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February 18, 2008
Purple Prose
It was so much fun to scan the UW Bookstore wall to find my name -- right underneath Elizabeth George and Jean Auel, no less!
Posted by kirby at 12:29 PM | Comments (0)
Hattie Flying High
What an imaginative display, celebrating the uplifting energy of books! If you're in Seattle, check it out at the University of Washington Bookstore, in the University district.
Posted by kirby at 12:26 PM | Comments (0)
Eager Readers
These girls came straight from volleyball practice to get the skinny on Hattie Big Sky. One of them asked me how I used similes, metaphors and hyperbole in the book. Don't you think it's kind of scary how smart kids are these days?
Posted by kirby at 12:12 PM | Comments (0)
The Curtain Closes
My final paperback tour events included a visit to lovely, old, Villa Academy in Seattle and the University Bookstore. Because the Villa event was in the chapel, we didn't take photos but, once again, a great time was had by all. I know I did my fair share trying to convert any history phobes in the audience. I always get a kick out of how creative kids are and how much fun they have when I give them examples of historical events and we all brainstorm ways to connect them in a story. But note to self: definitely ask kids to wear name tags at Catholic schools. Picture 200 students, all in navy sweaters and khaki pants or plaid skirts: "You, there in the navy sweater," doesn't help much. But we worked around this small obstacle and enjoyed good conversation and one another's company.
If your publisher ever sends you out Seattle way, be sure to request Jaime Temairik of First Edition Media Services. That woman knows every great coffee spot in the territory. She also knows the location of all the best cupcake joints, too, which can be hard on the waistline. We did make a quick coffee stop at Top Pot Doughnuts (okay, okay, I had a cinnamon applesauce doughnut with my latte) before we parted company for the afternoon.
That evening, a small but loyal group of fans came out to the University Bookstore, on the Ave. The UW Bookstore crew handsells Hattie like crazy. They've been good friends and supporters from the get-go. You can see from the photos above that they LOVE their local authors. Not only was Hattie flying high as part of a new overhead display (right next to The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald!), my name was one of hundreds of local writers' painted on the wall. How cool is that?
So, that is the official end of my whirlwind paperback tour. As I keep saying, now it is time for me to apply some bum glue and get writing. . .after I get back from the Downer's Grove Author Festival this weekend and after teaching at the Whidbey Island Writers Conference at the end of the month and. . .
I can just hear my friend Roland Smith's voice in my ear: quit making excuses and write.
Yes sir.
Posted by kirby at 11:50 AM | Comments (0)
February 07, 2008
Milwaukee Musings
I didn't intend to blog while I was at the Wisconsin Reading Association conference in Milwaukee but sometimes you just have to. Remember, I am a Seattle girl and accustomed to 38 and raining in February. I have never landed in the snow before. I didn't know one could land in the snow. But our pilot did and quite smoothly.
Because I have been so busy, I was oblivious to the fact that the Minneapolis, MN and Milwaukee airports were closed yesterday. Thankfully, I made it in but my first few hours in WI have been interesting. First, there was the hour wait for the shuttle to the hotel. Then, when I got on, I was informed the ticket I'd been given was for someone else. And not for downtown. Even though it meant leaving her van full of passengers (who now hate my guts, I'm certain) in the 17 degree weather, the driver ran back and forth several times and finally straightened the whole thing out, all out of concern that this would be my first impression of my first ever trip to Milwaukee.
After finally getting to the Hilton and checking in, I'd barely had time to admire the Miller HiLife neon sign outside my window (this puppy is huge!) before hotel security began pounding on the door of the room next to me. I peered out the little spyhole but could only see a uniformed man banging at the door. At this point, I did what any self-respecting modern day (translated: hungry and tired) traveler would do: I went downstairs and bought a New York Times to read while I devoured an extremely tasty steak salad.
When I returned to my room, I checked next door: no police tape, no guards, no nothing. So now I am doing what any self respecting writer does on the road: curling up in bed to finish a good book, in this case, Sarah Miller's Miss Spitfire. Thankfully, it's still early so I won't have to stay up all night to finish it.
Because stay up to finish it, I would.
It's that good!
Posted by kirby at 06:35 PM | Comments (0)
February 06, 2008
A Not-So-Secret Event with Secret Garden
This full day ended on a warm note, despite the rain and bluster outside. Secret Garden Books hosted an event for me at the Ballard Public Library which drew yet another set of old friends and many, many new ones.
