Hey, guys, I know a lot of you are celebrating Memorial Day this weekend. Some of you may have cookouts, go to the beach or the mountains, or just hang out with your family or friends. As you can see, I'm working this 
weekend but I'm also celebrating by hosting an interview with Roseanne Parry, author of that extraordinary book Heart of a Shepherd. It's all about a 12-year-old boy whose father gets deployed to Iraq for two and a half years. (see my review here)It's realistic fiction, which means there is no magic, worldwide conspiracies, or space battles, but it's still one of the favorite books I've read this year. (Realistic fiction is great because it deals with the issues we have to face in the real world, guys) Since this is the holiday dedicated to remebering and honoring those who serve or have served in the military, this was the perfect time to interview the author of such a story. I'm very glad and honored that she gave us this interview. But I've talked long enough. Let's hear Ms. Parry!
It’s cool for boys to read because some of them grow up to be amazingly cool book editors and literary agents like mine. They get to work with books all day long, and nobody says, 'stop that reading and do something useful!' to
them.
My agent’s name is Stephen Fraser and he’s a book-loving boy who studied children’s literature in college. (It’s true! You can major in books!) He went on to become an editor and is now an agent, which means he helps books that he loves find the right publisher. 
went straight to New York City to work in the book business. He works in the Random House building, which is on Broadway. In case you were wondering, the editor is the person who takes my story apart like you would dissect a squid to see what’s really in there. And then he helps me put it together so it runs right, just like a working engine.
By: Carl,
on 2/4/2010
Blog: Boys Rule Boys Read! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: heart of a shepherd, rosanne parry, Add a tag
...is an absolutely fantastic book! It's not a slam-bang action adventure story but it's still great. Young "Brother" Alderman (he's called "Brother" because his real name is Ignatius!) lives on a ranch in Idaho. His dad is going to be deployed to Iraq for 2 1/2 years and his three older brothers are going off to the army, college, and a boarding high school, leaving him to run the ranch with his grandparents and a hired hand. He promises his dad to keep things the same while he's away, but events come that threaten to change things in the worst possible ways. How will he ever manage? Does this sound depressing? It's not!!!This is a rare and wonderful book about taking responsibility, getting in over your head, and the unexpected miracles that pull you through. There are some books that stay with you all your life--this is one of those books! Go get it--it's well worth reading.
PS--Just to let you know, there are a couple of swear words in this book. They're not gratuitous (which is a fancy word that means "dropped in there for no good reason") and you'd hardly notice them, but they are there and I know that some guys and parents might want to be aware.
AND--we've got 4 Camp Half-Blood t-shirts here at the Imaginon library. I'll give one away to any boy who can prove his dad, older brother, uncle, mom, older sister, or aunt is deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Guys like you deserve a reward. But be on your honor, guys. Don't just say, "My dad's in Iraq" to get a shirt. Show us some proof. This offer will be good through February or until these four shirts are gone.
Carl
Posted on 2/24/2009
Blog: Through The Tollbooth (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: middle grade, heart of a shepherd, western landscapes, bull rider, thresholds, Add a tag
Yesterday, when we got out of the car, we crossed a threshold. From silence to song. Crossing that threshold speaks to the nature of engagement, a willingness to interact. It’s what we ask of readers when they open our books. And what we do when we ourselves write them.
A threshold invites us to step on through. But it’s up to each of us whether or not we enter.
If you’ve ever had a flash of an idea you failed to write down, you know about not stepping through.
And if you’ve ever had an idea you listened to that bore fruit, you know about crossing over. You know it’s magical. And that all you had to do to tap the magic was to pay attention.
Today I’m thrilled to announce the results of tapping that magic for two debut novelists...
SUZANNE MORGAN WILLIAMS and ROSANNE PARRY
and their novels
BULL RIDER
and HEART OF A SHEPHERD:
An unexpected gift of launching The Lucky Place has been meeting other writers at book festivals and conferences. So it’s especially fun to congratulate these two, having met and made friends with them in my travels.
Parry’s novel Heart of a Shepherd was released last month from Random House.
And Williams’ Bull Rider debuts this month from Margaret K. McElderry Books.
Their books just happen to be among the first novels launched at The Class of 2k9!
And what’s really close to my heart is that both novels are set in the west. Heart of a Shepherd in eastern
To begin, Bull Rider is an upper middle grade about fourteen-year-old Cam O’Mara, a ranch kid from the sage brush country of central
Williams says the initial spark for Bull Rider actually came about in conversation with an editor who was visiting her in
“I’d been telling her stories about the west,” she recalls. “Stories I’d learned from Indian elders while writing a non-fiction series." (More on Suzanne's background later). Intrigued, the editor suggested she write a book set in
“I told her I could write about cowboys or rodeo,” Williams remembers. “She asked what kind of rodeo. I told her bull riders are crazy enough.”
And the idea was born...
…next… Suzanne tells us how engaging in a boy’s perspective was simply engaging in the emotional journey itself.
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By: Margot Finke,
on 1/22/2009
Blog: Margot's BOOKS for KIDS + Writing News (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: midgrade book, Heart of a Shepherd, Rosanne Parry, Add a tag
. Rosanne Parry's
new mid grade book
.
. "Heart of a Shepherd"
(Random House)
mend a broken fence, but his heart just doesn’t seem to be
in it. Even worse, every time one of the ranch animals dies
he feels it too keenly. Still, with four older brothers to
carry the load, it’s never been much of a problem. . . until
his father is shipped off to Iraq with the rest of his reserve
unit.
In her first novel, Rosanne Parry takes a thoughtful,
uplifting look at one particular corner of the heartland
and the people who call it home..
member of my Oregon SCBWI.
.
sponsored by the Garden Home Library. It will be on
Saturday, Feb. 7th from 1-3 PM. There will be cake, games
and farm animals! Also books, and maybe a little reading
too. Kids of all ages are welcome.
.
Then there will be a reading at Annie Blooms Books, 7834
SW Capitol Hwy, on Thursday, February 12th, at 7pm.
A reception at Rosanne's house follows.
.
Rosanne wrote it, I KNOW it is wonderful.
Go to her WEBSITE to read more details.
Available on pre order now, and in your local books stores
on January 27th 2009.
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