Monday Misc
It’s spring!
New York was gorgeous this weekend, and I got to spend all of it wandering around town with one of my best friends, Jessica, who was visiting from Seattle. We walked, we talked, we ate some very tasty vegan chocolate-chai ice cream. We also watched The Butler, which is a great movie. Of course I was interested in the White House setting, and it was a powerful story of life during the Civil Rights movement.
Last week, my mom’s book club met for a proper tea party and discussion of When Audrey Met Alice. This was especially meaningful for me because many of the members of her club are my former teachers and librarian–my mom taught for many years at the middle school I attended. These wonderful educators helped make me into the reader and writer I am–and I’m so grateful for the nurturing learning environment they created for me and so many other students. Here’s a picture of them at the WAMA discussion:
Thanks, Mom, Sharon, Laura, Linda, Linda, and Mary! (And Jessica and Jane, who aren’t pictured)
And in other WAMA news, I was thrilled to find out last month that it’s already going back to press! As Alice would say, that’s bully good.
Last night, I scooped Natalie Lloyd’s A Snicker of Magic up off my nightstand. This book, guys. It’s spindiddly.
How was your weekend?
Bookanista Rec: Push Girl
It’s time for another Bookanista recommendation: (my friend and fellow Bookanista) Jessica Love’s Push Girl.
Here’s the jacket copy from the publisher:
Kara is a high school junior who’s loving life. She’s popular, has a great group of friends and an amazing boyfriend, and she’s a shoe-in for homecoming queen. Even though her parents can’t stop fighting and her ex-boyfriend can’t seem to leave her alone, Kara won’t let anything get in the way of her perfect year. It’s Friday night, and Kara arrives at a party, upset after hearing her parents having another one of their awful fights, and sees another girl with her hands all over her boyfriend. Furious, Kara leaves to take a drive, and, as she’s crossing an intersection, a car comes out of nowhere and slams into the driver’s side of Kara’s car.
I’ve been telling every YA reader I see about this one, which is both a great contemporary YA novel and a really powerful story of handling adversity with grace, grit, and hope. Kara is a character I won’t soon forget–my heart broke for her many times as I read. I loved how as the story progressed, Kara not only started to rehabilitate physically, but grew emotionally. Her injury brings physical limitations, but the new way she looks at her world and her self brings Kara so much agency. Even before the accident, Kara encounters things in her life that are beyond her control. But it’s only after that she has gained the strength to make healthy choices about how she responds. That’s an important lesson that all teens can relate to: you can’t always control what happens to you in life, but you can control how you respond.
I think teen readers are going to get so much out of reading this book–a well-written, diverse contemporary story and an invitation to think about how one chooses to live life.
And now I really can’t wait for Jessica’s next YA novel, In Real Life, which will be out in 2015!
Push Girl releases on June 3 from St. Martin’s Griffin.
See what my fellow Bookanistas are recommending today:
- Lenore Appelhans is nuts for NOGGIN by John Corey Whaley
- Tracy Banghart swoons for STAR CURSED by Jessica Spotswood
- Christine Fonseca is riveted by SEKRET by Lindsay Smith
- Jessica Love sings the praises of OPEN ROAD SUMMER by Emery Lord
- Kimberly Sabatini loves BRAZEN by Katherine Longshore
- Katy Upperman is crazy for THE SYMPTOMS OF MY INSANITY by Mindy Raf
What’s Up Wednesday, 4/2
What I’m Reading
I read a ton of books (or what amounts to a “ton” for me) in March: No Surrender Soldier, Let’s Pretend This Never Happened, Leading Man, The Secret Hum of a Daisy, The Ninja Librarians, and Push Girl. Now I’m back to Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior, which I reluctantly put aside when I was in the middle of a debut-author ARCapalooza.
What I’m Writing
I’m back to revising an old manuscript and doing some research so I can begin outlining a new one. I’d love to be finished with these revisions in the next week or two so I can focus on outlining. In truth, I am itching to get to the drafting stage of this new project. I’m one of those writers who gets caught up in counting new words–sometimes I need to remind myself that reading/researching, outlining, and daydreaming is part of the writing process–and that time “counts,” too.
