passel. Based on a true story, this heartwarming picture book is published in conjunction with the Ronald McDonald House.
Note: In order to go through the signing line and meet Kathi Appelt for book personalization, please purchase MOGIE: THE HEART OF THE HOUSE from Blue Willow Bookshop. At the time of your purchase, Blue Willow will issue a signing line ticket that indicates your place in line. Your book and signing line ticket can be picked up at the event.
Join the Quinn Holliday, author of MACGYVER THE BEST BIG BLACK DOG for a reading and signing. Ryan Shaw the illustrator will be drawing for the kids as well!
I’m sorry i didn’t get this post up yesterday. I was having trouble staying connected to my website. The past few days here have been so much fun. Friday night, I got to go to a book launch for a local author’s debut novel. And talk about launching, this author is going to skyrocket!
I predict you’ll be seeing it on all kinds of literary lists soon, including the New York Times Bestsellers list. Her debut YA novel, THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, was pitched as “Easy A” meets “Friday Night Lights,” about small town teens who spread rumors about a former friend that may or may not be true.
Jen’s launch at Blue Willow Bookshop was a huge event. Jen teaches at a high school in this area, and formerly taught at a Houston middle school, so many of her friends and coworkers showed up to help her celebrate. A lot of her students and former students showed up, too. The bookstore was packed to the walls.
We got to hear a bit about Jen’s journey to publication. Nineteen agents turned her down before she signed with Sarah LaPolla. Like most writers, Jennifer didn’t hit success with her first book, or her second. At one point she talked with her husband about giving up, but he told her that if she got pleasure from writing, she should keep doing it. She did keep writing, and her third book, THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, sold at auction to a brilliant editor named Nancy Mercado, with Roaring Brook Press.
Follow Jen on twitter, and enjoy her blog tour for THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, starting with this interview on Ex Libris.
Another cool event I got to attend was our monthly Houston SCBWI meeting where one of our traditionally published children’s authors talked about her adventures in self publishing young adult books under the name Dax Varley. I think the cat may be out of the bag as to this author’s true identity, but in case I’m mistaken, I won’t spill it here. Dax shared a wealth of information about all the technical aspects of SP, including the unexpectedly tricky aspects of designing book covers, proofing, formatting, reviews and the importance of choosing the right title. And her final caution: Hire a professional copyeditor! To keep up with Dax, follow her on twitter or catch up with her news on her blog, I Bleed Ink.
Russell Sanders will be signing and discussing his new novel SPECIAL EFFECT. Graduating Senior Nick Fortunati works as a lighting tech in a creepy old theater. Out of the shadows steps mysterious Steve Stripling. Nick must decide if he wants to help Steve solve the mystery surrounding him and perhaps lose his newfound friend forever.
Non Pratt will discuss and sign TROUBLE, her debut novel for young adults. From Publishers Weekly: Friendship, betrayal, lust, and love are recurring themes in U.K. editor/publisher Pratt’s first novel exploring the trials of a British teen after she finds out she is pregnant. Reluctant to reveal the identity of the baby’s father, 15-year-old Hannah is surprised and relieved when her new friend, Aaron, offers to pretend he is responsible. But Aaron’s motives run deeper than wanting to help Hannah: part of him hopes that acting nobly might make up for previous actions that ended in tragedy…
Join three teen authors as they sign and discuss their newest books. Joy Preble, Varsha Bajaj and Christina Mandelski will all be in-store in the seating area. Don’t miss out on this chance to meet three fantastic YA authors!
Blue Willow Bookshop is thrilled to help Jennifer Mathieu launch THE TRUTH ABOUT ALICE, her debut novel for young adults! This stunning debut is told in unique, multiple voices with flawless structure, intense pace, and fabulous writing. Though this story is set in the right-here-and-now, the overall message, and especially the end of the book insights from Alice, will make this a timeless read.
Join us for a fun and entertaining puppet show based on Sheri Kiss’s children’s book, DREAM WRITE. An engaging book signing (with puppets!) will follow.
Join three of KBB’s favorite local authors as they sign and discuss their latest releases: CC Hunter with REBORN, and Joy Preble with THE A WORD, plus Sophie Jordan with her NA novel.