Christy MacDanold, owner of Secret Garden, graciously introduced me and neither Christy nor I realized she forgot to mention Hattie's Newbery honor. She focused instead on our long friendship, which has included my roping her into doing an annual bookfair at my church and her roping me into helping her move to her current Ballard location.
I loved hearing from one mom in the audience that their mother-daughter book club had read Hattie and that it was their favorite of all the historical fiction they'd read in several years! (You could just see my head swell up!) The cozy setting was quite conducive for a lively and friendly conversation about my research, my writing process and even about a possible sequel (is my editor putting these people up to asking this question?!). A real treat was meeting a young woman whose mom is a Schillinger -- a Vida pioneer family. In fact, her aunt is even named Perrilea (spelled differently than my Perilee, but after the same person we decided). Now, what are the odds of meeting someone with Vida, Montana roots way out in Snoose Junction? (that's what we locals call Ballard, which used to be the Scandanavian enclave in Seattle)
I'm taking a little break -- heading to Milwaukee in the morning for the Wisconsin Reading Association conference -- and then I'll be back for the final act of the Hattie paperback tour: a stop at Villa Academy in Seattle, sponsored by the University of Washington bookstore and then an evening reading at the store. There is still a bit more travel on the horizon and though I love traveling and meeting new booksellers and visiting schools, I am very much looking forward to a bit of time at home.
I definitely need to get reacquainted with my husband and my work in progress.
Not necessarily in that order!
Posted by kirby at 09:20 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Talking Books with Talking Book & Braille Library
Mr. Random House let me have some time off for lunch but then I was whisked downtown for an interview at the Washington Talking Book and Braille Library. In addition to providing recorded, large print and Braille books, this library also sponsors the Evergreen Radio Reading Service. This service is broadcast 24 hours a day, and volunteers read daily and weekly newspapers, as well as magazines and short stories. They also conduct author interviews, which is where I came in.
Youth Services Librarian, Kathryn Pierce, and I are shown here right before our interview. Neither of us looks too happy with those big mics in our faces but, once we two bookworms got to chatting, we both forgot about the equipment completely. Of course, I enjoyed myself so thoroughly that I forgot to ask when the interview might air -- check back in and I'll let you know what I find out.
I think Kathryn and I could've solved at least 12 of the world's problems, if just given a little more time. As it was, I was so impressed -- and touched -- by her careful reading of Hattie and how it lead to such interesting questions.
You may be saying to yourself: wow, this sounds like a great organization. And guess what -- they have over 400 volunteers! If you live in the Seattle area, this could be a place to donate your time and talents. And if you don't live near Seattle, never fear -- they would gladly accept your donation of a copy of your book!
Posted by kirby at 09:10 PM | Comments (1)
Where are the Paparazzi When You Need Them?
Arrgh! Another event where I completely forgot my camera. Actually, the camera was in my purse -- I simply forgot to actually use the darn thing. If I had, I would've been able to snap a photo of Cheryl McKeon, Events Coordinator for Third Place Books, and all round sweetheart. I could also have snapped Deanna Meyerhoff, Random House book rep and proud mom of Levi who is in kindergarten at Olympic View Elementary, where I visited today.
Even though the 125+ 4th and 5th graders had to sit on the cold, hard cafeteria floor, they were a terrific audience, thanks again to wonderful preparation. This group laughed even harder at my 8th grade picture than they did at my 4th grade photo (a person could begin to get a complex!) but we had a wonderful conversation. I didn't have time to call on everyone who had an idea for me about how the two articles I'd seen in the May 2, 1918 Wolf Point Herald -- one about a man named Elmer Ren being arrested for failing to register for the draft, and one about his son breaking his arm -- might be connected, but you could tell the creativity was a-bubbling.
What could be better than such a terrific school visit? A terrific school visit where a dear friend from 6th grade shows up for moral support! So thanks to Stephanie Patterson Bauer for coming out to cheer me on. . .and thanks to Steph, too, for not telling the kids that my 6th grade photo is even goofier than my 4th or 8th grade photos!
The morning ended with the principal -- who is moving to Belgrade at the end of the year -- asking if I'd be open to an international visit (yes, yes!) and a promise from Cheryl to loan me her ARC of the new Leif Enger book.
What a morning!
Posted by kirby at 08:50 PM | Comments (0)
February 05, 2008
Day Two, Act II
Today, Jaime picked me up in her darling red VW GTI and we motored through the rainy cold to View Ridge Elementary, where the warm welcome drove away all hints of gloom. Now some schools hoist banners or post welcomes on reader boards to hail my arrival, but librarian Amy Young made me feel right at home in one of my favorite ways. She greeted me with a fistful of paper, each page bursting with questions written by the amazing students at View Ridge.
