Gae Polisner's Blog, page 7

Gearing up for Teachers Write! & Friday Feedback - Summer 2015

Teachers Write! 
What it is and How it Works 
& FAQ’s






What it Is
Teachers Write! is a virtual writing camp for teachers, librarians and other educators who either:
          * want to become better writing teachers, and thereby “walk the walk" by doing their own writing for the benefit of their students,  or
          * aspire to write fiction or non-fiction works, and, thus, desire to become better writers for their own benefit and purpose.

I may have doctored this quote. 
***Before you keep reading, HERE'S THE LINK TO KATE MESSNER's BLOG with MORE info and SIGN UP links!!!*** (yep, just click there).

How it Works
We like to think of Teachers Write as an all-you-can-eat buffet loaded with YOUR CHOICE of opportunities to learn about, improve, and share writing.
Each weekday -- except Wednesdays which are a Q&A day -- there are writing lessons, prompts and exercises posted on Kate’s, Jo’s, Gae’s and/or Jen’s blogs (and linked to on our Teachers Write facebook page which you should join NOW HERE (click that link!) if you are willing. 
These prompts are intended to illustrate, inspire and spark your creativity. You do not have to do them all, but you may. You may pick and choose those those exercises and prompts you connect with, that move you to try them out. 
The week unfolds primarily as follows:
Mini-Lesson Mondays– chat about the topic in the comments with the guest author
Monday Morning Warm Ups with Jo Knowles – just what they sound like. Monday morning gems to get you writing!
Tuesday Quick-Write – Kate or a guest author sharing prompts!
Wednesday Q & A – lots of guest authors chime in!
Thursday Quick Write  – Kate or a guest author sharing prompts!
Friday Feedback  – Gae or a guest author sharing a writing lesson and a brief excerpt of new writing, followed by an opportunity to post your own brief excerpt and give and get hands-on editorial feedback!


Some basic FAQs you should know about TW !

    *  I’m not a real writer. I’m not worthy. Can I participate? Should I just lurk?  
      There are “campers” of all different writing skill levels participating in Teachers Write! Some of us have been writing for years, have manuscripts in the works, are even close to querying agents. And others are about to force themselves to write something creative – anything creative – for the very first time ever or in years.
No worries, whatever level of skill you are, you are welcome and wanted, and will quickly find yourself jumping up levels as you dive in. Some of our newbies of Years One and Two are already in that querying phase! Others are still struggling in the early phases of finding voice and confidence in their writing. It’s OKAY. It’s all OKAY. As Teddy Roosevelt once said (and one of our awesome campers reminded me), “Comparison is the thief of joy.” Jump in and be brave at whatever level you are. We’re here to encourage and support you, and we’ll sit back and smile when you soon find yourself moving up levels by leaps and bounds.

    * I don’t even know what a WIP is, so should I pack my bags and leave? 
      A WIP simply stands for a Work In Progress. Any work in progress. Though authors often use it in reference to a novel, here we use it to reference any work in progress: non-fiction essay, blog post, spark of a short story you are writing from a TW! prompt. Even a poem!
Wear your WIP proudly, and share bits of it when you’re feeling brave.

    *  My inner critic has been stomping on my face in cleats.  How do I share when I’m filled with doubt and self-loathing ?
      This is all we can say to that: ask past campers! 
      We’re here to support and encourage, not tear down. Wait until you see how much fun it is! And until then, isn’t this a great feeling to remember when you ask those vulnerable students of yours to share in front of their peers?!



* Sounds good! How much does it cost?
      Nada! Zero! Zilch! Or, you know, the cost of being brave and putting yourself out there. 

Having said that, if you are able, we do ask you to PLEASE buy at least one book by each of the hosting authors (me, Kate and Jo) and at least one book by a guest author (and as many more as you can!). We also ask that you share our titles with your schools and local libraries, encourage your friends to read and put up reviews. Tweet our titles if you like them. All of these things truly help to keep our books in the limelight. And we love you for it.



* Okay, great. But I'm not a teacher or educator. 
Can I still participate?
Sure! The posts are all public, so anyone can write along with us! We just ask that you write on your own, rather than posting for critiques, etc. (except for Friday Feedback here on my blog, which is always open to the public!) because that way the groups stays a manageable size for our teachers and librarians. We love you, but that's who we really want to serve here because of the work they do with kids.


