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In which Serena Agusto-Cox of Savvy Verse and Wit discovers the breadcrumb clues I've been leaving for readers all along, book to book. So many thanks for this truly gorgeous review of This Is the Story of You.
From the end of the review:
This Is the Story of You by Beth Kephart will astonish you with the resilience of young people, their drive to make things right, and their ability to withstand more than expected, but it is in the final pages that the true mystery is resolved. I will say this, I’m not often surprised by book endings or mysteries, but Kephart exceeded my detective skills for the first time in a long while. (I had suspicions, but not a fully formed conclusion.) Readers who love to immerse themselves in realistic places and explore humanity won’t be disappointed. Kephart is a talent at creating places that come alive and characters that grab hold of us emotionally.
**You’ve probably already suspected this is a contender for the best of 2016 list at the end of the year!**
0 Comments on in which a reader of STORY taps deeply into its mystery as of 5/3/2016 9:13:00 AM
We are always excited to hear about unique ways in which our books are being used, and were thrilled to come across this review of Under the Mesquite that outlines how to use the book in a very special way: to help medical students gain cultural awareness and insight into the experiences of patients from different backgrounds. Author Mark Kuczewski kindly gave us permission to cross-post this review from the Reflective MedEd blog.
Helping medical students to gain cultural awareness and insight into the experience of patients and families from backgrounds different than their own is no small task. And the search for poignant materials that are easily fit within the demanding environment of a medical school curriculum is never-ending. The good news is that I can unequivocally recommend Under the Mesquiteby Guadalupe Garcia McCall (Lee & Low Books, 2011). This narrative will help students to gain insight into the meaning of illness within families, especially within the context of a particular contemporary newly-arrived Mexican-American family…
The author, known as “Lupita” within the story, recounts experiences from her high school years when her mother suffered from cancer and underwent extensive treatment, sometimes for long periods at a medical center far from home. Because the author’s father accompanies his wife on these journeys, Lupita, the oldest daughter, takes on responsibility for the family. We are treated to her perspective in coping with her mother’s illness from spy work to find out the secreto that the adults guard in their hushed whispers to the difficulties that come when her parents are away such as being unable to keep order among her siblings. Lupita paints a portrait of a prudent family that begins a savings account with the birth of each child but whose resources are exhausted by the medical bills leaving her struggling each day to procure food to put on the table. And we come to know the importance of the arts, acting in school plays and writing in journals, as means to channel her anxieties and craft something beautiful.
Of course, the particular flavor of the narrative comes from the perspective of one who has significant roots on both sides of the border. She simultaneously gives us a window into the challenges of growing up bicultural and navigating the conflicting demands of loyalty to la familia that nurtured her and pursuing the dream of achieving a different kind of life that is available in the new world. The author lets us taste the bittersweet nature of this ambivalence both in her day-to-day growth as she is accused by her adolescent peers of trying to be something she is not as she loses her accent and in the more profound and cyclical heartbreak of separation. She relates her grief at abandoning her precious sunflowers when her father uproots her from her familiar home in Mexico and she in turn must break his heart as she heads off to college to pursue her dreams.
In sum, this book is among the most usable I’ve found with medical students for two reasons. First, it meets the main requirement of being an enjoyable and quick read. This autobiographical account is most likely to be devoured within a single day. The author is a superb writer and some of our medical students repeatedly commented that they wish she said more in most passages. Second, she enables us to easily identify with her struggles. Because all adults were once adolescents, we have a framework regarding the struggle for self-discovery and identity into which her cultural context is infused. She enables us to access the different through the familiar. Guadalupe Garcia McCall is a first-rate guide and mentor to those of us who seek insight into the Mexican-American experience and the particular strengths and means of coping that a family steeped in this hybrid culture might possess.
Mark G. Kuczewski, PhD, is the Chair of the Department of Medical Education and the Director of the Neiswanger Institute for Bioethics at the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
Purchase Under the Mesquite by Guadalupe Garcia McCall here.
What agents are selling young adult (YA) novels? Publishersmarketplace.com does a great job of monitoring the business of selling manuscripts to publishers. If you’re looking for an agent, you’ll want to spend a lot of time there doing research on agents to find the perfect match for you and your stories. Here’s just one way to look at the agents for young adult novels. This list includes information on the agent, links to his/her agency and the number of young adult deals made in the last twelve months. Please note that the agent/agency may have made many other deals in addition to these; these are limited to those self-reported by the agent/agency in the category of middle grade. For more information, go to Publishersmarketplace.com (you must pay to join to see full information).
I did a similar report on YA agents in 2013. At that time, I only listed the top 10 YA agents, who represented 72 deals. This time, the top 10 agents report 85 sales. This could be due to a couple reasons: first, Publisher’s Marketplace relies on agents to self-report. This means that the agents are, for the first time, in a sort of competition for rankings. Reporting more sales means they are ranked higher, which gives prestige and possibly brings in more prospective clients. Second, it could mean that sales are up for picture books. We hope the latter is the case, but suspect the first reason has much to do with the increased number of sales.