In celebration of the 95th annual Children’s Book Week, authors and illustrators showed up at local indie bookstores nationwide to read stories aloud. I’m so glad I had the chance to see the four Texas authors—Crystal Allen, Nikki Loftin, Kathy Duval and Varsha Bajaj—at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston as they shared their favorite picture books. This event was big fun! All four authors were amazing laugh-out-loud readers and the diversity of the books they selected added so much flavor to the event. Kathy Duval shared SOPHIE’S SQUASH, written by her friend Pat Z. Miller. Nikki Loftin read one of her favorite books from her own childhood, FREDERICK, while Crystal Allen chose a new favorite MY COLD PLUM LEMON PIE BLUESY MOOD and Varsha Bajaj read a book her children had loved, SIXTEEN COWS.
I barely had time to run home and get a few errands done before it was time to be back at Blue Willow for the launch of Joy Preble’s new YA novel, THE A WORD. As usual for Joy’s events, it was a packed house. I think nearly every YA author in Houston (and one from Austin!) was there. After Joy’s lively discussion and book signing, we all headed to Ooo La La for cupcakes, gelato and coffee. A yummy day!
The only downside was that with everything else that was going on, I missed the Houston YA/MG Writers meeting where Jessica Capelle was talking about world building. The good news is that this summer, Jessica will be giving a full day workshop on this topic at Houston’s new hot spot for writers, Writespace.
Award-winning picture book creator Jarrett Krosoczka will sign his books, including PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLYFISH, his latest picture book—a funny and touching story of friendships old and new, and about being brave enough to apologize. Peanut Butter and Jellyfish are best of friends and swim up, down, around, and through their ocean home. Crabby is their neighbor. He is not their best friend. But when Crabby gets in trouble, will Peanut Butter and Jellyfish come to the rescue? You bet they will!
Illustrator and author Chris Gall will discuss and sign his newest picture book for kids, DOG vs. CAT. Dog and Cat do not get along. But when they’re forced to share a room, they agree to be on their best behavior…until Dog won’t stop “sniffing.” Cat won’t stop “primping.” Dog won’t stop “howling.” Cat won’t stop “scratching.” And when it comes to the litter-box…sharing is “not” an option! What will it take to bring Dog and Cat together? Find out in Chris Gall’s comic clash that brings out the best (and worst) in two very different pets.
Join the coauthors of the #1 New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures series, Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl in conversation with author Sophie Jordan about their YA novel DANGEROUS CREATURES, a dangerous new tale of love and magic.
There’s so much going on this week, starting tonight with another event featuring Kristin! Please remember to check the sponsoring bookstore’s or organization’s website for the latest, most accurate information on these events.
Barnes & Noble, The Woodlands
Join three exciting teen authors, Lindsey Leavitt, Emery Lord and Kristin Rae in the First Loves YA Event as they discuss and sign their books upstairs in the seating area.
Children of all ages are invited to enjoy all the fun and exciting activities scheduled for the Houston Public Library’s Books Alive! 5th Annual Children’s Book Celebration.
The Children’s Book Celebration kicks off with a full day of exciting performances, hands-on arts and crafts activities, and special appearances. The highlight of the celebration is the appearance of Jennifer Holm, the author and illustrator of the Babymouse graphic novel series
Four Texas authors will help us celebrate the inaugural Indies First Storytime by reading their favorite picture books. Crystal Allen, Varsha Bajaj, Kathy Duval and Nikki Loftin will join us – you should too!
Come meet local multi-genre author George Arnold, author of the Cats of the C.I.A. series. Mr. Arnold is a well-known author of young reader and mystery novels. Each title is packed with his signature humor.
Joy Preble will discuss and sign her newest novel for teens, THE A-WORD. It’s been almost a year since fifteen-year-old Jenna’s stoner brother, Casey, died and returned as her guardian angel, along with his twenty-something “angel boss,” Amber Velasco. Almost a year since Casey and Amber used up their one-time-only angel power of flight to save Jenna from the evil Dr. Renfroe. Now Casey’s wonders why he’s still hanging around—not that he minds protecting Jenna, but there’s got to be a bigger picture, right? Something to distract him from his doomed relationship with cheerleader Lanie Phelps, who has no idea her boyfriend is, well, dead. After all, he can’t use his angel wings anymore. Neither can Amber. Enter Bo Shivers, Amber’s “angel boss.” Whiskey-guzzling, handsome and unpredictable, Bo lost his angel wings in an earthly flight a long time back, and he’s been a thorn in Angel Management’s side ever since. But Bo knows something big is coming. Something worth forfeiting his wings for Jenna… something that might change everything for everyone.