Hope this information helps! Still have questions? tweet to me @gaepol, comment to me here, or email me at g.polisner@gmail.com 

      We can't wait to see our returning campers and meet our new ones,
      Gae, Kate, Jo & Jen.

Book Me, Catching Up. . . with lots of links!

CAKE!! Because, CAKE!!!

Me, recently, posing for the webcam before a Skype visit
(It's how I check my hair ;))

Been a busy few weeks, with the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO.

Seems the paperback has made its way to many Barnes & Noble shelves around the country which is a great thing.

Hoping it finds its way to some reading lists as well. And a reminder that if it finds its way to YOUR summer book club list, I will happily Skype in to your book club meeting of five readers or more. You can contact me through my website if you want more information.



Anyway, to celebrate the paperback release, I threw an awesome (if I do say so myself!) Palooza at the Huntington Public Library.

Despite it being one of the first sunny and warm weekend days of the year, we had a pretty full house and an extraordinary group of kids who stayed for the WHOLE event, from 90-Second Read Aloud through the book sale & signing, through the tween & teen only Writers Workshop!

It was a four-hour day -- not sure I'd ever make it that long again, though it flew! -- and the kids all seemed to have a good time.

This awesome animoto video was made by teacher extraordinaire Kristen Picone who brought so many enthusiastic students to the event, it truly blew all us authors away!

https://animoto.com/play/bVwluaELhTTu...

Those are some lucky kids in HER class!!!

That's Kristen with some of her students!
Here are a few photos from the event. If you want to see more, you can find the link to the whole album on my Facebook author page HERE.



Matt Blackstone, reading from SORRY YOU'RE LOST
a perennial favorite of mine

A student, ready with the bell! All those other hands up,
waiting for their turn with the Power of the Bell!

Listening to readings. . . 


Tracey Baptiste, THE JUMBIES

Charlotte Bennardo, BLONDE OPS



me, reading from SUMMER about kissing. . . 


Me, with the extraordinary Lynda Mullaly Hunt of
ONE FOR THE MURPHY's and FISH IN A TREE...
who drove 6-hrs round trip to be with us for the day!!!Huge thanks again to the eight wonderful authors who shared the day with me including those pictured above and: Henry Clark, THE BOOK THAT PROVES TIME TRAVEL HAPPENS; Sarah Darer Littman, BACKLASH; Selene Castrovilla, MELT; Kat Yeh, THE TRUTH ABOUT TWINKIE PIE!

I've got a few more events planned and some more writing workshops I'm teaching both locally and not so locally, but maybe local for you! 
First, TOMORROW, I will be at the Fourth Annual AUTHORS UNLIMITED Festival at St. Joseph's college in Patchogue, NY. Promises to be a fun day with lots of awesome authors, so if you're local, PLEASE join us!


Then, coming up in July, I will be teaching a one-night Novel Writing Workshop at the Walt Whitman Birthplace. Please pre-register. The cost is subsidized and a mere $15. 
Also, coming up in October (and I'm super excited about this . . . though I still hope the time passes slowly as I need my summer and my open water swim season to last!!), I will be one of three instructors, along with the incredible Amy Ferris (!! Who I'm going to finally get to meet in person!) and Beverly Donofrio at the PEEC Women of Our Words Writing Retreat. I think if you register before June 1st, there's an early bird special!! So call soon!
Working on some other summer book plans, including to return to the amazing EIGHT COUSINS bookstore in Falmouth, MA. 


Me, showing my section in 59 Reasons. . . !And, of course, our fourth (!?!?) summer of Teachers Write! Is that possible? Word about start dates should be coming soon! In the meantime, if you haven't heard, Kate Messner's amazing book, 59 Reasons to Write, based on the virtual summer camp program is out now! And if you're thinking about joining this summer, do make sure to join our Facebook page. . . lots of information gets shared there!
So many good things. 
Braved the water on April 18th with two other hardy pals!!!Anyway, that's all the book catching up to do for now. In the meantime, if you need me, you know where to find me. Some harbor off the Long Island Sound. Already been in... it was freezing, but grand!!!


