Augusta Scattergood's Blog, page 11
May 18, 2017
School's Out! (well almost)
A few photos from my almost-summer school connections.
When author Kirby Larson suggested to her many friends and fans that we make a connection to be kinder, take notice of our world, and to all-out celebrate the late author Amy Krouse Rosenthal via her #MoreforAKR campaign, my first thought was one of my favorite nearby schools, Wauchula Elementary. I emailed the librarian, Mary Idsardi, and invited myself for a visit. She accepted my invitation and made a party of the day. I brought books. She had the yellow umbrella. I know Amy would have enjoyed the yellow, the red velvet cake and the ice tea. I sure did.
Here's a post about my previous visit to Wauchula Elementary to celebrate my own book, THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY. Mary also outdid herself with that. She's one of those special librarians who not only loves books, she loves her kids.
I love to SKYPE also. Especially with such well-prepared students. Here I am Skyping with Kellee Moye's Book Club, down the road a piece in Orlando.
(Perhaps the best student question relating to MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG in a while. Maybe ever. At least from a writer's perspective. I hope I remember it right. Juan: "Did you intentionally give Azalea all those exclamations like Holy Moly Mashed Potatoes? Were they part of her personality as you saw her?" Yes, I did. She may have been a quiet kid, but inside her head, she was exclaiming.)
I had two more fun local school visits that I don't have many photos of. But here I am talking about creating characters from real people. That's my brother-in-law, inspiration and advisor for Robbie in GLORY BE, on the left. And a picture of Ruth Hart's dance class on the right. The students at Countryside Christian School asked great questions and were so much fun to talk to.
Then off to my old stompin' grounds. I know. Some of you don't equate me and New Jersey, but this is The Kent Place School, the actual school where I worked for over ten years. They invited me back. The library felt like home. Especially when I saw these books smiling at me.
And the librarian, my friend Deborah Afir, makes me so proud!
The girls were excited, well-read, and full of great questions.
I'm still smiling about a comment from my friend who teaches science and took the photos. Becky Van Ry, quoting her daughter: "She put down the date-due stamp and picked up a pen."
Yes, I did. But it still feels nice to be back in a school media center.
Afterwards, I moseyed from Summit to Madison, NJ, stopping for a treat at this place. Anybody recognize the Magic Fountain? I almost didn't!
Downtown Madison now has a lovely little independent bookstore, Short Stories. Here I am with two of my former teachers, my good friends Pat Casey and Edee Zabriskie. A few years ago, Pat's students brainstormed ideas for THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY when I was stuck. It's always good to talk about ideas with kids who love to read. :)
Another school visit the next day back in my old neighborhood. St. Patrick's School, Chatham, was a place I often strolled by with my sweet dogs. I was happy to visit and talk about my books but somehow nobody took any photos!
What a treat to be back in New York/ New Jersey, to see old friends and old places and make new ones.
I especially enjoyed pulling out a few sweaters.
The weather was gorgeous. I'd wandered all over the city for the weekend,
before heading to New Jersey to share thoughts on writing and books.
Thank you to all the teachers and librarians who've invited me to your schools, who've Skyped, who've prepared your students and sold my books and let me share just a bit of my story with you.
Have a great summer!
When author Kirby Larson suggested to her many friends and fans that we make a connection to be kinder, take notice of our world, and to all-out celebrate the late author Amy Krouse Rosenthal via her #MoreforAKR campaign, my first thought was one of my favorite nearby schools, Wauchula Elementary. I emailed the librarian, Mary Idsardi, and invited myself for a visit. She accepted my invitation and made a party of the day. I brought books. She had the yellow umbrella. I know Amy would have enjoyed the yellow, the red velvet cake and the ice tea. I sure did.
Here's a post about my previous visit to Wauchula Elementary to celebrate my own book, THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY. Mary also outdid herself with that. She's one of those special librarians who not only loves books, she loves her kids.
I love to SKYPE also. Especially with such well-prepared students. Here I am Skyping with Kellee Moye's Book Club, down the road a piece in Orlando.
(Perhaps the best student question relating to MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG in a while. Maybe ever. At least from a writer's perspective. I hope I remember it right. Juan: "Did you intentionally give Azalea all those exclamations like Holy Moly Mashed Potatoes? Were they part of her personality as you saw her?" Yes, I did. She may have been a quiet kid, but inside her head, she was exclaiming.)
I had two more fun local school visits that I don't have many photos of. But here I am talking about creating characters from real people. That's my brother-in-law, inspiration and advisor for Robbie in GLORY BE, on the left. And a picture of Ruth Hart's dance class on the right. The students at Countryside Christian School asked great questions and were so much fun to talk to.