Author, Lindsey Little likes looking at things from great heights. Me too. It is how I choose my rugs, for one. Allowing yourself a chance to gain a different view of a situation or object can afford you a very different perspective of it. And having a different perspective can be very rewarding indeed. As […]
I'm excited to introduce you today to a YA writer I met several years ago through an online class, Kendell Shaffer. A screenwriter, a teacher and most recently a radio show host (!), Kendell has combined her background in entertainment with her current hometown of Venice Beach, to create a novel that feels different from your typical angsty teen stories, totally raw and real.
Welcome, Kendell!
Let's start with the basics. How long did you work on this novel? How many versions did you go through? I started writing the novel in the online writing class through mediabistro.com where we met! Once I finished it I did two more drafts then sent it to an editor, Winslow Eliot. The self-publishing part was fairly quick once the manuscript was ready. I had fun with the cover art. I found a girl with blonde dreadlocks, like Kalifornia, and did a photo shoot on Venice Beach. My husband designed the cover.
I love that Frances Bean was an inspiration for writing this story and I also love the relationship that Kal develops with her dad. Who were your rock star idols growing up? When I was a teenager, hair bands were popular and I really didn't like those. I grew up in Baltimore and the summer before 10th grade a radio station in Washington DC, DC101, played only music from the 1960s the entire summer. So my best friend Virginia and I listened to that nonstop and I gained an education and love of the music from that decade. The funny thing was that the following school year we found the boys who had the done the same thing we had, so our first boyfriends were discovered because of the shared love of sixties music.
That's so cool that the radio station focused on the sixties for the summer. I know I've dated guys based on musical tastes in the past :-)
I like how you placed your characters in a lot of real locations around Venice, almost making the city another character in the story. What made you decide to set the story there? I live in Venice and it's so vibrant and ever changing. It doesn't know if it wants to be a beach town or Rodeo Drive or Silicone Beach or all of those at once. It's restless and unpredictable, sort of like a teenager, so yes, Venice Beach is very much a character in KALIFORNIA BLU.
Yeah, anyone who has spent time in Venice knows what a crazy, fun place it is. My kids like going just to people watch. Do you plan to set additional novels there? I'm working on a sequel to KALIFORNIA BLU. It will take Kal at first to Europe with her mom, but then she returns to Venice and all the characters we met in the first book.
As if writing books isn't fun enough, in your other life you're a screenwriter. How does writing a novel differ from writing a screenplay? In novels you get to take the characters much further then you would in a screenplay. You can explore details in more subtle ways and you aren't limited to the number of characters you have or pages you write.You have much more room to play and don't have to limit yourself thinking about the reality of a budget and locations.
In addition to working on VFX on "Knight and Day," you've also worked as an associate producer on several films and television shows. Do you think that production background has helped you with the business side of self-publishing? I am finding the ability to walk up to strangers and say, "I wrote a book, will you read it?" has been helped by my living and working in Los Angeles. You can't really be shy when you do that and I have learned to be able to talk to anyone while working as a producer. The organization skills help with self-publishing; the "I can do that" attitude helps too. In production and post production you are constantly given problems that need to be solved quickly and cost efficiently. So yes, all that helps.
It definitely helped with your book trailer. The production value on this is just amazing. It's one of my favorite book trailers EVER.
Just gorgeous! It makes me want to see a movie of KALIFORNIA BLUE. I think you might need to get working on that ;-)
So tell me – what do you think is tougher: the writing, the publishing or the marketing? Why? The publishing is a piece of cake. CreateSpace has been remarkable and they have unbelievably good customer service. Writing is just a joy. But marketing is a challenge. You have good days when something great happens like an interview with you, Sherrie, but there is no direct route so it's challenging to navigate all the different directions you could take. Also it does take time away from writing. I have a radio show once a month called WriteSpa Teen where I interview YA authors so that helps with the marketing and it's really fun!
And you've gotten to interview some incredible authors like Amy Timberlake and Jane Yolen. I'm so impressed!
So what are you working on right now? What will your next book release be? I'm working on a sequel to KALIFORNIA BLU which will come out at the end of the summer. And I started a middle grade reader about a boy ballet dancer called THE BUN TEST. Both my kids are in a serious Russian ballet program so I spend a lot of time in the dance studio. My eleven-year-old son is the only boy in a company of 60 girls. I thought that would make a good novel.
Love the title! My son did ballet for a very short time. I told him he should have stuck with it because there will come a day when he appreciates being the only boy in the company of 60 girls! Thank you so much for stopping by, Kendell. It's been great catching up with you!
You can find out more about Kendell and her projects (including the upcoming Japanese translation of her novel!) by visiting some of her virtual hangouts:
I was watching the clouds one rainy afternoon. And as they sailed swiftly across the sky in an ever-changing variety of shapes and squiggles I remembered a quote from Thomas Browne. In 1635 he wrote, “Nature is the art of God.” I thought, I believe it because right now, the entire sky looks like His own personal Etch a Sketch. I mean, first there was a hole in the clouds that morphed into a five-pointed star before it got sucked into a shrunken pinpoint that was suddenly the eye of an alligator that chased a hump-backed snake. Highly entertaining. Almost started singing, “I know an old lady who swallowed a fly . . .”
