Jo Knowles's Blog, page 27

Today's the day!

I started working on PEARL years and years ago in my third-floor office in the English & Philosophy Department at Simmons College. It started with a girl named Bean, who was lonely and misunderstood. And that's where she stayed, stagnant, for years and years until one day, I started thinking about her again. This time, Bean was still there, but there was also a boy named Henry. And they were best and only friends. And then I started writing.

I guess this is how it is with me. Books take a long time to be born from idea to finished product. But if I don't give up on them, it does, eventually, happen. :-)


Today, PEARL leaves my hands. Now she belongs to the reader who happens to pick her up next. It feels a little bittersweet to let go, it's true. But mostly it feels sweet.

The past few weeks I've been doing some interviews via The Teen Book Scene. Here are the links, including one for my dream movie cast! :-)

"Pearl Cast" with ReadingTeen
"Top Ten Writers Who Inspired Jo Knowles" with Reclusive Bibliophile
"Talking characters with Jo Knowles, author of Pearl" with Hopeless Bibliophile
"Chopping it Up with Jo Knowles" with Only Sexy Books Allowed
"Pearl Excerpt" from Supernatural Snark

Still to come:
July 20: "This or That" at Supernatural Snark
July 21: "Tens list: Bean an Henry" at A Good Addiction

Thanks so much to The Teen Book Scene for inviting me on this tour and being such wonderful hosts!

And thanks to all of you who've given me so much love on Twitter and Facebook this morning. I'm feeling very Pearly. But you all are the true gems. I love you.

xoxoxo

The Midnight Show Recap :-)

I've never been to a midnight opening before, so I had no idea what to expect.

Mainly, we knew we needed to dress up.

Here's E getting his scar before we left writing camp:


And at the hotel before we left:


We stopped at the theater to get our tickets at around 6:30 and there was already a line, but we figured we had time to get some dinner and return.


This is where the line began when we returned.


And it just kept going, weaving through the mall. People had blankets and camp chairs and games and food and it was just one big indoor tailgate party.


Wayyyyyyy far away from the front, we found our spot in line and sat down to wait.


And wait...(very tired parents)


And wait (here are the kids playing a game they made up with their wands and what we think was a piece of red candy they found on the floor).


And while we waited, we people watched. My camera was acting weird so I didn't get many shots. But all I can say is wow. Some of the costumes were out of this world amazing. Here's Professor Quirrell and Voldemort (yes, that's two people walking around back to back)!


Here's the basilisk :-)


A boy dressed up like Professor Umbridge:


And then finally, finally finally, it was time to go in. :)


I had a hard time watching the movie because we were in the third row and the 3D made me car sick. Really, really sick. :( So, we'll have to go back and see it again soon. If seemed like it all went by too fast! I would have been happier with a longer movie (as I'm sure every other fan would be). I wasn't as sad watching the last film as I was reading the last book, but I did cry, along with most of the other people in the theater.

I came away thinking it was ALL magical. The devotion of the fans, especially. I am so glad we took our son to experience teens loving something so purely. Dressing up. Skipping down the long halls in the mall. Screaming with glee when the movie started. All of it. It's something none of us will ever forget.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Describe your favorite scene in HP that made it into the movie.

Say hello to ELLEN!

Hi everyone,

Today I am the guest blogger over on The Contemps and I got to interview ELLEN WITTLINGER! If you have a minute, please stop by and say hello to Ellen. Thanks!

My son and I are heading to our last day at writing camp, and then we'll pick up my husband and head to MA and get in line to see the midnight show of HARRY POTTER!!!!!!

Yes. I am excited. Last night, we all made T-shirts to wear to the event. I modeled mine after the shirt posted on Bookshelves of Doom way back in 2007. :-) Since they aren't making them anymore, I had to make my own.



Now, to stay awake!

(No, I don't actually think that is going to be a problem.)