They were curious about everything from why I set the story in WWI rather than WWII ("WWII is their favorite war," explained Amy), how many books I'd published (not enough) and what my favorite books were as a kid (I replied it was easier to answer in the reverse: what books didn't I like as a kid? The answer is NONE!) I managed to answer many of their questions during my presentation (I still can't figure out why the kids always laugh so hard at my 4th grade photo -- my mom thought I was adorable!) which they listened to attentively. I began to feel like Steve Martin at one point -- those fabulous kids chuckled at my every joke!
All in all, we had a terrific time. And I was reminded once again how powerful an author visit can be when kids are as well prepared as they were at View Ridge. When connections are made between kids and books, there is nothing sweeter.
Well, maybe the treat Jaime and I indulged in at Top Pot Doughnuts after the morning's assembly . . .but only by a little bit.
A round of applause to All For Kids Books and Music for hosting today's school visit.
The only bad part of today's appearance: Jaime and I both forgot to take our Ginko Bilboa so neither of us remembered to take photos.
Just imagine about 150 smiling, happy, adorable 3rd, 4th, and 5th graders and you'll get the picture yourself.
Posted by kirby at 05:58 PM | Comments (0)
February 04, 2008
Watch Out, Katie Couric
It was a cold, icy morning as my intrepid escort, Jaime Temairik, and I headed across the water, via ferry, to Bainbridge Island. We stopped in at Eagle Harbor Books to sign stock and Mary Gleysteen (she of the lovely laugh) treated us to a cup of Winter Elixir at Blackbird Bakery. I think I've found heaven and it's in a bakery in Winslow, Washington. Sigh.
Our visit was sweet but brief -- soon, it was time to head off to Sakai Intermediate School. I spoke to two groups of very savvy 5th graders but it was this young woman, Virginia, who made my day. She was a passionate fan of Hattie Big Sky (that's pretty hard to resist) but she was also an extremely articulate interviewer. She and I did a brief spot for the following day's newscast at the school. Her questions were poised and thoughtful and I could barely answer for thinking about how un-articulate I was in 5th grade.
In this election frenzy, I found a moment's peace: I know exactly who I am going to vote for for president in 2033: this smart young woman.
Off to View Ridge Elementary tomorrow!
Posted by kirby at 07:47 PM | Comments (0)
One for You. . .Twelve for Me!
Can you see why my pants don't fit like they did a year ago? Queen Anne Books Children's book buyer, Tegan Tigani, is such a huge Hattie fan that she even baked all these cupcakes! German chocolate, no less. I did share one or two with the folks who showed up for the reading. . .but not willingly!
In case you can't see clearly, they spell out "Hooray for Hattie," but my impish escort, Jaime, was trying to conjure up some different messages. Involving owls, I think.
Please don't tell Mr. Random House that I'm having this much fun. He may not let me go on tour again!
Posted by kirby at 07:38 PM | Comments (0)
Act II - Local Tour
Here I am, on my way into Queen Anne Books. The reason I look so happy -- besides the fabulous poster created by Random House and the bookstore -- is that I've just had lunch at the Macrina Bakery. Don't even ask about the apricot chocolate chip espresso cookie I shared with uber media escort, Jaime Temairik! I think maybe you can even see a crumb on my lower lip here. . .
Posted by kirby at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)
February 01, 2008
A Battle of the Sexes?
I love to hear from readers and the emails keep coming in about Hattie. But I got one yesterday that has me pondering. A mom wrote me that her son had started reading HBS and, she added, "even though it is about a girl, he is enjoying it." (my italics)
I will admit up front that I am sensitive to this gender issue. You already know that: that's why I created the Hot Women of Children's Literature. But this comment -- and others I've heard in the same vein -- really troubles me. What does it mean? Does it mean that we can't possibly expect boys to care about girl characters, whose lives are somehow less compelling simply because they are girls? Have you ever heard parents, teachers, librarians declare, "Our girl readers enjoyed Hatchet or Alabama Moon or Brendan Buckley's Universe and Everything In It even though those books feature male main characters?"
So, I have to wonder. What is the underlying message being sent when we are surprised that boys enjoy reading stories about strong, adventurous, wacky, gentle or even angry girl characters?
I certainly hope we're not saying that such stories are inherently less interesting, less worthy of being read simply due to the sex of the protagonist.
That's what I fervently hope. But it sure kept me awake last night.
Posted by kirby at 10:28 AM | Comments (2)