Can’t tell me that God doesn’t have a sense of humor. The alligator made me wonder briefly if animals ever marvel at God’s Etch a Sketch? After all, my two pooches are pretty smart and I do catch them scanning the sky every so often. Speaking of pooches, who cannot see God’s hand in all of creation: from the perfection of a playful puppy’s soft, furry paw to the swiftness of a hungry cat’s claw . . . to the flawless symmetry of a daisy or black-eyed Susan. Happenstance? Occurring by chance? I think not. After all, according to Genesis 1:24, “. . . and God said, let the earth bring forth every kind of animal — livestock, small animals, and wildlife. And so it was . . . and God said it was good.
Seen my books? “The SEED” a Novel of suspense that placed as a top ten finalist and was nominated to be put on a college required reading list. And the Johnny Vic historical adventure series (mixing treasure hunting, adventure and American history!). Go to http://www.annrichduncan.com.
Oh, how I would love to work in YA novels. I hope one day to get the chance.
But until then, I’ll keep practicing. Here’s a sketch, I started while waiting in the car for my daughter. Such fun inspiration to draw… and those tween kids are rich in expression!
Pike Place welcomes the librarians
The last weekend in January offered a few cold and rainy days in Seattle—doesn’t it always?—but we Overlookers didn’t mind as we fled New York City’s plummeting temps and sidewalk snow for balmier weather in order to attend the American Library Association’s annual midwinter conference.
We were thrilled to represent our hottest titles of the season and
0 Comments on ALA and Award Winners as of 2/4/2013 8:22:00 PM
It was particularly difficult—and yet so important and poignant—to read K.M. Walton's second novel, Empty, late last night and into this early morning. Kate is a friend of mine, a deep-thinking, big-hearted former school teacher who has devoted her novelistic life (so far) to making visible the too-often invisible lives of young people who have either been bullied or succumbed to the tease of hurting others. In a recent, moving TEDx talk, Kate took us back into her teaching days and shared her effective cure for getting kids to stop hurting other kids. It's mandatory watching.
With Empty, Kate focuses on Adele, 17 years old and massively overweight, a former softball star whose size now makes it difficult to play. Her father has left the family. Her mother, working two jobs and addicted to prescription pills, has moved Adele and her baby sister into inadequate, cramped quarters. Adele's only friend doesn't even truly know Adele, and sometimes, for comfort, Adele will pour a box of cereal into a large mixing bowl and eat every single bite. And things will only get worse.
One wants to believe (to hope) that no child is this alone, or in this much pain, but the news tells us differently. The news reminds us of how frightening alone-ness is, and of what its consequences can be. Empty is a brave book written by a brave writer—relentless, unblinking, harrowing. We read it to know. We read it disabuse ourselves of the easy notion that those young people floating on the margins will be just fine without us, that they somehow don't need our attention or care.
They are not fine without us.
They need our care.
I received an early copy of Empty from Kate. Join her for her book launch on January 5, 2013 at the Barnes and Noble in Exton, PA, 7 PM to 9 PM. I, most certainly, will be there.
1 Comments on Empty/K.M. Walton: Reflections, last added: 12/17/2012
I look forward to reading 'Empty' another novel that I know comes deep from Kate's heart. She is remarkable and I hope all parents will purchase this book and her first 'Cracked' for their teens. Enlightening and necessary tones in these difficult times when our children need to know they are not alone...
In this New York TimesBy the Book interview, Kristin Cashore, author of the esteemed Graceling (which I read and loved) and Fire (and, now, Bitterblue) shows us how a real interviewee chooses words rightly. For Cashore's unwillingness to cop to easy answers or generalizations, for her range of knowing and wisdom, I respect the whole conversation. I especially respect Cashore's response to the question, What makes a great young adult book — as opposed to a great book for full-fledged adults? Her answer:
The fact that at the moment the distinction is being made, a young adult, as opposed to an adult, is the one reading it. In other words, I don’t entirely believe in the distinction. A great book is a great book, and it’s impossible to say what part of a person is going to connect to it. Age and experience aren’t always among the most relevant factors.
Perhaps I celebrate this response because I hold this opinion this myself—and have often tried to express it, with varying degrees of eloquence, in interviews and on panels. Just as I have fretted over the labeling of individuals, the attaching of classifications or lower-case nouns (oh, he's a manic depressive, oh, she's a workaholic), I do not cotton to the label-ization of books, to distinctions between young adult books and adult books, say, or to the assignment of fixed and self-limiting categories.
What adult, for example, should not read Thanhha Lai's Inside Out & Back Again, and what teen should not read the never-officially-stamped-or-stickered To Kill a Mockingbird? Why should the first thing one is told about Julianna Baggot's Pure be that it is a dystopian novel, as opposed to an intelligent and artful and imaginative novel? Shouldn't the readership of Vaddey Ratner's astonishing, forthcoming "adult" novel about a child growing up in the Cambodian killing fields, In the Shadow of the Banyan, be both teens and adults? Doesn't Ilie Ruby's forthcoming The Salt God's Daughter have much to offer any age, and can't we talk about its gentle mysticism, its magic as poetry as opposed to brand or tag?
