Category Archives: In Person

Where are you going and where have you been?

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My last blog post was on the 1st of October, which seems like a lifetime ago. Saundra Mitchell actually checked in to see if I was okay, which I thought was very caring. I am okay, just very busy. My library is hopping, which is awesome. I have a toddler who is also awesome and hopping. And I’ve been working on some projects whose awesomeness is TBD. Since I’m an inconsistent and ambivalent blogger as it is, it was easy to let this go by the wayside.

However I wanted to check in because less than two weeks from now I will be Albuquerque, New Mexico for the YALSA Teen Lit Symposium! I am going to be a part of two author panels, one on LGBTQ lit and one on Body Positivity and Fat Acceptance. I am very, very excited about these, not the least because the other authors are so awesome. For the LGBTQ panel: Malinda Lo, Kirstin Cronn-Mills, Lauren Bjorkman, and Michael Cart; this is part of the pre-conference On Beyond Stonewall, organized by Cart and Christine Jenkins. For the Fat Acceptance panel: Madeleine George, Susan Vaught, and Allen Zadoff; that one will be moderated by Angie Manfredi, a fantastic librarian from New Mexico.

And then, to cap it off, this introvert is going to speak in public one more time:

Malinda, Kirstin, Lauren, and I will be joined by Alexandra Diaz to speak about LGBTQ issues with teens at Alamosa Books.

Then I will curl up and sleep for days. No! Then I will enjoy the rest of the conference which sounds like it is going to be so cool. What I’m most excited about it is meeting other librarians and authors — the ones listed here, the ones presenting other sessions, and the ones in attendance. There’s something energizing about being around so many other people who are excited about YA lit.

I hope that some of you can make it to New Mexico, and I will see you there.

Write Away

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This summer I visited with teens in the public library in the town where I grew up. They’re putting together an online magazine, and I’ve been acting like a mentor. It’s been great fun. These kids are talented! You must go read their stories, poems, and reviews right now at Write Away!

I feel that I was lucky to grow up in a community and attend schools that supported writing and the arts. And I’m not the only one. Ellen Jensen Abbott, Thalia Chaltas, and Elizabeth Strout all graduated from the same high school I did.

Judging from what I’ve seen working with these teens, the next generation of writers from New Hampshire is on its way up!

Forgetful

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Today is Operation Teen Book Drop day! Yay! Last year I participated as a librarian, hiding books around my school. This year I did it again, as a librarian, but also as an author! That was super cool. I did not actually get to hide the books at my school, because I was at Reading Roundup, a conference for Maine librarians about books and reading. My plan had been to hide Secrets at the conference, but then I forgot about it, and then when I remembered, it was almost too late. So then I went home, and was thinking, “Man, I totally messed up my first TBD. Also, I need some spinach and tomatoes.” Which led me to the perfect solution: I would go to the brand new natural food store in my town and drop it there. With all the emphasis on local, organic food in the book, it was actually the perfect spot. So I put it on top of some natural peanut butters. Mmmm. And of course forgot to take a picture.

I also forgot to take pictures at the conference. I did a panel with Ellen Booraem, Deva Fagan, Carrie Jones (who apparently almost died on the way there), and Kelly McClymer. Kevin Hawkes was the keynote speaker. He was funny, charming, and really insightful. I loved seeing his work step by step. He also said something that I wrote down in paraphrase: in illustration, everything needs to add to the emotion of the picture; otherwise it should be cut out. And I kind of want to write it out and frame it as a reminder to myself, because the same could be said of writing, of course. Sometimes it’s good to be reminded of it.

O

Books Make Great Gifts

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Really. They do. Although I must admit that sometimes I have a hard time picking the right book for the right person. This year I took a Salvation Army ticket — you agree to buy the presents on the ticket for the child. In my case it was a teenager and she wanted book. I’ll give her a copy of mine, but I wanted to give her a few. So, not knowing anything about her except her other requests (art supplies and a dog or cat), I chose Let It Snow by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle. I figured it’s a fun, seasonally-appropriate title. And then since maybe she likes more sci fi type of stuff, I also got her Uglies by Scott Westerfeld. I’ve found that people like this series whether they are die-hard sci fi fans, or never touch the stuff.

I still need to get the art supplies. No dog or cat, though. Sorry, my dear, but I don’t want your parents on my doorstep about that one.

Anyway, if you, too, are planning to give books for gifts, and are planning to shop at Barnes & Noble, then please print out a voucher and take it with you. You can use it at any B&N in the United States, and, if you do, a portion of the sales will go to Seacoast Academy, an independent school in New Hampshire. They will use the money raised for classroom and library books.

If you yourself happen to be in New Hampshire, please drop by the book fair at the Newington Barnes & Noble. It’s this Sunday, December 6th, from 1:00-4:00. I’ll be there signing books, and there will be student performers, and gift-wrapping, and other fun stuff. Hope to see you there!

P.S. If you are planning to buy books — what’s on your gift giving list?