Happy September! This is the month that always makes me want to buy boots and sweaters, even though in my part of Texas neither of those things is really necessary more than one or two weeks out of the year, and then not until January. Being the first of the month, I’ve added a slew of September book babies to the slider on my conference pages. Check it out to get a peek at all the delicious new reads!
Happy Book Birthday
this week to
Linda Joy Singelton’s Cinderella-inspired YA, NEVER BEEN TEXTED,
to Dax Varley’s YA horror novel, BLEED,
and to Josh Funk’s LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST, illustrated by Brendan Kearney.
NEVER BEEN TEXTED: When Ashlee’s stepdad completely forgets her birthday she takes matters into her own hands to get the one thing she really wants: her own cell phone. But text messages start rolling in from a broken-hearted boy, and though Ashlee knows not all stories end happily, she’s determined to make hers the best it can be. Balancing a bit of magic, the love of a pet dog, the support of a well-meaning and meddling friend, and the dream of a sweet romance, Ashlee must decide whether or not to pursue a boy who’s been recently entangled with her high school’s most vicious girl.
BLEED: Life is a nightmare for Miranda Murphy. Without knowing when or why, blood oozes from her palms—an anomaly that makes her feel like a freak. But her abnormality is now the least of her worries. She’s just enrolled at “Suicide High.” Three deaths in three months—one occurring just days before her arrival. When she bumps into a cute boy named Jake, things don’t appear so glum. Especially since Jake’s a psychic who can predict the immediate future. But his gift of sight can’t prepare her for the horrors that await. Through Jake, Miranda meets three other extraordinary students: Topher, who can heal by touch; Sam, who eats the sins of the dead; and Xyan, who speaks and understands all languages. It’s then that Miranda learns the secret behind why she bleeds. When it becomes evident that supernatural forces are at play, the five determined friends team up. Now it’s up to them to destroy the evil infecting their school. Head over to Dax’s website to read an excerpt!
LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST: A thoroughly delicious picture book about the funniest “food fight!” ever! Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast have a beautiful friendship—until they discover that there’s ONLY ONE DROP of maple syrup left. Off they go, racing past the Orange Juice Fountain, skiing through Sauerkraut Peak, and reeling down the linguini. But who will enjoy the sweet taste of victory? And could working together be better than tearing each other apart? The action-packed rhyme makes for an adrenaline-filled breakfast . . . even without a drop of coffee!
Now for this week’s Greater Houston Area events:
SEPTEMBER 5, SATURDAY, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Writespace
Writers’ Workshop with K.J. Russell
COST: $30 Members, $45 Non-members
Dialogue: Let Your Characters’ Words Bring Your Story to Life! Tell your exposition to take a break and let your characters do some of the talking for you! There’s no better tool to give your fiction and nonfiction a unique new voice and grounded perspective than well-crafted dialogue. Cut back on static narration and character description by letting the characters demonstrate themselves and the world around them. In this workshop, K.J. Russell will discuss the many uses of dialogue, what craft problems dialogue can solve, and how to execute it with a confidence that will lend your story the kind of life that readers are looking for.
SEPTEMBER 8, MONDAY, 7:00-9:00 PM
SCBWI Houston
Tracy Gee Community Center, 3599 Westcenter Drive
Cost: FREE
A panel of local SCBWI members will discuss the topics covered in the recent annual SCBWI International Conference in Los Angeles.
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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.
October 22, Wednesday, 5:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Neal Shusterman, YA Author
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.
October 23, Wednesday, 7:00 PM 
Geren Auditorium, College of Architecture, Texas A&M University
James Gurney, Author/Illustrator
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.
October 25, Saturday, 1:00-4:00 PM 
Writespace
Jessica Cappelle: Workshop—Worldbuilding
PRICE: $ 35.00
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.
October 28, Tuesday, 7:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Callista Gingrich, Children’s Author, with Newt Gingrich, Adult Nonfiction Author
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.
November 1, Saturday, 10:00 AM- Noon, & 1:30-4:30 PM 
Writespace
Kathy Duval: Picture Book Workshop
PRICE: $ 85.00
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.
November 1, Saturday, 10:00 AM-1:00 PM
Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar Street
Read3Zero 5th Anniversary Luncheon
Price: Ticket costs vary. Click here for more details and to purchase tickets.
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.
November 3, Monday, 7:00 PM 
Blue Willow Bookshop
Alexandra Bracken, YA Author
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.
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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!
Write down this name:
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.
Now for this week’s events!
June 8, Sunday, 3:00 p.m.
River Oaks Bookstore
Russell Sanders, YA Author
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.
June 10, Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.
Blue Willow Bookshop
Non Pratt, YA Author
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…
