Author of award-winning, adventurous realistic and historical fiction

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The Last Grand Adventure news & events!

Mar 15, 2018 | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s been a busy couple of months–more on that soon! But I’m belatedly excited to share a few more snippets from trade reviews for The Last Grand Adventure:

“Informed by history, Behrens’s narrative treasures family relationships and celebrates courage.” —Booklist

“Normally unadventurous twelve-year-old Bea (“I left my adventure journal empty and my worry journal full”) is a sympathetic narrator as she frets about her place in her newly blended family and her grandmother’s wavering memory. The tantalizing thread of possibility about Amelia Earhart and the letters she—or somebody—has been writing to Pidge adds alluring mystery.” —BCCB

“Historical fiction lovers are in for a treat with this heartfelt tale of discovery and hope. . . . This story has much to love, from the touching development of Bea and Pidge’s relationship to Bea conquering her fears and discovering the appeal of adventure. . . . VERDICT An excellent purchase for readers who enjoy a strong dose of adventure and solid character development in their historical fiction.”—Darla Salva Cruz, School Library Journal

I’m blushing, SLJ! It’s always a great feeling when a reviewer seems to really get the story you were trying to tell. I’m grateful to these reviewers for their thoughtful and insightful reviews.

The Last Grand Adventure will be out next week, and it’s only fitting that I hit the road to share Bea and Pidge’s story with readers. Here are the places I’ll be in March and April:

More events for the summer are in the works: I’ll be at Bethany Beach Bookstore in June and I’m thrilled to share that I’ll be at the Amelia Earhart Festival in Atchison, Kansas, this July! I’ll keep the Events page of my site updated with all the details. 

#nErDcampLI

Nov 5, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

This past Saturday was #nErDcampLI, the annual literacy “unconference” for teachers, librarians, educators, and authors. And it was so much fun!

I woke up at 5:20 a.m. to make my train. I was not aware that it is still dark out at that hour, but the sunrise I watched from the LIRR made the early hour not just worthwhile but gorgeous.

I like that my book is reflected in the window. Always reading!

There were so many great sessions led by educators and teachers. I participated in two–a workshop on getting your students writing with the fabulous Lauren Magaziner, and a big Q&A with a bunch of MG authors. I also got a chance to see Booki Vivat‘s fantastic art in action.

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And the author meet-and-greet was a great chance to connect with readers and share the book love.

Authors in the Boyd School’s Publishing Center–of course! (Photo from the amazing Kristen Picone)

The whole day was inspiring, educational–and super fun. Huge thanks to all the volunteers who make this day happen. Can’t wait for next year!

Booki, Lauren, and me

This weekend: nErDcampLI!

Nov 1, 2017 | , , , , , , , , ,

Three sleeps till nErDcampLI! This “unconference” is always so much fun, and it’s filled with literacy ideas and discussion–and #booklove. The workshops and keynotes start at 8:00, and the author meet and greet runs from 2:00-3:30. Check out all the amazing authors and illustrators who will be there–and stop by and say hi if you’d like a signed copy of When Audrey Met Alice or Summer of Lost and Found!

ARCs! And some other stuff

Sep 28, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , , ,

Time flies when you’re having fun–I can’t believe summer is over, and September almost is, too. It was a busy month:

The new Books of Wonder opened! I love both stores, but it’s so exciting to have a children’s bookstore (and its awesome events) uptown.

Of course I visited Nell and Ambrose when I stopped by to check out the new space.

Meanwhile, at the downtown location, I went to a fabulous panel with Tara Dairman, Jessica Lawson, Alison Cherry, and Tracey Baptiste. Lots of author friends were there–we even had a mini reunion of our 2014 debut author group. Here we are: Jessica Lawson, Tara Dairman, Lauren Magaziner, me, and Michelle Schusterman. We all have new MG releases in either 2017 or 2018!

Speaking of new releases, I got a delightful surprise from the UPS man one morning: ARCs (advance reader copies) of The Last Grand Adventure!

Aren’t they pretty? It’s so exciting to finally see this story in book form. 

Now it’s back to work on some new projects, and starting to think of fun ways to share The Last Grand Adventure with readers. 