Join author J. White for a discussion of his debut novel THE THICKETY: A PATH BEGINS.A dark, forbidden forest. Vicious beasts. Deadly plants. An evil spell book. Secrets. Mysteries. Demons and witches both fair and foul. Welcome to the world of The Thickety.
When Kara Westfall was six years old, her mother was convicted of the worst of all crimes: witchcraft. Years later, Kara and her little brother, Taff, are still shunned by the people of their village, who believe that nothing is more evil than magic . . . except, perhaps, the mysterious forest that covers nearly the entire island. It has many names, this place. Sometimes it is called the Dark Wood, or Sordyr’s Realm. But mostly it’s called the Thickety. Illustrated by Andrea Offermann.
Award-winning picture book creator Jarrett Krosoczka will sign his books, including PEANUT BUTTER JELLYFISH, his latest picture book—a funny and touching story of friendships old and new, and about being brave enough to apologize. Peanut Butter and Jellyfish are best of friends and swim up, down, around, and through their ocean home. Crabby is their neighbor. He is not their best friend. But when Crabby gets in trouble, will Peanut Butter and Jellyfish come to the rescue? You bet they will!
Seventeen-year-old Pippa Preston, sent to Italy for a three-month art history program, decides instead to see the country on her own, armed with a list of such goals as eating an entire pizza and falling in love with an Italian, but soon finds herself attracted both to a dangerous local boy and an American archaeology student.
Hanh Gallery and The Hanh Collection are hosting a week long extravaganza featuring the works of children’s author Melissa Williams. All proceeds will benefit the READ3Zero Literacy Foundation, inspiring kids to read and write. RSVP to [email protected] for the dates you are attending.
Mac Barnett’s latest picture book is PRESIDENT TAFT GOT STUCK IN THE BATH. George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature — well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now “how “did he get unstuck? Author Mac Barnett and illustrator Chris Van Dusen bring their full comedic weight to this legendary story, imagining a parade of clueless cabinet members advising the exasperated president, leading up to a hugely satisfying, hilarious finale.
Join picture book author Sandra Howatt as she celebrates her debut, SLEEPYHEADS. This sweet, snuggly, and silly bedtime book with irresistible illustrations is sure to prepare little ones for a cozy night’s sleep. The sun has set, and sleepyheads all across the land are tucked into their cozy beds.
Rabbit is snoozing in the weeds, and Duck is snuggled in the reeds.
Bear is nestled in his cave, and Otter is rocking on a wave.
But there’s one little sleepyhead who’s not in his bed.
Where, oh where, could he be?
Join Tootsies for a Mother-Daughter Tea Party and Book Release party for THE VINTAGE CONTESSA & PRINCESSA by Donae Cangelosi Chramosta. Celebrate beauty from within on a fashionable and luxurious adventure full of love, hope and friendship. The Princessa dreams of helping her mother plan the perfect charity event to honor her BFF! When the night of the festivities arrives, a major disaster turns the two little girls fabulous celebration upside down. Even the prettiest dresses and most fashionable hats can’t fix this dilemma. The Princessa discovers that life is not always perfect, and it is in our greatest challenges where we find the true beauty of love.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of The Vintage Contessa & Princessa will go to cancer charities in communities around the world. Please RSVP to [email protected].
Online registration for this fabulous event is closed, as are all critiques and the dinner event. But we still have availability for registration by check or cash at the door for the main events on Saturday, as well as both workshops on Sunday. If you haven’t yet registered but hope to attend, please come by the Westin Houston Memorial City Hotel on Saturday morning.
