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I see the last time I blogged (shame on me!) was when I mentioned my sale to BenBella. The copy edits are now in and I'm thrilled to share with you the GORGEOUS cover!

Praised by writers from Stephen King to Stephenie Meyer, Suzanne Collins’ New York Times bestselling Hunger Games trilogy is dark, captivating, and deeply thought-provoking. Part straight-up survivalist adventure, part rich allegory, and part political thriller, the series has become a new YA favorite. A film version of the first book, The Hunger Games, is currently in development.

The Girl Who Was On Fire offers even more to think about for teen readers already engrossed by the Hunger Games. From the trilogy's darker themes of violence and social control to reality television, fashion, and weaponry, the collection's exploration of the Hunger Games by other YA writers reveals exactly how rich, and how perilous, protagonist Katniss’ world really is.

The Girl Who Was On Fire covers all three books in the Hunger Games trilogy. Contributors are: Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Mary Borsellino, Sarah Rees Brennan, Terri Clark, Bree Despain, Adrienne Kress, Cara Lockwood, Elizabeth M. Rees, Carrie Ryan, Ned Vizzini, Lili Wilkinson, Blythe Woolston, Sarah Darer Littman.

You can pre-order it now (on sale!). But the book releases April 2011

Just to clarify, I'm not looking for 30 books from a single author. :)  The readathon is a 6 hour reading challenge and I give away at least one autographed book every hour on the hour for the duration of the challenge (plus any other promo materials we're gifted with). I'm thrilled if you can send me one book. As for bookmarks, I set those out at the readthon and then they're placed in the teen area for the remainder of the year for teens to take. Hope this clears up any questions. [email protected]

Hi everyone - The kids in my area have a little over 5 weeks until they are out for the summer and that means it's nearly time for the Teen Summer Reading Program. Many of you authors generously donated autographed books and promo items (bookmarks, magnets, shirts, etc.) for  last year's Readathon. I had 30 teens participate in the 6 hour reading challenge and every kid was able to leave with a great prize. (Some authors even donated to me later in the year and those books were used for volunteer prizes and with the creative writing club.) I'd love to be able to do the same again this year. If you're interested in donating  books  and/or promo items please  email me and I'll give you the library address. Thank you very much! I can't tell you how much this means to me and my teens. You can reach me at [email protected]. 

Terri Clark
Teen Librarian and YA Author
Hollyweird - Flux 2011
Sleepless  - HarperTeen
Breaking Up Is Hard to Do - Houghton Mifflin
TerriClarkBooks.com
facebook.com/TerriClarkBooks

My Teen Advisory Board  group worked really hard to create this mini-movie about Christopher Golden's Soulless. We hope to promote reading, our TAB and the library district with this project. The kids read the book and then picked out their favorite pivotal scenes. I put them into a working script and then we cast roles. The kids memorized their lines--most of them playing multiple roles--created their own costumes and everything was shot at the Smoky Hill Library.

One of my BFF's and co-worker, Sheena Allee, helped me create the zombie make-up and the district's video wiz, Bob Bennhoff, was our cameraman and video editor. (We even made the poor guy bleed for real!) It was an incredibly fun and challenging group project with $0 budget. I bought all the make-up and the bottles of blood myself. LOL.

If that wasn't work enough, the kids decided to learn Michael Jackson's THRILLER dance for the closing credits. They're completely self taught! Because of the aforementioned $0 budget, we obviously could not use the actual music, but I think you'll recognize the iconic moves and Bob picked some killer music for us.

I couldn't be prouder of this group. They give me the greatest joy. Please watch the video, leave a comment on the YouTube page and feel free to share it. I want the kids recognized for their committment, creativity and talent. :)



P.S. -- Mr. Golden himself saw the video and said, "Fantastic work, everyone! :) My sons and I were grinning the whole time."

I'm working on revisions for Hollyweird and I'm trying to work out a sticky plot point, but I haven't come up with the perfect thing yet. I know eventually I'll be zapped with an "Aha!" moment, but I hope it hurries up. LOL. I don't like feeling stuck. In the meantime I'm doing research and looking for inspiration everywhere. I want to nail this ending!

This weekend I'm going to the Colorado Teen Lit Conference and I'm really looking forward to it. I get to visit with some authors I only get to see at these events (Lauren Myracle, Todd Mitchell, Amy Kathleen Ryan) and I'm looking forward to meeting new authors Amy Efaw and Becca Fitzgerald (who I've only spoken to on email). 

I'm also really excited to FINALLY meet Ellen Hopkins. We had stories together in the anthology Breaking Up Is Hard To Do and I have an essay in the anthology about her work, Flirtin' with the Monster. Ellen and I have talked on email, and both Lynda and Nic have met her, but I've yet to have that pleasure. 

