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Brent Hartinger: hey Catherine Brent Hartinger: slooooow night tonight Catherine Atkins: Hmm. Are we talked out after the last one? Brent Hartinger: I think so Catherine Atkins: I know I'm in slow writing mode. i came to hear other people talk tonight! thingschange: Is somebody moderating? Catherine Atkins: No moderator, I think. Anyone with Feb books can come and vent/be happy/be confuzzled. Eliz: I am trying to come up with something fabulous to say, but the kids at school kept my brain moving today. Catherine Atkins: High school, Eliz? Eliz: Actually, our school is 7-12. Catherine Atkins: What's popular with the kids these days on reading? Eliz: We had a problem this year-no money from the district until this past Friday. So we have had a dearth of new work in the library. I am so out of the loop on new reads. Right now fantasy is what kids are looking for. thingschange: I have three kids determined to read every R.A. Salvatore novel right now thingschange: Good thing they have time Catherine Atkins: Fantasy seems like it's always popular--timeless. Not familiar with Salavatore, Patrick. Who that? thingschange: dark fantasy: lots of series, lots of swords, shields, and butt kicking. he also does some "novelization" thingschange: of Star Wars and the like thingschange: He's for folks who like Robert Jordan... dark fantasy Eliz: It is so hard to keep up with every book in a series. I know kids want to read things in order. thingschange: I tell kids I admire them for sticking to a series: thingschange: I can't commit to a women, I'm certainly not about to commit to Robert Jordan for seven one thousand page books! Catherine Atkins: hmm. In my non-writing life I teach alt ed high school. The kids who read seem to go for adult thrillers. Grisham, for one. Hope: Hi...I'm Hope. I am a communication junkie, but this is my first chat... thingschange: Brent: do you have a "day" job still Catherine Atkins: Hi Hope. What do you like to read? Hope: Yup. Guess what. Our copy of THINGS CHANGE has already been stolen. Congrats! Hope: Hi, Catherine. Hard question! thingschange: Wait until April 2006 you can reorder in pbk Hope: I'm in the middle of HOW I LIVE NOW Eliz: I can't wait to read that one Hope: Will definitely re-order, but probably won't wait until 2006. thingschange: I just finished it (and also Chandra's Secret) Catherine Atkins: How are you liking it, Hope? Intense book! Dorian from x.x.x.11 joined the chat 8 minutes ago Catherine Atkins: Hey, is this Dorian of Dancing in Red Shoes...? Dorian: yes, just got home thingschange: Hey Dorian...had two kids fighting over your book today (literally) Catherine Atkins: Hey, Shirley. Dorian I love that cover. Really, really want to read your book. Dorian: Thanks, I lucked out with that cover. I had absolutely nothing to do with it. thingschange: musta be those "pumpkins" Dorian: LOL Hope: So....I have a question for authors Catherine Atkins: How's it going as a first-time author, Dorian? Go for it, Hope. Hope: When does the "high" come? Hope: When you type "the end"? Hope: When you receive your ARC? Hope: When you receive the box of your books? Dorian: Hmm. Lots of highs, really. Don't you all think? Hope: When you get your first fan letter? thingschange: To quote Dr Nick from the Simpsons: the best part was when I got my money thingschange: (that's a joke) Hope: Hah! (laughing out loud) Catherine Atkins: Hope, the purest good thing for me is heartfelt reaction from kids. The rest sometimes has tough stuff mixed in it. Dorian: Yes, money is good, even the little bit. I have to admit it was very cool when a total stranger -- a teen -- left me a message on my guestbook. I couldn't believe someone other than a blood relative or friend had read the book already. Eliz: Okay, so is it possible to make a living as an author? thingschange: Yes. If your name is Rowling or Grisham Eliz: Not too many are, are they? Catherine Atkins: Usually not Eliz--it varies all over the place. But mostly no. Most authors eke out. Dorian: LOL, Patrick. I've heard people who do a lot of speaking with writing can make a sort of living. thingschange: Hope, for me with the nonfiction stuff the real thingschange: high is when people tell me they've used it Catherine Atkins: There's always the exception of the first time blockbuster--but most writers are working and struggling all the time to keep things going. Hope: Catherine, what's an example of "tough stuff"? Hope: (if you don't mind my asking) Catherine Atkins: Hmm. Well often the path to the ARC was--well, is "hellish" too strong? So it's great to see the arc but you know the struggle, too. Catherine Atkins: Brent, still there? What are some highs and lows of writing for you? thingschange: Dorian, that's a good point. I actually have made a lot more $$$ talking about my books than the books themselves Catherine Atkins: Hope, also, you have to type "the end" so many times before it actually is--draft after draft. You don't know the real "end" til the editor tells you. thingschange: Brent must have checked into the Last Chance Texaco Dorian: I hear that from other writers. I'm so disorganized I don't know how people can write and promote at the same time. I seem to only be able to do one thing at a time. thingschange: The other weird thing Hope is the timing. The "high" I'm, on now is a book I've just written and am having teens read before I send to publisher, and probably won't be published until 2008 Dorian: Wow, Patrick, why 2008? thingschange: Actually the high in that book was about 1/2 way through it when I knew it was a book, not just an idea thingschange: Dorian, I'm with a smaller publisher and they only do so many books a year, so I think they' thingschange: they'll not have a "slot" open until then Eliz: Will the book still seem revelant 3 years from now? Hope: What's it about? thingschange: Hope, its similar to planning a YA program: there's the high of thinking about it, then doing the promo, then the day of the event, and then later when a teen mentions it again Catherine Atkins: Patrick, do kids react differently to you after they read your book? More aspiring writers in touch? Hope: Yes! Or when they see you in the grocery store a year later and tell you they remember the stories you told them. thingschange: Yes, had a kid today at the correctional facility wanting to know how he could get his life story published thingschange: exactly: I think any creative process (and teen programming is that) has a similar path of high/low Catherine Atkins: How do you handle that? Do you read their stuff at all? thingschange: Most never get that far.... thingschange: I do publish a literary magazine with kids in corrections, so I do read their poetry Dorian: That's great, Patrick. What nice thing. thingschange: Catherine, you must face that all the time with your students Catherine Atkins: Not too much--most of my students don't write. I was reading a work for a girl for a while--but she didn't keep with it. thingschange: Hope: do you guys do a lit magazine? Hope: Nope. Poetry wall, online book discussion, random writing contests from time to time... Hope: Another thing I've been thinking about lately is the value for fiction writers of reading poetry. Catherine Atkins: Anyone read good ya lately? I have many on my "To Read" but the last thing was adult--Upstate by Kalisha Buckhanon. I really liked it. Dorian: I just finished Stained and it's great. ShirleyH: I read Private Peaceful and loved it. thingschange: I finished Jailbait by ??? same author who did heather has two mommies Debby G.: I liked How I Live Now thingschange: What was upstate about? And stained? Catherine Atkins: Shirley, what's that about? ShirleyH: It's set in WW 1--About 2 brothers who go to war. A large part is in flashbacks. Hope: I heard from another librarian that HILN has a hugely high lexile level. Jonathan: I just got the new Joan Bauer and the new Alex Flinn in the mail today. Woo-hoo! Hope: Which I personally could care less about, but will make it more appealing to certain overachiever/driven teens. Hope: And/or their parents. Dorian: Stained takes place in the seventies and is about the Catholic church and sexual abuse. thingschange: (they're talking about How I Live Now on the ccbc list) Catherine Atkins: Patrick, your kids might like Upstate. It's about a teen girl and boy in New York--boy goes to prison for killing his dad. They write back and forth for about five years. It's touching. Fast-moving. Almost could be YA. thingschange: how are the flashbacks handled? Separate chapters? Debby G.: lexile? ShirleyH: No. There's a short present day excerpt at the start of each chapter and then it goes into a long flashback. Dorian: Jonathan, I think Alex's new book is going to be great. I'm jealous that you've got a copy. We're in the same writing group and I don't even have a copy. Catherine Atkins: In Upstate, the whole book is told in alternating letters. Dorian: Are Upstate and Private Peaceful YAs? Who wrote them? ShirleyH: Michael Morpurgo wrote Private Peaceful, and it is ya. Catherine Atkins: Dorian, Upstate is not YA, but it reads like it. A first-time author--Kalisha Buckhanon. I *love* the cover. It's what drew me. Catherine Atkins: Jonathan, I just heard Joan Bauer had done a sequel to Rules of the Road. Is that the book you have? Debby G.: I'm reading Philip Roth's newest. It's gripping. thingschange: I think most Printz book are going to be for high achievers, no? Jonathan: Yes, the new Bauer is the sequel to Rules of the Road. Can't wait to read them both. Debby G.: It's very scary. Debby G.: I loved Rules of the Road. Catherine Atkins: The RULES sequel sounds great. I loved Rules. Hope: I loved RULES OF THE ROAD, too. thingschange: Bauer is really one of the great finds from the Delacorte First Time YA contest Jonathan: I liked PRIVATE PEACEFUL a lot too and think it got overlooked in a very, very strong year. Dorian: Thanks, Catherine and Shirley. Yes, a sequel to Rules sounds great. Will she save the shoe company? Jonathan: And Christopher Paul Curtis was, too. thingschange: Gotta disagree there Jonathan.... Catherine Atkins: Amanda Jenkins, too, and Joyce Sweeney. Martha Moore. All great Del prize winners. Jonathan: Patrick, do you disagree that last year was strong, or that PP was overlooked, or that CPC won one of those Delacorte Prize thingies? Not sure. :-) thingschange: Center Line is IMO one of the top 20 ya books ever... thingschange: I just don't think Bucking the Sarge was a great book Dorian: Patrick, that is so cool that you said that. I've been in Joyce Sweeney's writing group for 10 years. She's mentored a lot of writers like me. Catherine Atkins: Center Line(by J. Sweeney) is a book I found so inspirational. I love her work. Catherine Atkins: Dorian, I envy you that. I think Joyce is a fabulous writer. Jonathan: Oh, I don't think I was very clear. You said Bauer won the Delacorte Prize and was one of the great finds, and I said CPC was, too--that is a great find, not that BUCKING THE SARGE was a great book (although I did like it). Dorian: Yes, I was really lucky to have found Joyce all the way down here in Florida thingschange: I didn't think that Watsons was a Delacorte Winner, but I could be wrong thingschange: What else do you think was overlooked in a strong year Jonathan: I thought SAMMY & JULIANA IN HOLLYWOOD was terrific. Small press. Debby G.: No Laughter Here ShirleyH: I'm reading Jude right now and it seems really strong (so far) Jonathan: Oh, yes. NO LAUGHTER HERE. Shame on the CSK. Debby G.: Sammy was my favorite book this year... but it did get some acclaim... top ten bbya Catherine Atkins: No Laughter was a fave of mine, too. So well-written. Jonathan: Yes, it did get Top Ten BBYA as did a couple other "overlooked books" such as REALM OF POSSIBILITY, THE RACE TO SAVE THE LORD GOD BIRD, and SAVING FRANCESCA. Debby G.: Jude? What's that? Jonathan: Has anyone read DAY OF TEARS by Julius Lester or A WREATH FOR EMMETT TILL by Marilyn Nelson yet? ShirleyH: Jude is a ya about a teen who witnesses his drug dealer father's murder thingschange: I thought Saving Francesa shoulda won a printz honor Dorian: What about Double Helix? No top ten. No Edgar. Hope: I _LOVED_ Double Helix! Debby G.: Francesca: Extremely well-crafted for a formulaic book. Jonathan: Yes, DOUBLE HELIX and NOTHING TO LOSE. Both should have been Edgar finalist with one of them taking it home. Catherine Atkins: Both of them sound great, Jonathan. I really liked Carver by Marilyn Nelson. Jonathan: Yeah, FRANCESCA wasn't my fave, but I did like it. Debby G.: I also thought Year of Secret Assignments should have been recognized. thingschange: I think REALM is a very interesting discussion in and of itself Jonathan: EMMETT TILL is a heroic crown of sonnets. 15 sonnets with the last line of the last sonnet being the first line of the next sonnet, interlinking them all. Very cool. Debby G.: I liked The Tornado Season a lot too. Seems like that was totally ignored. Jonathan: Do you like REALM, Patrick? It's not my favorite by a long shot, but I know a lot of people thought it was the best of the year. Debby G.: Ooh, that sonnet book does sound cool. Debby G.: My friend just mailed out Looking for Alaska to me. It got a lot of buzz. Thoughts? Jonathan: And it's chock full of all those poetic devices like personification, metaphor, allusions, alliteration, point of view shifts. It's brilliant, but a challenging read. thingschange: I couldn't read it Jonathan...I just don't want to work that hard Jonathan: I thought LOOKING FOR ALASKA was a strong first novel, but not quite worthy of the buzz. Would it be getting so much attention as a second or third novel? I don't think so. Not saying it's bad. It's just not as earthshakingly good as some have made it out to be. Jonathan: Patrick, I hear ya. Some people liked that aspect of it. I was indifferent. I just felt indifferent to the whole thing. His new novel, ARE WE THERE YET?, is probably his best so far. Looking forward to seeing how people respond. Catherine Atkins: Jonathan, is is also a verse novel? ShirleyH: Debby--I am so eager to read your forthcoming novel. Jonathan: If anybody likes Rosemary Sutcliffe then be sure to check out the work of Rebecca Tingle. Her first book was EDGE ON THE SWORD. New one is FAR TRAVELER. Debby G.: Thanks! The buzzless novel. Dorian: I'm looking forward to Storky, too. And, Catherine, when is your new one out. Jonathan: No ARE WE THERE YET? is not in verse. Reminds me a bit of STAINED in some respects. Would be good for comparison, I think. Dorian: Don't feel bad Debby, I too am buzzless. Catherine Atkins: That's a good question, Dorian. Sigh. Sometime in the future. Debby G.: Stained sounds intriguing. I'm dying to read that. Jonathan: I'm looking forward to reading STORKY. I asked the Putnam editors about it at dinner at ALA. :-) ShirleyH: I am less than buzzless. Dorian: LOL, I guess it's all relative isn't it? Debby G.: Dorian, when is yours out? thingschange: Are we there yet is also the name of a new book written by various WWE wrestlers! Dorian: Mine is out already--thus proving my point about being buzzless. Debby G.: And a really really bad kids movie! Jonathan: Do an Amazon search on Are We There Yet. There are, like, twenty books with the title. Catherine Atkins: Heh. I don't have to worry about buzz but feel for you buzzless people. Maybe you're not so buzzless as you think. :-) thingschange: Shirley - do you something out now (you did Dancing Naked, right?) Debby G.: Oh, sorry! Dancing in Red Shoes Will Kill You Debby G.: Actually, I saw it got a great review. Debby G.: I'm going to get it. ShirleyH: LOL. No. Unpublished. Dorian: Thanks. thingschange: Unpublished for now Catherine Atkins: Dorian, saw your book in B&N yesterday on a dash in(couldn't buy anything). In Walnut Creek, CA. thingschange: HAH: that would be a Shelly Stoehr novel ShirleyH: I would have had a book come out this past year, but alas. Not. Catherine Atkins: Shirley is a fabbo writer. ShirleyH: Thanks Cathy Jonathan: Cathy, do you live in Walnut Creek? I used to live there, but live just outside Modesto now. thingschange: Dorian, if the kid who took it wasn't in for 1st degree assault. I'd have taken it Dorian: Do you mean it was a guy -- or am I being sexist. I know a girl could be in for 1st degree assault too. Catherine Atkins: I did a Bay Area run yesterday and got my first laptop at the Apple Store in W. Creek. I live actually not too far from Motown. How do you like the valley? thingschange: Shirely: do you have agent? Debby G.: After reading two war books-- How I Live Now and the Roth book-- I need the lightest book I can find. Looking forward to what I just bought: "I Was a Non-blonde Cheerleader." ShirleyH: yes Debby G.: Shirley, you will be published soon. Dorian: Shirley and I