I spent yesterday snoring on the couch, recovering from the wonderful, high-energy weekend at the National Council of English Teachers Annual Conference. Thank you, thank you to everyone who stood in the long lines and who shared their stories of the impact my books have had on their students. You guys made me cry more than once - happy tears. Those stories humbled and honored me.
I am still fairly wiped out from the whole shebang, so let me pull my photos out of my back pocket and share them.
Here is Davis Macinnis Gill and I recreating our photo from last year. In last year's acceptance speech and this year's keynote address, I referenced The Scarlet Letter.
I ordered a Scarlet Letter shirt from Novel-t.com for the occasion.
Melinda Campbell from Tuczon, AZ had her students create a tree of students reactions to SPEAK, and she brought it all the way to Philly to share with me.I did not take a picture from the podium of the 600+ people who listened to me at the ALAN breakfast because I was too nervous. Thank you for not laughing at my poem!
I went hunting for my friends on the convention floor before my signing. Here is Jerry Spinelli with editor Alvina Ling.
My buddy Kate Messner was there! 
Sharon Draper!!
Wimpy Kid author Jeff Kinney.
I spoke on the panel about author blogging with Justine Larbalestier, Maureen Johnson, Lisa Yee, and Barbara O'Conner. It was a fantastic panel!! I raised a point for all teachers to contemplate: Should we continue to spend classroom time on letter writing or has the time come to teach children how to compose appropriate email communication? What do you think?
I was honored to meet Risha Mullins, the KY teacher who has had books (including TWISTED) pulled from her classroom by her district superintendent and NOT returned, even though the review committee approved them. Risha received oodles of support from her fellow teachers. I am sure there will be more details soon about the progress of this challenge.
Along with all the speechifying and booksignings and panel and friend-stalking, I had three bookstore events in the Philly area with other authors. Here is the crowd that came out to the Doylestown Bookshop to hear Jay Asher, Lauren Myracle, and me. Actually, the crowd was about three times as many people as you can see here - my phone couldn't get everyone in one pic.
On Sunday morning, Sarah Dessen and I had breakfast with 100 fans at Chester County Book & Music Company. Here we are with the members of a writer's group, The First Novels Club, who followed us to the enormous, weekend ending last event:
It was an epic signing at Children's Book World In Haverford, PA with Yeah - it was a whirlwind. Exhausting. And wonderful and fun and energizing!
Because of the intense revision schedule I'm on, I need to issue a blanket apology to all my friends for not answering email or phone calls right now. I'd grovel too, except I'm too busy writing.
It's almost Thanksgiving and that means... The National Council of Teachers of English/ALAN Conference is just around the corner. This year it's in my old stomping ground, Philly.
::thinks of cheesesteaks::
Here is my schedule:
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - PUBLIC EVENT WITH JAY ASHER & LAUREN MYRACLE!
7–9:00 pm Doylestown Bookshop
Doylestown Bookshop
16 S. Main St, Doylestown, PA 18901
(215) 230-7610
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2009
7–9:15 am Keynote Speaker at ALAN Breakfast (Ticketed Event)
Philadelphia Marriot
1201 Market St, Grand Ballroom, Salon A (5th floor)
10–11:00 am BOOK SIGNING AT PENGUIN YOUNG READERS GROUP, Booth #318
Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch St
Philadelphia, PA 19107
1–2:00 pm BOOK SIGNING AT SIMON & SCHUSTER, Booth #419
4:15–5:30 pm Panel: "Authors' Blogs: Connections, Collaboration, and Creativity"
Other authors on panel: Maureen Johnson, Justine Larbalestier, Barbara O'Connor & Lisa Yee
Convention Center, Street Level, Room 103A
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009 - PUBLIC EVENTS!!
9 am–12:00 pm Chester County Book & Music Company Author Breakfast with LHA & Sarah Dessen!
Chester County Books
975 Paoli Pike
West Chester, PA 19380
(610) 696-1661
1–3:00 pm “A Novel Idea” Teen Event for Philadelphia Free Library at
More authors than you can count at this one: Jay Asher, T.A. Barron, Sarah Dessen, Steve Kluger, Justine L
Children’s Book World
17 Haverford Station Road
Haverford, PA 19041
(610) 642-6274
My husband did a little more tweeking on the exterior of the cottage and he wanted me to post this picture to prove you can't see the Tyvek anymore:
British hardcover 
British paperbackI had a blast at the American Association of School Librarians conference this weekend. I signed thousands of books, met countless friendly and passionate librarians and gave a speech. Thank you to everyone who made my conference so much fun.