Even more fun will be having two of my creative writing club teens attend with me. :) I know the Kels(e)ys are going to have a blast! 

This conference is always a favorite of mine. And this year the weather is supposed to be much nicer than last year so attendance should be higher.  

Can't wait!

If you've ever wondered about the publishing process you might consider attending my From Page to Publication program this Thursday night at the Smoky Hill Library in Centennial, CO. The program is open to adults and teens. You can register for this free event at arapahoelibraries.org.

From Page to Publication

Event Type: Adults & Teens Date: 11/12/2009 Start Time: 7:00 PM End Time: 8:30 PM Description:  Terri Clark, author of Sleepless (HarperCollins), will demystify the publishing process. Learn about the many stages a manuscript goes through before it hits the shelves as a book - revisions, copy edits, line edits, etc. From page to publication, contract to book shelf, Terri will share her experience and answer questions from interested writers. Library: Smoky Hill Library Location: Smoky Hill Room A Registration Ends: 11/12/2009 at 7:00 PM Status: Openings

National Coalition Against Censorship Salutes Judy Blume :

Some people may have difficulty finding humor in the issue of censorship. Thankfully, celebrated author Judy Blume isn't one of them. Nor were the many actors, comedians, authors, and supporters who gathered on Monday evening for “A Night of Comedy with Judy Blume & Friends.” Presented by the National Coalition Against Censorship, the event was both a celebration of the Coalition's 35th anniversary, as well as an opportunity to honor Blume, who has actively battled censorship of her books.

Synopsis

Half-human, half-angel, Meridian Sozu has a dark responsibility.

Sixteen-year-old Meridian has been surrounded by death ever since she can remember. As a child, insects, mice, and salamanders would burrow into her bedclothes and die. At her elementary school, she was blamed for a classmate’s tragic accident. And on her sixteenth birthday, a car crashes in front of her family home—and Meridian’s body explodes in pain.

Before she can fully recover, Meridian is told that she’s a danger to her family and hustled off to her great-aunt’s house in Revelation, Colorado. It’s there that she learns that she is a Fenestra—the half-angel, half-human link between the living and the dead. But Meridian and her sworn protector and love, Tens, face great danger from the Aternocti, a band of dark forces who capture vulnerable souls on the brink of death and cause chaos.

Synopsis

Perfect for zombiephiles, video game addicts, grindhouse nostalgists, and horror movie fanatics, Zombie Haiku is the touching story of a zombie's gradual decay told through the intimate poetry of haiku. From infection to demise, readers will accompany the narrator on a zen journey through deserted streets and barracaded doors for every eye-popping, gut-wrenching, flesh-eating moment right up until the inevitable bullet to the brain. Plus the book is illustrated with over 50 photos from the zombie's eye and designed with extra blood, guts and pus!

A co-worker turned me on to this little gem. She suggested I read it and use it as an excercise for my creative writing club. (Thanks, Monica!) Zombie Haiku is a quick, hilarious read that had me giggling and groaning. It can easily be ingested in an hour's time, but it's a fun read that's perfect for Halloween, reluctant reader's and zombie fans like me. And the most amusing part? It was written by a youth pastor. Bet his kids love him!

I've been doing a lot of workshops and programs lately at area library events. It's something I really enjoy doing, although I still get nervous and consider myself a beginner on the circuit. If you've been to any of my events you've probably heard me rave about a book I recently finished. I brought the book up not only because I LOVED it, but because it's a great example of realistic fiction and because I always tell writers to never hold back. Amy Efaw's AFTER is about a teen who gets pregnant, but she's one of those rare girls you occasionally hear about in the news. She's so far in denial that she doesn't really show and her fam and friends have no idea. When she delivers the baby she goes into complete shock and breaks down. She takes the infant, puts it in a garbage bag and throws it away. The baby is found and the teen mom is arrested and put in a juvie center. The story is about her coming to grips with what she's done and it masterfully shows her psychological unraveling as her denial slowly slips away. I was in awe of this book. Amy made me FEEL Devon's shock from the very first scene and took me on a journey of fear, self-discovery, regret and hope. I call myself a popcorn fiction writer. My stories are entertaining, but I don't know how impactful they are. For me, Amy's story resonated and affected me enough I wanted to pass on my recommendation and I wanted to elevate my own storytelling. I thought she was fearless and did amazing research, which is why I find it HUGELY irritating to learn that she's getting bashed by commenters following an NPR article and interview. In no way do I have the reach that NPR does, but I'll do my part to recommend this to everyone I know. And maybe those commenters on NPR might consider reading the entire book before tearing it and the author apart. And, no, I don't know Amy, but I've written to tell her how much I love her book. :)



Publisher's Weekly
Starred Review
"It's an emotionally wrenching story that will keep readers' attention through its surprising conclusion."

