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AWP: Our panel, "What I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Writing for Children and Young Adults," seemed like a success. At least we had a good time. It seemed as if our audience did. At least there wasn't much shuffling, squirming, and reading of programs while we were talking. :)

Heather Bouwman organized us and moderated the panel. My buddies from my writing group, Shelley Tougas and Kirstin Cronn-Mills, and I joined Sheila O'Connor to fill out the panel.

We all are used to talking in front of groups, so we were surprised by how nervous we were beforehand.

I wonder if everybody who gives presentations runs over what they forgot to say or wish they had said during the program. I do that in school, too, but then I get to see my students again in a few days, so I can add or correct or fix what I missed. There's no second chance when it's a conference.

Anyway, one thing I wanted to say is that I think every writer should write poetry, even if he or she never publishes any...It's such a terrific exercise in conciseness and paying attention to language and lyricism. I think writing for kids uses those skills, absolutely and entirely.
I never felt that as fully as when I wrote Beauty Missing, Hair Hissing: Medusa Tells All for the "Other Side of Myth" series published by Capstone. That book started out as a longish lyrical poem and then condensed itself into the snarkier voice of Medusa in which it was published.

Anyway, AWP was fun, and I had a grand adventure with my two buddies. We were reduced to uncontrollable laughter several times.
We became the Three Musketeers of Vehicular Safety (in our cab to the airport), and the Three Musketeers of Row 19 (in the aircraft). Yeah, we tried to be reasonably quiet. Not sure how well that worked. But we had fun.

• Irene Latham's Plot is a Verb postcard
• a flyer from my first author event
• a photo of a statue erected to honor pioneer women
• two quotes from J. Anderson Coats
• a silly VIP name tag from my 2007-2008 fourth graders (they gave me a "most likely to be a famous author" award)
• a great last name  -- Folkenflick (any NPR listeners recognize this?)
• an anonymous, kind response during a First Pages reading session at SCBWI-MI 2004
• a card Schwartz and Wade sent along with my very own copy of May B.
• a song called Why Do We Hunger For Beauty? that always makes me cry
• a faded purple 3x5 that holds May B.'s original plot line
• a picture of me as a mid-grader
• pins for various books and debut author groups
• a tag from a Caroline Rose jacket...too fun to throw away!
• a heart necklace on a yarn chain
• a portrait by my nine-year-old

• endurance
• patience
• commitment
• passion

Comment below for a chance to win Elevensie and 2k11 bookmarks! Contest closes Monday, 31 July.

Possession -- Elana Johnson

Vi rebels against the Thinkers' control while wrestling with choice, ethics, and a boy with great hair in this fast-paced and surprisingly funny debut.

The Pull of Gravity -- Gae Polisner

In this tender book about a promise to a dying friend, Nick learns trust trumps security and plans that go awry can lead to second chances.

Sparrow Road -- Sheila O'Connor

Raine's summer at Sparrow Road introduces her to the beauty of silence, the art of listening, the courage to face the truth, and the father she's never known in this honest, lovely read.