Thanks for reading here and there any everywhere!


xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Sarah Darer Littman

Sarah Darer Littman, 
strumming about Summer...Less than two weeks to our Author Palooza on April 19th at the Huntington Public Library. YOU CAN CLICK THIS LINK TO REGISTER!

Several amazing MG and YA authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 
You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please join the event page and follow along in the fun.

So, over the past few weeks, I've been asking the guest authors to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer five random questions from a big list I provided and I've been sharing  their answers (and chiming in with a few of my own in pink ...)


Up today with her five random answers to Five Random Questions is guest author Sarah Darer Littman, 
author of WANT TO GO PRIVATE? 
and the forthcoming BACKLASH,  
and several other amazing novels for tweens and teens. Sarah is also a smart and eloquent journalist, and you should follow and read her everywhere possible!
You can read all about Sarah HERE. 


Before we get started with Sarah's five answers, here's a favorite writing quote of hers that helps her stay motivated and focused: 
“The main rule of the writer is never to pity your manuscript. If you see something you know is no good, throw it away and begin again. A lot of writers have failed because they have too much pity. They have already worked so much that they cannot just throw it away. But I say the wastepaper basket is the writer’s best friend.” -Isaac Bashevis Singer


Now on to  Five Random Questions with Sarah Darer Littman ... 


1. What's one of your silliest memories from childhood? 

My late father was involved with espionage (although we didn’t know it at the time) so we had all sorts of code words and phrases. One particularly silly one was if our Pekinese, Ming (the Merciless) had pooped on a walk, the phrase was “Mr. Brown left a parcel.”                2.  What's the dumbest thing you ever did?
There isn’t enough space on this blog to list all the dumb things I have done. It’s really amazing that *I* survived to adulthood - or, quite frankly, that I am still surviving as an adult.  But the important thing is to keep learning from your dumb mistakes.

3. Okay, we can't milk specifics there, so... what's the cruelest/funniest thing you ever did to a sibling?
I put my younger sister in my doll carriage and started pushing her down our long and graded driveway. And then, oops, I let go of the handle. IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, I SWEAR! And then there was a pothole and the end of the driveway, and the carriage wheel hit the pothole and…yep, my younger sister went flying. 
But I wasn’t as bad as my older brother, who tricked my younger sister into the washing basket at the top of the stairs pretending it was a roller coaster - and then pushed her down. 
Frankly, it’s amazing my younger sister survived to adulthood. But she did - and she’s amazing and smart and funny and has two amazing smart and funny kids of her own!

4. What unique skill do you possess?
This isn’t a unique skill, but I have an extremely ANNOYING skill of having a song for every occasion, and an extremely awful tuneless voice to sing it in. This is the cross my children must bear, and they bear it with loud and frequent complaints. 

5. What did you want to be when you grew up?
The first thing I ever remember wanting to be was an airline stewardess. That’s what they were called then, because I’m old. It’s funny because now I hate flying, but I think my desire was more about the fact that I love going to new places and experiencing different cultures and meeting people who might live and think differently than I do, but looking for our common experiences. I thought about a career in the State Department when I was in college. 
In high school, I knew I wanted to be a writer but Dad said “You’ll never make a living as an English major.” 
It took me 38 years and hospitalization for a breakdown before I finally found the courage to listen to high school me and follow my dream. 
Sarah, what a brave, honest answer to share. Thank you. As for the stewardess part, me too (and me too on the ix-nay on the eyeing-flay now...) except for me, I think it was more about the outfits they wore back then. So glamorous! (I'm old too!)
So, there you have it. . . some advice and a few random things about author Sarah Darer Littman. Hope you'll check out all of her books, and if you're anywhere local, that you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! 
Registration is open! 
And don't forget to order a paperback copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO if you can't come to the Palooza to get a signed one!
xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Matt Blackstone

Matt Blackstone, toeing it. . . To celebrate the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO -- now out on shelves everywhere!!! -- I'll be hosting a reading and writing (!!) Author Palooza on April 19th at the Huntington Public Library. That's less than three weeks away!

Several amazing kidlit, MG and YA book authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 
You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please  join the page and follow the fun.

So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked each guest author to answer five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! (Sometimes I chime in with my own answer to the occasional question in pink ...)