Half a ballroom of librarians. (The other half of the room was filled, too!)Many people asked me to post my speech online. We will be doing that soon. Here are a couple of snippets that people responded to the most. Permission is granted to reproduce, with proper acknowledgments, of course.
I talked about the recent censorship challenges my books have faced and then said this:
"I believe that every time a library budget is cut, every time a librarian’s hours are cut - or the position is eliminated completely - it is another form of censorship. It is stealing from children and interfering with their education.
Taking books out of libraries and taking librarians out of libraries are just like ripping the roof off of a school. And maybe that’s how we need to describe it, in the dire, stark terms of reality. You can't run a school that doesn't have a roof. You can't run a school without librarians and libraries.
Book people – like you and me – tend to be a little uncomfortable with conflict. We value discussion, we respect other opinions. We avoid fights.
“Don’t you ever start a fight,” Mother said. “But if somebody picks a fight with you, by God, you finish it.”
The people who do not value books or librarians have picked a fight with me. That was a mistake.
They are ripping the roof off our libraries, off our schools. They are exposing our children to ignorance and condemning them to poverty. When they rip the roof off of libraries, they weaken our country."
[I'm cutting out a little from this section]
"Those of us who truly, deeply care about the health and happiness of kids and teenagers have a sacred obligation to help them along their path to adulthood. We are charged to create and to find the very best books for these children.
To hand a book to a child or a gawky adolescent is to rescue her from the unforgiving isolation of illiteracy and transport her to the joyful and rewarding kingdom of an open mind.
I cannot think of a job more difficult or more important than yours. Reading is not a subject matter. It is a survival tool, the requirement of modern living. Libraries are not luxuries. Libraries are the lifeblood of our schools and the foundation of our culture."
I hope my words might help, a little.
One last conference note. The other banquet speaker was Charles R. Smith Jr. Do you know his work? Have you heard him speak? If not, go out RIGHT NOW and pick up some of his books. Then arrange to have him visit your school - he is the best speaker I have seen in a very long time.
Charles and I sitting on chairs that look like thrones.... it was approaching midnight and we had just finished signing a kajillion books and so we look a bit tired. But how can you turn down the chance to be photographed in a chair that looks like a throne?The National Book Award Finalists have been announced. The finalists in the Young People's Literature category are:
(Henry Holt)
Phillip Hoose, Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
David Small, Stitches (W. W. Norton & Co.)
Laini Taylor, Lips Touch: Three Times (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic)
Rita Williams-Garcia, Jumped (HarperTeen/HarperCollins)
I am super, super excited about this list for a bunch of reasons.
First, Deb Heiligman is one of my oldest and dearest friends and I am so happy about the attention CHARLES AND EMMA has received I am in tears, when I am not dancing. YAY DEB!!!!!!!!!!!
Second, it's about time Rita Williams-Garcia got some more attention for her work!
Third, I think it is wonderful to have three non-fiction books on this list!
I do have a question. Was David Small's book (which I bought and LOVE) published as children's literature or was it published as an adult title by Norton? Why do I care? Because if it was David's intent to have this book seen as an adult title (which I certainly think it qualifies as) I wonder if this award might narrow the market, or make booksellers and librarians think it should only be shelved in the children's section.
Personally, I think it is an excellent example of a cross-over title. Do you think it matters if it is an adult book crossing into the children's market or a children's book crossing into the adult section?
What do you think of this list?
Last weekend I was at the Brooklyn Book Festival. Saw all kinds of kidlit people like,
Mo Willems and
Chris Myers.A couple of my blog readers showed up armed with life-sustaining popcorn for me, like Rebecca from Austin and these girls,
, who just totally made my whole day.
As promised, I signed their shoes.
While waiting for my panel to start with Gayle Forman and Greg Neri, I tweeted and twittered. I tried not to twerp.
Later I enjoyed watching Bookavore (on the far right) moderate a panel that included the ever-fun Libba Bray (second from right).The next day Bookavore and I played tourist.
We crossed the Williamsburg Bridge to the 
Lower East Side where we checked out the Tenement Museum (really, you should go) and ate astonishingly good pizza.Other highlights of the weekend including running into someone who knew me when I was in elementary school, someone who knew me in junior high, and hanging out with Jerry, who went to high school with me. Small world moments constantly.
And then.... and then...
BH and I snuck off to Montreal for a loooooooooooooooooooong overdue rest. But I've already posted too many pics today.
