Sarah Jamila Stevenson's Blog: Blog - Sarah Jamila Stevenson, page 75
August 1, 2011
Random Monday Madness: Archie in Hindi, and More
That's right, I said Archie in Hindi. Your old pals Archie, Betty, and Veronica are getting a South Asian makeover, and will soon be released in Hindi and Malayalam for audiences in India. Says the article:
Link courtesy of the SCBWI Expression newsletter.
On a totally different note, hooray for girls and science! My mom forwarded me an article entitled First-Place Sweep by American Girls at First Google Science Fair, and as I read it my mouth dropped in amazement at the amazing things budding scientists can do these days. You don't even want to know how lame MY science projects were.
Hey, parents and librarians and such: want author Laurel Snyder to come to your school? You're in luck--she's doing a HUGE Skype tour: 100 schools in 100 days, talking about writing and about her new book, BIGGER THAN A BREAD BOX. Go check it out.
And, just a tiny plug, if you're in the Seattle area and you know any teens interested in writing: I (ME!) will be at the Lynnwood library on August 9 giving an hour-long workshop on voice. Jooooiiinnnn uuusssss.....
"Fans can now expect Archie and Veronica to dance to the popular Bollywood number 'Aakhon ki gustakhiyaa' or see the gang sing some popular songs like the college classic 'Purani jeans' and oldie 'Kankariya maar ke jagaya' as smart chicks walk past the brood," [the co-CEO of Archie comics] added.I'm sort of not sure how to react, to be honest. I kind of want to giggle. And I kind of feel horrified, like it's just another example of the McDonalds-ization and Disney-fication of everything. But really, if it's marketable and kids like reading it, I guess I'll just scratch my head and say ooookay.
Link courtesy of the SCBWI Expression newsletter.
On a totally different note, hooray for girls and science! My mom forwarded me an article entitled First-Place Sweep by American Girls at First Google Science Fair, and as I read it my mouth dropped in amazement at the amazing things budding scientists can do these days. You don't even want to know how lame MY science projects were.
Hey, parents and librarians and such: want author Laurel Snyder to come to your school? You're in luck--she's doing a HUGE Skype tour: 100 schools in 100 days, talking about writing and about her new book, BIGGER THAN A BREAD BOX. Go check it out.
And, just a tiny plug, if you're in the Seattle area and you know any teens interested in writing: I (ME!) will be at the Lynnwood library on August 9 giving an hour-long workshop on voice. Jooooiiinnnn uuusssss.....
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 28, 2011
Thursday Review: WITH OR WITHOUT YOU by Brian Farrey
Dear FCC: I bought an electronic copy of this book. Additional Disclaimer: This book was written by my editor, who is a debut author in his own right.
Reader Gut Reaction
: With or Without You is a story of love, friendship, family, and holding fast to what makes you you despite overwhelming pressure to do otherwise. At the beginning of the story, graduating senior Evan Weiss seems to know exactly who he is and where he's going—specifically, he and his best friend Davis are getting out of Madison, where they have to endure the taunts and beatings that go along with being gay, and heading for college in Chicago in the fall. But not only do his plans change quicker than he imagined, we as readers also learn that there's a lot of uncertainty hidden beneath Evan's calm surface.
Concerning Character : This wasn't an easy book to read in the sense that it was painful to bear witness to the way gay teenagers are treated in many places in the U.S. At the same time, it was also distressing to see the dysfunctional way some individuals choose to respond to mistreatment—distressing because it rang so true.
Recommended for Fans Of... : The narrator Evan Weiss is a truly relatable and engaging character, generally clearheaded, with a strong sense of himself that keeps him afloat during times of trouble—unlike his friend Davis, who tends to glom onto every new thing that gets him excited and then discard it later, whether it's a hobby, a new friend, or a new cause. When Davis finds out about a new group for gay teens called the Chasers, he leaps in with both feet. But Evan, more cautious, has a weird feeling about it all.
Not only that, Evan doesn't have time for a new group he doesn't much care for to begin with--most of his spare time has been taken up with either work at his parents' store or with his boyfriend, Erik. I loved how the relationship between Evan and Erik was portrayed—it was loving, solid, and realistic, a refreshing change from a lot of mainstream teen fiction in which relationships are shown as melodramatic or dysfunctional. I also thought the family relationships were shown in a believable light, both the good relationship he has with his sister and the more troubled and distant relationship with his parents.
