Cynthia Lord's Blog, page 106

Bangor Book Festival (and a Contest!)

Description begins in the writer's imagination, but should finish in the reader's. ~ Stephen King (On Writing)

 
In the literary world, Bangor, Maine is probably best known as the home of Stephen King. 

The city's fortunes were tied to the lumber industry, and you see that influence everywhere. There is something about the timing of that industry's growth and decline that gives this city a rich atmosphere of contrast . . . I don't think it's any mistake that Stephen King set books in this area. 

I stayed at an historic downtown hotel.  The decor was Victorian, and no one quite does "creepy" like the Victorians (hair bracelets, etc. ). There was a painting in my room of a dark, sad angel whose eyes seemed to follow me around the room.

This was the lobby:



At the evening author reception, I was delighted to meet the members of the festival committee, whom I'd been corresponding with for the past months:  Cathy Anderson from Briar Patch Books, Lori Patterson, media specialist from James F. Doughty Middle School, and Barbara McDade from the Bangor Public Library. 

Lori told me that all the sixth graders at her school had Touch Blue read to them, and the book had been a big hit with both the teachers and students. Cathy told me she had been a foster parent in Maine and thought I had done a very good job depicting that situation.  I care a lot about not harming people who live the real lives of my characters, so it's always a relief and joy to hear that.

  The next day, I packed up all my speaking materials and headed off to the grand and glorious Bangor Public Library.  What a beautiful place!



I enjoyed all the children's author and illustrator programs, but this one was particularly fun: 


Maine illustrators Scott Nash and Chris Van Dusen

Chris Van Dusen and Scott Nash had a "Draw-off!"  Before a full lecture hall of kids and parents, they started by giving some art "hints" to the kids.  Here's one of Scott's hints. You can change the age of your character by choosing how low or high to place the eyes.

  

Then Chris and Scott took suggestions from the kids on what to draw.  They said they would each draw whatever the child asked for, and the kids were not easy on them!

"A seahorse at the movies!"
"A pig eating popcorn!" (from a Mercy Watson fan. Scott shook his head and grabbed Chris' book to flip through) 

 

"Your worst nightmare!"
"An elephant in a tu-tu juggling."

 
"A centaur!"
"A person rollerskating through a buffalo herd!"

 

The kids were so excited to see each drawing take shape. It was such fun!

My program was in the late afternoon, and I had a full room of adults and children.  I loved meeting everyone, but there was one sixth-grade boy I can't stop thinking about.  Lori told me he was new to their school this year and had related to Aaron in Touch Blue, who is also in a new place, trying to make friends and figure out where he fits in with a bunch of people who already know each other.

Most of the kids came in groups, brought or dropped off by their parents.  But this boy rode his bike, all by himself, to come. 

Since I'd never done a program in Bangor before, I brought my Newbery Honor plaque and invited the kids and adults to wish on it for their own dreams to come true.  As I spoke, it made the rounds in the audience, and then someone put it on the table with my props.  

After my program, kids were banding lobsters, people were coming up to talk to me, I was signing books, and from the corner of my eye I saw that boy walk over to the plaque and lay his hand on it, eyes closed.

I don't know what he wished for, but *I* wish with all my heart that it comes true.    

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
And now, in honor of my visit to Bangor, a contest!  

  I bought two copies of Chris Van Dusen's hilarious Mr. Magee books: A paperback copy of Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee

  and the brand-new hardcover, Learning to Ski with Mr. Magee.  Chris signed both of them, and I will give them away as a contest prize.

To enter, all you need to do is leave me a comment here or on Facebook, telling me your favorite Stephen King book or story (or tell me a story about his books or movies and you). 

I'll draw a winner randomly from the entries on Friday. 

Prospect Harbor, Maine

   Last Spring, I received an email from the children's librarian at the tiny and beautiful Dorcas Public Library in Prospect Harbor, Maine, saying if I were ever in that area, they would love to arrange a visit with me. 

