Annie Cardi's Blog, page 44

Tanzania, Children’s Lit, and Book Cake: the GOLDEN BOY launch party

It’s not every Thursday night you get to wear an awesome t-shirt, see pictures of African wildlife, learn about Albinism activism, eat cake, and hear a reading of a debut novelist’s awesome book. Fortunately, last Thursday was that kind of night, thanks to the Golden Boy launch party at Porter Square Books.

Tara’s in my critique group, so I was really looking forward to this event. Plus, this was the first official launch party I ever attended. As a ’14 author, I made sure to make major mental notes. Tara did a fantastic job, so I definitely have a lot to add to my “to do” list. A few things from Tara’s launch I particularly liked:

Hearing Tara talk about her own childhood growing up all over the world and dealing with the accompanying social and medical issues (like almost losing her sight from the UV rays while living in Bolivia). I love hearing about author’s backgrounds and connecting their experiences to their work.
Seeing photos from Tara’s Golden Boy research trip to Tanzania. She showed us what would have been the map of Habo’s group and photos of the real life places that inspired his journey.


Tara reading aloud from Golden Boy and hearing the crowd react to the lovely writing. So excited for people to read this one!
The swag table, complete with bookmarks, info on how to help people with albinism, a Golden Boy guest book, and real African carvings like the ones Kweli makes in the book.
A delicious cake, complete with the Golden Boy cover. (Seriously, guys, what event isn’t made better by the addition of cake?)

So many people came out for the launch and were so enthusiastic. In case you couldn’t make it , here are a few more pictures from the launch party (photos either by me or–if they’re good photos–by Julia’s husband):

Swag table

Fellow critique-ers and Golden Boy enthusiasts Lisa and Katie

Walt and me, getting psyched with funny faces

The beautiful cover cake

Tara signs books (eeee, author signings!)

I had a blast and am psyched for lots of friends’ future launch parties. Now go read Golden Boy!

Read Outside Your Genre, Eat Chocolate, and Other Writing Advice from Joss Whedon

Frequent readers of this blog will know that I’m a big Joss Whedon fan. Buffy started during my formative years and it definitely helped me figure out how to grow up and face the weirdness of middle and high school. What better person to get writing advice from than the man who makes TV shows/movies/videos that give me all the feelings?

My Whedon feelings.

This interview with Whedon has lots of fantastic advice about the writing and creating process. Even though Whedon mostly speaks to screenwriting and movie-making, I think it all still applies to writing fiction. We always hear “read a lot” as writerly advice, but I particularly like Whedon’s take on making sure to expose yourself to a lot of books/movies:

“Constantly watch things and things you don’t [normally watch]. Step outside your viewing zone, your reading zone. It’s all fodder but if you only take from one thing then it’ll show…I read The Killer Angels. It’s a very detailed, extraordinarily compelling account of the Battle of Gettysburg from the point of view of various people in it and it’s historical. It’s historically completely accurate, and the moment I put it down I created Firefly, because I was like, ‘I need to tell this story. I need to feel this immediacy. I so connect with that era, the Western and how tactile everything is and how every decision is life or death, and how hard it is and how just rich it is, and how all the characters are just so fascinating.’ But so I should be on the Millennium Falcon. Now, if I only watched sci-fi I would have just had the Millennium Falcon part, which has already been done, but finding that historical texture, it literally, I put the book down and started writing Firefly.”

How cool is that? And it makes so much sense–if you only read things within your category or genre, you’re not expanding your potential inspiration to anything that hasn’t already been written for your readers. Not that you should skip reading within your genre–I hope that if you write YA, you also enjoy YA–but it’s a great reminder to look outside of that sphere of influence. So often I feel like I have so many awesome YA titles on my to-read list that I don’t tend to as much adult fiction or non-fiction or poetry as I’d like. This seems like an excellent reason to dive into a few non-YA titles I always have on the back burner.

Make sure to click through for the rest of this excellent interview–if only because Joss also advocates the use of chocolate as writing fuel. Yeah. Dude’s a genius.

Links Galore

Lots of great links to start your week:

“You should put THIS in your book!” and other things not to say to YA authors.
Great post by Libba Bray on the despair of writing or, as I like to call it “BURN IT ALL, EVERYTHING SUCKS.”
A little history on the paperback.
Ellen Oh and Tanita Davis have excellent posts up about the sad state of diversity in children’s books (both in terms of authors/illustrators and characters). More posts on this important issue at bookshelves of doom.
Also at bookshelves of doom, kickbutt YA heroines without a major romantic plotline; make sure to check out the comments for all the great suggestions.
I would fully support a Dalloway Day.
New favorite Tumblr: Actual Teen vs. Adult Teen. (Because Dawson’s Creek gave me unrealistic expectations about how high school guys look.)
Interesting look at what makes a great speech and how that’s changed (or hasn’t) over time.
Roundtable on the strange, compelling story of The Little Mermaid.
English majors know how to analyze and communicate. So many jobs can benefit from those skills.
I love seeing original bad reviews for classic novels.
How to use secondary characters and make them feel as real as your main characters.
Going to keep this post in mind when people ask “Your book still isn’t out yet?“
Love the idea of a ReReadathon! It’s been a while since I read Harry Potter…
These childhood drawings by famous authors are adorable. (My childhood drawings would feature a lot of rainbows, unicorns, and people without necks.)
Now that it’s a classroom staple, it’s funny to see the initial horrified response to Shirley Jackson’s “The Lottery.”
Bad spelling doesn’t make you a bad writer–just ask these beloved authors.
Like dystopian societies, internet memes, rice, and being prepared for the end of the world? Of course you do! Then you should donate to two awesome shoes– Paper City Phoenix by Walt McGough and The Burden of Not Having a Tail by Carrie Barrett. Both shows are going up this summer and I can’t wait to see them.