VOYA 
"Chilling, realistic and horrifying, this book examines clinical denial in a young girl. Graphic and heart-wrenching, this book belongs in every high school and public library."  Reviewer: Nancy K. Wallace

SLJ
This is a skillfully written, emotionally raw story detailing one girl's difficult journey from denial of her circumstances to acceptance and redemption.—Sharon Morrison, Southeastern Oklahoma State University, Durant, OK

 

The Douglas County Library District is holding a wonderful writers conference this Saturday, October 10 from 8:30 am - 5:00 pm at Castle View High School in Castle Rock.  There's a lot of great workshops and registration is very affordable. You can find the list of speakers and workshops at: http://www.douglascountylibraries.org/Events/WritersConference

For YA writers, I'll be presenting two programs:
 

Tapping into your Inner Teen aka Writing for Young Adults

Description: We’re in a new golden age for young adult fiction. If youʹve wanted to tap into your inner teen and write a YA novel, this program is for you. Young adult author and teen librarian, Terri Clark, will define what makes a young adult novel, explain how teen fiction has changed over the years, help you discover your teen voice, introduce you to the market and highlight bestsellers and current trends.

Werewolves, Witches & Vamps, Oh My! Writing Paranormal Fiction

Description: Paranormal fiction is hotter than ever and Terri Clark is going to tell you why. She’ll also define the difference between paranormal romance and urban fantasy and explain why readers are willing to suspend their disbelief, but only if you ground the roots of your story in reality. If you want to know how to make the impossible seem plausible this is the workshop for you.

I'll be giving a writing workshop called Tapping into Your Inner Teen at the Author Fest of the Rockies on Friday, Oct. 2. This YA workshop is at 3:30. I'd love to see you there. This looks to be a really exciting week long event put on by the Manitou Springs Public Library. I only wish I could do more! Next year I'll know to take off work. Anyhow, check out all the guest speakers and fun programs.

My kids are back in school and I swear I've gotten more done in the last couple days then I did the whole three months of summer. LOL. But having them back in classes makes me think about the wonderful school visits I did last.year. I was blessed to visit a lot of area schools (sometimes 2 or 3 times) and do everything from individual room visits to large combined classes. Plus, there were bookfairs, AVID, book clubs and more. I hope to make some return visits this year, as well as visit new schools, because I met so many incredible people. To all the teachers, librarians and students who warmly welcomed me THANK YOU. And I hope your first week is off to a great start!

Lincoln High School

Horizon Middle School

Sierra Middle School

Cherry Creek High School

Regis High School

Sky Vista Middle School

Thunder Ridge Middle School

Liberty Middle School

Parker Library and the Colorado Author Series will bring local authors to ParkerFest every Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., through September. I'm the featured author this Sunday (8/30) and I'd love for you to come by and visit! In addition to me, there's a great farmer's and merchant market and the day's entertainment is Art in the Park, celtic dancers and celtic music by the Indulgers. All this fun is right on Main Street in old towne Parker, just across the street from the Parker Library. Book talk, music, food and shopping...what more could you ask for?
 
Hope to see you there, Terri 
 

Last night I signed onto Twitter and, by sheer luck, happened upon someone doing live tweets at the FF&P Prism awards. To my utter astonishment Sleepless won the YA category. I was so bummed not to be at National this year, but seeing the results roll live on my computer was nearly just as fun. Today I wondered if it was really true and then this stunning award showed up. 



Isn't it gorgeous?!?

Big thanks to the folks at FF&P.

Sleepless is available in library binding and I just got my hardcover copy. It's so cool! It's available on Kindle too, but I don't have one of those gadgets yet.

I also got an awesome review from That One Girl Emily.

The winners of the 2009 Prism contest will be announced next month at the RWA National Conference. To celebrate Sleepless being a Young Adult nominee I'm giving away the three finalist books. All you have to do to enter is leave a comment recommending a great recent read. (Please tell me why you loved it, but no spoilers.) You'll help me build my summer TBR and hopefully everyone else will add to their pile too! You get one entry for your comment (even if you recommend multiple books). If you buzz my contest by placing a link somewhere and let me know, I'll give you a second entry. All entries must be received by Midnight (MST) on July 1st. One winner will be picked using my handy dandy Custom Random Number Generator. Good luck and have fun!

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The adorable Nisha Sharma was kind enough to interview me on her blog. I hope you'll stop by and check it out. Warning: I was under the influence of Percocet so any errors can be attributed to post-sinus surgery meds. :)

I'm so excited to announce that SLEEPLESS is a YA finalist in the Fantasy, Futuristic and Paranormal's Prism contest! And I must confess to some fangirl giddiness because I'm up against one of my fave authors/series.

Young Adult
Cave of Terror by Amber Dawn Bell