I can’t believe it’s Tuesday already and I haven’t figured out what to wear for the Paint the Town Read party on Saturday night. I’ve made a list of literary (or semi-literary) characters who have at least one prominent red feature: Little Red Riding Hood; Clifford; The Little Red Hen; Dorothy; The Queen of Hearts; Scarlet (Cinder); Scarlet (Robin Hood); Waldo; Elmo; Fox in Sox; Olivia; Angry Birds; Lady Bug Girl; Raggedy Ann/Andy; Cat in the Hat; Thing One & Thing Two; Pippi Longstocking; Curious George; Paddington Bear; Winnie the Pooh; Santa Claus; Superman; Spiderman; Rafael the Ninja Turtle; Mickey Mouse; Matilda; anyone from Gryffindor.
I’ll figure something out. And I’ll try to wipe off all remaining smudges of silliness in time for the Sunday morning workshop with two-time Newbery Honor winner Gary Schmidt.
And the other big event, which I will have to miss this year, TEEN BOOK CON!
April 26, Saturday, 9:00-5:00
Alief Taylor High School TeenBookCon
There will be almost 40 authors at this year’s TeenBookCon. You will be choosing from 7 panel sessions which will repeat only 4 times. So spend some time studying the panel sessions before TeenBookCon to make sure you get to see those authors you are most excited about!
Blue Willow Bookshop is the official bookseller of TeenBookCon. All featured authors’ books will be available for purchase throughout the day. All authors will be available to sign only books. You must purchase a book at TeenBookCon to get into the signing lines.
All fans of YA literature are welcome, but TeenBookCon is first and foremost an event for teens. In all panel sessions, teens will be given the chance to ask questions of our authors first and also, if a panel session becomes full, any seated adult will be asked to give up their seat. Due to the tight schedule of TeenBookCon, there will not be an opportunity to conduct interviews with TeenBookCon authors.
Sarah Mlynowski, author of the WHATEVER AFTER series, the MAGIC IN MANHATTAN SERIES, GIMME A CALL, and TEN THINGS WE DID (AND PROBABLY SHOULDN’T HAVE), will celebrate the launch of BAD HAIR DAY, the newest book in the WHATEVER AFTER series. In this fractured fairy tale, the magic mirror sucks Abby and Jonah into the story of Rapunzel. When the siblings get the famous tale all tangled up, they have to find a way to set things right . . . with hilarious results!
This week I’m excited about The Houston Writers Guild Annual Agents & Editors Conference 50 Shades Beyond Gray: Color Your Writing, Infuse Your Future. It’s going to be this Saturday in Sugar Land at the Marriott Town Center, and Nikki Loftin, the fabulous and energetic author of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy and Nightingale’s Nest, will be giving the keynote speech. There may still be time to register!
I did a mean thing.
A very mean thing.
I HATE that I did it.
But I did.
This is worse than carrot juice on a cupcake or a wasp on my pillow or a dress that’s too tight at the neck.
In LIKE CARROT JUICE ON A CUPCAKE,the third installment from author Julie Sternberg and illustrator Matthew Cordell (the team who created Like Pickle Juice on a Cookie and Like Bug Juice on a Burger) Eleanor’s relationship with her best friend, Pearl, experiences its first growing pains. When a glamorous new student transfers to school, at first Eleanor’s excited about the possibility of a new friend. But when Pearl is assigned to be the new girl’s buddy, Eleanor fears she can’t compete. To make matters worse, Eleanor’s been chosen for the lead role in the springtime musical, which means she has to sing a solo in front of the entire school!
Brandon Mull will discuss and sign his newest novel for kids, SKY RAIDERS. Cole Randolph is just trying to have fun with his friends on Halloween (and maybe get to know Jenna Hunt a little better). But when a spooky haunted house turns out to be a portal to something much creepier, Cole finds himself on an adventure on a whole different level.
After Cole sees his friends whisked away to some mysterious place underneath the haunted house, he dives in after them—and ends up in The Outskirts, five kingdoms that lie between wakefulness and dreaming, reality and imagination, life and death. It’s an in-between place. Some people are born there. Some find their way there from our world, or from other worlds. And once you come to the Outskirts, it’s very hard to leave.
Admission: In order to go through the signing line and meet Brandon Mull for book personalization, please purchase SKY RAIDERS from Blue Willow Bookshop.