Then off to my old stompin' grounds. I know. Some of you don't equate me and New Jersey, but this is The Kent Place School, the actual school where I worked for over ten years. They invited me back. The library felt like home. Especially when I saw these books smiling at me.
And the librarian, my friend Deborah Afir, makes me so proud!
The girls were excited, well-read, and full of great questions.
I'm still smiling about a comment from my friend who teaches science and took the photos. Becky Van Ry, quoting her daughter: "She put down the date-due stamp and picked up a pen."
Yes, I did. But it still feels nice to be back in a school media center.
Afterwards, I moseyed from Summit to Madison, NJ, stopping for a treat at this place. Anybody recognize the Magic Fountain? I almost didn't!
Downtown Madison now has a lovely little independent bookstore, Short Stories. Here I am with two of my former teachers, my good friends Pat Casey and Edee Zabriskie. A few years ago, Pat's students brainstormed ideas for THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY when I was stuck. It's always good to talk about ideas with kids who love to read. :)
Another school visit the next day back in my old neighborhood. St. Patrick's School, Chatham, was a place I often strolled by with my sweet dogs. I was happy to visit and talk about my books but somehow nobody took any photos!
What a treat to be back in New York/ New Jersey, to see old friends and old places and make new ones.
I especially enjoyed pulling out a few sweaters.
The weather was gorgeous. I'd wandered all over the city for the weekend,
before heading to New Jersey to share thoughts on writing and books.
Thank you to all the teachers and librarians who've invited me to your schools, who've Skyped, who've prepared your students and sold my books and let me share just a bit of my story with you.
Have a great summer!
May 14, 2017
Yippee!
I am thrilled to know that THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY has been nominated to the Tennessee Volunteer State Book Award's new list.
Here's a link to all the books.
(Wow, my book is in great company!)
By last count, that makes four kids' book lists for my second book.
Whenever I speak to kids, they invariably ask, "Which of your books is your favorite?"
I usually give them the stock answer: I love them all equally, just like parents love all their children the same.
But then, sometimes, I confess that one makes me happy one day, another a different day.
So if you ask me that question this week, DESTINY it is!
Thank you, Tennessee librarians. Having lived the first part of my life 111 miles south of Memphis on the Blues Highway, I am truly honored.
Here's a link to all the books.
(Wow, my book is in great company!)
By last count, that makes four kids' book lists for my second book.
Whenever I speak to kids, they invariably ask, "Which of your books is your favorite?"
I usually give them the stock answer: I love them all equally, just like parents love all their children the same.
But then, sometimes, I confess that one makes me happy one day, another a different day.
So if you ask me that question this week, DESTINY it is!
Thank you, Tennessee librarians. Having lived the first part of my life 111 miles south of Memphis on the Blues Highway, I am truly honored.
April 24, 2017
Nerd for the Day!
One of my favorite things to do is nerd out about books.
I'm always proud to be featured on the NerdyBookClub blog.
I constantly borrow names. In fact, tomorrow I'm driving to Wachula Elementary School down a road named Moccasin Hollow Road.
(Whoa! I'll be on the lookout for critters on that trip. )
School visits are a great place to discover interesting character names.
Can't you just imagine this girl in a story?
What are some of your favorite borrowed names?
I'm always proud to be featured on the NerdyBookClub blog.
I constantly borrow names. In fact, tomorrow I'm driving to Wachula Elementary School down a road named Moccasin Hollow Road.
(Whoa! I'll be on the lookout for critters on that trip. )
School visits are a great place to discover interesting character names.
Can't you just imagine this girl in a story?
What are some of your favorite borrowed names?
April 12, 2017
Thanks!
Two lovely things happened this week.
My buddy and book sibling (Glory Be and May B.), Caroline Starr Rose, shared that Glory was listed as one of the Top Ten Historical Fiction Favorites for Tweens. You can find the list HERE.
Caroline is also writing about SUCCESS on her own blog, what it means to writers. I'm following with interest. You might want to also.
And this blogger gave MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG a truly lovely review.
There's also a giveaway going on at that blog. I'm not sure how long it will last but hurry on over and throw your name in the hat for a signed copy of my book.
The last paragraph of the review really made my day.
"The characters are complex, palpably real, and easy to like and relate to. The setting gives a real taste of small-town America in the 1950s. The story is rich and the writing is simply lovely. This is a book that deserves readership far beyond its intended middle-grade audience. I loved it. Honestly, I think this one just might be my favorite of Augusta's books."
Wow. See what I mean?
My buddy and book sibling (Glory Be and May B.), Caroline Starr Rose, shared that Glory was listed as one of the Top Ten Historical Fiction Favorites for Tweens. You can find the list HERE.