What have you been up to lately?

Ants and Grasshoppers

Aug 23, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , ,

Usually, I’m an ant. I like having to-do lists and schedules, deadlines and goals, and I’m at my happiest when I’m working as much as playing, or maybe even a little more.

But not in August. As the fable goes, there’s a time for work and a time for play, and August is the time for play. The days are still long, most emails are met with out-of-office replies, and the late-summer heat is so perfect for strolling. Or lounging. Or swimming. Or reading. Or ice-cream-cone-licking. But not for typing. (I once had a wooden desk chair and an apartment without air-conditioning, and while I was stuck at my computer revising a book during a heat wave, I hydroplaned off my seat. True story.)

I feel a little guilty being a grasshopper right now. I’m looking forward to being an ant again, in just a few weeks. But for now, I’m going to embrace the season of play. I’ll be “making music” till Labor Day. After all, what a writer needs most is rich experiences, so in my own way I’m storing up food for winter.

(To see my grasshopper days, find me on Instagram!)

 

Recent Adventuring

Jul 18, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s no secret that I love history and I love the beach (I mean, it’s right there in my bio, along with doughnuts and laughing). Last week my husband and I explored Bermuda, and I got to combine the two in one fun, relaxing, and inspiring vacation. Here’s a little of what we saw:

The town of St. George, which is the oldest continually inhabited English settlement in the Americas. (It’s also a UNESCO world heritage site.) It was founded after ships on their way to rescue the starving colonists at Jamestown (the colony that followed Roanoke) wrecked offshore. The statue of George Somers reminded me of Prospero in The Tempest–turns out Shakespeare may have been inspired by those “current events” while writing the play! The ship is the Deliverance, called the ship that “saved America” by sucessfully resupplying the colonists at Jamestown. Learning about the colonial history and relationship with American colonists reminded me a lot of Roanoke, and made me think about Summer of Lost and Found. If the Roanoke colony had survived, would it have eventually looked like this?

We also checked out the Crystal Cave, which two twelve-year-old boys discovered in 1907. They were playing cricket when their ball disappeared down an unfamiliar hole in the yard. After getting a rope and a lantern, the boys descended to find a beautiful cave with a 55-foot-deep underground lake. While they explored, the lantern went out–and they were lost in the darkness for hours. They found the rope and made it out–the rest is history. (Let this be a lesson in the bravery of middle-graders!) The stalactites and stalagmites were so cool.

And at the Royal Naval Dockyard, we checked out the Victualling Yard, where crews prepared all the food and drink needed to keep sailors well fed on their long voyages. It was kept guarded, to prevent any pilfering. It was a hot day (no surprise), so we stopped in a pub with lots of books.

And, of course, here’s the beach. I spent a lot of hours reading on it, under a peppermint-candy-looking umbrella and with lots of SPF. 

What have your adventures been this summer?

Summer scenes

Jul 6, 2017 | , , , , , , , , ,

I was reading a craft book recently in which Hemingway lamented how he struggled to write in summer–the hot, sleepy weather just didn’t work for him. For me, it’s the cold, dark days of winter when I feel blocked. Summer inspires me, and so far this one has been no exception. Here’s some of what I’ve been soaking up (when I haven’t been busy copyediting The Last Grand Adventure, or working away on a shiny new project):

Moonlight in Manhattan

A beautiful Madison sunset

Farmer’s market berries, part 1

Farmer’s market berries, part 2 (homemade ice cream is the best!)

Skyline views in the park

Secret gardens in the country

What does your summer look like so far?

*Want more photos of cityscapes, berries, and books? I’m now on Instagram, and I’m loving the glimpses into other readers’ and writers’ lives. 

 

Bye, Winter!

Apr 18, 2017 | , , , , , , , , , ,

Happy spring!

I spent most of my winter inside, staring out at the snow (or, more accurately where I live, slush-covered streets) while revising, and revising, and then revising The Last Grand Adventure. (Writing is editing, right?) I did take a break in between rounds to meet up with MG author and friend Lauren Magaziner and try out Dō, a new bakery that specializes in safe-to-eat raw cookie dough. It was delicious–and decadent–and worth the wait in line.