I always try to say yes to Maine libraries.  But Prospect Harbor is about 4 hours Downeast for me, so I looked ahead at my calendar and told her I'd be coming to the Bangor Book Festival, and if they'd like, I would drive the extra hour from Bangor and do the visit the day before. 

So Allison Johnson of the Dorcas Library and I visited the fourth graders at the Peninsula School.  We had a lovely visit.  One of the kids came up afterward and told me he already has own lobster traps that he fishes with his dad--just like Tess.  Having seen harbors and coves full of lobsterboats on my drive,  I wasn't at all surprised to hear that.

It was raining, but I'd never been to Prospect Harbor, so after my visit, I took a drive around the Schoodic Peninsula, before heading back to Bangor.

Even in the rain, it was stunning.  I sent my husband the photographer a text that said simply.  "You must come here."  



  

It's Maine's coast at its most fierce and wild, and yet--




I was charmed by this lone pumpkin that someone had left to watch the surf pound.  :-) 
 

Five Things on a Friday

1.  On my way home from Vermont, I took photos of the mountains in the rain and fog.  At first, I was disappointed that I didn't have sparkling clear weather for that pretty drive.

But this is the setting of my next book, and a book can't have the same weather every day.  So then I changed my mind and saw the rain as an opportunity to take photos I can later use to describe a different side to those mountains.  

And really, it was very beautiful--

.

in a hushed way.



2.  I'm off to the Peninsula School in Prospect Harbor this morning. I am speaking to the fourth grade about Rules and Touch Blue.  The librarian tells me they are very excited, which will be fun.  Prospect Harbor is a small, coastal town up above Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park.  It's gorgeous up there--though again, I will be seeing it in the rain! 

3.  And tomorrow is the Bangor Book Festival.  My program is in the late afternoon, but illustrators Chris Van Dusen and Scott Nash are having a "draw-off" competition with each other in the morning, which sounds like great fun!  So I want to arrive at the Bangor Public Library in time to see that.

4. I was shocked to learn that Happy Birthday, Hamster has been moved to Summer 2011 (probably May) and that there's a cover!  I haven't seen it yet, but I hope they send it to me soon!  I was ready to hear it was moving to Spring 2012, so to learn it's being released earlier than I thought was a big surprise!  I do worry about how much pressure that puts on illustrator Derek Anderson, though. 

5.  The Cybil Award nominations open TODAY and run through October 15th. Anyone can nominate one book in any category, as long as the book was published between October 16, 2009 and October 15, 2010.  Details and the nomination form are on the Cybils website.

I already have some exciting books to read in the Easy Reader/Young Chapter Book category! 

October Events

This photo is from the part of my school visit presentation for Touch Blue where I talk about doing research.  This is just a tiny fraction of the materials I used, but in this pile are Maine foster care regulations and books where children and teens in foster care share their writing, a tide chart, lobster fishing tools and books, history books about Maine islands, field guides, and even a video of a trumpet player. I wanted to watch someone play and take notes on his expressions, how he stood, what the muscles in his face looked like as he played, the different moods and sounds he created with his trumpet, etc. 

North Haven Island, Maine 

This month I begin my tour with Island Readers and Writers, a wonderful organization that brings Maine authors and illustrators out to do school visits and workshops with students on Maine islands and in very rural Maine communities.  


Friday, October 1, School visit, Peninsula School, Prospect Harbor, Maine.

Saturday, October 2, Bangor Book Festival, Bangor, Maine. Open to the public.

Sunday, October 10, Book signing at Barnes and Noble, Newington, New Hampshire, 1;00 pm. (my last scheduled booksigning for Touch Blue!)

Tuesday, October 19, School visit, Islesboro School, Islesboro, Maine. 

Friday, October 22, School visit, Frenchboro School, Frenchboro Island, Maine.

Monday, October 25, School visit, Rose Gaffney School, Machias, Maine.

Thursday, October 28, School visit, North Haven Island School, North Haven, Maine.




