Kate Messner's Blog, page 52
August 13, 2009
How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Jennifer Jabaley
This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I'm hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here."
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to read
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to read
August 11, 2009
Jump off a swing today!
[image error]Happy Book Birthday,
![[info:]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380438177i/889613.gif)
jbknowles !
And in addition to those good wishes for Jo Knowles, author of JUMPING OFF SWINGS, I have some advice for the rest of you. You need to read this book.
I had already heard praise from some early readers of JUMPING OFF SWINGS when I picked up an advance copy at ALA last month, and I adore Jo, so I was ready to like this one. Even so, I was blown away by the characters and the spare, poignant prose.
JUMPING OFF SWINGS is a book about love and sex and friendship, abou
jbknowles ! And in addition to those good wishes for Jo Knowles, author of JUMPING OFF SWINGS, I have some advice for the rest of you. You need to read this book.
I had already heard praise from some early readers of JUMPING OFF SWINGS when I picked up an advance copy at ALA last month, and I adore Jo, so I was ready to like this one. Even so, I was blown away by the characters and the spare, poignant prose.
JUMPING OFF SWINGS is a book about love and sex and friendship, abou
August 8, 2009
I'm with the Lorax
Rattlesnake Mountain has long been one of my family's favorite hikes around the Adirondacks. It's always had a great mix of the things we love in a hike: a great view for a moderately challenging climb, cool mushrooms to look at, the occasional garter snake, a rock shaped like a chair that's located at a perfect spot for a water break, and a tree that we've been calling "our tree" for ten years. Here's a picture of it we took a few years ago.
Rattlesnake Mountain was the first mountain my son e
Rattlesnake Mountain was the first mountain my son e
August 4, 2009
SLJ Article and some nice reviews for GIANNA Z
It's less than a month until THE BRILLIANT FALL OF GIANNA Z will be released from Walker Books for Young Readers, and while my attention right now is mostly on revisions for my Fall 2010 book, SUGAR ON SNOW, I'm taking time out to share some cool bits of GIANNA Z news...and some thankfulness.
Some of you might remember this post about Authors Who Skype with Book Clubs and the list of those who do. Well, through the magic of the Internet and Twitter, one thing led to another after that post, and
Some of you might remember this post about Authors Who Skype with Book Clubs and the list of those who do. Well, through the magic of the Internet and Twitter, one thing led to another after that post, and
August 2, 2009
How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Megan Frazer
This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I'll be hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here."
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to r
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to r
July 31, 2009
The Frog Catchers
We spent last night camping in the Adirondacks, and since I like to focus on the positive things in life, I didn't actually take photos of the two inches of water in our tent this morning. (I am pretty sure the air mattresses were floating.) Instead, I'll tell you about the s'mores and the three ponds we visited on our hike. We spent the afternoon at our favorite mountain swimming hole, Copperas Pond, diving into the clear water, standing on the rocks while tiny fish bumped into our toes, dryi
July 30, 2009
The Boats, the BIG waves, the Books & the Bees
Be warned. This is one of those rambling, little-bit-of-everything posts.
First the boats... which were a theme of the League of Vermont Writers summer picnic at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum last weekend. The League invited me to be one of two speakers for the event, and we had a great time talking about research for both historical fiction and for more contemporary pieces. I was so glad I stayed to hear poet Daniel Lusk speak after lunch, too.
He was charming and read from his latest wor
First the boats... which were a theme of the League of Vermont Writers summer picnic at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum last weekend. The League invited me to be one of two speakers for the event, and we had a great time talking about research for both historical fiction and for more contemporary pieces. I was so glad I stayed to hear poet Daniel Lusk speak after lunch, too.
He was charming and read from his latest wor
July 27, 2009
WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead
[image error]If you're anything like me, you've already heard about a million great recommendations for Rebecca Stead's WHEN YOU REACH ME, and that can be a bit of a double-edged sword. The great reviews made me really, REALLY want to read the book, but they also set up what I worried might be unrealistic expectations. Could it really be THAT amazing?
It could. And it is.
These young characters, growing up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, are reminiscent of Judy Blume's families in TALES OF FOURTH GRADE
It could. And it is.
These young characters, growing up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, are reminiscent of Judy Blume's families in TALES OF FOURTH GRADE
July 24, 2009
Knowing your Secondary Characters
So I'm knee-deep in my revision of SUGAR ON SNOW right now. I'm sitting on the sun porch with my coffee and a nice breeze from the lake, merrily checking off all the little revision jobs my editor asked me to consider in her editorial letter. I've been moving right along, which is a good thing because the publication date for this book is likely being moved up to Fall 2010. And I've been getting lots done this week and feeling good about the revision. But I've just come to a screeching halt.
How They Got Here: 2009 Debut Author Cynthea Liu
This post is part of a year-long series of blog interviews I'll be hosting with my fellow 2009 Debut Authors, called "How They Got Here."
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to r
It should be an especially helpful series for teens who write, teachers, and anyone who wants to write for kids. 2009 debut authors will be dropping by to talk about how their writing in school shaped the authors they are today, what teachers can do to make a difference, how they revise, and how they found their agents and editors. (You'll even be able to r
