Kate Messner's Blog, page 45
January 12, 2010
ALA Midwinter: In case you can't make it to Boston...
I'll be at the ALA Midwinter conference in Boston this weekend, not doing anything official or author-ish, other than ogling all the upcoming books in the exhibit hall. In fact, the whole family's going, which brings me to the following offer:
If your upcoming book is likely to be on display at ALA this weekend and you'd like a photo of it, just leave a comment below with your title & publisher. I'm making an exhibit hall scavenger hunt for my eight-year-old daughter, who will happily hunt d...
If your upcoming book is likely to be on display at ALA this weekend and you'd like a photo of it, just leave a comment below with your title & publisher. I'm making an exhibit hall scavenger hunt for my eight-year-old daughter, who will happily hunt d...
Published on January 12, 2010 03:14
Why I'm thankful to Patrick (who did not love my book)
As an author, it's easy to get caught up in who loved your book and who didn't, and to worry (especially at this time of year) when your book is or isn't part of the discussions about notable lists and awards and things like that. I got a letter in the mail a couple weeks ago that I have set aside. I know I'll want to read it over and over again, because it puts the whole issue in perspective.
It's not the kind of letter you might expect to be an author's favorite. It was part of a packet of...
It's not the kind of letter you might expect to be an author's favorite. It was part of a packet of...
Published on January 12, 2010 02:23
January 8, 2010
Great Books Coming in 2010: THE PRIVATE THOUGHTS OF AMELIA E. RYE
Just one true friend... That's all Amelia E. Rye's grandfather says she needs, and when Fancy Nelson comes to town, Amelia knows that it's true. Fancy is the first black person Amelia's ever seen, and she seems to have everything that Amelia lacks...courage and no-holds-barred confidence...and unconditional love from her family. With Fancy beside her, the world looks a little different to Amelia, a little brighter, and a little braver.
This is a fantastic, fantastic...
This is a fantastic, fantastic...
Published on January 08, 2010 03:50
January 6, 2010
Three manuscripts, two rats, and a pile of books
It's been a busy week at the Messner house.
Three manuscripts:
The draft of my middle grade mystery, which shall remain nameless for now, is DONE. I finished in a marathon writing session the night before New Year's Eve. Now to finish polishing the first few chapters so I can send off to my critique buddies. I'm going on a writing retreat later this month, where I will be revising like a madwoman.
Reviewed copy edits for SUGAR ON SNOW are in the envelope, going back to NYC tomorrow. My blue...
Three manuscripts:
The draft of my middle grade mystery, which shall remain nameless for now, is DONE. I finished in a marathon writing session the night before New Year's Eve. Now to finish polishing the first few chapters so I can send off to my critique buddies. I'm going on a writing retreat later this month, where I will be revising like a madwoman.
Reviewed copy edits for SUGAR ON SNOW are in the envelope, going back to NYC tomorrow. My blue...
Published on January 06, 2010 04:52
December 30, 2009
Of Rats and Reviews
(Which is not to say that I am calling reviewers rats... these are just two separate thoughts tucked together in one post. And they both started with R, so there you go.)
First the review part... Fuse #8 is asking people to vote on which 2009 book should be her last review of the year, and THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. is on her maybe-list. I've long enjoyed the thoughtful reviews on this blog and would love to hear her take on Gianna Z, so I'd love it if you'd click here and vote if you h...
First the review part... Fuse #8 is asking people to vote on which 2009 book should be her last review of the year, and THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z. is on her maybe-list. I've long enjoyed the thoughtful reviews on this blog and would love to hear her take on Gianna Z, so I'd love it if you'd click here and vote if you h...
Published on December 30, 2009 03:23
December 21, 2009
Great Books Coming in 2010: HARMONIC FEEDBACK by Tara Kelly
There are so many things I loved about this book that it's hard to know where to start. The main character, Drea, is a teenager who's tired of being defined by her acronyms... ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome. I've read a few YA novels with main characters on the autism spectrum, but this is the first one that explores that voice from a female point of view, and it does so beautifully. If you enjoyed Marcelo in MARCELO IN THE REAL WORLD, I think you'll also fall in love...
Published on December 21, 2009 22:35
Great Books Coming in 2010: DIRTY LITTLE SECRETS by C.J. Omololu
This YA novel takes place over a mere 24 hours, but what a 24 hours it is. It's the day when everything changes for Lucy, a girl whose mother is a compulsive hoarder. For years, that fact has shaped her life. She's worried about the smells of her family's kitchen following her out of the house, worried about friends who invite her to sleep over when she can never reciprocate, and worried that someone would learn her family's dirty little secret. In the early pages of...
Published on December 21, 2009 22:28
December 20, 2009
MAGIC UNDER GLASS by Jaclyn Dolamore
I finished this book so recently, I can still hear the ticking of the clockwork automaton in my brain. It's a story that will stay with me for a long time, set in a world that was pure delight to visit. The world author Jaclyn Dolamore created here is one firmly grounded in social classes and politics, yet it still swirls with spirits and fairies that are completely believable. Her main character, Nimira, is a dance-hall girl who finds herself transported to the home...
Published on December 20, 2009 16:24
December 18, 2009
Ice fog over Lake Champlain this morning
Current temp: -3 F
I like to think this is nature's way of making up for our cold hands...

I like to think this is nature's way of making up for our cold hands...


Published on December 18, 2009 12:43
December 12, 2009
Agent Appreciation Day: With Gratitude to "Literaticat"

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For blog readers outside the world of publishing, a literary agent is someone who negotiates much of the busi...
Published on December 12, 2009 00:33