Irene Latham's Blog, page 176

Announcing the Classof2K10 230-Book Giveaway!

Announcing the Classof2K10 230-Book Giveaway!

CELEBRATE FAITH

I can't believe it's October. I mean, I love October. I just can't believe it's here already. But wow, is it ever. We've had some wonderfully cool evenings and delightfully sunshiney days, which are fantastic for taking a book out on the porch and reading for a spell.

To start with, there's DAYS OF LITTLE TEXAS by fellow Alabamian and amazing writer R.A. Nelson -- it's just out in paperback with an eye-catching new cover. And yes, it's about faith. It also has a ghost in it. Russ is cool like that.









And you don't want to miss LOSING FAITH by Tenner and 2k10 classmate Denise Jaden. This one is tightly written and mysterious and sad and hopeful... and I learned about church home groups and other stuff I knew nothing of. I was fascinated by the tension created by a girl of little faith growing up in a home bursting with faith... congratulations, Denise! May you write many more!!!







Finally, check out this collaboration from Elizabeth Dulemba and Susan Rossen Spain:


Elizabeth said, "be a peach," and I was like, well, sure because I already am! A Georgia peach, that is... yep, I was born there. Which makes me especially excited about this Christmas offering. I still remember my father reading The Cajun Night Before Christmas when we lived in Louisiana... love me some regional Christmas fun! Even in October. For me, anytime is a good time for Christmas cheer.

If you need me, I'll be outside, soaking up the season... hope you are too!

ONE WORD: KRASIVAYA

My Russian readers know what I'm talking about, don't you?

And come March 2011, all the rest of my readers will know as well... because that's when Ruta Sepetys' debut historical novel BETWEEN SHADES OF GRAY will be released by Penguin/Philomel.

The book is based on the author's family and the real-life WWII events you may not have heard of: 15 year old Lina, her mother, and brother are pulled from their Lithuanian home by Soviet guards and sent to Siberia, where her father is sentenced to death in a prison camp while she fights for her life, vowing to honor her familiy and the thousands like hers by burying her story in a jar on Lithuanian soil. (taken from inside jacket of ARC)

The facts are just as horrific as you can possibly imagine. But the story is written so beautifully, and with such love, that you come away from the experience partly slaughtered by man's inhumanity to man. More than that, though, you will leave this book inspired, humbled and in awe of the courage and tenacity of the human spirit.

So don't let the tough subject matter scare you away. This book will change you. And having just met Ruta at SCBWI Midsouth conference, I can tell you that her own indomitable spirit is every bit as powerful as what exists on these pages.

Congratulations, Ruta!! Thank you SO MUCH for writing this story. I look forward to watching its journey in the world! And for those of you who want to know more before March... there is a wonderful video found here.

WANTED: JUMP STARTERS!

Okay. Who hasn't wanted to wake up, just once, in someone else's body? Well, Ginger Rue has written a book about that very thing... only It-Girl Brinkley Harper doesn't want it to happen -- which makes her "jumps" all the more fun! You've got to read this book. Great writing, and really fun. And have I mentioned Ginger is a dear friend of mine from way back in high school? Yep. Show her some love!

Now. About these Jump Starters. Here's the skinny, straight from Ginger's blog:

"JUMP Starters will be 25 people who will be selected to help spread the word about JUMP in their communities. They'll receive a free kit in the mail with a copy of the novel, a poster of the book jacket, and bookmarks to hand out to whomever they choose. If they can convince a bookstore or library in their town to hang up the poster, and then send me a picture of themselves beside the poster, they'll get another freebie: a JUMP t-shirt. And let me just say that this is a pretty cool t-shirt: a crimson color similar to the background on the book jacket, with yellow print. I have to pay for mine, but JUMP Starters will get theirs FREE!"

Now, go! To be selected you have to visit Ginger's blog, like, right now!! GOOD LUCK! And Congratulations, Ginger, on a wonderful new book!

ON THE VALUE OF WRITING CONFERENCES

A question came up during an intense discussion among pre-published and published authors at Midsouth SCBWI conference (see blog for all the good stuff) in Nashville: Does a writer ever outgrow writing conferences?

My answer is YES.

But that's not to say a writer ever stops learning. Just that once you've broken into the industry, you have all sorts of other avenues to feed that growth.

Writing conferences open the door, but over a writer's lifetime, I don't think writing conferences have the power to sustain. Ultimately, writing conferences serve beginners best. And even though every writing organization I've been associated with strives to keep writers coming back, I think that energy is really misplaced. We should be courting the beginners and pushing the more accomplished out the nest. Tiers like SCBWI's PAL membership only serve to divide the membership, when the whole point is to support and educate budding careers.

Also, there is something to be said for the the turnover of power in these organizations. The fastest way for a group to become stale and useless is to maintain the same leadership over the course of many years. We need new voices, new ideas, new energy. Which means the more established writers should of course make themselves available as mentors, but should also move out and on.

I got much of my education on craft and industry through attending writing conferences, so I continue to be wildly grateful for their existence. But I realized this weekend that the best thing for me to do now is to offer my chair to someone else.

Take it. It's yours. And if you need any help... give me a holler. And to my dear writing friends who have also outgrown conferences, two words: WRITING RETREAT. I am so there!!

FOR THE LOVE OF FRIDAY

First of all, it's Poetry Friday!! Dust off your verses, and share something at Roundup: The Blog With the Shockingly Clever Title.

Next up: We've just had a wonderful visit with Papa. I'm sorry to see it end. But he does live in Bismarck, and he does have other children, so he simply MUST hit the road. So. A little sadness today. But happiness too. Time together is so precious.

Besides, I'm skipping town myself. Heading to SCBWI Midsouth conference. Ellen Hopkins will be there! And ...

YET ANOTHER REASON TO LOVE LOIS LOWRY

A few weeks ago my son announced that The Best Book He EVER Had to Read for School was THE GIVER by Lois Lowry.

I nodded sagely, having enjoyed that book myself, and I located the book on the shelf, moved it to the tower on my nightstand and thought, I need to read this one again, not just as a reader, but as a writer who wants to write books that matter.

A few chapters in, I received an email from a middle school teacher who was requesting a school visit AND announcing that she had paired LEAV...

LEARNING TO LOVE MY NAME

We all know how a person can be shaped by his or her name, and how our preconceived notions about a name can be shaped by a person. Some of the best characters in literature have unusual names, and we like that, because they we feel like the character is unusual... when really, a person's name tells far more about the parent than it does the person.

I was named Irene, for my father's maternal grandmother, whom everyone affectionately called Big Mama. It's an old name, Irene... but I've alway...

MY LITTLE HELPER

MENAGE A MONDAY

You know how sometimes life comes at you so fast you can hardly keep up? Yeah. That's how things have been for me lately. Here are the highlights:

1. This adorable baby boy whom I have had the privilege and honor of loving just turned SWEET SIXTEEN!! We are currently car shopping... and taking him tomorrow to get his license. He's a responsible driver so far, but it still makes me worry.

2. Spent some quality time with one of my most favorite people on the planet: my sister Lynn (below...