Up today, guest author Matt Blackstone.

author of SORRY YOU'RE LOST  

and A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE. 

I invite Matt (beg him to come)  to ALL of my 90-Second Read events because he's one of my all-time favorite guys to listen to read aloud.

Seriously, I'm telling you, Matt alone is worth the price of (the totally free)  admission. You are getting way more than your money's worth.

You can read all about Matt HERE. 


Now on to  Five Random Questions with Matt Blackstone ... 


1. What did you want to be when you grew up? 

No brainer: professional athlete.  It's why I practiced my signature day in and day out in middle school.  What, we were supposed to be learning something in middle school?  Oh.  Well, I learned how to make a professional-looking signature for the day when the Phillies drafted me.  That big day, when after years of hard work on the JV team, varsity team, and college team paid off.  Wait, what?  I didn't make the JV or varsity or college team?  Well then what did I practice my signature for?  (Yes, signing books is cool, but somehow not as cool as being Derek Jeter).

              2.  What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you? 



Anything embarrassing is good writing material.  When I was in elementary school, my dad used to walk down the stairs in his underwear the morning after a sleepover.  It was humiliating.  So I wrote about it in A SCARY SCENE IN A SCARY MOVIE: 


Even though I am firecracker mad at my mom for bringing Phil back, it’s not my mission to make her late today.  No, today’s mission is to ask Gio what to do about Phil.  I unlock my door and walk to the kitchen for breakfast.  somewhere in these pages,
Matt's father roams...And lose my appetite immediately. Phil, in his large white underwear, with his large stomach drooping over the elastic strip, is flipping pancakes. His hairy chest and hairy back and hairy stomach and hairy legs and hairy feet have gotten—hairier. The sizzling batter is bubbling.  It smells like burnt butter. Phil, with all of his red chest and back and stomach hair, is standing over the griddle, manning my breakfast, and I don’t know scares me the most: Phil being in my house, Phil being in his underwear, or all Phil’s hairs falling in the pancake batter and hiding in all of my pancakes and then burying themselves in my stomach until I choke on them and Mr. Head has to give me the Heimlich maneuver which won’t work because he doesn’t know the Heimlich maneuver so the nurse will have to rush me to the hospital in a screaming red and white ambulance until the doctor reaches down my throat and says, “There we go, kiddo, I got it.  You swallowed a hair, probably belonging to a large man, most likely from the large man’s back, and this large man, as confirmed by DNA testing, is your father.”     “Good morning, sport,” Phil says, licking pancake batter with his right index finger.  “Don’t forget your breakfast.

3. What's the cruelest/funniest thing you ever did to a sibling?
I poured applesauce on his head for a very good reason: Because.

4. What unique skill do you possess?
I can't help but think of Liam Neeson in this clip from TAKEN talking about his unique set of skills.  Liam and I don't share the same skills.  My skills are more in the writing, reading, and making funny noises categories.  They are a lot less intimidating than Liam's skills. 

5. Do you appear in any of your books? If so, which character is most like you?
If you liked my books, then I am the likable characters.  If you didn't like my books, I don't appear in any of my books.


So, there you have it. . .  a few random things about author Matt Blackstone. 

Hope you'll check out all his books, and if you're anywhere local, that you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! 
Registration begins April 6th! 
And don't forget to order a paperback copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO. 
xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Charlotte Bennardo

Charlotte Bennardo kicks up some Summer...
We're getting closer and closer to the THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO paperback release Author Palooza on April 19th at the Huntington Public Library!!!

Several amazing MG and young adult authors will be joining me to help celebrate, first in a 90-Second Read Aloud Event, and then for a hands-on writers workshop. I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little bit in the weeks leading up to the event. 
You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please join the event page and follow along in the fun.

So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked the guest authors to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! You'll see! 


Over the past weeks, I've been sharing their answers (and may even chime in with my own answer to the occasional question in pink ...).


Add caption
Up today, guest author Charlotte Bennardo,
co-author of the SIRENZ series and BLONDE OPS, which Publisher's Weekly called,  "...a light mystery with entertaining dialogue, an energized pace, ever shifting suspects and a glimpse into the benefits and drawbacks of art and fame..."
You can read more about Charlotte HERE and HERE.