I think instead of Montreal tomorrow, I need to post about a couple of absurd and dangerous attempts to ban my books in high schools. Stay tuned.
The glass is now installed in the Magic Window, the walls and most of the ceiling are up, and the cool chimney pot we found at the salvage yard is in place on the roof.
Our friend Steve, a natural born Tinkerer, has been up here helping out. He's our lead elf for alternative energy issues. (The goal is to keep the cottage completely off the electrical grid.) The small wind turbine came last week. At first they mounted it on the garage roof, but that was a bad idea. Then they put it on a 10-foot pole in the back meadow. Better. Now it's on a 20-foot pole in the back meadow - MUCH better. They are still experimenting with the exact location to take the best advantage of the winds. The other piece of the electric system will be a solar panel that should arrive next week.
Just writing all of this down makes me tired.
Aside from gardening and hanging with friends this weekend, I am going to try and make yogurt in my crockpot, thanks to a tip from Bookavore.
Don't know what you're going to do this weekend? I have a few suggestions:
Change a life. Buy a book for a boy in prison (thanks to all at Guys Lit Wire!)
Read Jezebel's review of Wintergirls.
Read this jaw-dropping interview with A. S. Byatt in which she discusses her new book, The Children's Book, a novel set in Edwardian England that examines the destructive side of creativity. (For the record, I usually like her books a lot and am looking forward to this one.) In the interview she says some rather stunning things, such as, "Yes, because I noticed that there's a high rate of suicide among the children of children's book writers."
And "I think that most of the children's writers live in the world that they've created, and their children are kind of phantoms that wander around the edge of it in the world, but actually the children's writers are the children."
In the first comment, I believe she is speaking only within the context of children's writers from the Edwardian era, but the second comment seems more general. Any thoughts on this, gentle readers? (The book is available in the UK and Australia now, comes out in the States in October.) (And thanks to Judith in Australia for the info about this!)
That ought to hold you for a couple days.
ONE LAST THING!!! Do you have any secret ingredients you put in deviled eggs? If yes, please tell me what they are!
PS - GoogleLitTrips has a very nice feature on FEVER 1793. Check it out, teachers!
::dances around hotel room:::
Here are the final pics from the IRA conference.
Ambassador Scieszka was in the house.
So was Ashley Bryan.
And Sharon Draper!
Who can resist a photo with Skippyjonjones?
Penguin publicity people in Skippyjonjones regalia. And the highlight of the day for me.... drum roll
Katherine Paterson!
The world-renowned Minneapolis Sisters of the Book Shirt showed up in Wintergirls shirts and brought one for me!
Then Jordan Sonnenblick stopped by to say hello.
I signed books with Jane Yolen and her son Adam Stemple, and Steve van der Ark.
And was on an awesome panel with John Green, David Yoo, Adam Sanchez, and Sean Beaudoin.Deborah Heiligman's new book, CHARLES AND EMMA: The Darwins' Leap of Faith, is rocketing to the top of everyone's Best of 2009 List, collecting bushels full of starred reviews and well-earned praise from everyone. Deb had an editorial in the Los Angeles Times recently and will be talking about all things Darwinesque on National Public Radio's Morning Edition tomorrow.
Tanya Lee Stone has also been very busy. Her newest book, Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream, will be published at the end of the month. Tanya is working on a book about Barbie (yes, the doll). She is looking for submissions - from you! But the deadline is a week away, so hop to it!
Let's have Tanya explain: "I am currently collecting short (150 words or less, please) quotes/anecdotes from kids, teens, and adults about BARBIE for my new book, BARBIE: FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE. If you have a Barbie story to share, read this, and email me your contribution by February 20, 2009! Email: tanyastone AT tanyastone DOT com."
And, now, today's writing/publication questions.
You wrote: I've read you published your first seven books without an agent before getting Amy Berkower. How difficult is it to publish without one and were you actively pursuing one the entire time before Speak brought you acclaim?
I sent many manuscripts, both picture book and novels, to a couple of agents when I started out, but no one was interested, so I decided to focus on going straight to the slush pile. Yes, it took years. Yes, it was very frustrating. And yes, both Speak and Fever 1793 were rejected by other publishers before they were bought. They are my "Success From the Slush Pile" stories. Once I had proven my ability to write books that readers enjoyed, it was easier to get an agent.
Getting your foot in the door is going to take longer than you want. Instead of pouring your energy into being frustrated, devote that energy to the book you are currently writing. Be thoughtful and steady with your submissions and keep developing your craft. Eventually, the door opens.