What Inspires Me Right Now
I am knocking on wood as I type this, but I think it’s finally warming up! Thanks to longer days, I’m loving going home from work while it’s still light out. Hooray, spring. 🙂
What Else I’ve Been Up To
I finally got back to a yoga class, after a few months off due to an injury. It was kind of a bummer to realize how much I still can’t do, but it feels great to know that I’m making progress.
A quick note on an online event I’m doing this week: Booklist Webinars is hosting me and three other New Leaf Literary debut authors for an hour-long presentation on our books and the the debut experience. It’s free, and should be a fun conversation! You can register here: https://alapublishing.webex.com/alapublishing/onstage/g.php?t=a&d=662413562
So what have you been up to lately?
What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. You can find the link widget (and cute buttons!) on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts.
Friday Five
1. This has been a long winter. (That seems like an understatement.) I got some relief from the snow, cold, and gray last week when I went on a nice warm trip. I read a lot of books; I even hung out in a hammock. It was excellent.
2. But now it’s back to work! I’ve started research for a brand new book (lips zipped on what it’s about, for now) and I’m doing some revising on a less-brand-new one.
3. This Saturday, I’ll be back at Books of Wonder in NYC for a panel with Laura Marx Fitzgerald (UNDER THE EGG) and Aaron Starmer (THE RIVERMAN). More info here: Great Middle Grade Reads!
4. This past week, I’ve gotten my first pieces of mail from readers. There is nothing quite like the joy of opening a card from a young reader. Thank you to Annabelle and Erin for making my day with their notes!
5. When Audrey Met Alice was featured in the March/April issue of Middle Shelf magazine! Check out the whole issue for great interviews, articles, and reviews.
6. Okay, I lied. It’s not Friday Five. It’s Friday Six.* But because I like alliteration, I’m not changing the title of this post. Anyway–huge congrats to my friend Jessica Love, who sold another book this week! Read all about In Real Life here.
*See my inability to cut content? This is why I have my lovely and talented editor. 🙂
Part II of the WAMA blog tour
The When Audrey Met Alice blog tour is wrapping up. It’s been so great to hop around the Internet with guest posts and interviews! Here’s the second batch of posts, including an ongoing giveaway!
Middle Grade March: Guest Post about one of my middle-grade memories
March MG Madness: Interview, review, and a giveaway (running through 4/6!)
Spirit of Children’s Literature: Interview and Review
Teen Reads: Guest post about my favorite scene to write
Leisure Reads: Character profile for Audrey
The Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia: Guest post on historical women I find fascinating, and a giveaway (running through 3/31!)
Diamond & Coal Book Review: Guest post on my interest in First Daughters
Tressa’s Wishful Endings: Guest post on ten things Audrey found out about Alice
Zee Monodee – Author’s Corner: Guest post on First Daughters as celebrities
The Chicago Moms blog: Guest post on more historical women I find fascinating
Literature & Laura: Interview
Caroline Starr Rose’s Classroom Connections
A huge thank-you to the bloggers who have hosted and interviewed me!
WI Whirlwind
I had the best time in Wisconsin last week, talking to friends and family, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and readers about WHEN AUDREY MET ALICE. Some highlights of my whirlwind trip:
–Meeting the great readers at EAGLE School in Fitchburg. My very first school visit was a success! I really enjoyed talking books with Ellen Bunn, the library/media specialist and a fellow historical-fiction fan. Thanks to Ellen and Mr. Gallo for hosting me, and thanks to the students at EAGLE for being such an enthusiastic and smart audience!
–And speaking with the great readers at Elm Lawn Elementary in Middleton. I spoke to about 200 fourth- and fifth-graders, and I was blown away by their great questions. My favorite part? When I told them a little bit about my book-in-progress, which tells about what might’ve really happened to the Lost Colony of Roanoke. It turns out the kids at Elm Lawn are writing fiction right now about . . . the Lost Colony of Roanoke! What a cool coincidence, and it was so memorable to have that connection with young writers. Thanks to Joan Anderson and the fourth- and fifth-grade teachers for hosting me!
–Seeing so many friends and family at the Barnes & Noble in Madison, including my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Gerlach. Yes, I did tear up when I saw her smiling face–I have so many wonderful memories of Mrs. G’s class, and I credit her with sparking and encouraging my love of historical fiction. I also got to see my high-school art teacher, Mr. McConnell–it was his class that actually inspired the first manuscript I wrote. Books connect people in many ways, but I’m especially grateful that my book event led to some happy reunions.