Certainly, I know how hard this would make things for booksellers and librarians. I know that commerce requires labels, depends on it. But wouldn't it be lovely if readers talking to readers dropped the labels and distinctions? If we said, among ourselves, You must read this book because it is, quite simply, a great book, and because it will transport you.
5 Comments on Let's talk about the label-ization of books (and Kristin Cashore), last added: 7/6/2012
I am one of many adult readers who reviews young adult books. I wish people didn't ask us to justify our reading material. I choose to read young adult books because it is an exciting, amorphous label full of mind-blowingly good books. It's not because I'm stuck in my childhood.
In addition to the YA/adult crossover and vice versa, I have always advocated that adults should read picture books—that they are not just for kids. Nor do you have to have kids to read them.
In an essay I once wrote on this topic I said that picture books can be beautiful, moving, funny, heartbreaking, inspiring, informative and full of insights about life. They [can] contain great characters and great stories, and, often, prose that reads like poetry. In short, they [can] do everything a good 'adult' book does—only in less space.
After a long wait, Bieber’s new single ‘Boyfriend’ is here (and we like the more mature sound that has been compared to Justin Timberlake. Sure, the lyrics are a little cheesy and will probably make tween girls swoon, but the song is more... Read the rest of this post
It's Book Review Friday again, and this is one of my favorite books that I reviewed for Sacramento Book Review.
I've always loved reading about the Brontës. I read biographies about them when I was a teenager, and even tried to write an itty-bitty novel in tiny handwriting, like they did. (I was a Brontë wannabe.) I loved various movies made of Jane Eyre. Of course, I now realize what a creepy buy Rochester really was! (Would you want your daughter to marry a man who kept his mad wife hidden in the attic, and said she started the very fire she died in?) But Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights were favorite reads of mine. Both were tightly written, suspensful books that kept me turning pages. Those sisters knew how to keep a plot moving.
Likewise, I'm always charmed by how English writers can tell a tale. So I was delighted to read a novel that had Brontës in the title, written by an English writer with a sly sense of humor. The Brontës Went to Woolworths, a revived classic by Rachel Ferguson, does not disappoint.
One of the joys of writing reviews for Sacramento Book Review , by the way, is that they send me FANTASTIC BOOKS! Go check out their site: They have tons of fine reviews of great books by really good reviewers.
By Rachel Ferguson
Bloomsbury Press, $14.00, 188 pages
The Carne family – a widow and three daughters – live in 1930s London. Dierdre, a journalist in her twenties, is writing a novel. Katrine, also in her twenties, studies Drama. Shiel
12 Comments on Book Review Friday -- The Brontës Went to Woolworths: A Novel, last added: 6/21/2011
Elizabeth: Thanks for posting a comment on one of my posts on my new WordPress blog, and for tweeting it also! I'm knee deep in book promotion, and appreciate all the support I've received from my blogger friends. And other friends and family are supporting it, too. It seems to be selling well.
My helper finally got the Google Friend Connect icon on my new WordPress blog. As of today, it's up! Bloggers on blogspot like this, and now I can keep track of my followers, too. Though I've got to devise another scheme to really keep them without Blogger.
I love the Brontes, too. There are just SO many good books to read. I just wish I could buy all of them. This would definitely be on my list. I'll see if it's an ebook. They usually cost less. Ann Best’s Blog
The Brontes are fascinating people. I'm glad you reviewed an adult book. I've tried reading YA books, but can never seem to get into them. It takes a special talent to read and write YA and children's books. And yours is a good review.
YEAH! I do enjoy the occasional reworking of Bronte and Austen. Have you read The Eyre Affair? It's a tongue-in-cheek S.F. reworking of Jane Eyre and had me giggling the entire way. And I am NOT a giggler. ;) This one sounds like fun. I'll have to check it out. Thanks!
Ann, glad everything is working well and I hope your book does well. I know what you mean about so many books! And so many GOOD books, that's the problem! How to find time to read them.
Richard, I think this is a book YA readers would like, too. Heck, when I was a teenager, I liked a lot of adult books that now qualify as YA but didn't then.
Victoria, I haven't read the Eyre affair, but now I would like to!
Rosi, Michelle, and Kimberly, it's a terrific book, and I think you would enjoy it so much. Great read!
Janet, yes, that British sense of humor. It can pop up at the most amazing time in a story. It's so... satisfying! BTW, thanks for following me.
I loved Wuthering Heights, but one of my darkest secrets is that I haven't read many Bronte books or any by Jane Austen. I know! I'll rectify it one day, not quite sure how they have passed me by! This sounds an interesting tale; I like the setting.
If you like to read young adult books, you’ll want to check out Nicole’s work. She writes. She talks. She reads. She changes diapers. Nicole O’Dell is a mom of six–including a set of toddler triplets who may or may not be potty trained sometime in 2011. Jury’s still out on that one. She is the author of a bunch of YA books, including the popular Scenarios for Girls interactive fiction series and the upcoming Diamond Estates Series, 10/11. She’s also the host of Teen Talk Radio at www.choicesradio.com.
