Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

Class of 2K14

Upcoming Event: AASL 2015

Oct 8, 2015 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

webbadge-PresenterI’m going to AASL 2015 in Columbus!

Friend and fellow Class of 2K14 author Gayle Rosengren and I are presenting on Friday, November 6 from 11:20-12:20 (Room C212). Here’s a little about our presentation:

Making It Real, authors Gayle Rosengren and Rebecca Behrens will suggest creative ways for librarians to help bring history to life as they prepare students to meet Common Core State Standards. Strategies include multimedia displays, interactive library programming, writing workshops, author Skype visits, and outreach with local historic sites. The authors will provide tools such as a multimedia planning template that can be filled out for any title, book talks, and recommended media lists.

We’ve had a lot of fun creating this presentation, and hope you’ll join us if you’re attending the conference.

We’ll also be in the Author Signing Booth from 1:00-1:30 on Friday. Stop by and say hi! I’ll have my first pieces of Summer of Lost and Found swag, and plenty of When Audrey Met Alice bookplates, stickers, and more.

A Happy Debut Year

Dec 29, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s hard to believe that the year is coming to a close. It really does feel like yesterday that I was welcoming 2014–and eagerly anticipating my February 4 book birthday.

It has really been a delightful experience sharing Audrey’s and Alice’s stories.

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Author copies arrive!

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Author copies on a shelf [they’re all gone now–in libraries, where they belong :)]

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Signing at my launch party

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A great panel at Books of Wonder, my indie home

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Class of 2K14 celebrating after ALA in Vegas

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Barnes & Noble panel with Tara Dairman, Polly Holyoke, and KA Holt in Fort Worth, TX

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Awesome panel at The Book Spot in Round Rock, TX

Working on an Amelia Earhart story

Working on an Amelia Earhart story with young writers at the NYSL

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WAMA projects by the great students at St. Francis Academy

I’m so grateful to all the people who have supported me along the way,  to all those who work tirelessly to get books produced and shelved and sold and checked out and taught, and most of all to readers. Because of all the wonderful moments along the way, the best have always been about them.

First up in 2015 is finishing revisions for my second book, Summer of Lost and Found (which might be undergoing a slight title change–more on that in the new year). Then I’ll be back to work on a brand new story.

Have a safe and happy new year!

Texas Tour!

Aug 20, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last weekend, fellow debut author Tara Dairman (whose book ALL FOUR STARS is delightful and delicious, and one of my favorites of the year) and I traveled around Texas to visit a library, a B&N store, and an indie bookstore. It was incredibly fun, and here are some of the highlights.

We started out with the Fort Worth Library’s Author Roundup:

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The beautiful Sundance Square in downtown Fort Worth

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Gorgeous, light-filled library

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How cool is the “reading rainbow” that welcomes you to the children’s section of the Central Library?

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Alice’s “Red Devil” inspired my dress

Happy to see fellow Class of 2K14 author Christine Kohler at the library!

Tara, 2015 debut author Jenny Martin, and I are modeling Tara’s ALL FOUR STARS temporary tattoos.

Afterward, we headed to Roanoke–not the island, but the town in Texas with great BBQ and the best pie shop I’ve ever visited. (Seriously. And you know how I feel about pie.)

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The sign doesn’t lie–Roanoke, TX had really unique–and delicious–food!

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I am going to dream about the cherry pie I had here. Fantastic.

The next morning, we checked out the Fort Worth Stockyards and the Dallas Museum of Art.

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I loved this historic part of Fort Worth.

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Chihuly glass at the Dallas Museum of Art

Then we headed to Barnes & Noble for a panel with Polly Holyoke and K.A. Holt.

Excitedly posing with our sign!

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Me, Tara, Polly Holyoke, and K. A. Holt getting ready for our panel

The next day, we explored Austin.

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More barbeque! Is it possible to eat to much? No.

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Presidential limousine on display at the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum.

On our last night, we had a great MG panel at The Book Spot in Round Rock, with K. A. Holt, Nikki Loftin, and Jennifer Ziegler.

Tara, me, Nikki Loftin, K. A. Holt, and Jennifer Ziegler

That is a literal “cake with a unicorn”!

We quizzed the audience with trivia related to our books–and had lots of prizes.

A celebratory dinner afterward, with 2015 debut author Donna Bowman Bratton.

(If that’s not enough photos, there are even more on my Facebook page.)

It was a wonderful weekend. Thank you to the librarians and booksellers who invited us; the readers and fellow writers who came out to support us; our hilarious, insightful, and charming co-panelists; and especially to Tara’s husband, who drove us around the state and took lots of great photos to document our authorly adventure.

