Author Chats 2

From left to right starting at the top:

Sonya Sones, Holly Black, Carolyn Mackler, Mitali Perkins, Lisa Yee, Kirsten Miller, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Gaby Triania, Lauren Myracle

If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be?

I knew this one was coming! I've been thinking about it. I keep switching between Elizabeth Bennet and Captain Jean Luc Picard. (Yes I am a TREKKIE!!!) -Dia Calhoun

George Cloooney. -Kirsten Miller

Aung San Suu Kyi, the elected leader of Burma, who is under house arrest. She is one of my heroes. -Mitali Perkins

Jesus and Gandhi -Janet Lee Carey

Have you had any fun fan expierences?

Right now! Also, I was just spotted by a fan at a play on Saturday night. I was OVER THE MOON! -Carolyn Mackler

What first got you interested in writing?

Reading. As soon as I could read a book I knew I wanted to write one. -Lisa Yee

Do you have any other interests besides reading and writing?

I love taking photos, especially of my author friends. I love dancing. I love the movies. I love reading. Cooking is fun. Shopping for vintage clothes from the 40's and 50's... -Sonya Sones

What is your favorite outfit?

Jeans and a t-shirt, NO DOUBT. I am a no fuss, no muss kind of gal. ;) -Lauren Myracle

On me? I don't know! That's a great question. I guess the answer is that I am obsessed with jackets and a new and spiffy jacket is always my favorite. I have a purple leather one right now that I love to death. -Holly Black

What was the hardest part to write in Tantalize? Was there a hard part?

The hardest part was knowing that I had a huge story to tell, but I'd have to start with one book and pray that a readership would be there to demand more. I had an established reputation as a Native American themes writer for children so some folks thought it would be difficult for readers to think of me as writing anything else. So I had to take it one step at a time. Fortunately, the response has been really great, and it seems strange now that anyone would be worried. I really appreciate all the support. It's been an amazing and heartening year. -Cynthia Leitich Smith

What is one of your favorite CD's?

I love Walela, very soothing. - Cynthia Leitich Smith

Do you read aloud to your kids very often? If so, do you have one or two particular books you enjoy reading to them most? I read aloud to them all the time. When Michael was little, it was Goodnight Moon to a tune I made up that would make him fall asleep. Now, I read anything aloud that he brings home. With the little ones, I read the Spanish version of an Eric Carle book, De la cabeza a los pies, that has different animals. And Goodnight Moon. They picked that up and gave it to me to read too, and they love it. Weird. No wonder that book is a winner.-Gaby Triana

Do you have a motto for your life?

"Eat more cake." -Gaby Triana

Who was your favorite teacher in highschool?

My favorite teacher was my dearly loved English tutor, Mrs. Saunders. So many reasons why! But the biggest one is that she believed in me. She believed I could do whatever I set out to try. She encouraged me to dream I could be a writer, and taught me all about grammer and punctuation so that I had the tools to be one! Sadly she died before my first book came out.-Dia Calhoun

Thank you Readergirlz!

GOOD BYE VANDALS!!!

*smiles* Yesterday afternoon around 2:00 p.m. a great game started. The Boise State Broncos vs. The Idaho Vandals. This is both teams' biggest rivalry.

The University of Idaho is very corrupt. In the past year about 16 players have either been arrested, expelled or suspended. I'm not saying Boise State is perfect, but they at least have their head on straight.


Anyways, Boise hosted the game and what a game it was. My dad and I had to listen to it on the radio, but it was better then nothing. It got a little scary in the first half as the Broncos were struggling to get plays down, but after halftime, boy what a game. The final score was 58-14.
Near the end the Vandal players started playing nasty and revealed their true rotten innards.
After the game, not surprisingly, lots of police had to come in and settle some people down and even make some arrests.











Praise the Lord! Go Broncos!

Photo Credits:
1. Ian Johnson being dragged down with a facemask. -The Idaho Statesman.
2. Jeremy Childs breaks free to score a touchdown. -Shawn Raecke
3. Akey. The Vandals coach. Doesn't he look scary? - The Idaho Statesman.
4. Austin Pettis celebrates after scoring a touchdown. - Shawn Raecke

Big Update

Hello Everyone,

I'm sorry I haven't been on my blog for awhile. The past couple of months have been very interesting. I needed some time to sit down with myself and think over what has happened. We moved across the country. I started private school. How different it has been compared to homeschooling. Friends. Houses. Money. Family. Acting. Blogging. Writing. God.

When I was homeschooled, I had all the time in the world. Now, frankly, I don't. But, I am working on time management. With God's help in the next couple of weeks I would love to be able to continue blogging, reading for Cybils, not feel stressed at school, give my all at drama, have time for family and time for myself. Everything will work out...

Thank you for being patient and I will try my hardest to continue posting at a regular basis.
Here are some recommendations:
Must Read: Book of a Thousand Days by Shannon Hale (oh my gosh, talk about dream role)
Must Watch: Radio, Rudy, and We are Marshall (do you see the theme?)

Also, I would like to inform you all that tomorrow at 3:00, Boise State will play their archrivals the Idaho Vandals. The Broncos are going to win so there, but if they don't, don't plan on seeing me for the next.....10 years.

Update on Drama: Emma has been going really well. We just finished learning the dances for the ball scene and that was a blast! I love dancing and I can't wait to dance in my beautiful long blue dress. I haven't been able to take pictures because I'm on stage so much (doesn't that sound cool?), but I think I'm going to ask my mom or sisters to come to some practices and take pics.

Oh, you HAVE to watch this video I found. It's absolutely breathtaking. The Circle of Life from The Lion King performed at the Tony Awards. *sighs deeply* Just wonderful!

I would like to draw your attention...

....to Miss Erin's recent blog post. Her Clare B. Dunkle Interview. *screams*

It is absolutely amazing and so you all need to go and read it now!!!

~traci

The Cybils Press Release

BOOK BLOGGERS KICK OFF KIDLIT AWARDS SECOND YEAR CHICAGO

Will Harry Potter triumph among critical bloggers? Will novels banned in some school districts find favor online?



With 90 volunteers poised to sift through hundreds of new books, the second annual Children's and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards launched on Oct. 1 at www.cybils.com. Known as the Cybils, it's the only literary contest that combines both the spontaneity of the Web with the thoughtful debate of a book club.


The public's invited to nominate books in eight categories, from picture books up to young adult fiction, so long as the book was first published in 2007 in English (bilingual books are okay too). Once nominations close on Nov. 21, the books go through two rounds of judging, first to select the finalists and then the winners, to be announced on Valentine's Day 2008.
Judges come from the burgeoning ranks of book bloggers in the cozy corner of the Internet called the kidlitosphere. They represent parents, homeschoolers, authors, illustrators, librarians and even teens.


The contest began last year after blogger Kelly Herold (http://kidslitinformation.blogspot.com) expressed dismay that while some literary awards were too snooty, rewarding books kids would seldom read, others were too populist and didn't acknowledge the breadth and depth of what's being published today.


It didn't have to be brussel sprouts versus gummy bears, said Anne Boles Levy, who started Cybils with Herold. There are books that fill both needs, to be fun and profound.
Last year's awards prompted more than 480 nominations, and this year's contest will likely dwarf that. As with last year's awards, visitors to the Cybils blog (http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils) can leave their nominations as comments. There is no nomination form, only the blog, to keep in the spirit of the blogosphere that started it all.


For further info:
Anne Boles Levy
anne (at) bookbuds (dot) net

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos

Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos
by R.L. LaFevers

Theodosia’s mother is coming back home (finally) from a trip to Egypt and she is bringing back hundreds of artifacts found in an ancient tomb. One problem, all these things have evil curses surrounding them and for some reason her mother and father aren’t aware of the potential harm her mother is bringing to the world. Theodosia needs to try and some how get one of the artifacts back to Egypt with the help of her unwilling brother and a random pick pocket off the street before it destroys mankind and before the Germans (evil men trying to kill her and take over the world) catch up with her.

This book was very unique and interesting. I liked how the Egyptian cultures were portrayed and how Theodosia was a well-written, funny character who is easily remembered.

Author Chats

From left to right: John Green, Kirby Larson, Cecil Castellucci, Ann Brashares, and Sara Zarr

If you could meet any person in the world, who would it be?

Oh, I hate having to make these choices!!! I think I would've loved to have met Mother Teresa but otherwise, I feel so lucky to know so many wonderful children's and YA writers -- who, as you must know, are the greatest folks in the whole world.
-Kirby Larson

Anyone who has been to Outerspace.
-Cecil Castellucci

Any person in the entire world? Gosh that's a tough question. I'm going to assume they must be living (otherwise: Shakespeare. I have questions for him). I would be pretty interested in meeting Philip Roth. I think he's my pick, weirdly enough.
-John Green

Oooh, tough questions! Like, so tough that I can't think of any ONE person in the world that I'd particularly like to meet...every time I've met someone famous or semi-famous or just someone I admire, they turn out to be just regular people like you and me. Only usually with a lot more money. :) Okay, a name that comes to mind because she my favorite actress of my generation: Kate Winslet.
-Sara Zarr

Besides writing, what are some other interests of yours?

I love yoga and walking and feeding the birds in my backyard. I am also addicted to lattes! I have also been very involved in our community, including serving two terms on the school board, starting a foundation to build a performing arts center (it opened last year!) and helping raise money for literacy causes.
-Kirby Larson

Have you had any interesting fan experiences?

It was all pretty normal until the Nerdfighters started coming to stuff with their homemade shirts and their posters and everything. That's pretty awesome, I have to say. Nerdfighters are good at making a guy feel welcome.
-John Green

Soon after I published my first book, I was in an airport and saw a girl reading [my book]. I was so excited I couldn't contain myself. I went over to her and told her it was my book and that I was so happy she was reading it. Both she and her mother looked very suspicious and scared for a moment, but then they looked at the author photo in the book and decided it was me. We took our picture together. I still have it. I guess I was kind of the fan in this instance.
-Ann Brashares

What first got you interested in writing?

As for writing, my mom read to me all the time when I was a kid, from toddler years on through age 11 or 12. I think that put stories in my blood and pretty soon I wanted to start telling them myself.
-Sara Zarr


Many thanks to all the amazing people on readergirlz and the authors who took time to talk with us and make these online chats possible!
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