Eric Devine's Blog, page 10

Teen Reader Con

The article below is from Jay Asher’s blog regarding this weekend’s Teen Reader Con. I fully intended to write my own post for today, but then saw how many awesome pictures his had, that mine never would, because I can’t ever remember to take pics at events like this, and so I said to myself: Don’t be boring and redundant. So, yeah, I’m poaching his words.

I can, at least, add this text exchange with my mother (please excuse her texting errors; she was on vacation and quickly checking on me). See, kids, being a “child” never ends.

 

So, as you’ll read, the event was awesome, and as Jay says, “the peak of fun as an author.” Because it was. Being in an auditorium with 300 kids all pumped about books and writing, willing to spend their Saturday with us is as good as it gets.

Also, Joe Bruchac, literally ate his own words onstage. It was kind of epic.

If you missed this event, no worries, plans are already in shape for next year. And if they invite me, I promise to take more pics :)

 

Jay Asher: TeenReaderCon.

TeenReaderCon


I flew out of my little hometown airport…



…took a short layover in Chicago…

…on my way to the first annual TeenReaderCon in Clifton Park, NY.

I’ve attended a few YA conferences, where a community brings in several authors to discuss their books and writing, and these events are always the peak of fun as an author. Not only does it give me a chance to hang out with and meet my peers, but the audience is made up of rabid readers!

On the way to the auditorium, the halls were lined with floor-to-ceiling paintings reproducing classics by Van Gogh, Picasso, Monet, and many others. Plus, there was a beautiful piece made out of paper where the white letters turned into colorful butterflies that flew off onto the wall.

The first presentation was by Coach Rich Johns, giving his “Act with Respect Always” talk, which I’ve heard about for years and is beautifully inspiring. As part of his presentation, he discusses Thirteen Reasons Why and recites my character’s poem, Soul Alone.

Here I am with the awesome dude!

Then all of the authors took the stage for our introductions and to answer some Q & A.

I had never been on a panel with any of these authors before, but would do it again in a second. Such a fun, smart group of people! (I’m so thankful they let me join them.)


Steve Sheinkin, Patricia McCormick, Jackie Morse Kessler,
Eric Devine, Joseph Bruchac, and me

Here’s the happy bunch with photographer Marisa Geraghty. She’d been taking pics throughout the conference, so they finally made her get into one of them!

Of course, when I called home to describe the event, my son was most impressed by the excavator I passed while talking to him.

Teen Reader Con

First, thank you to everyone who has made the launch of Press Play a phenomenal success. I’m having a blast, and the fun has only just begun, which brings me to this upcoming weekend and Teen Reader Con.

The one event I failed to mention in my interview on WNYT this weekend was this. I’m chalking it up to nerves and the mental countdown clock I had running in my head. Anyway, as you can see from above, the event is packed with amazing authors, and the day will unfold like this:

8:30-9:00    Arrival – Trivia games and book sale!

9:00-9:30   Rich Johns – Act with Respect Always

9:45-10:15   Kick-off!! – Welcome the Authors

10:30-11:15  Session #1

11:30-12:15  Session #2; Lunch

12:30-1:15    Session #3; Lunch

1:30-2:15      Session #4

2:30-3:15     Main Session with Authors

3:15-4:00     Autographing

I think the best part of all this, that I simply cannot underscore enough, is that it’s free. Yup, it costs nothing. To have access like this for an entire day at no cost is simply amazing. There are few teen events like this nationally, so I urge you to take part.

Each Session is a presentation from each author. So, if for nothing else, come and spend 45 minutes in a small group setting learning about all of the authors. I guarantee you will be entertained.

Any additional information can be found on the website, and I’ve added my video message from there for your enjoyment. I hope to see you this weekend.

Teen Reader Con

Shenendehowa Middle Schools

970 Route 146

Clifton Park, NY 12065

PRESS PLAY Pub Day Contest

Yay, it’s Pub Day! And to celebrate the fact that Press Play is out in the world, I’ve created a fun and interactive giveaway. You have the opportunity to win a signed copy of Press Play, as well as this long-sleeve T-shirt.

From today, 10/28, through Tuesday, 11/11, you have one job––to create a video. What kind, and what to do with it are below:

*You do not have to be a Tumblr user to enter. You just need to go to the site. I promise*

 Go to a bookstore. Record yourself making a big deal about finding Press Play on the shelf. Maybe you can even talk it up to other patrons. It’s your call, just make it fun for everyone.
If you’ve already gone to the bookstore or to one of my signings, and, therefore, have a copy, there’s no need to go to the bookstore. Make a video in which you discuss the awesomeness of the book. It doesn’t have to be you sitting in front of the camera, talking. However you want to create the “review” is up to you.
Once you’ve recorded, you’ll need to upload your video to YouTube or to Vimeo so that you have an Embed code or URL
With video complete, go to my Tumblr: http://initiationsecrets.tumblr.com/
See that “Submit” tab?
Click Submit and you’ll see this:
Now, enter a name and email. I need to be able to tell you that you’ve won :)
Now, you’ll need to change “Text” in the upper, left corner to “Video”
Once you’ve done that, you’re ready and the screen will look like this:
Paste in your Embed code or URL and Submit

Sweet, right? I know. I’m looking forward to seeing all the videos, the antics, the creativity. And I’m excited to hear your reactions to my work.