You can find her books and links to all the fun social stuff at www.nicoleodell.com.
Here’s her latest 2-in-1 book trailer…
On Friday I’ll post a review of Swept Away. It’s a great week for interactive stories!
3 Comments on YA Author Nicole O’Dell, last added: 4/15/2011
YA Author Joelle Anthony read hundreds of young adult and middle grade novels to create a list of the fifteen most overused things in YA fiction.
She says she wanted to encourage YA writers to “stretch beyond the first things that they think of when writing. The idea behind the list was to point out areas where authors seem to think they are being unique, but actually aren’t.”
Here is her list: A Countdown of 15 of the Most Overused Things in YA Fiction
15. Stories of irresponsible parents with main characters who end up paying bills, cooking, cleaning, etc.
14. Characters who like retro music – generally of the era that the author was in high school.
13. Really hot, young-looking moms – often portrayed as main character’s best friends.
12. Female characters who are obsessed with Jane Austen in general, and Elizabeth Bennet in particular.
11. Lab partners where one person does all the work – often the geek who ends up being the love interest.
10. A main character with only one friend. The plot almost always includes the compulsory argument scene, leaving her to eat lunch alone for weeks – usually in the library.
9. A poor girl who is a scholarship student in a fancy private school.
8. Books told in first person and the description of the main character is given by having her examine herself in the mirror.
7. Tomboys who can’t sew or cook and hate dresses (most common in historical and middle-grade novels).
6. Gorgeous, popular younger sisters (this role used to be reserved for older sisters).
5. Authors who work vocabulary words into the dialogue and then pass them off as knowledge the characters have because the words are on the SAT list.
4. Main characters who are the only ones in the world without a cell phone.
3. Clumsy characters who can’t dance or play sports to save their lives.
2. Guys with gorgeous/stunning/flashing/jewel-like/piercing green eyes. Green is the new blue.
1. Main characters who hate math.
From SCBWI Bulletin, Nov/Dec 2010
4 Comments on Overused in YA Literature, last added: 12/14/2010
The only one of these that was super shocking to me was 4 - characters with no cell phones, who knew. I guess I need to read more YA. Or, YA, that's not historical (actually took place in an era when cell phones had been invented). Are authors really still describing characters in front of mirrors? I thought editors had put an official ban on that :)
I know a lot of you write YA, so you may be interested to know that Noble Romance Publishing is starting a new line of YA romance novels starting in October. They are pretty open when it comes to YA genre. They say, “If the story is great, we don’t care if it’s a historical set on Mars or a contemporary set in the cornfields of Nebraska.” They are offering $1000 advances.
**A note from Jill N. Noble, your friendly Senior Editor: Do you have a story that’s completely different? Too dark for other publishers? Too controversial? Too unusual? A mix of so many sub-genres you’re to the point of making up descriptions that defy the imagination? If so, I’d love to see it. Be true to yourself, be true to your characters, be true to your stories. I assure you, I don’t shock easily!
Here are the YA Romance Guidelines :
1. YA Romance stories all involve primary characters between the ages of 16-21.
2. YA Romance stories explore all facets of a young adult’s life — including those some adults/parents might find a bit uncomfortable to examine.KEEP IT REAL.
3. YA Romance stories must address the consequences — or potential consequences — of behavior and choices in a realistic manner.DON’T SUGAR-COAT THE TRUTH, BUT DON’T PREACH, EITHER.
4. YA Romance stories can address any topic (sub-plot to the romance or as part of the romantic thread) a young adult might encounter in their life, including but not limited to, sexual orientation, sexual experimentation, sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, drugs, drinking, peer pressure, school, gangs, etc. If you touch on any of these subjects, do not glamorize the consequences or the reality. Alternatively, again, do not “preach.”
5. YA Romance stories . . . let’s talk sex. The question is not how much sex/level of explicitness is appropriate for a YA novel, but rather, how much sex is appropriate for your story and your characters. Our instructions for this are the same as they are for every NRP story: Be true to yourself. Be true to your characters. These stories aren’t about you (necessarily), or what you would want your son/daughter to do. They are about your characters — their choices, their thoughts, their desires, their actions. The sexual content – the action, the language, the reactions – should all accurately and adequately and believably reflect your fully fleshed out characters. *The only caveat to this is no sexual relations between adults and minors.
6. YA Romance authors know their audience. They don’t use language young adults wouldn’t use, they don’t “talk down” to their young adult readers, and they have an intimate knowledge of what it’s like to be a young adult in today’s world.
7. All sub-genres and genre mixes.
8. All story lengths – shorts, novellas, novels.
They’re open to anything…but remember, these are romance novels. The level of passion between the main characters must be authentic and palpable. Other than that, they say to feel free to explore any new, uncharted territory you can imagine, or re-do a well-worn plot in such a way as to make the story uniquely your own.