John Boyne will discuss and sign his newest novel for children, STAY WHERE YOU ARE THEN LEAVE . The day the First World War broke out, Alfie Summerfield’s father promised he wouldn’t go away to fight–but he broke that promise the following day. Four years later, Alfie doesn’t know where his father might be, other than that he’s away on a special, secret mission. Then, while shining shoes at King’s Cross Station, Alfie unexpectedly sees his father’s name on a sheaf of papers belonging to a military doctor. Bewildered and confused, Alfie realizes his father is in a hospital close by—a hospital treating soldiers with shell shock. Alfie isn’t sure what shell shock is, but he is determined to rescue his father from this strange, unnerving place. . . .
Admission: In order to go through the signing line and meet John Boyne for book personalization, please purchase STAY WHERE YOU ARE THEN LEAVE from Blue Willow Bookshop.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Missouri City Branch Librarywill present a Poetry Slam Competition in the Meeting Room of the library. Local high school and college-age students are invited to compete in the event by reading original works they have created themselves. Prizes will be awarded. The Poetry Slam is free and open to the public. For more information, call the branch library at 281-238-2100.
I want to thank and welcome authors (and sisters), Lisa Fender and Toni Burns for sharing their personal writing journey with us on my blog today. Their book, Fable – Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecyis available for purchase from Amazon, and other major on-line bookstores.
BTW—I’ve read Lisa and Toni's fabulous fantasy and found Fable entertaining and well worth the investment. Plus, they have a kick-ass cover! Cheers, ladies!
So, how long have you two been writing, Lisa and Toni?
Lisa—We both started writing as kids, but life kind of got in the way. I started up again thanks to the encouragement of Lizzie T. Leaf. She and I met for coffee several times and she told me to “just go for it”. The first book I attempted was a murder mystery, but I couldn’t get into a psycho’s head. After ten chapters, I put it away. Then I got laid-off from work and decided I had no more excuses not to follow my dream. Fantasy was my love, so when I sat down to write about five years ago, I came up with the Djenrye world.
Toni—I joined my sister in her journey with Stevie about three years ago. With a background in administration/secretarial, she asked if I would help edit the book. Within a year we discovered that we wrote great together and the rest, they say, is history. A little side note—when Lisa and I write we are more like an old married couple than sisters. We tend to finish each other sentences and come up with words at the same time.
Lizzie T. Leaf is a wonderful author in her own right and it certainly seems like she gave you some great advice! Where did you get your idea and inspiration to write Fable—Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy?
Lisa—Like I said, I love fantasy, but was pretty burnt out on the typical vampire, werewolf, fairy stuff others were writing. I came up with the idea of using a folktale character—a genie, but not that kind that comes out of a bottle. More along the idea of all myths having some truth behind them. So the Djen were born—a race of people whose powers can be misinterpreted into ‘fairytales’.
As concerns the heroine—she’s right out of my head and my experiences. Being adopted myself, I wondered what would happen if I found my birth mother. Would she be rich, beautiful, whatever…Stevie’s journey mirrors mine in that she is learning who she is and where her destiny lies.
Toni—I’m along for the ride.
Talk about writing what you know! What sets Fable—Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy apart from other books in the same genre?
Toni—Fantasy stories have been around longer than the written word. Most are myths and hero’s journeys. In this way, The Lorn Prophecy is similar. The difference is in our creation of a whole new world that is connected to our mundane world (Terra-hun as the Djen call it).
Lisa—Djenrye is a world without pollution, commercially processed food, industrial machinery, or other forms of raping the land (mining, clear cutting, swath burning, etc.). The Djen use all that they take and have a respect for life and nature. They are a part of it, rather than thinking they have dominion over it.
Toni—It is a pristine world, but not without conflict. Otherwise, it would be a boring story. Right, sis?
Lisa—(chuckles) Oh yeah.
And a boring story it is NOT! As collaborative authors, what is your writing process?
Lisa—I start out with the outline of the story. I wrote Fable as a rough draft (the same with Fated and Lore—which we are working on now). Then, Toni and I go through the draft line by line, page by page, chapter by chapter and refine it based on our critique partners.
Toni—We have found that we work as a great sounding board with each other. Lisa will write something and I’ll ask, “what about this”. Then, she’ll play on my idea with “sounds good, but how about if we also”. Through this process of back and forth we come up with ideas complete unique to what either of us started with.
Interesting process, ladies. Sometimes I wish I had a sounding board! How long did it take for you
to start and finish Fable—Book 1 of the Lorn Prophecy?
Lisa—Four and a half long years.