Friday Fifteen

Apparently it’s already the last Friday in June. I think I need a few more weeks before I’m mentally ready to move into July. Maybe a few fifteen-word (or fewer) book reviews will help.

1. Freckle Juice by Judy Blume

A great read-aloud in first grade. At least freckle juice is safer than tanning beds.

2. The Outlaws of Sherwood by Robin McKinley

I wish I’d read this in middle/high school. Great take on the Robin Hood legend.

3. Orlando: a Biography by Virginia Woolf

Orlando is an immortal, gender-switching Brit who meets famous historical figures. Doctor Who, anyone?

4. The Age of Miracles by Karen Thompson Walker

Great concept and lovely writing, but never felt like the characters came to life.

5. Snowbound (The Baby-Sitters Club Super Special #7) by Ann M. Martin

A Super Special without a cool vacation? Nice try, guys.

Happy Release Day, GOLDEN BOY!

Some books make me wish I had a middle school class so I could share them with readers. Tuck Everlasting. The Giver. And Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan, which launches today! A little about the book:

“Thirteen-year-old Habo has always been different— light eyes, yellow hair and white skin. Not the good brown skin his family has and not the white skin of tourists…When the family is forced from their small Tanzanian village, and Habo knows he is to blame.

Seeking refuge in Mwanza, Habo and his family journey across the Serengeti…Suddenly, Habo has a new word for himself: Albino. But they hunt Albinos in Mwanza because Albino body parts are thought to bring good luck. And soon Habo is being hunted by a fearsome man with a machete. To survive, Habo must not only run but find a way to love and accept himself.”

I first heard about Golden Boy in 2011, when Tara and I were co-winners of the PEN New England Susan P. Bloom Discovery Award. At the reception, Tara read a little from her manuscript and I was blown away by the quality of the writing and the sensitivity to the characters. Plus, Golden Boy deals with international human rights issues; I can’t imagine that most young readers know what people with albinism face in Africa (or anywhere). When Tara finished reading, I was more than a little intimidated to go after her. Golden Boy was so good and important!

When I joined Tara’s critique group, I got to read the whole manuscript and guys–Golden Boy is still so good and important. Tara tackles a very challenging issue from the perspective of a rich, compelling narrator and cast of characters. And the book world agrees! From some Golden Boy reviews:

“Readers will be caught by the contemporary story of prejudice, both unspoken and violent, as tension builds to the climax.”–Booklist
“A moving novel that explores finding the worth of an individual as they see themselves, not as the world sees them.”–VOYA
“A riveting snapshot of one Tanzanian boy who makes himself matter.”–starred Kirkus (why yes, that is a starred Kirkus review)

Today is the first day you can officially add Golden Boy to your bookshelves! And if you’re in the Boston area, you can come to Porter Square Books for the official launch party and buy a copy there! Which also means you get to hear Tara talk about the book and Tanzania, get a signed copy, and eat celebratory cake. (Yes, books and cake. Thursday just got awesome.)

So come out to Porter Square books tonight, or snag your copy from another local bookstore, or buy it online, or ask your favorite librarian for a copy. Because this book will give you all the feelings and make you want to share it with your favorite young reader.

The Bittersweetness of Books You Love

I have a particular memory from high school about time. I must have been in ninth grade at the time and was sitting in a school assembly (probably about sports). Suddenly I was struck by the knowledge that time was rushing by and there was no way to stop it. Every second passed without the universe particularly caring about me, and eventually I’d be old and die and that would be that. And every second that passed was one that I couldn’t get back. I could never be four again, or seven, or twelve. I felt a kind of homesickness for those ages, knowing I could never return.

You can tell why I’m obsessed with Our Town, right?

Sometimes I feel like this about books. At any given time, I have dozens of books on my to-read list. I have a lot to look forward to, and there are always more wonderful books coming out. But sometimes I feel kind of sad when I think about the books I’ve read and loved. There’s a particular joy that comes from reading a beloved book for the first time. You’re deeply invested in the characters’ world; you’re captivated by every plot turn; images are arresting. Rereading is wonderful and I return to favorite books every so often (I used to reread all the time), but it’s a very different experience than that first read. You live differently when you’re reading a book for the first time.