Most importantly, they are seeking stories that touch t
2 Comments on Looking for YA Romance, last added: 9/3/2010
Hi, Kathy. Thank you for posting this. One clarification, so your readers don’t get upset. We offer *up to* $1000 advance. We decide what to offer on an author-by-author basis, based on author’s publishing history and Web presence, type of book, length of book, etc.
Connie Colon said, on 9/3/2010 5:32:00 PM
Now that I see the baby pictures next to the correct adult pictures it seems like it should’ve been a whole lot easier!!! I originally had the correct one for Heather Alexander and then changed it at the last minute (goes to show, you should always stick with your first impulse…) Thanks for the fun contest (especially since I won — yay me!!)
Say it ain't so, dear readers! It's almost the end of summer and I'm totally not ready.
In between finishing my new book and traveling I did get at least one night of camping in, last weekend. The next morning, I had ten bug bites - all on my knee caps. How does that happen?
But at least I came home smelling of campfire and having eaten a delicious smore (made with Godiva chocolate) with friends.
The campground was only five minutes from the old resort where I worked the summer before I sold Werewolf. When we drove up the road to take a look, it was totally shut down for reconstruction. I was happy they were upgrading the place, but the rustic rundown cabins and creaky dock were pretty lovely in their own way.
I spent many mornings that summer watching eagles and drinking cocoa in the company truck with my shift partner Hank, a wonderful retired gentleman who worked there to keep busy, and running the boats on the giant lake. It was hard work at the resort, but by the end of summer my arms looked better than Michelle Obama's do now. I'll have to go back when they are done with construction so I can relive the good memories again.
So are you sad about the coming of fall? Are you ready? What are your end of summer rituals that you'll complete before the seasons change?
I'm sad but only because I spent the first 2 months on the road and in airplanes (11 states) and felt like I just needed to sleep in my own bed again. Where did summer go?
But I have to admit fall is my favorite time of year. Great weather, beautiful leaves, 2 of my boys in school, football ... and my favorite part of all HALLOWEEN!
Oh fun, Heather! I haven't camped in ... ages. And I'm not sad that summer's ending because I despise the heat and humidity. I adore fall--doubly so this year because it means I'm that much closer to moving to Seattle!
I am not a camper, but do enjoy the wide open spaces.
I have to say I am more than ready to say goodbye to the summer heat, but considering it's Year Two of Flood Watch in my burn area community, I am NOT looking forward to upcoming rains!
I celebrate the end of Summer by turning on "Gameday" every Saturday morning! Bring on College Football!!! BTW, I'm half way through "The Clearing" and loving it!
Nice -- thanks, Chuck! And Tera, when you move to the NW, you have to camp! It's so fun. ;) I didn't get out sailing on the lake as much as I'd wanted this year. I am sad that summer sailing is almost over.
Wendy and Lady Tink, I do love fall. I love digging out sweaters and scarves and baking pumpkin pie. ;)
Tina, hope the rains aren't too bad this year...
Anonymous said, on 8/26/2010 11:10:00 PM
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I've made microwave s'mores the last two nights in a row because we've somehow skipped over the traditional summer fun of cookouts and campouts; with the weather feeling downright fall-like, I had to catch the taste of summer as much as I could! (Missing: authentic woodfire taste. Liquid SmoK just won't do...) I do have to say I'm excited about layering again, though, and my suede boots.
A few years ago, during fellowship hour at my church, a friend and her daughter began describing their most recent literary adventure. They'd driven to New York, they said, to see John Green read. The line to get in was at least a block long. When the crowd finally fully compacted, when it contained its excitement and hushed, John Green wasn't just the funny, smart, wonderful, warm writer my friend and her daughter thought he would be. He was infinitely better than that.
I believe it. Like Libba Bray, John Green emanates a good Bigness, not just of talent, but of spirit. Travels to his web site yield a glimpse of a guy whose humor, occasional gentle self-mockery, and unabashed love for World Cup Soccer have remained intact, through the tsunami of his success. If you had a chance to visit readergirlz during their John Green month, you'd find the man waving with both hands, talking up playlists, and jiving his way through his infamous tweets (he hates the term social media, apparently, but he's textbook good at it). If you've read any of his books, or even just the acknowledgments in his books, or maybe the extras in his books, you get the aforementioned good Bigness.
This morning I've been reading the book that launched Green's career, Looking for Alaska, because it is a good thing, I think, to go back to the beginning with authors, to remember what was first for them, the platform that they built from. Everything is right about this book—the tone, the relationships, the slow build of tension and mystery (slow, or fast, depending on how you take to the chapter "titles' which are all variations of "fifty-eight days before" or "one-day after"). Alaska has the intelligence of A Separate Peace and the wit of a Salinger. It has something only this former hospital chaplain might have written about The Meaning of it All.
Green's work will, I'm certain, be around for a long time. He is an author who makes me proud to be counted among the YA writers of right now. Because Green's work is first-rate no matter what genre label you give it, and that's what YA books must be, first and foremost—well-written, thoughtful, funny if the author can swing it, capable of leaving readers psychically richer than they were.
8 Comments on The Abundance of John Green (in Looking for Alaska), last added: 7/16/2010
I saw John Green when he came to Austin with David Levithan for WILL GRAYSON, WILL GRAYSON. It was extremely memorable.