Next stop on the blog tour: Inspiring authors

For today's stop on the tour, I am visiting "Reclusive Bibliophile" and talking about some of the authors who inspire me.

Top anything lists make me so uncomfortable, because there are never just ten, and I don't really have favorites. But these ten all share a particular "theme" of sorts in terms of why I admire them so much.

:-)

Thanks for the interview, RB!

The Brady Bunch meets English Companion

Last night, Kate Messner ( kmessner ), David Gill ( thunderchikin ) and I participated on a panel moderated by Teresa Bunner for this cool Ning: "English Companion: Where English Teachers Go To Help Each Other"




Don't we look like the Brady Bunch?

We were part of a Webstitute called: "Reading Classic & Young Adult Texts with Students." Today it will continue running from 4-7, including a session with Teri Lesesne professornana . You should check it out! Not only do you hear people speaking, but you can join in the conversation with a simultaneous chat. Fun!

I have come to realize that it is very special to be on a panel with Kate and David. They are both so smart and thoughtful and CALM that I hardly feel nervous at all.

Also, isn't it cool that you can have a panel online? (I know, I am so behind the times.)

But THANKS Teresa, for having us. It was a great learning experience for me, as well as an inspiring one.

Pearl Blog tour! :)

I totally forgot that my blog tour started today! Ack!

First, thank you, Teen Book Scene for hosting this tour!

Second, thank you, Jessica at "Hopelessly Devoted Bibliophile" who hosted the first blog stop. It's called "Talking characters with Jo Knowles, author of Pearl" and she interviewed me all about Bean, the main character in PEARL!

Wow, I can't believe PEARL will be here in EIGHT MORE DAYS! :-)

It was a beautiful day for a beautiful person

Yesterday, my family hosted a birthday party for my father-in-law, Louis P. Carini. He turned 90! The weather was perfect. He told me that it is always nice on his birthday. He said even when he was a prisoner of War in Germany during WWII, he received good weather on his birthday. I'm glad for his 90th, the string of sunshine wasn't broken.

Here is my husband, Peter, giving a toast:



And here is my wonderful father-in-law receiving it:


Here he is later chatting with dear friends (people came from all over, including Philadelphia and NYC):


Many were teachers involved in the Prospect School, which Lou and my mother-in-law, Patricia Carini, helped found. The archives are now held at the University of Vermont:


Here is Patricia talking with the well-known Bennington artist, Pat Adams, who I loved getting to know at last after hearing about her and her two sons, who my husband grew up with, for years:


This is me with long-time pal and wonderful musician, singer and songwriter Ferrilyn Sourdiffe:


Family photo :-) :


Peter, relaxing after a looooooong weekend:


There was a lot of work involved to get a house ready for 47 people, but it was well worth it. It was a real treat to see Lou surrounded by all of his friends and family, many of whom he had not seen in years. Happy Birthday, Lou! We love you.


Monday Morning Warm-Up:

Describe the best birthday party you've ever been to. :-)

YA Super Panel on EC NING

This announcement shamelessly stolen from thunderchikin

Please join YA authors Jo Knowles, Kate Messner, and me for a very special webinar about using YA literature and the classics, aka the “2011 ECN Summer Webstitute: Reading Classic and Young Adult Literature with Students,” on Monday, July 11 5-6 p.m. EST

For more info: http://englishcompanion.ning.com/grou...

:-)

Open your eyes, then open your eyes again

Yesterday at Writing Camp we took the campers to the cemetery. This is an annual tradition and there is a reason. It is beautiful there.



At the last minute, I brought my camera. When my camera is in my hand. I start to see things I might not have.

Like these sweet offerings on a large headstone.


Or this tiny piece nearly hidden in a woodsy area.


I meant to snap the flowers, but look how the light is catching on the cross here.


There were many lambs. These were the saddest ones.


Another offering.


This is my son's first year at camp. Here he is writing in his notebook.


Beauty among the Hostas and grass not reached by the lawnmower.


Another baby.