ALA Annual in Pictures

Jul 8, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ALA Annual was amazing! It was fun, surreal, and humbling to be around so many wonderful readers, librarians, authors, and publishing professionals.

Here are some of the highlights (at least the ones for which I have photo documentation):

So I learned what “but it’s a dry heat” means.

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AKA, still hot, but pleasantly so. Unless you get kind of lost on the way back to your hotel and have to circle a massive casino a few times to find the entrance . . .

Anyway, shortly after I got to the conference on Saturday, after a very early but thankfully uneventful flight, I got to meet fellow debut author Jessica Love!

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Who is just as lovely in person as I knew she’d be. And I now have a signed copy of Push Girl. 🙂

I also got to meet fellow Sourcebooks author Nancy Cavanaugh! Very serendipitously, as I was getting to the conference just as she was leaving.

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I headed over to the Sourcebooks booth to finally meet (and thank!) the wonderful marketing and S&L team. And I saw my poster in person!

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I stopped by the Egmont booth to say hi and also meet author Len Vlahos, who was about to do the coolest author event, in which he played songs from his book on the PopTop Stage. Then I went back to the hotel with my ALA roommate, Lauren Magaziner, and crashed until it was time for the Class of 2K14 dinner. (Sadly, I didn’t think to take any pictures at that!)

The next morning, we were up bright and early for the MG vs. YA Trivia Showdown, hosted by the charming and talented duo of Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini.

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We had so much fun playing trivia and sharing our first lines. The librarians, no surprise, impressed us all with their knowledge!

Later on Sunday, I signed When Audrey Met Alice in the Sourcebooks booth.

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I had so much fun meeting librarians and talking about my book. And we actually ran out of copies by the end of the line! I was so touched by the enthusiasm of everyone who came by–it was a dream experience. And author Marissa Moss stopped by–I am a huge fan of her work, and I was so excited to meet her!

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I had another fangirl moment when I got to meet Ann M. Martin.

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I have been dying to read Rain Reign, and now I will always treasure this signed ARC. I kind of wish I could travel back in time to tell little Rebecca that someday, she’d be at ALA meeting the authors she loved.

After the conference wrapped up on Sunday, some of the Class of 2K14 members who were still around went out on the town to celebrate.

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We did find the most amazing doughnut soap while wandering around.

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Truth: I went into the store after seeing that in the window and thinking I could eat it.

And then bright and early the next morning, I was on my way back, jet-lagged and happy and grateful. I didn’t win any money, but I did carry home a suitcase bursting with books.

Vegas Bound!

Jun 27, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

I’m off for a week of travel: First to Las Vegas for the ALA Annual Conference, then to Wisconsin to relax and spend time with family–and also visit a favorite indie bookstore, Mystery to Me.

If you’re at ALA, please come say hi when I’m signing in the Sourcebooks booth on Sunday, from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Here’s more info on that.

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Or check out the Class of 2K14’s super fun trivia event, with Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini. My suitcase is full of prizes! Our Trivia Showdown is on Sunday from 11:00-12:30, and here’s more info on that.

And, finally, a link to the Events page for Mystery to Me. I’ll be there on Wednesday, July 2, from 6:00-7:00 p.m.

I’ll have lots of pictures (and words) about ALA once I’m back. Until then, have a great Fourth of July!

What’s Up Wednesday, 6/18

Jun 18, 2014 | , , , , , , , , , ,

What I’m ReadingWUW7

Last week, I finished The Interestings, which was an absorbing, funny, thoughtful character study. And even at 500+ pages, I didn’t want it to end. Next, I read Kate Scott’s YA debut, Counting to D. It was heartfelt, and it taught me a lot about dyslexia–a learning disability that I only thought I understood until I read this book. Also, there was a scene involving VooDoo Doughnuts. Yes.

Now I’m reading TransAtlantic–I loved Let the Great World Spin, so I have high hopes for this one!

What I’m Writing

I’m not drafting or revising at the moment, but I’m in the middle of a lot of research. Instead of writing page-count goals, I’m giving myself deadlines for working through various resources. I’d love to start writing this WIP next month, but I have a lot of books to get through first.

What Inspires Me Right Now

I’m getting really excited for ALA Annual! I’ve never been a library conference before, and I’ve also never been to Vegas. The Class of 2K14 has a fun trivia event planned, with Jay Asher and Josephine Angelini as our moderators.  And then I’ll be signing in the Sourcebooks booth.

After ALA, I’m heading back to the Midwest to visit some family, and I can’t wait to see my nephew. When I last saw him, he was a newborn–and now he’s almost eight months old!

