E. Lockhart's Blog, page 17

Battle of the Children's Book Bands

I am a judge, along with Anne Brashares, Jennifer Belle and Maureen Johnson, at the Battle of the Children's Book Bands, this Friday.  It will ROCK. And ROCK HARD.

Plus, appearances by Jon Sciezska and Mac Barnett, who are very funny dudes.  And the rock stars of children's and YA literature, competing for your entertainment, including Libba Bray, Natalie Standiford and Daniel Ehrenhaft of Tiger Beat. 

It's a benefit for New York Public Library and there's plenty of time to go get dinner later, because it starts at 5:30!  

Oct 15th, NYPL main branch, South Court Auditorium

 

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Contest! Win an ARC of Real Live Boyfriends

ENTER THIS CONTEST!

My publisher, Random House, is giving away ten ARCs (advance reading copies) of the fourth Ruby Oliver book, REAL LIVE BOYFRIENDS.  The book itself comes out December 28, 2010, but you can read it now if you win a copy in the contest.

Also: My website is finished!  (Except the "fun" page. Which does have fun on it, but doesn't LOOK fun yet.) And the updated website means you can finally find out all about Real Live Boyfriends, and read a preview.

Here's how to enter the contest to read the whole thing. 

In The Boy Book, book 2 of the Ruby series, Roo and her friends make lists. Here are two examples, and pay attention! Because to enter the contest, you have to write either 

1. a translation of boy-speak or
2. a clever comeback to a catcall and post it two places!

Here are the two places you post it.

1. your Twitter feed, Facebook page or blog or anything else public, with the hashtag #RubyOliverBooks if on Twitter. Give a shortie explanation of the reason you're doing it if there's room -- because after all, we (me and Random House) want to spread the word about the Ruby books, which are all out in pretty new paperback jackets and easy to find in nearly any bookshop. My eternal gratitude if you link to the website page about the new book....
2. post it again in the comments here with a link if possible, so I know you did it! 

Deadline: Thursday night, October 14, midnight!  Then check back on the blog on Monday Oct 17 to find out the winners.  

So, to recap. Write either a Translation of Boy-Speak or a Clever Comeback to a Catcall (see Ruby Oliver's examples, below). Post your entry in public and in the comments here by Oct 14 midnight. Maybe win a copy of Real Live Boyfriends, months before it comes out! 

And even if you don't, you will benefit humanity with your entry.

xo

E 

FROM THE BOY BOOK:

Boy-Speak:
Introuction to a Foreign Language

What
he says: I never felt this way before.
 What
is understood: He loves me!
 What
he means: Can we get to the nether regions, now?

What
he says: I'll call you.
 What
is understood: He'll call me.
 What
he means: I don't want to see you again.

 What
he says: It's not you, it's me.
 What
is understood: He's got some meaningful problem going on in his life that's
blocking him from being anyone's boyfriend, even mine, though he likes me so
much.
 What
he means: I like someone else.

 What
he says: We're just really good friends.
 What
is understood: Nothing is going on between him and that other girl.
 What
he means: We have a flirtation, but I don't want you to bug me.

 What
he says: I'm so messed up.
 What
is understood: He needs my support and help.
 What
he means: I want you to leave me alone.

Also from THE BOY BOOK.  Clever Comebacks to Catcalls -- ie. things to say when someone makes a lewd, rude comment to you, in school or on the street.

1) 

Join the 21st Century.

Try to imagine
how little I care.

Have you had
your brain checked? I think the warranty has run out.

 I can't get
angry at you, today. It's 'Be Kind to Animals Week'.

 Didn't I
dissect you in Biology class?

 Did you take
your medication today?

 I'll try
smiling--if you try being smarter.

 I'm curious,
did your mother raise all of her children to be sexists, or did she single you
out?

And
some extras, for specific situations:  
 

If he says, "If I could see you naked, I'd die
happy," then you say, "If I could see you naked, I'd die
laughing."
 