But could there be humor here,too?

Some kids thought so.


As we were leaving, we came across these two women. The kids all went ahead, but I stopped to take one more snap of a beautiful black stone with a guitar etched in it. As I moved on, the women asked me what we were here for. So I explained who we were. They asked why I was taking pictures and I explained that we'd been here last year, and I remembered how beautiful it was. And how much I loved discovering all the gorgeous artwork in the headstones.

"Will you take a photo of ours?" They asked.

"I'd be honored," I said.



They'd been crying.

"It's beautiful," I said after I took the photo. "Just beautiful."

"It's his birthday. He would have been thirty today."

"I'm so sorry for your loss," I said.

"Thank you," they said.

And then I ran to catch up with the group.

But all the way back, I wanted to turn and run back down the wooded path. I wanted to tell those women I really am sorry. They weren't just words.

But they didn't need to hear that.

I just needed to say it.



I took close to 100 photos yesterday. I decided to make a slideshow so I could share them with the campers today. If you're interested, here it is:

Friday 5: Luke, Libba, PEARL, Cake, and a Child Stuck in the Mud

1. "Jo Knowles deserves more attention." -Luke, age 17 ;)
After a very interesting and a tad disheartening discussion about teens (particularly boys) and books on Twitter Wednesday night, THIS WONDERFUL BLOG POST WAS PUBLISHED ON YALSA. It's an interview with Becky ONeil and Luke (age 17). If you want to be inspired and be pumped with hope, go see what Luke has to say. He is funny, thoughtful and smart.

(And yes, I DID think this before I got to the 2nd-to-last question. Promise! But yes, I have to share:

I'm terrible at predicting trends in books, but I feel like Jo Knowles deserves more attention. Her first two books, Lessons from a Dead Girl [2008 Quick Pick] and Jumping Off Swings [2010 BBYA & Quick Pick], were absolutely phenomenal. They are about serious issues and they don't sugar-coat them. They are completely serious and show the real effects of issues such as teen pregnancy and child sexual abuse. She has a new book, called Pearl, coming out in July and I cannot wait to read it! Everyone needs to read her books.

Wow! Thanks Luke!!)

2. I love writing retreats. Especially when Libba Bray is involved.
Thanks to libba_bray and our mini-retreat, I finished my revision! It is now in the hands of my trusted writing partner. I think this had to be the most productive retreat I've ever participated in. Looking back, I wish I had kept track of the number of hours we put in. All I know is, it was A LOT. Thank you, Libba, for coming. And also for the thoughtful discussions. The laughs. The new jokes. And, of course, the guacamole. :-)

3. PEARL copies are here!

I received two hardcover copies of PEARL in the mail when I came home from my vacation in Maine. There will be a giveaway happening at FIRST PAGE PANDA at the end of the month. Which means *MEEP* the book comes out in 18 DAYS!

4. It's never too late to make new friends.
Last night, a group of parents and kids came to my house to help make a float for this year's 4th of July parade. We let the kids decide the theme and they chose "Birthday Cake" since it's our town's 250th Birthday. I would post a picture but I can't find the cord to my camera! Oh noes! I am not sure what to do about this. But anyway, after we finished making the cake, we sat on the deck and chatted and celebrated a friend's good news with champagne while the kids ran around the yard whacking each other with foam noodles, screaming their heads off, and having a blast. (No really! they were fine! Oh, OK. Except for the tiny sweet boy who got stuck in the mud at the edge of the pond and had to be rescued by his mom. But he was fine, too! Eventually!). But it was pretty darn lovely I have to say. We really need to do that more often. Well, maybe not make giant paper cakes and allow unattended children to be swallowed up by mud. But definitely sip champagne on the deck with friends!

5. Today is July 1.
What?!?! NOOOOOOOO. Summer is going by WAY too quickly. Please. Slow. Down.

Hope you all have a great weekend! And if anyone knows where my camera cord is, please tell me! This is very distressing!