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After I put the finishing touches on The Last Grand Adventure, I got to do some adventuring of my own! I headed to the sunny Caribbean and visited the British Virgin Islands–getting the first stamp in my passport in a long time.

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And I caught up on my reading. Nothing pairs better than the beach and a good book. Next on my to-read list is Erin Entrada Kelly’s Hello, Universe, which I’ve been eagerly awaiting since I heard Erin talk about it at a panel last fall.

I’m starting some new projects now–always an exciting and kinda scary part of the writing process–but taking lots of breaks to check out the spring flowers popping up around the city.

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How are you celebrating spring?

Catching up

Feb 12, 2017 | , , , , , , ,

Even though the winter seems long, time is flying by. Have I really not posted since nErDcampLI? Here’s what I’ve been up to lately.

I made a quick trip to Wisconsin for the holidays, where I managed to bake gingerbread cookies:

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And check out the new ice-skating rink on the beautiful, not-quite-frozen-solid Lake Mendota:

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Back in New York, a cool new subway opened:

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But I haven’t spent much time riding it–I spent January working on my revision of The Last Grand Adventure. It was a lot of work, and a lot of fun, to get back into Bea and Pidge’s story. I took occasional breaks to read:

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In early February I turned it in to my editor and then hopped a plane back to Wisconsin to meet my new niece:

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I think she’s pretty adorable. 🙂 I made it back just before a snowstorm hit the city and gave us all a peaceful snow day:

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What have you been up to in these cold, cozy months?

 

 

 

nErDcampLI and November

Nov 20, 2016 | , , , , , , , ,

November started off with an amazing day of literacy and learning: #nErDcampLI! This was my first EdCamp experience, and it was awesome. I got to listen to amazing educators and experts speak about topics in literacy and kidlit–like this fantastic session on the importance of back matter that Susannah Richards led.

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One of the things she encouraged authors to do is include more back matter on their websites–especially book-creation timelines. I’m hoping to add something for that to the Resources page of my site soon!

The event was held in the wonderful Jericho Middle School, and I loved wandering the halls to see the work that students had posted. This was my favorite sign:

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A very wise student wrote that. 🙂

The following week was the election, and like many people, I’ve been processing the results since. It’s no secret to those who have read When Audrey Met Alice that I believe a woman’s place is in the White House. I took this picture on my way home to watch returns on Tuesday night.

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More than ever, that is true. Our votes matter, and so do our voices. I’m working harder than ever to use mine to express what I believe in.

Now it’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is almost here–have a happy and safe holiday, and eat lots of pie!

 

A Week in Wisconsin

Oct 22, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Last week I traveled back to Wisconsin for a couple of book events, and it was perfect timing for fall color:

The view from Ski Hi, my favorite orchard. The pies are amazing!

The view from Ski Hi, my favorite orchard. The pies are amazing!

Hiking at Devil's Lake

Hiking at Devil’s Lake

Madison has great coffee :)

Madison has great coffee 🙂

The famous farmer's market is at its very best in fall.

The famous farmer’s market is at its very best in fall.

Green and gold

Green and gold

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The view from my Sunday morning coffeeshop

What’s missing? Photos from my talk at the Reedsburg Public Library and my school visit at EAGLE School. I was so excited to meet with readers and writers that I never quite got around to taking pictures . . . oops! But I had a great time talking about reading, researching, and writing.

Now I’m back in NY, working on short fiction and researching a project, and getting ready for nErDcampLI!

How does fall look where you are?

 

Fall Book Fun, Part 2

Oct 8, 2016 | , , , , , , , , , ,

Last Sunday, I had a great conversation with author-friends Melanie Conklin and Sarah Darer Littman at Bank Street Bookstore. We spoke about writing three very different books all set (or, in my book’s case–partly set) in the big city. It was a great discussion–thanks, Bank Street!

 

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(I loved sharing a shelf with the HRC books)

 

This week, I’m off to Wisconsin for a great event at the Reedsburg Public Library and a chance to visit some schools. Hoping to get in a trip to the apple orchard and my favorite state park while I’m back, too–there’s nothing quite like autumn in Wisconsin. 🙂

 

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