You wrote: I wrote a YA contemporary fantasy based on a Native American legend, but it also references a few Christian ideas (the protagonist goes to church, reads the Bible, and believes in God). The Christian themes are not the main focus of the story, but a friend of mine suggested I should send it to Christian publishers (or try to meet Christian agents and editors at a local writer's conference). How do I know whether to try the Christian market? I respect Christian literature... but I wonder if that market would limit my audience. I just want my story to be available and accessible to all readers, whether they read Christian fiction or not. But perhaps I have a better chance of selling the book in the Christian market?
This is a terrific question. I have never been published in the Christian market, so my opinion is not based on much, but I have an idea for you. Before you submit anywhere, you should have a very good understanding of the kinds of books that a publisher or an imprint puts out. You should read a number of their books before you send to them - and that goes for all publishers! Get the names of a couple of respected publishers in the Christian market, then read the books they've published in your genre. If you think that your story fits their vision for fiction, then by all means submit to them.
Busy day ahead! Scribblescribblescribble....
We enjoyed the game in our basement, which BH has been renovating for the past year. It is becoming affectionately known as the "Man Cave". I have lifetime privileges.
And, for the record, I did not break my thumb. More on that later.
But before we get to that, let's back up to the Kindling Words Retreat this weekend. For those of you dropping into the Forest today for the first time (this blog is an LJ Spotlight this week - welcome, everyone!) Kindling Words is a writer's retreat. It's a bit different than most writer's conferences in that the emphasis is on craft and inspiration, instead of getting published.
One of the nice things was that I did not have to give any presentations this year, so I was able to focus on my own writing and listening to the wisdom of others. The retreat started out with an evening of being creative outside the box, with the opportunity to create group poetry, group painting, and to sit in on a drumming circle and be taught by a gentleman from South Africa.
I forgot to write his name down, but he was AMAZING. That's him with my friend Marnie Brooks, who is one of the organizers of the retreat. I was completely ready to run away and hide because the thought of having to play a drum in front of other people, was very scary. But everyone else walked in, so I screwed my courage to the sticking point, went in and picked up a djemba. To say that I forgot my shyness and played with enthusiasm is to put it mildly. I didn't know that I loved playing the drums because I had never played the drums before! (How many other fun things have I not yet tried that could be a blast?) Our teacher was extremely good and he led us (30 of us) in a drumming circle for about 20 minutes, then we had another brief session that night. I got in that place that I sometimes get to when I'm writing or running, when I am so deep in the experience that I lose sense of who and where I am. I am sure this looked scary to the people sitting next to me. I. Was. Gone. More on the consequences of that later.
Friday, Saturday, and Sunday were filled with presentations by author Nancy Werlin, artist Mary Jane Begin, and a keynote by Mr. Ashley Bryan, who is one of those people who carry themselves with such dignity, but at the same time exude such warmth, that I could not bring myself to call him Ashley all weekend. He is Mr. Bryan.
I attended a few of the presentations, but played hooky from a few more so I could concentrate on a plot knot and some extremely wrong character motivations in the book I'm working on right now. Despite the fact that my hands were sore from the drumming, I spent most of Friday and Saturday morning typing like a mad woman. More on the consequences of that later.
But there was plenty of time for catching up with folks at meals. Where else can you breakfast with Mr. Ashley Bryan and Jane Yolen, and see over their shoulders, Gregory Maguire, and the brand-new Coretta Scott King honor book author, Hope Anita Smith?
Or lounge on a couch by the fire with Ellen Wittlinger and Sibby Falk? The number of authors there whose work I admire was staggering. You can see more pictures on Kate Messner's LJ.
There was an additional drumming circle, but I could not participate. In fact, by lunchtime on Saturday, I couldn't move my thumb. (Notice swelling and bruising.) I was pretty sure that I had fractured (in a small way) a bone at the base of the thumb and had aggravated it wicked by all the frenzied typing. It didn't seem to make much sense to go for x-rays until I was home, so I iced, iced, iced it, and put arnica on it, courtesy of Anne Sibley O'Brien.By Sunday, the swelling started to go down and I could move it again. Crisis over. Many pages accomplished. My only regret was that the weekend had to end. Note to self: participate in drumming circles only when not on deadline!
At the traditional bonfire on Saturday night, I threw in my wishes for the next year. (It certainly worked for me in 2008!) The retreat is held in Vermont, so yes, the bonfire is built in the snow.