Go, have fun. Enjoy Press Play.

Protected: PRESS PLAY Pub Day Contest

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Your Weekend Plans involve PRESS PLAY

Hey, everybody! We’re a week out from the publication day for Press Play, which means my normally anxiety-ridden self is overflowing with neuroses. But it also means it’s time for you to get your hands on copies AND to have a chance to see the trailer on the big screen.

Yup, from 10/24 through 10/30, at  Regal Cinemas in Colonie, the trailer will play during the ad space before all PG-13 and R rated movies.

Therefore, movies like Gone Girl, The Maze Runner, Fury, The Judge, Guardians of the Galaxy, Dracula Untold, and Left Behind will all be playing my trailer as you settle in with your popcorn. Do feel free to tweet to me or post to Facebook that you’ve seen it. Go ahead and snap a picture if you’re feeling brave. 

However, I know that seeing the trailer is cool, but getting the book is better. And so if you want to be some of the first people in the Capital District to get your hands on copies, I have two events prior to publication day where you can get a copy and my signature.

On Friday, 10/24, from 4:oo until the party winds down, I’m back at McGreivey’s for my Launch party. If you’ve been before, expect the same good time. If you haven’t, expect free appetizers from 5-7, drink specials at the bar, and a packed house of people celebrating my latest creation.

If you can’t make it on the 24th, no worries, I’ve got you covered the next day. On Saturday, 10/25, I’m at Barnes and Noble in Colonie, signing from 2-4. And hey, while you’re there, you can go see a movie. Please be sure to look for the poster at the top of this post, and, again, share it on every social media platform you are on.

And if neither of these dates work, not a problem, just check the flyer below for one that does. I hope to see you at least once, and I can’t wait for your reaction to the turbulent ride that is Press Play!

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Sayreville vs. PRESS PLAY: when truth is stranger than fiction

I wasn’t surprised by the hazing allegations in Sayreville, NJ. I was disgusted, especially as details about the hazing came out, but not surprised.  I have been involved with athletics as an athlete and as a coach, and I know, firsthand, the danger of the locker room mentality. As an educator, I have heard more stories about abusive events than I ever wanted to. This isn’t to say I have ever been around circumstances of the severity of Sayerville. But I’m not sure that severity is the key issue. The complicit nature of those in the know, is.

Trust me, in no way shape or form am I blaming victims. Those boys have been traumatized. Nor am I so foolish as to expect the perpetrators to turn themselves in. They should, but that is not how they operate. My concern is with the rest of the team, the school, and the community. I do not live in Sayreville, and I won’t speak ill of a town reeling from such a scandal, but I think the question that needs to be asked–and hopefully is being asked by investigators–is who knew, what, and when?

The thing about teens is that they talk. They tell stories. Often they can’t keep secrets. Based on the media reports out of Sayreville, the hazing that occurred is as much tradition as is the support of the team. And so it is only fair to deduce that someone knew. Or a lot of people, really. Not just the team. Not just their immediate friends. But certainly the coaches, and maybe some of the staff; possibly administration. I’m willing to bet former players knew. Yet, no one spoke out, so far as we know. That fact speaks to the power of abuse and the grip it holds. Everyone feared speaking because of the potential victimization he or she would receive. With good reason.

In Press Play, the lacrosse team is involved in brutal and systematic hazing. No one talks because they know better. No one talks because the powers that be are complicit, possibly more than. No one talks because the town’s economy depends on the team. No one talks because there is no one to talk to.

Some people have had a problem with that concept, of students not trusting adults, or adults being cast in such a negative light. I respect that. And more often than not, teens should be able to trust adults. Except for when they can’t.

That’s why I was thrilled to see a recent review by a librarian who went back and reread Press Play after the allegations is Sayreville came forth. In her words, “I had to reread Press Play this week after hearing about the hazing in Sayreville, NJ, on the news. When I first read the book, it seemed like an over-the-top version of team hazing and bullying, designed to get people talking. After watching the Sayreville superintendent’s press conference on his decision to completely cancel their football team’s entire season, I realized that there is much more reality to this than I ever wanted to believe.”

No one wants to imagine that anyone is capable of being involved on any level with something so atrocious. But people are. And it is as bad, if not worse, in reality, than any fiction I can write.

The reviewer goes on to make a powerful statement in support of Press Play: “This is well-written, gripping, and I recommend this for 8th grade and up.