Toni—The good news is that Fated only took about a year.
Lisa—We’re getting better all the time.
Toni—or improving with age. Tee heehee.
Lisa—something like that. (Smiles)
LOL, you two do work well with each other! Do you have any advice for other writers, Lisa and Toni?
Lisa—I teach a class for new writers at the Englewood Library. It drives me absolutely crazy to read self-published works and find that the authors have no knowledge of basic creative writing skills. It makes all self-published books suspect.
Toni—If you are going to self-publish, make it a professional product. Do what my sister and I did: take classes, work with critique partners—listen to them!—and hire a professional editor—and listen to his/her recommendations, too. Additionally, we were very blessed in meeting Springlea, owner of a small publishing company in Colorado called Grumpy Dragon. She was a wealth of information and help in showing us how to layout our books to give them a traditionally published appearance.
Lisa—Writing you do out of love and a desire. But, you have to treat it like a business if you want to do more than just share your stories with your family and friends.
Sage advice for sure! What’s next for Lisa Fender and Toni Burns the authors?
Lisa—We are refining my first draft of Lore (Book 2 of The Lorn Prophecy); I am writing Lineage (Book 2 of The Djenrye Chronicles); and we plan to create at least three books in The Lorn Prophecy series…
Toni—probably more, as long as the books are getting…
Lisa—and compendium novels (The Djenrye Chronicles) to come out between each of the main books.
Toni—And…as we write, we keep coming up with more ideas. Maybe we can dust off Lisa’s old murder mystery and put our Detective Wood in the middle of that one!
Lisa—ha, ha, ha, ha.
Sounds like you both will be busy for quite some time! Okay, here’s one for me, since I’m writing a time travel series—If you could time travel anywhere into Earth’s past, where would you go and why?
Lisa—That is a really tough question. Maybe back to the time when women were warriors and leaders of their tribes. Perhaps the Bronze Age in the British Isles. I am a Goddess at heart!
Toni—Boadicea rocks! Lisa’s response would be close to my own. I am also a sucker for ancient Greek culture, where women could hold land and power.
You also have a chance to win a copy of Fable. Just leave a comment below with your email address or a way to reach you. We will do a drawing and pick one winner to get the book and some swag to go along with it!
A little taste from Fable – Book 1 of The Lorn Prophecy. I hope you enjoy and decide to give it a read!
Stevie Barrett lives an ordinary life in Golden, Colorado, where nothing remarkable ever happens. That is until right before her high school graduation, when Stevie’s life takes a bizarre turn. Her best friends, Jack and Alyssa, want to be supportive, but are confused by the events plaguing Stevie.
Stevie’s mom is attacked by men with glowing gold eyes. A strange being spies on Stevie, hidden in shadow. She has waking visions of a people called the Djen and their archaic world. And when her and her BFFs don’t think it can get any weirder, Stevie heals a stranger with a touch. The abilities build until they are a tidal wave awakening within her and threaten her sense of reality.
Her efforts to understand what is happening lead her and her friends to discover a group known as the Rebellion. These warriors from another dimension are hunting her. Their leader is a man bent on destroying Stevie and possessing her legacy. In order to stop him and save everyone she loves, Stevie and her friends must embark on a quest to find and return Tecton, one of the five Orbs—relics—of the other plane she comes to know as Djenrye. The journey will alter everything she believes, propelling her into another world and another life.
The Montgomery County Book Festival is now partnering with Lone Star College – Montgomery. This year the festival is being expanded from a teens only format to include authors of children’s and tween books, young adult authors who cross over to the adult market and authors who write specifically for adults. However, as this blog focuses on children’s and young adult’s literature, I’ve only listed the names of authors who write for these age groups. For a complete list, visit the Montgomery County Book Festival website.
Chinese New Year Storytime! Join author Mary Wade in celebrating the Chinese New Year with the reading of NO YEAR OF THE CAT.
The Emperor has a problem. He wants his people to remember the year in which his son was born. But there is no way to keep track of the years. So the Emperor devises a race in which animals will cross a river. The first twelve animals to reach the opposite side will have a year named after them. Thus, the people will be able to remember the years and the events that occurred. And so the race is set. Rat, knowing he is no match for the rushing water, schemes with Cat on how to cross the river. Together the two convince Ox to carry them across. But halfway across the river, Rat shows his true colors. Will Cat make it to the other side? Which animals will have a year named after them? Accompanied by exquisite watercolor artwork, this charming story explains the origins of the Chinese calendar.