A bonfire in the snow is the perfect metaphor for our creative journeys; improbable, unexpected, delighful, circled by friends, kindled by the Muse.
The weekend sort of didn't exist for me because I spent most of it rushing hither and yon. Saturday morning I flew to Detroit and then took a cab to Dearborn for the Great Lakes Bookseller's Association annual tradeshow. I hung out with Sarah Miller and ran into Jaime Adoff, who has produced both a new book and (with considerable help from his wife) a new baby this year.
Early galleys of David Macinnis Gill's Soul Enchilada were there! (Click on the link to see the real cover, which is v. cool.) I toured the floor, signed a couple hundred copies of CHAINS, soaked my hand in ice-cold water, then spent a looooong time on the treadmill so my legs would be as tired as my signing hand.
The big event was Sunday - the booksellers gathered for one of the nicest conference breakfasts I've ever eaten, thanks to the generosity of Bookazine. While the booksellers enjoyed their sausage, eggs, and way too many pastries, I grabbed the microphone and talked about the reasons I wrote CHAINS, then Suzanne Collins talked about the writing of HUNGER GAMES, and Jerry Pinkney showed us his process and motivation for his new book, THE MOON OVER STAR.
We were all very happy when the speaking part was over. 
I also got to meet Kathe Koja, seen here between Sarah Miller and me.Two weeks from today I leave on the CHAINS book tour! Yikes! I need to write many, many pages before then. I also need to find the appropriate tour sneakers. Anyone know where I can find a pair of sizzling, baby-blue high-tops, women's size 10 or men's 8? Oh, and I need a couple of shirts that won't wrinkle. But mostly I have to write oodles of pages.
That's my friend and fellow author Ellen Yeomans on the left, Carolyn, and me with the goofy face.Carolyn gave a terrific speech that including reading some letters from readers that moved me to tears. She's had to deal with terribly nasty challenges, but she's handled them with grace.
It was also very nice to finally meet my LJ friend
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freakfest! An unexpected delight was the presence of a group of students from Chittenango High School. Several of them remembered me from my school visit four years ago. It was really nice hanging out with them. I would love to see more area high schools sending interested groups of students to this library's annual Banned Books lecture. It is a whopping teachable moment. While Speak is at position #65 on the ALA's Banned Book List for 2006-2007, Carolyn's book, The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things sits a few spots above it, and has made it to the Top Ten a few times. No author ever wants to have their book challenged or banned, but it provides us all with a tremendous opportunity to revisit the principals of the First Amendment and continue to fight for our guaranteed rights as Americans.
Which is more important now than ever.
And speaking of attacks on the Constitution.... I still think the bail-out bill gives too much authority to the Treasury Secretary, and not enough accountability.
But I am not going off on a political rant today. (Shocking, I know.) Today is the birthday of my youngest daughter, Meredith, aka The OfficeMouse, aka Daughter #3.
A rare photo of Mer sitting still.
Happy 21st Birthday, darling girl!She wrote "I need some advice (please)…… My teenage daughter writes beautifully and her teachers are saying she should consider a future in journalism or writing etc. When I try to discuss this with her all I manage to get is “I hate to write”. Did you know from an early age that you wanted to be a writer/author? How do I cultivate such a gift without turning her away from it? You know how it is when you are a teenager, the more your mother wants you do something the less you want to do it."
My first thought was that I'd love to have coffee with this mom. She's she's probably a little overanxious about her daughter's future, but most parents are, and besides, this mom is reaching out for some information. How cool is that?
So I wrote back: "I have a strong opinion about this, so brace yourself.
Leave her alone. Please!
I had no idea I was going to be an author when I was in high school. I didn't major in English or creative writing or journalism (though I wound up working at newspapers for years). But I found my path. If my parents had dragged me to this path, I can guarantee that I would never have become an author.
There are countless ways your daughter's gift can unfold. Please give her the space to explore them on her own. Fill your home with books, art, music, and good food, and keep the "You Must Be A Writer" pressure locked out.
If she does become a writer, please don't turn her bedroom into a guest room, because she'll probably move back home to save money."
She, in turn, wrote back a very nice note thanking me.
I wish I could take some of that mother's enthusiasm about her daughter's talents and sprinkle it on the parents who discourage their kids' artistic dreams.
Come celebrate Banned Book Week with me tonight! Join me in downtown Syracuse where the Onondaga County Library System is hosting a reception for and presentation by Carolyn Mackler, author of wonderful books like The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things, and Vegan Virgin Valentine. The reception starts at 5:30pm, and Carolyn speaks at 6pm.