Ultimately, though Evan seems wise beyond his years, his lack of experience in life and in relationships causes him to make a few major mistakes. How Evan chooses to deal with these situations gives the story a personal angle; it's not simply an "issue book." In a few spots I wasn't sure if Evan's reactions seemed consistent with his personality, but, that aside, I found this an absorbing read, and an important one.
Themes & Things : Books about the journey to finding out who you really are, like any of John Green's novels but particularly Paper Towns and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Books portraying strong, positive gay teen relationships, like David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy.
Authorial Asides : You can visit Brian Farrey's blog and website. And, if you want to find out why I feel like the luckiest writer in the world as far as editors go (well, one reason why, anyway), you can read his bio. Two words: Doctor Who!
You can find With or Without You at an independent bookstore near you!
Reader Gut Reaction
: With or Without You is a story of love, friendship, family, and holding fast to what makes you you despite overwhelming pressure to do otherwise. At the beginning of the story, graduating senior Evan Weiss seems to know exactly who he is and where he's going—specifically, he and his best friend Davis are getting out of Madison, where they have to endure the taunts and beatings that go along with being gay, and heading for college in Chicago in the fall. But not only do his plans change quicker than he imagined, we as readers also learn that there's a lot of uncertainty hidden beneath Evan's calm surface. Concerning Character : This wasn't an easy book to read in the sense that it was painful to bear witness to the way gay teenagers are treated in many places in the U.S. At the same time, it was also distressing to see the dysfunctional way some individuals choose to respond to mistreatment—distressing because it rang so true.
Recommended for Fans Of... : The narrator Evan Weiss is a truly relatable and engaging character, generally clearheaded, with a strong sense of himself that keeps him afloat during times of trouble—unlike his friend Davis, who tends to glom onto every new thing that gets him excited and then discard it later, whether it's a hobby, a new friend, or a new cause. When Davis finds out about a new group for gay teens called the Chasers, he leaps in with both feet. But Evan, more cautious, has a weird feeling about it all.
Not only that, Evan doesn't have time for a new group he doesn't much care for to begin with--most of his spare time has been taken up with either work at his parents' store or with his boyfriend, Erik. I loved how the relationship between Evan and Erik was portrayed—it was loving, solid, and realistic, a refreshing change from a lot of mainstream teen fiction in which relationships are shown as melodramatic or dysfunctional. I also thought the family relationships were shown in a believable light, both the good relationship he has with his sister and the more troubled and distant relationship with his parents.
Ultimately, though Evan seems wise beyond his years, his lack of experience in life and in relationships causes him to make a few major mistakes. How Evan chooses to deal with these situations gives the story a personal angle; it's not simply an "issue book." In a few spots I wasn't sure if Evan's reactions seemed consistent with his personality, but, that aside, I found this an absorbing read, and an important one.
Themes & Things : Books about the journey to finding out who you really are, like any of John Green's novels but particularly Paper Towns and Will Grayson, Will Grayson. Books portraying strong, positive gay teen relationships, like David Levithan's Boy Meets Boy.
Authorial Asides : You can visit Brian Farrey's blog and website. And, if you want to find out why I feel like the luckiest writer in the world as far as editors go (well, one reason why, anyway), you can read his bio. Two words: Doctor Who!
You can find With or Without You at an independent bookstore near you!
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 21, 2011
Toon Thursday: From the Archives
I am pursuing an obscure hobby at a conference this week. In my absence, please enjoy this old skool Toon Thursday froooom the paaaaassst. I promise I'll have a new one next time.
Disclaimer: No offense to prodigies! Good for you! And pardon me while I grumble grumble grumble! You kids get off my lawn!
Disclaimer: No offense to prodigies! Good for you! And pardon me while I grumble grumble grumble! You kids get off my lawn!This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 18, 2011
There's Still Time to Be Book Smart
Technically I'm out of town this week, so I'm just cruising by to remind you that Reading Is Fundamental's Be Book Smart campaign is still running through the end of this month.
If you shop at Macy's and give $3 to provide a book for a child, Macy's will donate your $3 to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to help reach their goal of giving 1 million books to kids. You'll also be eligible for $10 off a $50 purchase. Give a little, get a little...and kids will get a LOT.
If you missed last week's Summer Blog Blast Tour, you can still check out the Master Schedule over at Chasing Ray.
Have you visited Hip Writer Mama lately? As of, um, several months ago (sorry for being so slow on the uptake), Ms. Vivian Lee Mahoney has a gorgeous new website, complete with writing tips, prompts, and inspirational writing advice. Go check it out!