I forgot about Austin traffic and showed up fifteen minutes later than I meant to. This meant I was standing in the stairwell since the event was so packed.
But even only being able to hear what was going on, I could imagine their expressions since both of them had such forceful personalities.
Also, John Green whipped out the c-word while discussing censorship in YA, which is definitely out of the ordinary for a YA book signing.
John Green is a gifted author, fabulous speaker, and I really love how he's used his success to reach teens (and adults) in a meaningful way. His work with the Harry Potter Alliance is truly heartwarming.
This week marks the release of my YA novel, LIFTED, and I am so honored and excited to celebrate it with you all. When people ask me what this book is about, I usually say it's about a teenage girl named Poppy who becomes addicted to shoplifting. But really, it's about so much more. This book took me about two years to write because I did so much research and the story itself went through so many versions. I wanted to write Poppy's story because it was so different from the books I'd already written and I welcomed the challenge. And now that it's (almost) officially into the hands of readers, I'm beyond excited.
To get a more official idea about what this book is about, as well as watch its trailer and see what some awesome authors and reviewers have said about it, click here.
And now I'm going to tell you all about The Contest that will be running this week right here at the fabulous Books, Boys, Buzz blog.
The prize is a signed copy of LIFTED!!!
Because one of the themes of LIFTED is friendship, the Buzz Girls will be blogging about friendship. For every day you leave a comment, you will earn one entry into my hat (so you can get up to 7 entries). Then my youngest son will draw 2 winners and we will announce the winners early next week.
I'll go first: A true friend loves me when I'm a mess just as much as when I'm at my very best.
32 Comments on It's LIFTED's Book Birthday Week!, last added: 6/10/2010
Congrats!!!!! I truly dont believe I can have a best friend. I thought I had one but she stabbed me in the back so Im not sure if Ill ever find one I can truly trust. Thats why I have my family!
A true friend is someone who wouldn't hesitate to jump on a plane to be by your side when you need her even if you haven't spoken to each other in years.
A true friend is someone who reads and critiques your work. LOL! Which is exactly what Wendy and I do for each other and I'm soooooo proud of this releaes for her. She really worked HARD on this book to get it just right and I think you're all going to really enjoy it.
I'm baaaack, and WOW did I bring a book with me that is going to rock your socks! If you know me, you know I like me some doom! I like to add 'doom' to everything. Sooner or later everything I touch turns to DOOM! Cake...of doom! Maxima...of doom! Asparagus OF DOOM!. Everything is 'of doom' to me. So when I got the chance to check out The Doom Stone, I was stoked - and you should be too!
3 Comments on The Doom Stone by Paul Zindel, last added: 5/27/2010
Yes! I remember reading this in my 7th grade English class. Can you believe that it was actually an assignment? A great blast from the past and a fantastically gruesome read indeed! You might also want to check out Zindel's other monster books like "Loch" and the one with the angler fish-looking thingy on the cover. =)
That's Reef of Death! I use Ms. Yingling's booktalk with that one every year now when I go to 6th grade..."I stopped reading after the giant mutant fish came up and bit the guy's legs off". It checks out every summer without fail.
On the Road at AWP (Associated Writer’s Program) in Denver Colorado. AWP is an 8,000 number strong writing conference and bookfair showcasing an amazing amount of writer’s programs, presses, panels and readings. The focus is traditionally adult literature but a smattering of young adult and middle grade panels are being offered this year—including the reading author Monica Roe and I did this afternoon—where the crowd was wonderful and so supportive of young adult novels, which was a delight.
Some highlights so far—besides the super friendly feel—has been meeting VC alums from the “adult” program in creative writing, and picking up a copy of Vermont College grad Ricki Thompson’s beautiful new book City of Cannibals. Ricki signed books today at the Vermont College booth.
Speaking of the book fair—it’s deliciously huge—lots of literary presses and poetry journals among the offerings. And this morning Vermont College instructor Uma Krishnaswami was on a fabulous and thought provoking panel titled, “The Transplanted Writer as Literary Outsider,” with Pam Houston, Robert Wilder and Summer Wood.
Just a few quotes from this one that I love.
Pam Houston: “School taught me how to write, place taught me what to write.”
Robert Wilder: We need to practice “an unclenching gaze to experience the intricacies of human habit and character” of a place.
Uma Krishnaswami: “The internal landscape is the last open space there is.”
All the writers talked about the influences of a place “where the sky is big” –like Denver, Colorado.
We don't read or review very many young adult books for KinderScares, tending to already run the gamut from baby board books to middle-grade novels. You have to draw the line somewhere, right? Besides that, it's not exactly hard to find YA books with horror or paranormal themes - all you have to do is walk into any bookstore. You (presumably) don't need our help for that.
Despite this general avoidance, we knew as soon as we heard the title that we were going to have to check out I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It. We then promptly forgot to pick it up when it first came out, but finally nabbed a copy in a recent book-buying frenzy and bumped it straight to the top of our to-read pile (it's really more of a mountain at the moment...). I'm really glad we did - and that I was the one to get to it first - because I enjoyed every minute of it.