I thought the photo also cropped up in his photo gallery, but apparently I'm wrong about that.
Somehow, the muses that connect us all have cross-pollinated my tomato patch with a hint of the Gaimanesque.
Here's the proof.If I start writing about graveyards, you'll know why.
Yes, he's Holly's editor, too.
If you're a teacher or librarian, you want to know the good people of TeachingBooks.net. TeachingBooks " is a time-saving portal to thousands of online resources you can use to explore children's and young adult books and their authors." It has loads of terrific material about authors and their books. I particularly adore the Author Name Pronunciation Guide.But the absolute highlight of the conference was an unexpected, serendipitous meeting with an author whose books are among my very favorites. As I walked on the conference floor, the loud speaker announced that this Incredible Author was about to give a reading from her new book. I sprinted, sending librarians and publicists scattering like bowling pins. (I do apologize for an injury or loss of dignity I may have caused.)
The new book?
Quakeland (for grown-ups, this time).( That's right folks, I met Francesca Lia Block! )
John Adams wrote to his wife, Abigail, the next day, saying "The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more."
So why do we wait until the 4th to celebrate? There was a little editing done, and the final, final version was completed on the 4th. Writers everywhere will understand.
Onto the second round of photos from ALA. We'll start with this glam shot:
Me and my Simon & Schuster editor, Kevin Lewis. I do all my historical books with him.( Want to see more? )
....and then I wrote - for an hour. 'Twas heavenly.
( And now it's time to start showing you the ALA coolness! )
Smart woman, that J.K.
If you are in Central New York tomorrow, come out to Creekside Books in Skaneateles at 1pm for my book signing. Then you can buy ice cream and walk around the village because it is one of the prettiest places around.
The June celebration festivities continue. Happy Birthday, Sarah Dessen! Happy wedding to my cousin Karl and his bride, Yi-Yin!
So, basking in natural goodness, I make Five Friday Announcements:
1. TWISTED has been chosen as a YALSA Teens' Top Ten nominee. The list of nominees is stellar; be sure to go through it. Teens who read titles on the list get to vote for their favorites during Teen Read Week, October 12-18, 2008.2. In related news, the paperback version of TWISTED goes on sale in 20 days! I'll be celebrating it at the river's end bookstore in Oswego, NY on May 15th, 6pm. TWISTED has also apparently been released in England. I found the cover on the Amazon.UK website. You'd think they'd let the author know about these things, wouldn't you?
3. Speaking of new releases, we're about five weeks away from the release of INDEPENDENT DAMES: What You Never Knew About the Women and Girls of the American Revolution. It's illustrated by Matt Faulkner, who did the great art for THANK YOU, SARAH, and I am so excited about it I keep skipping, which amuses the dog. 4. Harold Underdown (author of the very important and useful COMPLETE IDIOT"S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN'S BOOKS) has posted an extremely good page about getting an agent or artist's representative. If you are thinking that it's time, go to this part of his website before you do anything else.
5. Susane Colasanti
windowlight has great photos from Viking's 75th birthday party. ETA - Publisher's Weekly noted the party, too! Note to Uncle Viking: I have my calendar out: what's the date for the 100th?This weekend I'm researching and running and working in the garden. What are you going to do?
BH and I spent a high-energy weekend at the New England chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writer's and Illustrator's" conference. It was HUUUUUUUGGGGGEE!. I think someone said there were 550 people there. Amazing. And incredibly well-organized. They even had vegan lunches for people who didn't want beef or turkey or tuna. I was impressed.
I gave the keynote Saturday morning. It was a poignant moment for me. When I started writing for kids, all I had was a handful of dreams and a lot of ambition. Along the way I made every mistake possible, and a few that no one had heard of before. And somehow, I've moved from the newly-hatched dreamer in the audience to the person standing (well, pacing) behind the podium. Very, very strange and wonderful.
During the speech, I held up my rejection file, and read a few of those dastardly polite letters that hurt so much. I will never forget what it feels like to get those in the mail. I remember the tears and doubts and the fears. What am I talking about - I still have them!
That is the cool thing about writers' conferences. It doesn't matter where you are on your creative journey - published or pre-published - we all sit on the same raft in an ocean of doubt. Thank you to everyone for such a warm welcome and much-needed boost of camaraderie.
( I was thrilled to meet Mitali Perkins, and.... and..... and.... )
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