Caroline is also writing about SUCCESS on her own blog, what it means to writers. I'm following with interest. You might want to also.
And this blogger gave MAKING FRIENDS WITH BILLY WONG a truly lovely review.
There's also a giveaway going on at that blog. I'm not sure how long it will last but hurry on over and throw your name in the hat for a signed copy of my book.
The last paragraph of the review really made my day.
"The characters are complex, palpably real, and easy to like and relate to. The setting gives a real taste of small-town America in the 1950s. The story is rich and the writing is simply lovely. This is a book that deserves readership far beyond its intended middle-grade audience. I loved it. Honestly, I think this one just might be my favorite of Augusta's books."
Wow. See what I mean?
April 5, 2017
Kaigler Festival
My friend Shannon Hitchcock and I had such fun presenting together at OUR second University of Southern Mississippi's Kaigler Children's Festival.
As promised, here are a few links from our workshop:
WRITING BRAVELY: Tackling Tough Topics With Books
Our info:
Shannon Hitchcock
twitter: @ShanonHitchcock
http://www.shannonhitchcock.com/
Augusta Scattergood
twitter: @ARScattergood
http://ascattergood.com/
Fellow writers' links we shared for learning more:
Middle Grade Books on TOUGH TOPICS
http://www.kerryomalleycerra.com/mggetsreal/
Kate Messner’sblog:
http://www.katemessner.com/remember-who-we-serve-some-thought-on-book-selection-and-omission/
Nerdy Book Club blogs:
https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/please-dont-talk-about-your-book-by-barbara-dee/
And finally, not to make light of this topic, but sharing- from my smart, funny friend Patty prettied up by my artist friend Eileen, this thought.
And that's pretty much the truth, isn't it?
As promised, here are a few links from our workshop:
WRITING BRAVELY: Tackling Tough Topics With Books
Our info:
Shannon Hitchcock
twitter: @ShanonHitchcock
http://www.shannonhitchcock.com/
Augusta Scattergood
twitter: @ARScattergood
http://ascattergood.com/
Fellow writers' links we shared for learning more:
Middle Grade Books on TOUGH TOPICS
http://www.kerryomalleycerra.com/mggetsreal/
Kate Messner’sblog:
http://www.katemessner.com/remember-who-we-serve-some-thought-on-book-selection-and-omission/
Nerdy Book Club blogs:
https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2017/03/23/please-dont-talk-about-your-book-by-barbara-dee/
And finally, not to make light of this topic, but sharing- from my smart, funny friend Patty prettied up by my artist friend Eileen, this thought.
And that's pretty much the truth, isn't it?
March 30, 2017
Making Friends With Billy Wong
Thank you to a new (to me) book blogger for this excellent review . She listened to the audio of my newest book, and I agree that the audio is "excellent, with two perfect narrators."
Here's just one of the paragraphs that made me swoon with delight. Truly, when you work as hard as we do to get a story from our heads to the finished book, a review like this makes you believe it was worth that effort!
"As always in her immersive novels, Scattergood tells a warm story of childhood while also addressing important issues of race, poverty, and justice. I think this novel will be eye-opening for many modern children, whose classrooms today include plenty of Asian-American kids, to find out about this particular form of racism that was prevalent so recently. That is, of course, just one thread of this engaging story about friendship and family, as Azalea not only makes a new friend but also gets closer to her grandmother and learns her family history."
March 20, 2017
THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY
I'm having a Destiny Day.
First, my wonderful agent and editor shared the news that my book was nominated -> for this nice award.
The other books on the list make me swoon. I'm very proud!
And then the mail came.
Really, there isn't much better to reward writers for all the hard work than getting a note from a reader who really connected with your book.
I answered it right away. But I'm still smiling.
Since he, like Theo, is a baseball fan and a music lover, I used one of my Elvis stamps.
My favorite line:
"It made me cry when Uncle Raymond had the talk with Theo. I'm glad that I have caring parents that love me."
First, my wonderful agent and editor shared the news that my book was nominated -> for this nice award.
The other books on the list make me swoon. I'm very proud!
And then the mail came.
Really, there isn't much better to reward writers for all the hard work than getting a note from a reader who really connected with your book.
I answered it right away. But I'm still smiling.
Since he, like Theo, is a baseball fan and a music lover, I used one of my Elvis stamps.
My favorite line:
"It made me cry when Uncle Raymond had the talk with Theo. I'm glad that I have caring parents that love me."
March 14, 2017
Batter Up
SOAR!
My exclamation point, not Joan Bauer's.
I love this book a lot.