If you shop at Macy's and give $3 to provide a book for a child, Macy's will donate your $3 to Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) to help reach their goal of giving 1 million books to kids. You'll also be eligible for $10 off a $50 purchase. Give a little, get a little...and kids will get a LOT.
If you missed last week's Summer Blog Blast Tour, you can still check out the Master Schedule over at Chasing Ray.
Have you visited Hip Writer Mama lately? As of, um, several months ago (sorry for being so slow on the uptake), Ms. Vivian Lee Mahoney has a gorgeous new website, complete with writing tips, prompts, and inspirational writing advice. Go check it out!
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 14, 2011
NPR Kidlit Tidbits
I dare you to try to say "kidlit tidbits" 5 times fast. (Disclaimer: This blogger bears no responsibility for untangling the wicked sailor knot in your tongue.)
Anyway, today I've got a couple of kidlit-related radio stories for you...when I was out and about earlier, I caught a "where are they now?"-style segment, Can Wizards and Vampires Collect Unemployment? talking about what the Harry Potter and Twilight actors have been up to since their fame as YA book-to-movie icons. That segued rather nicely into a discussion of what book will come up next to fill the Harry Potter gap (including a plug for the upcoming Hunger Games movie). And then apparently I missed a segment on Kelly Link a little while later, which I'll have to catch at some point.
Secondly, if you'll indulge me in a little shameless self-promotion, TOMORROW morning at 11:00 a.m. EST, I will be on NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin, talking about THE LATTE REBELLION and representing for YA lit as part of the Summer Blend Book Club. I already went in and taped it, which is good, because it means (hopefully) they'll edit out all the awkward pauses. :)
Tell Me More airs primarily on the East Coast, but also some places in the Midwest and South. Unfortunately, it does not air anywhere in California, but you can listen live at the NPR website or catch the podcast later in the day. To listen live at 11:00 a.m. EST (8:00 a.m. PST), go here and click on Listen using the NPR Media Player (requires Flash).
The podcast should be available later in the afternoon on this page.
Anyway, today I've got a couple of kidlit-related radio stories for you...when I was out and about earlier, I caught a "where are they now?"-style segment, Can Wizards and Vampires Collect Unemployment? talking about what the Harry Potter and Twilight actors have been up to since their fame as YA book-to-movie icons. That segued rather nicely into a discussion of what book will come up next to fill the Harry Potter gap (including a plug for the upcoming Hunger Games movie). And then apparently I missed a segment on Kelly Link a little while later, which I'll have to catch at some point.
Secondly, if you'll indulge me in a little shameless self-promotion, TOMORROW morning at 11:00 a.m. EST, I will be on NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin, talking about THE LATTE REBELLION and representing for YA lit as part of the Summer Blend Book Club. I already went in and taped it, which is good, because it means (hopefully) they'll edit out all the awkward pauses. :)
Tell Me More airs primarily on the East Coast, but also some places in the Midwest and South. Unfortunately, it does not air anywhere in California, but you can listen live at the NPR website or catch the podcast later in the day. To listen live at 11:00 a.m. EST (8:00 a.m. PST), go here and click on Listen using the NPR Media Player (requires Flash).
The podcast should be available later in the afternoon on this page.
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 11, 2011
Monday Review: FLY TRAP by Frances Hardinge
Dear FCC: I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from ALA Midwinter in January. I think I've almost made it through my ARC pile...
Fly Trap is the sequel to Fly By Night, the story of twelve-year-old orphan Mosca Mye and how she and her viciously (perhaps homicidally) loyal goose Saracen ended up traveling in the company of a shifty con man with a heart of gold, Eponymous Clent. Two very mildly evil geniuses can get into a lot of trouble together, and in this sequel, Mosca finds herself going, of course, from the frying pan into the fire in the decidedly two-faced town of Toll.
Reader Gut Reaction : One thing I love about Frances Hardinge's books is that they're full of delightful cleverness without being overly or gratuitously clever. This volume is no exception, as the author takes the fascinating naming conventions of Mosca's world and works them into the plot in a most ingenious way. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say this: Mosca learns the hard way that prejudices that seem superficial may in fact run irrationally deep. What's in a name, indeed? Evidently quite a lot, if you were unfortunate enough to be born during the hour of Goodman Palpitattle, the lord of the flies.