A few years ago all the post-humans (vampires, zombies, werewolves...) came out of the woodwork and are now settled in as a normal part of society. Unlike the majority of her high school peers, though, Alley Rhodes isn't impressed by the brooding, emo pers
0 Comments on I Kissed a Zombie and I Liked It by Adam Selzer as of 1/1/1900
Last week I gave you two choices, my cat Harper Lee and chocolate, but since I’m not sending Harper via priority mail any time soon – the winner is chocolate!
I’m especially fond of dark chocolate – even better if it is in the form of luscious brownies, gelato or cakes. I even love mole sauce (which has ground chocolate in it) on my chicken.
In honor of both chocolate and New Year’s Eve – I am giving away a fabulous jar of gourmet chocolate/orange fondue (just microwave and dip!) along with a signed copy of my book Never Cry Werewolf – and I’ll even throw in one of Shelby’s favorite candies featured in NCW -- gummy bears!
To win – in comments please describe your favorite chocolate treat and who you would share your chocolate fondue and gummies with.
I'll announce the winner NEXT Thursday during our welome the Mystery Bee Week on the blog. Aren't you dying to know who the new bee will be?
Happy New Year!!
Heather http://www.heatherdavisbooks.com/ The Clearing – April 2010 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Never Cry Werewolf – Sept 09 HarperTeen
25 Comments on My favorite thing revealed..., last added: 1/4/2010
My favorite is the trifle my husband and I make: layers of chocolate cake, chocolate pudding, whipped cream, and crushed Andes mints.I'd share it with him, of course!
My favorite chocolate treat is my mom's homemade chocolate chip cookies. And I'd share my fondue with my friends or my boyfriend.
AmalZ said, on 12/31/2009 5:24:00 PM
my favorite chocolate would have to be Cadbury chocolate with nuts and fruit. its absolutely delicious, especially when i melt it and cover it over strawberries and whippcream. if i won i would share it with my two young nephews, who truly beleive whats mine is theirs, but i wouldnt have it anyother way :).
I love the black tie mousse cake from Olive Garden. It has chocolate cheesecake, mousse and tons of other chocolate things on it. It is so yum. I would share my chocolate and gummies with my husband. He would love it.
Chocolate-covered almonds. Ooo - and chocolate-covered strawberries. But those I only get on very special occassions. And I'd probably keep the fondue for myself and give the gummies to my hub. That way we're both happy :)
Amber
Aylie said, on 12/31/2009 8:14:00 PM
i love fudge-y brownies! if i won i would share with my sibs!
my favorite chocolate treat, whould have to be, hot chocolate. the instant kind, with the little marshmallows... and if i could share it with anyone, id share it with my mommmy and grandma. and maybe if my brother is nice, him too.
Aah chocolate, what's not to love? I'm a big fan of mint chocolate and orange-flavored chocolate. I also love chocolate pudding and chocolate cakes!! :)
my favorite chocolate treat is Lindt Milk Chocolate Truffles. I have a hard time not eating a whole bag in one sitting :) I would share the goodies with my mom.
My favorite chocolate treat is the chocolate orange balls that are sold mostly around Christmas! And, if I had it, I would share with my husband and son!! I love my guys!
Great prizes, Heather! Although I'm not actually a chocolate fan, there are exceptions. I love my best friends chocolate-covered pecan clusters, Ritter bars with hazelnuts, and those little milk chocolate coins filled with Pop Rocks that were in Lunchables for a while.
Do teen girls need YA books? Is there something innate in the genre that shapes growing up like nothing else can? Colleen Mondor at Chasing Ray is asking that question today, and some really smart people are offering their perspectives. Here, for example, is Zetta Elliott:
The more YA lit I read, the more I’m struck by the split: novels that are about teens versus novels that are marketed to teens. The latter are often marked by “lite” writing and silly gimmicks that aim to make the novel seem experimental or innovative in terms of form. But real daring resides in the writing itself, and I think teens deserve novels on every topic, told from as many different points of view as possible. Books that offer narrative possibility (instead of filling in all the blanks) open the door for continued conversation, so I’d also say that we need adults who have the courage to face the daunting questions that teens need to ask.
I've contributed my two cents to the conversation as well, for what they are worth, and I encourage you to take a look—and to join in the discussion.
2 Comments on The Why YA Question in the What a Girl Wants Series, last added: 7/23/2009
This has been a fascinating series. The teen girl I was is clamoring, "Hey! Ask me what I want!" (At the time, what I wanted was for Mists of Avalon never to end.)
e ways in which our books are being used, and were thrilled to come across this review of 
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By Rachel Ferguson
I know a lot of you write YA, so you may be interested to know that Noble Romance Publishing is starting a new line of YA romance novels starting in October. They are pretty open when it comes to YA genre. They say, “If the story is great, we don’t care if it’s a historical set on Mars or a contemporary set in the cornfields of Nebraska.” They are offering $1000 advances. 
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Ah…I was wondering how things were going. You must be having a busy summer so far! Hope to hear some more about your next book. Erna