What Else I’ve Been Up To

Getting back into running, making homemade ice cream (spicy chocolate was my last concoction), and enjoying the warm weather and sun.

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.

WI Whirlwind

Mar 7, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

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. 🙂

Thanks, and the WAMA blog tour

Feb 7, 2014 | , , , , , , , , ,

I had so much fun watching When Audrey Met Alice head off to “eat up the world” this week! Thanks to everyone who congratulated, shared, tweeted, and cheered me, Audrey, and Alice on.

And a huge thanks to the bloggers who’ve generously hosted me on their sites as part of the blog tour. Here are the places you can find me talking about When Audrey Met Alice so far:

Mundie Moms: Interview

A Foodie Bibliophile in Wanderlust: Guest post on where Alice Roosevelt would hang out in DC today

Smack Dab in the Middle: “Middleview” Interview

Musings of a YA Reader: Guest post on who inspired me as a tween

The Compulsive Reader: Guest post on fascinating First Daughters

Books for Kids: Guest post on what Alice would do if she were a First Daughter in the 21st century

Bookshelf Fantasies: Guest post on what Alice would find confusing about the 21st century

Sharp Read: 5,4,3,2,1 Interview

Nerdy Book Club: Guest post “From Reader to Writer”

The Class of 2k14 blog: Book Birthday Interview

Fearless Fifteeners: All Four Kids Interview

Jessica Spotswood’s blog: Thrice Interview (enter the giveaway!)

Heidi Schulz’s blog: In the Middle Interview

Readerly Musings: Guest post on historical women I find fascinating

 

Thankful for Booksellers, Teachers, and Librarians

Nov 25, 2013 | , , , , , , , ,

When I was growing up in Madison, WI, there was a wonderful children’s bookstore on Monroe Street called Pooh Corner. It’s been gone for decades, sadly, but I still can remember the way it felt to grab a book and plop down on the carpet to read it. When I was little, the real bear doll that A.A. Milne’s son Christopher owned was on display in the store (and secured in a bank vault at night). Pooh Corner wasn’t just a store but both a second home and a wonderland for book-loving kids like me. I would beg my mom to stop the car and let us go in whenever we drove past.

In fifth grade, I loved to write and illustrate stories. (A lot of them were about opinionated bunnies, for some reason.) Sometimes these stories probably distracted me from whatever the actual lesson was. But my fifth-grade teacher, Mrs. Gerlach,  always encouraged my creativity. Sometimes she’d ask for more, telling me that she loved to read what I came up with. It made me feel so proud of myself, and it spurred me to keep creating. I still have an assignment from that class on which we had to write our goals–I wrote that when I grow up, I wanted to publish a book. Mrs. Gerlach made me feel like that was totally something I should do, and she’d be cheering for me as I tried.

Like a lot of shy and bookish kids, middle school was a place where I rarely felt comfortable. One big exception was my middle school’s library. I knew that whenever I walked in, I would get both a hug and a new book to read from Mrs. Holt. She always had something waiting behind the desk for me, and she every book she put in my hands was curated especially for my reading tastes. She would even order certain books for the library because she thought I (or my best friend, Megan) would like to read them, which made us feel like Very Important Readers. Even if I dreaded going back to school in the fall, I couldn’t wait to get back to the library and see which books Mrs. Holt had found for us over the summer.

So among the many things I’m grateful for this time of year, I’m thankful for booksellers, teachers, and librarians. Partly for how they support authors like me now, but mostly for how they use literacy as a tool for compassion, acceptance, creativity, and growth. Turning kids into readers is a great thing.

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I’m posting this as part of the Class of 2K14’s Thanksgiving blogfest. Check out what other debut authors are giving thanks for on our website: www.classof2k14.com

Class of 2K14 Launch!

Jul 1, 2013 | , , , , , ,

I’m so excited to announce that I’m part of the Class of 2K14, and we’re launching our website today!

We’re a group of 20 authors debuting in middle grade and young adult fiction in 2014. We’re diverse, with members across the country (and one in the UK!) and novels ranging from historical to sci-fi. Like the other classes before us (2K7 through 2K13), we’re working together to share our books with booksellers, teachers, librarians, and readers.

It’s already been a wonderful experience to get to know the nineteen other authors in the group, and I’m looking forward to sharing the debut experience with the other authors.

To celebrate our shiny new website, we’re giving away a $100 e-gift certificate to the book retailer of the winner’s choice (including indie booksellers!). To enter, head over to the website:

Class of 2K14 Launch Giveaway

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