Concerning Character : Although there is zero shortage of action and adventure in this book—kidnapping, daring escapes, outlandish plots, and so forth—in a way the entire plot revolves around the idea of character: specifically, what one's character really means and whether it's predetermined or something that you earn. In terms of of specific characters, Mosca is the plucky, smart-mouthed and adventuresome moppet fans will remember from the first book, and her relationship with Clent is that of a mentor and apprentice, with just a hint, perhaps, of an uncle indulging his favorite niece. Neither one wants to be vulnerable, so it's all hints and subtext here and there, but Hardinge makes it clear that they're fond of one another, beyond the fact that they depend on each other for their survival in an increasingly hostile environment.
Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories about plucky young heroines, like the Wolves books by Joan Aiken and the Theodosia books by R.L. LaFevers.
Authorial Asides : You all probably know I am a huge Frances Hardinge fan. I particularly thought that The Lost Conspiracy, the book she released just prior to this one, was brilliant, and I'm consistently amazed at her ability to bring an unusual setting to vivid, believable life. Fly Trap is out now in hardcover.
You can find Fly Trap at an independent bookstore near you!
Fly Trap is the sequel to Fly By Night, the story of twelve-year-old orphan Mosca Mye and how she and her viciously (perhaps homicidally) loyal goose Saracen ended up traveling in the company of a shifty con man with a heart of gold, Eponymous Clent. Two very mildly evil geniuses can get into a lot of trouble together, and in this sequel, Mosca finds herself going, of course, from the frying pan into the fire in the decidedly two-faced town of Toll.Reader Gut Reaction : One thing I love about Frances Hardinge's books is that they're full of delightful cleverness without being overly or gratuitously clever. This volume is no exception, as the author takes the fascinating naming conventions of Mosca's world and works them into the plot in a most ingenious way. I don't want to give too much away, but I will say this: Mosca learns the hard way that prejudices that seem superficial may in fact run irrationally deep. What's in a name, indeed? Evidently quite a lot, if you were unfortunate enough to be born during the hour of Goodman Palpitattle, the lord of the flies.
Concerning Character : Although there is zero shortage of action and adventure in this book—kidnapping, daring escapes, outlandish plots, and so forth—in a way the entire plot revolves around the idea of character: specifically, what one's character really means and whether it's predetermined or something that you earn. In terms of of specific characters, Mosca is the plucky, smart-mouthed and adventuresome moppet fans will remember from the first book, and her relationship with Clent is that of a mentor and apprentice, with just a hint, perhaps, of an uncle indulging his favorite niece. Neither one wants to be vulnerable, so it's all hints and subtext here and there, but Hardinge makes it clear that they're fond of one another, beyond the fact that they depend on each other for their survival in an increasingly hostile environment.
Recommended for Fans Of... : Stories about plucky young heroines, like the Wolves books by Joan Aiken and the Theodosia books by R.L. LaFevers.
Authorial Asides : You all probably know I am a huge Frances Hardinge fan. I particularly thought that The Lost Conspiracy, the book she released just prior to this one, was brilliant, and I'm consistently amazed at her ability to bring an unusual setting to vivid, believable life. Fly Trap is out now in hardcover.
You can find Fly Trap at an independent bookstore near you!
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 7, 2011
Toon Thursday: Drunk Tweets!
Now that I've got your attention, here is your cartoon for the next fortnight. Click on it for an enlarged view.
Note: By "diehard fans," I do not mean "Die Hard fans."
Happy weekend!
P.S. Sorry this cartoon was posted so late. I scheduled it for 8 am, but...as Blogger is wont to do...it reverted my post to draft status. ARGH.
Note: By "diehard fans," I do not mean "Die Hard fans."Happy weekend!
P.S. Sorry this cartoon was posted so late. I scheduled it for 8 am, but...as Blogger is wont to do...it reverted my post to draft status. ARGH.
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
July 4, 2011
Monday Review: BEAUTY QUEENS by Libba Bray
Dear FCC: I received an Advance Review Copy of this book from ALA Midwinter in January.
What could be better for a Fourth of July review than a book about a planeload of Miss Teen Dream USA pageant contestants who crash-land on a (nearly) deserted island? Um, probably a lot of things, but it sort of fits a Yay America theme, right? Right. I mean, just look at that cover. (I think it's really clever, despite my general dislike of headless teenagers on YA book covers.) Oh, and there's adventure, pirates, romance, an insane third world dictator, and an evil soulless corporation with a
TEENY
TINY
SPOILERS
volcano lair. Volcano lair!!