–Meeting author friends in person for the first time. Wendy McClure, Gayle Rosengren, and I spoke on a historical MG panel at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee on Sunday. It was fun to share about our books and have a discussion about writing and reading MG. And two of Gayle and my Class of 2K14 classmates came to see us: Amy Zhang and Liz Czukas!
Hopefully I’ll get some pictures of the visit on my Facebook page soon. In the meantime, I’m already making plans for the next one. 🙂
Hello, Wisconsin!
I’m so excited to head back to my hometown tonight for a few book events.
If everything goes according to plan, I’ll be doing my first two school visits tomorrow. I’ve got my powerpoint and my stickers ready. 🙂
Then, on Saturday at 1:00 pm, I’ll be signing books at the Barnes and Noble at West Towne in Madison. Event details here: B&N Author Events: When Audrey Met Alice
On Sunday at 3:00 pm, I’ll be part of a fun historical MG panel with fellow Class of 2K14 author Gayle Rosengren and Wendy McClure at Boswell Book Company in Milwaukee. More info about that is here: Boswell Book Company: Upcoming Events
Hope to see you there!
Launch Party!
I had so much fun at the launch party for When Audrey Met Alice last Thursday at Books of Wonder in NYC! Here are some of the highlights:
(I freaked out a little when I got there and saw the sign–but in a good way.)
(Pretty books!)
(Drinks and snacks, featuring “WH Chef Debra’s” chocolate-chip cookies, petits fours, fake champagne [Alice would not approve] and gift bags–each with an Emily Spinach inside.)
(Mingling before the reading. Books of Wonder has the most amazing children’s literature art collection!)
(Fellow debut authors Michelle Schusterman, Lauren Magaziner, Emery Lord, and Kim Liggett helping me share a Top Ten list of First Kid hijinks)
(Getting used to signing)
(Chatting with Write Nite friends Kathryn, Kristi, Bess, and Gina! And thanks to Jodi for taking this picture)
There are a lot more photos on my Facebook page here.
Thanks to everyone who came out to hear about First Kids, eat some cookies and petits fours, and make my launch party such a memorable–and fun!–experience!
When Audrey Met Alice in the news!
I’m thrilled that When Audrey Met Alice has been featured in two newspapers since it’s release:
Sarah Harrison Smith from the New York Times reviewed it on Wednesday, February 12:
“. . . When Audrey Met Alice may pique middle-grade readers’ interest in Teddy Roosevelt’s tenure as president, as well as in the dramatic improvements to women’s rights over the course of the 20th century. Behrens includes a bibliography that can get young researchers off to a good start. But that laudable end, which should please teachers and librarians . . . shouldn’t dissuade those who are looking for nothing more than an entertaining middle-grade romp—albeit one set at America’s most famous address.”
The full review is here!
And my hometown paper, the Wisconsin State Journal, ran an interview with me in this past Sunday’s edition. I had a great time talking to Jeanne Kolker about my book, and it was such an honor and a thrill to be in the pages of the paper I grew up reading. The interview is available online here: “Historical Friction.”
What’s Up Wednesday, 2/19
What I’m Reading
I sped through the great historical-fiction middle grade Esperanza Rising and lingered in Alice Munro’s Dear Life. Her stories are fantastic–sharp and poignant. Now I’m starting Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior. I love her books so much, and so far this one is no exception.
What I’m Writing
I’m taking a break from revising while I keep working on guest posts (here are some of the ones I’ve done so far: WAMA blog tour) and get ready for my launch party (this Thursday! At Books of Wonder, if you’re in NYC) and a few fun upcoming events. I miss writing/revising–but I’ll be back to it soon, and reenergized thanks to this time away.
What Inspires Me Right Now
The enthusiastic and enriching writing community; the readers and bloggers I’ve had a chance to meet the past few weeks; my insanely supportive friends and family.
What Else I’ve Been Up To
Baking a ton (I almost mean that literally) of cookies for my launch party; practicing reading my book out loud (not the world’s easiest task for an introvert like me); binge-watching House of Cards–seriously, how did I not watch this show until now? I’m 6 episodes into Season 1 and I’m pretty obsessed.
So what have you been up to lately?
What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme that helps readers and writers touch base with blog friends. You can find the link widget (and cute buttons!) on Jaime’s and Erin’s blog posts.
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