February 5, Tuesday, 6:00 PM Barnes & Noble, College Station Janet Fox and Joy Preble, YA Authors
Join Janet Fox and Joy Preble for an exclusive young adult Q&A session of their latest books and what it takes to be a YA author. We will be celebrating the release of Janet’s newest book, SIRENS, and Joy will talk about her upcoming book, THE SWEET DEAD LIFE.
Houston playwright Kathleen Tolan’s regional premiere of MEMORY HOUSE, directed by Claire Hart-Palumbo.
As Katia struggles to finish her college essay by tonight’s midnight deadline her mother Maggie tries to motivate and encourage her while baking a pie. Mother and daughter wrestle with lingering issues from Katia’s adoption from Russia, her parents’ divorce and her fear of leaving home as they pick their way through the very human, very honest, and sometimes very funny struggle of how to connect with each other and face the future.
Post show discussions: Following the Sunday matinee on February 3, the audience is invited to join the artists involved with the production as well as a diverse panel of adoptive families, who will reflect on the play and share their own experiences.
For very important information about this event including pricing and age restrictions, see Main Street Theater’s website.
Ally Carter, New York Times best-selling author of the five books in the Gallagher Girls series, will discuss and sign her young adult novel PERFECT SCOUNDRELS.
Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of loveable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting—or stealing—whatever they want.
No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir—this time, Hale might be the mark.
I hope everyone has been having a fun summer, and it’s not over yet! I want to tell you about local two events coming up next weekend. All the fans of Joy Preble’s magical trilogy will be gathering for the grande finale of Russian history, romance, magic and mythology with Anne, Ethan and Anastasia.
Join Joy Preble as she launches ANASTASIA FOREVER, the final installment of her young adult trilogy, Dreaming Anastasia. Thanks to Joy’s publisher, Sourcebooks, we also have a chance to sneak preview the first three chapters!
From Joy’s website: Secrets within secrets. Truths within lies. Anastasia—She was the darling of the glittering Winter Palace while her half brother Viktor was relegated to the shadows. Now he’s ready to take his turn in the spotlight…and revenge on the world that shunned him. Anne—The visions won’t stop. One minute she’s in her bedroom on her cell phone. And the next she’s in the past witness to the private moments of the royal Romanov family. Ethan—He’s been eighteen for nearly century and finding Anne is the best thing that’s ever happened to him. But the magic in his blood is turning darker, forcing him to wonder whether he’s the most dangerous threat of all. History Doesn’t Tell Us Everything….
August 11, Saturday, 11:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. THE BOOK NOOK Multiple Author Visit
Fifteen of authors from Fort Bend are meeting to sign your copy of their book! This event includes authors of many genres, including Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of THE CONCH BEARER and authors of other children’s books.
If you are interested in learning more about writing nonfiction for children and teens, don’t miss this month’s meeting of the Houston Society of Children’s Bo
Last night’s Houston SCBWI event was so much fun! It was great to hear from the ten debut authors who participated in our Google+ Hangout. Their comments about their journeys to publication were enlightening, inspiring and in some cases, a reality check. Occasionally success comes quickly, but usually it is a long hard climb. You’ve got to love it, because the journey is not for the faint of heart. A big Thank You! to Claire Legrand, Megan Miranda, Joanne Levy, Ame Dyckman, Tiffany Strelitz Haber, Anne Greenwood Brown, Lizzie Foley, J. Anderson Coats, Jennifer Wolf, and Lynne Kelly for sharing their stories and hard-earned knowledge with us.
And in case you missed the announcement, the winner of the ARC for FRACTURE by Megan Miranda, was Millie Martin.
Thanks to Blue Willow Bookshop, we have another YA author event this coming week:
S.J. Kincaid will discuss and sign INSIGNIA, her debut novel for young adults.
More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival. Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.
Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends, the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action matters—but what will it cost him?
Thanks for stopping by. And by the way, isn’t all this rain amazing?
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Rachel Harris:
she’s come to love?
Philip Siegel:
Paula Stokes:
