Posted by: Katie B | September 23, 2012

Break Down of the Summer Reading List

Puck

Puck

The best part of summer vacation is curling up with a great book.  Here’s a review of the books I gobbled up in my “free time” this past season.  I hope you find one or two that speaks to you!

Books I Like A Lot:

Divergent by Veronica Roth.  Young Adult.  I heard so much buzz about this book and the sequel, Insurgent.  For once, I was glad to be part of the in-the-know crowd.  Each book was close to 500 pages, and I read them through twice before returning them to the library.  500 pages.  Each.  Read twice.  In one week.  I’ve said enough.  Go and get yourself a copy.  Just commit to losing a few days of your life once you get the books in hand and you’ll be fine.

A Long Way From Chicago by Richard Peck.  Middle Grade.  I don’t care how old you are, but you need to pick up this book and it’s sequel, A Year Down Yonder.  Such wonderful, funny, quirky tales.  Innocent and appropriate for any ready.  You won’t be disappointed.

One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia.  Middle Grade.  What a fun, sassy story.  I’ve heard this book mentioned over and over when referring to “voice”.  It’s the example everyone cites as the perfect use of voice – or more specifically, voice with vernacular.  It deserved every award it received.

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson.  Young Adult.  This book is a new favorite of mine that I’d recommend to any woman who has had a friend.  Or made best friends at camp.  Yes, between the two categories, that’s all of us.  We all need to read it.  It’s the Ya-Ya Sisterhood set in a peach orchard.

 

 

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Posted by: Katie B | September 22, 2012

Scrivener – How do I love thee?

Scrivener.  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways…

If you know what I’m talking about, read no further.  If you think, perhaps, I’m being melodramatic, think again.  Scrivener is the author’s new BFF.  Although, for some of you, it’s not that new.  It’s new to me mostly because I’m about 9-18 months behind the times.  But at least I’m catching on…

I was introduced to Scrivener at the VCFA conference last March.  Both Holly Black and Coe Booth, authors extraordinaire, used Scrivener.  When asked how they went about writing, or mapping out their books, or organizing characters or plot or settings, their answers never wavered.  Scrivener.  They enthusiastically opened up their laptops and shared current projects on Scrivener.  They gave us mini-tutorials on how it operates.  We all walked away with Scrivener scrawled in the margins of our notebooks.

What is Scrivener?  How to describe?  It’s a writing program that lets you collect notes, internet research, various drafts, scenes, chapters, etc. into one location.  You can hop from place to place without getting lost.  Work on chapters out-of-order.  Break apart scenes in a chapter.  Move sections from place to place.  Keep your favorite websites a click away.

Once you get the hang of it, you’ll never create your book in a word document again.  If you’re not sure, you can try it for free for thirty days of writing time.  They have online tutorials and videos to explain how to use it.  I lasted about a week and then I bought it outright.  It does help if you have a friend to show you some of the tricks, but you should be able to learn it on your own.  Go on, give it a try.  You won’t be disappointed.  Scrivener!

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Posted by: Katie B | July 24, 2012

Women Who Write Announce Second Annual Writers Conference

The Journey

The Journey

It’s that time again!  Registration has opened for Women Who Write’s annual writers conference on Saturday, September 22nd, 2012 in Madison, NJ.  Women Who Write (WWW) is a New Jersey based non-profit organization that supports female writers in any genre.  Although the organization’s membership is only open to women, the conference is open to all writers – men included!  Last year we had one male attendee.  He was a brave soul.

The conference this year has tracks for poetry, prose, and children’s writers.  All the details are attached here: WWW Conference 2012 or check out the website www.womenwhowrite.org for more information.

Smaller and more intimate, this conference is a great way to network with other authors and have personal access to top professionals in the industry.  Hope to see you there!

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Posted by: Katie B | July 18, 2012

Sarah Aronson’s Beyond Lucky on Library Reading Lists!

My girls and I went to the Westfield Memorial Library last week to sign up for their summer reading program.  Imagine how calmly I reacted when I saw that the first book on the 5th Grade suggested reading list was Sarah Aronson’s Beyond Lucky!!!!  Needless to say, I got ‘shushed’.  But it’s a well deserved recommendation.  The book is a fun, exciting read that is appropriate for all readers.  Boys and girls.  No edgy content.  Believable friendships.  Realistic school-aged drama.  A great twist at the end.  And no dead parents.  In fact, the parents being both alive and very much involved in the boy’s life drives a lot of the humor in the book.

I met Sarah last March at the VCFA writer’s retreat which she co-organizes.  Before going to the retreat, I read her book (which I checked out of the very same library!) and reported on it here in my blog.  I really liked it, had told her so, and found myself recommending it to other parents at my child’s elementary school.  For once, I was ahead of the trend.  I’m glad the library caught on!  Congrats to Sarah!

p.s. If you ever get the chance to meet Sarah, be sure to go up and say ‘hi’.  She’s incredibly kind, funny, and generous with her time!  Such a help to her fellow writers!