Okay, before we get started with Charlotte's five questions, here's a clear bit of writing advice from her: 
“Be persistent and consistent!"

Voila! Only Nike's motto is shorter and more concise. 

Now on to  Five Random Questions with Charlotte ... 


1. What's the cruelest/funniest thing you ever did to a sibling? 

*giggles. I held my sister for ransom - 2 Ring Dings. I actually tied her up, gagged her, put her in my toy box, then locked the closet door where the toybox was. Man did I get in trouble for that! (But I got my Ring Dings....)                2.  Do you appear in any of your own books?
Part of me appears in the Sirenz series - Sharisse is blonde and tall like me, and can be snarky (ok, bitchy) like me, but I don't have her fashion sense.

3. What's the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you?
Sitting in the front row during a comedy show. When the comedian found out I was part Swedish, he asked me if I wore Viking breastplates. And proceeded to embarrass me all night long...

4. What unique skill do you possess?
I can talk like Elmo. And Carol Kane (from Scrooged). I can audition for the right price.

5. Tell us about your first kiss?
Ahh. I was 16, had a mouthful of braces, and it was a boy down the street. Holy smokes, I never knew a kiss could be like that...


So, there you have it. . . some advice and a few random things about author Charlotte Bennardo. Hope you'll check out all of her books, and if you're anywhere local, that you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! 
Registration begins April 6th! 
And don't forget to order a paperback copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO.  You can watch the new trailer HERE. 

xox gae

SUMMER turns one. . .

B&N Carle Place Long IslandGood lord but time flies.

Noting today's date for some other reason this morning,I just realized that it's the one-year anniversary of the official release of my second novel, THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO 
which also nearly coincides with its official paperback release March 31st, 
though the paperback has already begun popping up on shelves everywhere.









It's been a wonderful book year.

I've gotten some amazing critical reviews from the likes of the New York Times Book Review (!!!), School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews, I won another Nerdy Book Club Award for best Young Adult fiction (!!! -- that's two gold statuettes on my mantle) and, most importantly, received some truly lovely and moving emails and tweets from tween and teen readers who have connected deeply with the Frankies. 




















And, why YES! Boys do love THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO!

I even have more than one photo to prove it:


I've also visited with some amazing schools and book clubs both via Skype and in person and done some really awesome events where it's hard to decide the best part: the readers or the other amazing authors I have the privilege to meet and read with!   
Like reader Francesca who was super excited to read a book with a main character named after her!



Like new pal, Alan Katz, author of the Take Me Out to the Bathtub books and the forthcoming, The Day the Mustache Took Over...




Seriously, I love the look on his face there. . . and the admiration is mutual. . . 

and like the extraordinary Léna Roy, Wendy Corsi Staub, Barbara Dee, Nora Raleigh Baskin and many others!



... and I must say, seeing that New York Times Book Review quote on the back of the paperback is pretty darn amazing!

I'm super hopeful with the release of the paperback this week that my book will find its way into the hands of even more readers. If you have read it and loved it, I remind you again how helpful on line reviews are to an author and to keeping their book in the public eye.
As for the coming months, my calendar is chockfull of events and appearances, including my paperback release PALOOZA & writers workshop (join the page even if you can't join us in person!) and the AUTHORS UNLIMITED BOOK FESTIVAL.



I hope you'll join me when you can, and share my titles with your friends.
With gratitude,
xox
gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Henry Clark

Author Henry Clark, digging for Summer...  pssst... notwithstanding the official 3/31 "on sale" date, the TSOLG paperback seems to be available everywhere now... so please go buy your copy, tell two friends, etc.

To celebrate the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO on March 31st, I'm super excited to announce that I am hosting a reading and writing (!!) Author Palooza on April 29th at the Huntington Public Library.

Several other amazing kidlit, MG and young adult authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 
You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please join the event page and follow along in the fun.



So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked the guest authors to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer at least five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! You'll see! 
So, over the next several weeks, I will share their answers (and may even chime in with my own answer to the occasional question in pink ...)



Up today, guest author and fellow Long Islander Henry Clark, author of WHAT WE FOUND IN THE SOFA AND HOW IT SAVED THE WORLD and the forthcoming 
THE BOOK THAT PROVES TIME TRAVEL HAPPENS! 
You can read all about Henry HERE.  And you can watch his recent interview with Betsy Bird of Fuse 8 HERE!


Henry's favorite piece of writing advice: 
"Write what you want to read. If you're lucky, other readers will have similar tastes."

I love that, don't you?

Now on to  Five Random Questions ... (p.s. between you and me, I'm doubting any of Henry's answers are true...)

1. Do you have a nickname? 

No. (After Dr. Julius No, the villain in the eponymous James Bond thriller. It's an unfortunate nickname, in that it sometimes leads to confusion when people ask me if I have a nickname.)                2.  What's the cruelest/funniest thing you ever did to a sibling?
I'm an only child, so the sibling thing never came up. I did once, however, put an imaginary whoopee cushion on the chair of my imaginary friend. I had to make the farting noise myself, though, so it sort of backfired.

3. Worst did you want to be when you grew up?
A writer. Instead, I spent thirty years working for the Nassau County Department of Parks and Rec. This has severely hampered my other goal, to become a motivational speaker.

4. Grossest thing you ever ate?
Squid in its own ink. I later felt remorse, realizing I had probably eaten a cephalopod with literary ambitions.

5. ... one thing we might see on your bucket list?
Live forever.

So, there you have it. . . some advice and a few random things about author Henry Clark you still don't actually know. No? Hope you'll check out his books, and if you're anywhere local, you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! 
Registration begins April 6th! 
And don't forget to grab your copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO. 
xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Tracey Baptiste

Tracey, knee deep in Summer and sand.
To celebrate the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO on March 31st, I'm super excited to announce that I am hosting a reading and writing (!!) Author Palooza on April 29th at the Huntington Public Library.

Several other amazing kidlit, MG and YA book authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 
You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please  join the page and follow the fun.


So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked each guest author to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! You'll see! 
So, over the next several weeks, I will share their answers (and may even chime in with my own answer -- or comment -- to the occasional question in pink ...)

Up today, guest author Tracey Baptiste, author of the forthcoming THE JUMBIES, on sale April 28th!! 



With its able and gutsy heroine, lyrical narration, and inventive twist on the classic Haitian folktale “The Magic Orange Tree,” The Jumbies will be a favorite of fans of Breadcrumbs, A Tale Dark and Grimm, and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon. 
Don't know what a Jumbie is? Here's a field guide. 




You can read all about Tracey HERE. 


I asked Tracy to share one of her favorite quotes about writing and I must say, I love it:
One of my favorite writing quotes is really about doing research, and it’s from a book I reread often, On Writing Well by William Zinsser: 

“If your mother says she loves you, find a second source.” It’s based on an old newspaper adage about double-checking facts, something that’s great to keep in mind when I write and edit nonfiction.

Now on to  Five Random Questions with Tracey Baptiste ... 


1. When was your first kiss? 

I’m sorry to tell you that my first real kiss was when I was 13, which is even more frightening when I think about my daughter fast approaching 13. It was at a party that I went to with my cousin (also 13) in a small village in south Trinidad. On weekends, people would throw parties and they were innocent enough that our parents would let us go for a few hours. Older kids could stay later, but my cousin and I had to leave around 10. Anyway, I started dancing with a boy, and he kissed me. I was surprised, and also trapped because the back of my shirt was caught on something. I eventually ripped away and ruined a perfectly good shirt. It wasn’t that I minded him kissing me. He and I dated for a bit after, but I was just surprised and uncomfortable, and sort of grumpy because I really liked that shirt.
              2.  Got any nicknames? 


My mom used to call me Nat, short for Natalie, my middle name. My first name was supposed to be Natalie, but my dad was the one who went to do my birth certificate (they didn’t do them in the hospital with both parents present in Trinidad. Someone had to go to the Registrar’s office and fill out the forms) and when he did, he gave me a name similar to my two older cousins that ended in “y” and had a hyphenated “Ann.” So my real name is actually Tracey-Ann, just like my cousins Debby-Ann and Shelly-Ann. Anyway, my mother refused to call me Tracey-Ann, and called me Nat. Even when she called me by my first name she never used the Ann. When I got married, I officially dropped it.