This is one of the banners from the Bangor Book Festival website.  When I saw it, all I could think was if I could have showed this to myself as a ten-year-old child, that child wouldn't have believed it.  :-) 

Banned Books Week

 The truth is that every book we read, like every person we meet, has the capacity to change our lives. And though we can be sure our children will meet people, we must, must create, these days, their chance to meet books.  ~Susan Cooper

 

It's a Book Baby!

 
 Congratulations! It's a bouncing book-baby!

Name: Girl, Stolen

Date of Birth: September 28, 2010

Weight: 224 pages

Proud Parent: April Henry ( aprilhenry )

Godparents: Henry Holt & Company

Vermont

I've had a beautiful visit to Vermont.  On Sunday, I drove over through the mountains of New Hampshire. Even though it was drizzly, the foliage was stunning.



My time in Vermont was chocked full of good things. On Sunday night, I went out to supper with Elizabeth from Flying Pig Bookstore. I had such a nice time--I just love her and Josie.  

Yesterday I spoke to the 6-8th graders at the local elementary and middle school in the morning, had a great lunch with Josie, then spoke to the 4-6th graders (who had all read Rules) at a Waldorf school in the afternoon. 

Later, at the store, I read Hot Rod Hamster to a family with small children who came, and then I talked about Touch Blue.


A future sternman banding lobsters! 

Two of my favorite people came to my signing, authors Linda Urban and Kate Messner, and they each brought their daughters! I was very touched to see them walk in.

Kate posted about the event on her blog, including this great photo of Elizabeth banding the audience members.



Thank you to the staff and students at Shelburne Community School, Lake Champlain Waldorf School, Kate and Linda and everyone who came to the bookstore, and especially to Josie and Elizabeth at Flying Pig.

There's a common superstition that it is bad luck to say "pig" on a boat.  I met one lobsterman who won't even bring a ham sandwich on his boat because of that superstition.

    Well, maybe a pig on a boat is unlucky, but a pig at a bookstore?  

Very lucky, indeed.  

Off to Vermont!

Today, I'm driving to the gorgeous Green Mountain State for some fun events tomorrow!

  

I"ll be visiting two local schools and doing a bookstore event with Josie and Elizabeth at Flying Pig Bookstore in Shelburne, Vermont. 

My event at the bookstore is open to the public, and it's at 4:30 pm tomorrow (Monday).  

    Flying Pig is a magical store, and Josie and Elizabeth are such nice people.  I'll be giving a talk on Touch Blue and signing books.

My First School Visits of 2010-2011

On Friday, I did my first school visits for Touch Blue.  I visited Waterville Junior High School and Winslow Junior High School in Maine with Ellen Richmond of the Children's Book Cellar.

The day before, I set up my projector and laptop in my little writing house and practiced and timed my new presentation.



Unfortunately my first audience was less than impressed with it.


Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Thank goodness the kids were more willing to participate!


Telling the kids in Waterville, " We all s...

NERA

 
Yesterday I participated in an author event at the New England Reading Association conference in Nashua, New Hampshire.  When the directions came for the event, I smiled to see it was at the Crowne Plaza hotel.  For many years, the New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators held their annual conference in that hotel.

   I sat on the weird, round couch in the lobby for a few minutes in honor of all the good times and good friends I made at those NESCBWI conferences. 

   Then I picked up my materials and headed off to the signing room. 

The organizers let us sit anywhere we wanted, so I sat with two of my friends, Maine authors Charlotte Agell and Lea Wait.  We joked that we never get to sit together, because group signings are usually arranged alphabetically!  So with last names starting with "A," "L," and "W," we're always as far away from each other as we could get!

 
me, Lea, and Charlotte

Toadstool Books in Milford came as the bookseller, and Brian had a stack of. . . .

  It's the first time I've seen it! 

It was a very nice event.  I talked to quite a few teachers, including a big group from Milton, New Hampshire.  I grew up in Milton, so that was especially fun! The teachers told me they have nine substitutes today at school, because so many teachers were at the conference. "Wow! Good thing you're not there!" I joked, and they laughed.

They asked me to come do a school visit with the kids. I said I would do that. Hmmmm. I wonder if I could still run down those big stairs, two at a time?