Such great characters. So funny, yet poignant and serious.
So much subtext. I think SOAR will provoke great discussions.
There are so many quotes I could share. I like this one:
Uncle Jack, who was very good at cards, always told me, "It's not the hand you're dealt that matters--it's the way you play it."
And since we're big into spring training here in Florida, you may need to read these baseball books on my Pinterest board.
If you're still craving more baseball book connections, CLICK HERE for a fun interview Wendy Shang and I did about our own baseball books, The Way to Stay in Destiny and The Way Home Looks Now.
My exclamation point, not Joan Bauer's.
I love this book a lot.
Such great characters. So funny, yet poignant and serious.
So much subtext. I think SOAR will provoke great discussions.
There are so many quotes I could share. I like this one:
Uncle Jack, who was very good at cards, always told me, "It's not the hand you're dealt that matters--it's the way you play it."
And since we're big into spring training here in Florida, you may need to read these baseball books on my Pinterest board.
If you're still craving more baseball book connections, CLICK HERE for a fun interview Wendy Shang and I did about our own baseball books, The Way to Stay in Destiny and The Way Home Looks Now.
February 26, 2017
Quote of the Day
“The first essential in any book is that it have something significant to say --a book that leaves the reader with bigger ideas than when he began reading - that stimulates his thinking, stretches his mind, deepens his feelings. A good book sticks to your ribs.”
Rebecca Caudill (for whom the Illinois Young Reader's Book Award is named)
Rebecca Caudill (for whom the Illinois Young Reader's Book Award is named)
February 19, 2017
Looking Back
My blog has a birthday! February 22, 2008 was my very first entry.
I reviewed books, talked about writing, shared links. Blogs were fairly new and not quite as ubiquitous back then.
A lot of my early entries talked about memories. And people I knew.
Yesterday I walked at my favorite park in St. Petersburg, listening to a great podcast. I highly recommend the NCTE's WHY I WRITE podcasts. Not only does it make walking fun, I learn something. THIS ONE by Sharon Draper was yesterday's listen.
She talked about how she came to write STELLA BY STARLIGHT, her grandmother's journal, her summers in the south. And although the book was inspired by her grandmother, it wasn't about her grandmother.
I love it when kids ask questions about my stories' truths and whether my characters are real people, people I know.
Because characters often are based on real people, and they certainly begin with the truth.
In the spirit of those early blog entries, and in my newly revived effort to review more books where it counts (Amazon and GoodReads, places that mean a lot to books), here's a book about real people and life stories turning into book characters.
Fans of Lois Lowry- this one's for you.
And for a lot of readers who appreciate how authors come to their stories.
And for authors who struggle to find stories and then discover they are right in their own backyard. Or at least the inspiration for a story is!
From the chapter titled BOOK WRITING.
"The Mystery of the Girl Who Lived in a Tower," Anastasia write dreamily.
Then she looked at that title. Good grief. It sounded like a Nancy Drew title. Probably on the library shelf of thelve thousand Nancy Drew books, there was already one called "The Mystery of the Tower Room" or something.
She tore that page out of her notebook and threw it away. It was much harder to write a book than she had ever realized...
I reviewed books, talked about writing, shared links. Blogs were fairly new and not quite as ubiquitous back then.
A lot of my early entries talked about memories. And people I knew.
Yesterday I walked at my favorite park in St. Petersburg, listening to a great podcast. I highly recommend the NCTE's WHY I WRITE podcasts. Not only does it make walking fun, I learn something. THIS ONE by Sharon Draper was yesterday's listen.
She talked about how she came to write STELLA BY STARLIGHT, her grandmother's journal, her summers in the south. And although the book was inspired by her grandmother, it wasn't about her grandmother.
I love it when kids ask questions about my stories' truths and whether my characters are real people, people I know.
Because characters often are based on real people, and they certainly begin with the truth.
In the spirit of those early blog entries, and in my newly revived effort to review more books where it counts (Amazon and GoodReads, places that mean a lot to books), here's a book about real people and life stories turning into book characters.
Fans of Lois Lowry- this one's for you.
And for a lot of readers who appreciate how authors come to their stories.
And for authors who struggle to find stories and then discover they are right in their own backyard. Or at least the inspiration for a story is!
From the chapter titled BOOK WRITING.
"The Mystery of the Girl Who Lived in a Tower," Anastasia write dreamily.
Then she looked at that title. Good grief. It sounded like a Nancy Drew title. Probably on the library shelf of thelve thousand Nancy Drew books, there was already one called "The Mystery of the Tower Room" or something.
She tore that page out of her notebook and threw it away. It was much harder to write a book than she had ever realized...