Like wishing I could go back to being seven, sometimes I wish I could read certain books again for the first time, or at least revisit that first reading experience. Like the first time I read Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (10th grade, November, with the Ever After soundtrack on loop) or The Giver (7th grade, winter, curled up on the bedroom floor). Most recently I’ve been wistful about Jellicoe Road, which I read during the 48 Hour Book Challenge and which I’m sure I’ll reread in the near future.

Maybe this means I need to slow down and savor my reading experiences more. Or maybe this means I need to increase my reading time so I come across more books that make me feel wistful at the end. Or maybe this is just the life of a reader–having to say goodbye to every book you finish.

Of course, this is also probably why I get excited when friends start books I love. That’s probably the closest thing I can think of to getting that first reading experience back. You say, “So what part are you at?” and they say “The scene with the tree!” And you say “OH MY GOSH I KNOW, ALL THE FEELINGS?!” For a moment you get to be swept back into that flood of emotions.

So if you tell me you haven’t read Harry Potter, don’t feel bad if I tell you that we have to stop whatever we’re doing so you can sit and read the whole series and talk about it with me. It just means that I remember that great first reading experience and want to share it with you.

(image: Julie Falk)

Every Bean Matters

Not exactly writing related, but a lovely video by Ze Frank featuring a whole lot of jelly beans:

Of course this reminded me of Our Town and Mrs. Dalloway (because everything reminds me of Our Town and Mrs. Dalloway). Our lives are filled with all of these seemingly insignificant jelly bean moments. Make each jelly bean count–not necessarily by climbing Mount Everest or saving orphans from fire (okay, at least call 911)–but by appreciating and recognizing each bean. We only have so many beans and we need to appreciate them while we can.

This week, let’s try to acknowledge and appreciate our beans as much as possible.

Friday Fifteen

Hey guys, guess what? It’s the first Friday of summer! The days might be longer, but the book reviews aren’t. Fifteen words or less, here we go!

1. Harold!: Photographs from the Harold Washington Years by Antonio Dickey (Photographs), Antonio Dickey, Marc PoKempner (Photographs), Ron Dorfman (Editor)

Helped with this one when I was an intern. Really interesting Chicago history, great photographs.

2. I Was a Teenage Fairy by Francesca Lia Block

Read this one a lot in high school. Knew “androgynous” on the SATs because of this.

3. Miss Nelson Is Missing! by Harry Allard

Freaked me out as a kid. Didn’t like the teacher getting “replaced” by someone scary.

4. The Story of the Sea (Childcraft: the How and Why Library #7) by World Book-Childcraft International

Have I mentioned I love the ocean and sea creatures?

5. The Baby-Sitters Club: Friends Forever : The Movie by A.L. Singer, Ann M. Martin

A novelization of the movie based on the book series. Of course I read it.

Summer Reading

Welcome to summer, everyone! Living in New England, I always feel like summer is a revelation. Trees are green! You can walk outside! You can leave work and it’s still sunny out! Sometimes I forget that a few months ago, I was wrapping myself in scarves and trudging through snow drifts. But I think having the long winter makes me appreciate the summer so much more.

One of my favorite parts of summer when I was a kid was summer reading. Not necessarily school-assigned summer reading, but my own piles of library books. Any book can be a great summer reading book, but why not read books that feel summery in some way? Here are a few of my suggestions for summery reads:

Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

With an opening line about the first week of August hanging in the air like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel, you know you’re in for a book that radiates summer heat and tension. I’ve mentioned this before, but Tuck‘s a favorite.

The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits, and a Very Interesting Boy (The Penderwicks #1) by Jeanne Birdsall

Who doesn’t want to take a summer vacation with the charming Penderwick family? I still have to read the third in the series, The Penderwicks at Point Mouette; that might have to do go on my summer 2013 reading list.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Not set only in summer, but barbeque, strong Southern women, and a murder mystery in Alabama feel distinctly summery.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

All of Dessen’s books have a great, summer-y feel, but I especially like the combination of ridding bikes, summer jobs, and a beach town.

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Gatsby’s parties feel like they could only happen during the wild summer months. Whenever it’s the summer solstice, I always think about Daisy’s reference to waiting for the longest day of the year and missing it.

Atonement by Ian McEwan

On a hot summer day in 1935, everything changes forever for the Tallis family and Robbie Turner. McEwan really captures the tension of an isolated summer day.

A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle

I love island books, and L’Engle more than delivers the summer goodness (dolphins!) while balancing out major issues like death and grief and hope.

Share your favorite summer books in the comments!

Links Galore

Lots of great links to get you through the week:

Nodding and laughing at all of these stealth cliches.
All the literary Tumblrs you could ever want to follow.
Penguin wallpaper, for those bits of wall that aren’t already covered by bookcases.
Gotta start mapping out my promotion timeline.
Are you serif or sans serif?
It’s hard to imagine these writers without their .
Writers talk about why they’re glad they joined SCBWI. (See if you can spot my critique group!)
There’s a new Editor-in-Chief at One Teen Story.
Coffee, don’t listen to them. They’re just jealous.
Great post about why we need more Native American characters in YA.
Find your local library on this map of US public libraries.
Any titles you’d add to this list of mid-year Printz and Morris predictions?