3. What's the grossest thing you ever ate?

I must admit, I'm having a bit of a hard time, cutting and pasting Tracey's answer here. . . *holds nose* Here goes:


I think a lot of people would find blood pudding super gross, but I grew up eating it, and it’s delicious. It’s literally pig blood in pig intestines. So yeah, gross, but also a delicacy in Ireland and in Trinidad, where I grew up. I like it warm on freshly-baked bread with a little pepper sauce on it. Now I’m hungry. Thanks.
*gags* (No, seriously)


4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
Amazingly, I always wanted to be a writer. You’d think I would have gotten started sooner with my career since I never really deviated from the plan, but here we are.

5. If your superpower wasn't writing, what other superpower would you choose?
I always wished I had the power of mind control, specifically to control what people see. As a small, brown-skinned girl, I always felt intimidated, especially after I moved to the United States at the age of fifteen. I noticed very quickly that people who were brown were treated differently from people who were white, and I wished that in some situations, I could make people see me as a different person just to see how the reaction would change. 


So, there you have it. . .  a few random things about author Tracey Baptiste, including that last poignant one. 

Hope you'll check out all Tracey's books and look for her forthcoming THE JUMBIES, and if you're anywhere local, that you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! 
Registration begins April 6th! 



And don't forget to preorder THE JUMBIES and a paperback copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO. 
xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Kat Yeh

Kat, letting go in the sun! To celebrate the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO on March 31st, I'm super excited to announce that I am hosting a reading and writing (!!) Author Palooza at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th, 2015.

Several other amazing kidlit, MG and young adult authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 

You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please join the event page and follow along in the fun.


So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked the guest authors to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! You'll see! 
So, over the next several weeks, I will share their answers (and may even chime in with my own answer to the occasional question in pink ...)


Adorable Kat. 
Up today, guest author Kat Yeh, author of the brand spanking new THE TRUTH ABOUT TWINKIE PIE which Kirkus Reviews called ". . . stuffed with charm."

You can read all about Kat HERE. 



I asked Kat to share her favorite piece of writing advice and she said,
"Write the book only You can write. I can't remember who said that - maybe a lot of people have, but it makes such complete sense. Why would you ever want to write as someone else? Only you can say and write and express that which is completely and utterly You."

Now on to  Five Random Questions with Kat Yeh ...


1. What did you want to be when you grew up? 

Why a writer of course. And an artist. I think as long as I'm using creative energy, I'm happy.   (so, then, apparently, I'm one of the few who didn't know I wanted to BE a writer from an early age. I mean, I loved to write, always, but never dreamed I could be a writer... some of the other realistic and unrealistic things *I wanted to be when I grew up in likely order of appearance: an olympic gymnast [silver medalist not gold, not because i was realistic, but because i preferred the look of silver jewelry over gold...]; a broadway actress ["it's a hard knock life..."]; a medical examiner ["I'm Quincy, dammit!"]; an entertainment manager, and a lawyer... which i went with. )

2. What's the grossest thing you ever ate?
  
Sea Cucumber. I was very young and I thought it was going to be some sort of underwater vegetable (makes sense right?) - and NOT a sea slug whose defense in the underwater world is to turn itself inside out, revealing its innards, and making itself so repulsive that no creature would consider eating it. Except of course, humans.


3. Worst job you ever had?
During my freelance writing days, a friend hired me to write copy on a consumer pamphlet. It turned out to be for Lysol and on How To Clean A Toilet. For someone deeply wanting to connect and express myself creatively, it was a definite low. 


4. Which one book do you wish YOU wrote?

The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsley


5. Besides writing, what's one superpower you wish you had? 

Obviously, the ability to spread peace and kindness and empathy.



So, there you have it. . . some advice and a few random things about Kat Yeh. Hope you'll check out all her books, and if you're anywhere local, you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! Registration begins April 6th! And don't forget to preorder a paperback copy of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO. 



Just a bunch of authors waiting for Summer.

xox gae

#TSOLG Paperback Palooza: Five Random Questions with Selene Castrovilla

Selene, soaking in some Summer.To celebrate the paperback release of THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO on March 31st, I'm super excited to announce that I am hosting a reading and writing (!!) Author Palooza at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th, 2015.