I really want my…graduates in high school to read this. But I also want my 8th graders to read this. There is a lot of swearing, and the bullying scenes should literally make your blood run cold. The reason I want my 8th graders to read this is that I want them to think carefully about what kind of person they want to be when they get to the high school. What do you want yourself to do when the lights go out and you hear the wolf howl signal? Will you step up and say something, and will you keep saying something until someone listens? Will you hide in the back and say nothing while you watch? Or will you be laughing and egging someone on? What kind of character does it take to do the right thing in the face of certain ostracism, and possible violence?”

These are the questions posed to Greg, the protagonist in Press Play. He, who has been bullied and victimized for as long as he can remember, has to decide to step up or stay silent. His journey into the darkness is disturbing, but so worth the read if you care to understand the impotent rage that these athletes feel, these students feel, that you will feel.

Press Play will be published two weeks from today. Read, and continue the conversation, because events like the one at Sayreville are far from behind us.

It’s almost Pub day, so thank you.

In the next two months, I will negotiate my blog tour, participate in a Skype visit with a library in California, hold six signings, and participate in two conventions. Meanwhile, I’m wrapping up another project for submission and have already begun the next novel. Throw in Halloween, Thanksgiving, and the beginning of the Christmas season, and come the end of the year I am not going to know which end is up.

This is a very good problem to have. In the past five years I have gone from absolutely no promotion to what is a building groundswell. People know who I am and have an understanding of the type of work I write. That recognition is astounding to me. And it is due in large part to you and your word-of-mouth support.

For all the marketing and promotion that has been done, and will be done, it still boils down to an audience connecting with a story, and even better, multiple stories and their author. You have done that for me. And so as I slide into the launch of Press Play, I thank you in advance. There are a million ways you can spend your time, and you have not only given some of that to my writing, but you’ve asked friends and family and colleagues and students to do the same. What can I say but thank you?

And so I will. THANK YOU!

Keep reading, keep enjoying, keep spreading the word, online, or face-to-face. Reviews matter. Awards matter. But nothing matters more than knowing the work I do pleases people. Or upsets people. Makes them think. So thank you for appreciating that fact, that you’re not going to get an easy-to-read, full of sunshine story. But that in the end, you might sit for a moment and say, “Damn, what the hell just happened?”

Trust me, I know what’s coming and will continue to uphold my end of that agreement. I’ll write you those stories. And they will be there for you, happy to be in your hands.

Here’s to October 28th, and to the adventures we will have :)

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Schedule of Events:

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PRESS PLAY Trailer

 There’s little more that I have to say besides enjoy and share widely. Seriously, show everyone. And if you want to see this on the big screen, go see a movie at Colonie Center from 10/24-10/30

Pre-order PRESS PLAY

This Above All…

In my novels the recurrent theme is always being true to yourself. For my characters, doing such may be the main focus, or something they must work to identify and then fight for. Regardless, the fact remains, I believe in the narrative of knowing who you are and forging ahead, regardless of the obstacles.

The same applies to my own life, personally and professionally. There is an enormous amount of pressure for me to be someone else, to write other ways, to conform. And I’m not going to lie, much like my characters, I feel doubt sometimes. I feel the urge to cave, to play it safe, to not push limits. Because my work pisses off a lot of people. My characters say and do things some don’t want to hear or see. And they call me out on it. And it hurts.

The easy route would be for me to tuck my proverbial tail and play it safe and write characters that make you say “Aww” when you close the book, but that’s not the truth I understand. And that’s not the art I want to create.

This contradiction of realism and escapism came up in one of my classes recently (my students are sharp). It was intriguing to hear students talk about the importance of both sides of the coin, in books and movies, because like us, there are times when they want to dive deeper and try to learn and understand, and then there are times they want to forget it all and believe that there’s a bit more shine to the world.

Invariably, though, they have to come back to the present reality. And as teens, that means an ungodly amount of pressure. I see it every day, and I remember my own, and I write stories that address what I see and what we, collectively, have felt and still feel.

Yet, haters gonna hate. And with all my work, and now, specifically, Press Play, people don’t like the cursing, the violence, the darkness. To them I can only say, “Then help create a world where this doesn’t exist and I’ll write about nothing but sunshine.” Until then I can only suggest: go visit a high school, go speak with teens (not at), sit down and think back to not just your lived high school experience, but that of the kids who you knew, or barely knew. Yup, the shadows will start to creep in.

This isn’t to say embrace the dark and the lack of hope. That’s crazy. Even in my bleakest of stories there is hope. It may not strut on stage and sing a song, but it’s there, often elusive, just like in life.

And just like in life, we are fundamentally responsible for ourselves. We cannot control what others think, only how we do and how we react. I have to remind myself of this all the time. Because, to quote Sartre, at times, “Hell is other people.”

Of course this is not universally applicable. There will always be people, real or fictional, who will strive to make it better, even if that’s by dredging up the muck and digging in the dark. In fact, you’ll find them in my work. But be warned, they’re as real as you and me.

Fall Events for PRESS PLAY

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