Reader Gut Reaction : I've enjoyed Libba Bray's books—they're always good fun with a dash (sometimes more than a dash) of craziness—and I admit to being immediately drawn in by the wacky and wicked premise. This was in many ways a very gutsy book in terms of its structure, in that there are not just multiple narrators, but MANY narrators. Told in a relatively omniscient third person, something like five or seven of the 12 surviving crash-landed beauty queens get chapters of their own throughout the book. That worked reasonably well for me, and I enjoyed the "extras" sprinkled between chapters, like fake commercials for Corporation products and beauty queens' data sheets. I wasn't as hot on the footnotes, which I found distracting. I hate to get on my high horse, but I sort of feel like unless you're Terry Pratchett or David Foster Wallace, it's pretty tough to pull off the amusingly sardonic footnote. Still, a very fun book, with plenty of humor, hijinks, creatively used fashion items, and inconveniently revealed dirty secrets.
Concerning Character...and Themes : I was impressed by how much depth the author created in the narrating characters considering there were so many of them, and considering we as readers are constantly switching from one to another from chapter to chapter. There was a sort-of "main" character in Miss New Hampshire, Adina Greenberg, whose viewpoint starts off the story and who is immediately placed as an outsider relative to the other characters—she's an undercover school journalist who wants to take the whole pageant down.
However, as we gradually find out more about the other contestants, of course we learn that none of them is simply a cookie-cutter pageant girl. They've all got something that sets them apart from the crowd, and over the course of the story they learn that rather than trying to suppress those things that make them unique in order to fit into a pageant mold, their differences can be strengths. I'm kind of in awe that the author was able to develop a set of characters who were mostly, at the beginning, satirical caricatures, and turn them into fleshed-out human beings, while still retaining strong sense of humor throughout. Again, a gutsy maneuver.
Recommended for Fans Of... : Libba Bray's other non-Gemma Doyle book, Going Bovine (reviewed here). Stories about madcap capers, like David Macinnis Gill's Soul Enchilada (reviewed here).
You can find Beauty Queens at an independent bookstore near you!
What could be better for a Fourth of July review than a book about a planeload of Miss Teen Dream USA pageant contestants who crash-land on a (nearly) deserted island? Um, probably a lot of things, but it sort of fits a Yay America theme, right? Right. I mean, just look at that cover. (I think it's really clever, despite my general dislike of headless teenagers on YA book covers.) Oh, and there's adventure, pirates, romance, an insane third world dictator, and an evil soulless corporation with aTEENY
TINY
SPOILERS
volcano lair. Volcano lair!!
Reader Gut Reaction : I've enjoyed Libba Bray's books—they're always good fun with a dash (sometimes more than a dash) of craziness—and I admit to being immediately drawn in by the wacky and wicked premise. This was in many ways a very gutsy book in terms of its structure, in that there are not just multiple narrators, but MANY narrators. Told in a relatively omniscient third person, something like five or seven of the 12 surviving crash-landed beauty queens get chapters of their own throughout the book. That worked reasonably well for me, and I enjoyed the "extras" sprinkled between chapters, like fake commercials for Corporation products and beauty queens' data sheets. I wasn't as hot on the footnotes, which I found distracting. I hate to get on my high horse, but I sort of feel like unless you're Terry Pratchett or David Foster Wallace, it's pretty tough to pull off the amusingly sardonic footnote. Still, a very fun book, with plenty of humor, hijinks, creatively used fashion items, and inconveniently revealed dirty secrets.
Concerning Character...and Themes : I was impressed by how much depth the author created in the narrating characters considering there were so many of them, and considering we as readers are constantly switching from one to another from chapter to chapter. There was a sort-of "main" character in Miss New Hampshire, Adina Greenberg, whose viewpoint starts off the story and who is immediately placed as an outsider relative to the other characters—she's an undercover school journalist who wants to take the whole pageant down.
However, as we gradually find out more about the other contestants, of course we learn that none of them is simply a cookie-cutter pageant girl. They've all got something that sets them apart from the crowd, and over the course of the story they learn that rather than trying to suppress those things that make them unique in order to fit into a pageant mold, their differences can be strengths. I'm kind of in awe that the author was able to develop a set of characters who were mostly, at the beginning, satirical caricatures, and turn them into fleshed-out human beings, while still retaining strong sense of humor throughout. Again, a gutsy maneuver.
Recommended for Fans Of... : Libba Bray's other non-Gemma Doyle book, Going Bovine (reviewed here). Stories about madcap capers, like David Macinnis Gill's Soul Enchilada (reviewed here).
You can find Beauty Queens at an independent bookstore near you!