Several other amazing kidlit, MG and young adult authors will be joining me for the fun and hands-on writers workshop, and I thought it would be nice to get to know them -- and me -- a little in the weeks leading up to the event. 

You may read all about the event HERE on the facebook event page, and even if you can't come to the event live, please join the event page and follow along in the fun.

So, on to the getting-to-know-them part of the festivities... 
I've asked the guest authors to share their favorite piece of writing advice (or quotes that have helped or inspired them) as well as to answer five random questions from a big list I provided. Many of their answers are quite entertaining! You'll see! 
Over the next several weeks, I will share their answers here (and may even chime in with my own answer to the occasional question in pink ...)

So, first up today, guest author and fellow Long Islander Selene Castrovilla, author of MELT, THE GIRL NEXT DOOR, SAVED BY THE MUSIC and several other books for children and teens. You can read all about Selene HERE. 
Her newest novel, MELT, a dark and edgy YA was described by Kirkus reviews as, 
You can "look inside" MELT HERE.
"A fresh, emotionally complex bildungsroman of young American love that looks long and hard at violence, and at what can overcome it.” 
I'm in the middle of MELT now and loving it, though know it's a dark and edgy story to read...  
If you want to follow Selene on Twitter you should do so @SCastrovilla and on facebook HERE.

Okay, here we go:


Selene's favorite piece of writing (and life) advice: 

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can't –you're right.”  -Henry Ford

(I love that one too!)
... and, this one: 
“I saw the angel in the marble and carved until I set him free.”-Michelangelo


Now on to Five Random Questions ...
1. What's your silliest childhood memory? 

One of my silliest memories was starting a singing duo with my friend Miriam. We called it “The Scarecrow and Selene” inspired by “The Captain and Tennille.” She wore a purple straw hat we for some reason had, and I wore a flannel, flowered nightgown. We sang the songs which came on some solid gold hits of the 70's album I'd ordered from TV. Thank goodness performances were limited to my living room.                - funny, I have an eerily similar one with my sister, except we were Sonny & Cher. . . you don't need to know more. 
2.  What's the grossest food you ever ate?
Frogs' legs, in France.


3. Worst job you ever had?
I was a gas station attendant. It was smelly, and I had to pump gas in the pouring rain. Also, the uniform was unflattering. I was a freshman in college, and boy was this job motivation to stay in school!I don't have any secrets. I've written about them all. Oh, maybe one: I often pretended to play the flute during band recitals, because I was afraid I would make a mistake.


4. Most embarrassing thing. . . ?
I could never do gymnastics in gym. I sucked at everything in gym, but gymnastics was the worst, because it was one person at a time and everyone was watching. Over and over I had to run up to that horse thing, and I could never make it across. Once the gym teacher kept me hanging over the edge, and pointed out my purple socks to everyone. I felt humiliated, not because he showed my socks but because of the way he was prolonging my embarrassment. It was also pretty bad when they picked teams for sports games. I was always one of the last people on the side, and the captains would sigh when they were forced to take me. I could write a book just about gym. It would be a sad book.
 - oh that would be a sad book and is a very sad tale! (*hugs teenage Selene*) And, seriously, what the eff is it about gym class...?!?

However, I will say that suck as I may have at everything else, I was a gymnast as a kid, but was HORRIBLE at team sports, and, so, was picked last for the teams too! If you slow-pitched a ball to me (then and now still) I could hit zero pitches out of ten. Possibly, negative one. p.s. Selene, you'll notice I put all your answers in purple! 


5. What's your most useless skill/ability?
I can sing the preamble to the Constitution (learned on School House Rock.)


Which author will lead YOUR workshop ...???
Join us to see!So, there you have it. . . some advice and a few random things about Selene. Hope you'll check out all her books, and if you're anywhere local, you'll join us at the Huntington Public Library on April 19th for the reading, book signing and, if you're a tween or teen writer, the hands-on writers workshop with all these fabulous authors! Registration begins April 6th! And, If you haven't read THE SUMMER OF LETTING GO yet, or want to gift a copy to someone you love, please preorder a paperback copy. 

Nothing makes an author happier (or helps more!) than preorders. . .  
xox gae