And if he says, "Hey, baby, what's your
sign?" Answer, "Do not enter."
 

And if he calls down the street as you ignore him,
"Hey baby, don't be rude!" Reply, "I'm not being rude. You're
just insignificant."
 

And if he says, "Can I see you sometime?"
Say, "How about never? Is never good for you?"

  

Alan Cumming sings a Kristinish song

I saw Kristin Chenoweth sing this at Carnegie Hall when I was researching Dramarama. (Hard job I've got, I know!) Now, here, and via The Amateur Gourmet -- Alan Cumming sings it! Taylor the Latte Boy.

Enjoy! You can thank me in Toblerones. 

Happy Banned Books Week

It's Banned Books Week! 

What can you do to protect intellectual freedom where YOU live? 

Talk to your school or public librarian. Ask him or her if challenges have ever occurred in your school or community. Get informed! 

Start a dialog with your friends about book banning.  Even if you don't all agree, it's better not to be silent! And it's good to push people to articulate the reasons they fear certain books, and to ask them to listen to another point of view.

Ask your English teacher if you...

Dan Savage video

Video of the awesome columnist Dan Savage and his partner Terry: "It Gets Better."  Must-see viewing for anyone young who's gay or questioning.  Share it with your friends and the kids you know!

 

Thanks to bookseller and picture book author Elizabeth Bluemle for the link -- and also to Jack Lechner, who wrote a musical based on Savage's book The Kid, all about the process of adopting his son.

related: Librarian and author Sara Ryan's GLBT Booklist

Zombies Vs. Unicorns

Libba Bray sent me this! You should go! 

LIBBA WROTE: 

As you may or may not know, this Thursday, 9/23, at 6 PM, there will be an EPIC debate at Symphony Space in NYC to celebrate the release of the new anthology, ZOMBIES VS. UNICORNS. 

This debate will settle, once and for all, the question of which is superior, icky, rainbow-farting unicorns or awesome, bad-ass zombies. Not that I am biased in the slightest.  

Here is the link:  span

AFP and Suzanne Collins

Two strange connections this week. 

Am really loving music by Amanda Palmer  -- whom I discovered b/c she is the future wife of Neil Gaiman, and I am so grateful because she is just a phenomenal singer and performer. Anyway, I was hanging out with  this musician friend of mine, a bass player who rocks out with all kinds of amazing musicians including his band Ollabelle, and he was all, "oh, I used to know the Dresden Dolls," (which is AFP's band). "I used to go out drinking with them after...

A pic from the Bklyn Book Festival

The Brookyn Book Festival (past weekend) was awesome.  Here is a picture of the humor panel I was on!  Left to right: me, Jon Scieszka, Mac Barnett, and moderator Betsey Bird, aka Fuse No 8. 

It rained, and the panel was at 10 am, but people came. And asked good questions.  

Two people asked me afterwards if I am a feminist. 

Yes. 

Fitness for Nerds

I am late posting this
(because I am on vacation! yes, still! despite NYC public schools starting earlier today! sshhh don't tell)
but it brought so much joy into my nerdy life
that I post it anyhow

I am very very proud to call John Green my friend. Dude, you have surpassed yourself.
 By the way, Green also writes books and if you haven't read An Abundance of Katherines I suggest you do so now.  I mean, after you watch the video. 

Brooklyn Book Festival Video

Video!  Of me! 

Check out not only me but also Jacqueline Woodson, Sara Shephard, John Sciezska and my pal Tad Hills and lots of other amazing Brooklyn writers in the Bklyn Book Festival trailer below. 

BTW, Mary Gaitskill is AWESOME in this, talking about everyone's a**es.  

I'm on a panel Sept 12 at 10 am with Sciezska talking about humor.  I hope I spelled his name right, but probably not.  Anyhow, come see us and watch the awesomeness of the trailer even if you can't come. Details of all...