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
June 30, 2011
Fun With Steampunk, and Other Random Things
I'm sorry to report that I have very little of excitement or substance to relate today, since my brain is currently subsumed in a mire of revision and will stay there for the next couple of days. Therefore, I present you with some news and links from other sources who have very kindly (if unknowingly) done all the work for me.
The Children's Choice Book Awards were announced a couple of weeks ago, and Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson fame was named Author of the Year. I was also particularly delighted to see that the kidlitosphere's own Chris Barton was a finalist for K-2 Book of the Year for Shark vs. Train, and that graphic novels were fairly well represented among the finalists.
Also, the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) announced their finalists for the 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick, I Will Save You by Matt de la Peña, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork, Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick and Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler.
Last but not least, if you're a fan of steampunk or think you might be a fan of steampunk and aren't sure what to read next, AbeBooks has put together A Beginner's Guide to Steampunk Literature, including classics that inspired the genre as well as newer additions--I was pleased to see Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan was included and not set apart in any way simply because it's sold as a YA title. Anyway, my reading list has now grown longer yet again...
Happy Thursday!
The Children's Choice Book Awards were announced a couple of weeks ago, and Rick Riordan of Percy Jackson fame was named Author of the Year. I was also particularly delighted to see that the kidlitosphere's own Chris Barton was a finalist for K-2 Book of the Year for Shark vs. Train, and that graphic novels were fairly well represented among the finalists.
Also, the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) announced their finalists for the 2011 Amelia Elizabeth Walden Award: After Ever After by Jordan Sonnenblick, I Will Save You by Matt de la Peña, The Last Summer of the Death Warriors by Francisco X. Stork, Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick and Wolves, Boys, & Other Things That Might Kill Me by Kristen Chandler.
Last but not least, if you're a fan of steampunk or think you might be a fan of steampunk and aren't sure what to read next, AbeBooks has put together A Beginner's Guide to Steampunk Literature, including classics that inspired the genre as well as newer additions--I was pleased to see Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan was included and not set apart in any way simply because it's sold as a YA title. Anyway, my reading list has now grown longer yet again...
Happy Thursday!
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
June 27, 2011
SCOTT WESTERFELD! Is the Keynote Speaker for Kidlitcon
Registration is now open for the 5th Annual Kidlitosphere Conference, better known as Kidlitcon, to be held at the Hotel Monaco in Seattle on September 16 and 17. The keynote speaker has been confirmed: Scott Westerfeld, author of such books as Leviathan and the Uglies quartet. How cool is that?
Yours truly will definitely be in attendance, possibly as part of a panel (though nothing's set in stone yet on that score), and I can hardly wait. Although it's a conference that caters to bloggers, not a writing conference, it's still one of my favorite conferences of the year, for so many reasons:
it's small and intimate--making it much easier to mingle and talk to people, especially if you're intimidated by strangers and large groups (erm, like me)it's got a diverse mixture of attendees--writers, librarians, illustrators, publishing folk--and, because of the small group size, it's much easier to get to know peopleyou get to meet people in person who you might only have "met" online, through bloggingthe panels and talks change every year, and cater to a variety of audiences who blog for many different reasons, so I (so far) haven't felt like it's rehashing the same subjects each timebecause of all of the above, I always leave feeling like I've made a real connection with people.This will be my third Kidlitcon, and, if you can't tell, I'm really excited about it, and really want all of YOU, my blogging friends, to go. Hint, hint...
Yours truly will definitely be in attendance, possibly as part of a panel (though nothing's set in stone yet on that score), and I can hardly wait. Although it's a conference that caters to bloggers, not a writing conference, it's still one of my favorite conferences of the year, for so many reasons:
it's small and intimate--making it much easier to mingle and talk to people, especially if you're intimidated by strangers and large groups (erm, like me)it's got a diverse mixture of attendees--writers, librarians, illustrators, publishing folk--and, because of the small group size, it's much easier to get to know peopleyou get to meet people in person who you might only have "met" online, through bloggingthe panels and talks change every year, and cater to a variety of audiences who blog for many different reasons, so I (so far) haven't felt like it's rehashing the same subjects each timebecause of all of the above, I always leave feeling like I've made a real connection with people.This will be my third Kidlitcon, and, if you can't tell, I'm really excited about it, and really want all of YOU, my blogging friends, to go. Hint, hint...
This work is copyrighted material. Please contact the weblog owner for further details.
Blog - Sarah Jamila Stevenson
My author blog, full of random goodness! Also featuring posts from Finding Wonderland, my blog with fellow YA author Tanita S. Davis.
- Sarah Jamila Stevenson's profile
- 80 followers