have the same agent and I know for a fact he LOVES her work. Jonathan: Cathy, I like it a lot. Moved here on a lark to upgrade from condo to home. Hope: That would make a great fortune cookie: You will be published soon. ShirleyH: Debby--should I send cash or a check? Debby G.: both Catherine Atkins: I looove the Bay Area but it's so crowded and expensive. I like to visit, though. ShirleyH: Nice to know that, Dorian. Debby G.: I'm in Southern CA. Wish I wasn't this season. thingschange: without giving it 2 much away...what’s the story Jonathan: Yes, me, too. Love the Bay Area, but not willing to be a second class citizen. Jonathan: Just got back from Riverside over the long weekend. All that rain. Ugh. Jonathan: Does overlap between Newbery and Printz bother anybody here? Hope: I re-read HERO AND THE CROWN last week and thought it might win a Printz if it were published now. Hope: Maybe. Debby G.: I actually think Kira-kira is better suited for teens than kids. Hope: Or maybe I just love it. Catherine Atkins: Jonathan, me, a little. I'd like the Printz kept for upper YA. A purely ya award. Hope: Oh, you meant this year's P and N. I was thinking generally... thingschange: No, because some few real YA novels every won the Newberry Debby G.: I loved Kira-kira, but can't see my 11 year old liking it much. Jonathan: No, definitely HERO AND THE CROWN is very high end. I mean generally. thingschange: No, because some few real YA novels every won the Newberry thingschange: Also Printz is new so I think the "award" is still finding itself Jonathan: Cathy, does it bother you when the Newbery reaches up for YA books like HOPE WAS HERE or HERO AND THE CROWN? Catherine Atkins: I was surprised by Hope but didn't really mind--cuz I actually enjoyed Hope and generally I don't get into Newbery books. Debby G.: I just wish the Printz winners were on the Today show. Debby G.: Gotta go. Hubby's home. Bye! Jonathan: I wish the publishing industry would fund their own cable show. If you can have a golf channel, why not a book channel. thingschange: Better if they were on TRL or the like Dorian: LOL and what about all those poker games that people watch? Hope: I fantasize about our Teen Library Council doing a book TV show for local cable. Catherine Atkins: Jonathan, one I would have loved to see honored by Newbery was Amy Koss' The Girls--something sharper-edged, how middle-schools actually are. thingschange: Or better yet, Jon Stewart Jonathan: Why can't MTV have a book show? They do everything else. Dorian: Yes there's got to be a way to make books cool. thingschange: Well, Hope, in the franchise contract, they gotta give you access to the equipment and the airwaves, so gopher it Jonathan: I haven't read THE GIRLS, but have a good friend that is wild about it. Dorian: I mean seem cool to those kids who don't think they're cool. Sorry. Hope: Cable show: on my To Do list. Catherine Atkins: That would be great--on MTV--but how to prevent it from becoming a pure commercial for already-connected books? So many things are intertwined now. Jonathan: When is the Printz going to choose an informational book? Any bets? thingschange: What's the weather report from hell Jonathan? Catherine Atkins: I want to get a plug in for next week's YA Chat-March 1. I'm going to interview Sonya Sones about her verse novels and about writing in general. Dorian: Oh great, Catherine. That sounds wonderful. Jonathan: You mean here? Weather is nice here. Raining off and on but has been clear the past couple days. Hope: Yay! I won't be able to join until 9 PM, but I'll look forward to it. thingschange: No, I meant when hell freezes over is when an info book will win Catherine Atkins: I'm looking forward to it. I love her stuff--especially What My Mother Doesn't Know. Look forward to seeing everyone. Jonathan: Oh, duh. I am so dumb. When it snows in hell, then an informational book will be recognized. Duh. ShirleyH: I'll be here! kimmar: Yay Catherine! I love Sonya Sones too! Jonathan: Oh, I love Sonya. She's the best! Dorian: Yes, I loved What My Mother Doesn't Know. She told me she's writing a sequel to it now. Catherine Atkins: Ooh, cool. Hope to see you all.
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