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Posted by: Katie B | July 13, 2012

Middle Grade Reading Explosion

Let’s just say that there are some awesome books for Middle Grade readers right now.  I wish I’d had these options when I was going through Elementary / Middle School.  All of these selections are content appropriate, they cover diverse topics, and they are well written.  Enjoy!

Books I Like A Lot:

A Year Down Yonder by Richard Peck.  Middle Grade.  Probably one of the best middle grade novels I’ve read to date.  Had me laughing out loud, sniffling, and unable to put it down.  No surprise it won the Newberry!  I hope children in the post Harry Potter world can still appreciate a character driven novel like this one.

The Giver by Lois Lowry.  Middle Grade.  This book is a well written Newberry winner from 1994.  I really enjoyed it but couldn’t help thinking how similar is was to the current YA dystopian bestseller Matched (which I also read, enjoyed, and reviewed).  The tone, style of writing, and structure of the world mirror one another.  Didn’t anyone else notice this?

Child of the Silent Night by Edith Fisher Hunter.  Middle Grade.  The story of Laura Bridgman, the first death-mute-blind girl to go to school.  One of my favorite books when I was a kid, it still doesn’t disappoint.  I read it out loud with my girls, and they were begging not to stop.  There is a place for biographies in this world!

Number the Stars by Lois Lowry.  Middle Grade.  Another well-deserved Newberry winner by Lois.  This one deals with the Holocaust.  What a tough subject matter to introduce to young children, but she does it in an honest, straightforward manner.

 

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Posted by: Katie B | April 27, 2012

What Makes a Good Children’s Book?

Cypress at the Black Swamp

Cypress at the Black Swamp

As I previously mentioned, Alvina Ling spoke at this year’s VCFA writing retreat.  At the conference, she shared a list of the “Attributes That Make A Good Children’s Book” (in her opinion).  Alvina writes about a lot of these ideas on her own blog, so I don’t believe I’m revealing proprietary information.  It’s such good advice, I can’t help but to share.

  1. Child or child surrogate (animal) is hero / heroine.
  2. Author uses engaging, lively language with distinctive dialogue.
  3. Author is not condescending, cloying, and is careful about using stereotypes.
  4. Characters seem real, complex, and dimensional and show growth.
  5. Author / Artist creates a completely believable and interesting world for its characters to inhabit.
  6. Uses economy of language and coherent structure.
  7. Includes details that appeal to a child’s sensibilities.
  8. Story has clever twists and / or connections that make the reader say, “A-ha!”
  9. Isn’t overly predictable (although for some picture books, predictability can work).
  10. Makes a point without being overly didactic or preachy.
  11. Illustrations (if applicable) expand in some way on the words of the story.
  12. Story / art is compelling and makes you want to turn the page to see what happens.
  13. Has a clear climax, point of tension that is resolved in a satisfying way.
  14. Author takes you on a journey; opens up new world and ideas to the reader.
  15. Story moves and / or entertains you; makes you laugh, cry, and / or think.  This satisfying feeling should linger with the reader after the book is over.
  16. On repeated readings the book offers fresh revelations or details that may not have been caught the first time through.
  17. Story gives enjoyment to the child and the inner child.
  18. Author is not afraid to be daring and takes risks, such as being willing to portray  unlikable characters or fantastical situations, take on controversial subjects, etc.
  19. Author has a clear, fresh, and interesting point of view on his / her subject.
  20. Be particularly careful about following a current trend; ideally should have some lasting value.

Happy Writing!

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Posted by: Katie B | April 26, 2012

Rutger’s Annual Writers Conference Now Open for Applications!

Rutgers University hosts an annual ‘Council on Children’s Literature’ (RUCCL) every October.  I attended RUCCL in 2010 and felt it was a worthwhile event.  For my wrap up on the 2010 event, click here.  Funny enough, I found myself in this picture from their website (I’m front-left, in the blue short-sleeved sweater):

RUCCL 2010

The application for the 2012 conference is now available online.  Some information is still forthcoming, such as who this year’s mentors will be.  No doubt they’ll be an impressive collection from the top agencies and houses in the business.  What’s different about this event is that writers have to apply with a sample of their work and be accepted to attend.  As a result, you find the writers attending RUCCL to be more seasoned than at other conferences.  The other positive is the length of time you get to spend with a one-on-one mentor.  At 45 minutes, it’s significantly longer than at any other event.

Here are the key dates:

RUCCL 2012 Conference:  October 13, 2012

Application Deadline:  July 2, 2012

For all the RUCCL conference details, check out their website:  http://www.ruccl.org/One-on-One_Plus_Conference.html

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