May 2009: Laura Resau

Here's a roundup of all of Laura Resau's discussion posts for Red Glass this month. Feel free to jump in and add your thoughts at any time! Thanks again, Laura and rgz!

Welcome, Laura Resau
Poetry Friday: Red Glass
Have you ever taken a trip that changed your life?
What have you overcome?
Clothes or jewelry that make a difference?
Unusual behavior
What's your heritage?
Red Glass Party
Unexpected Reactions
rgz LIVE!
Older Female Inspirations
Looking Past Assumptions
Gracias, Laura

Things to Know About Featured Author Laura Resau

The amazing Laura Resau, author of Red Glass, has shared a few things about herself with us:

On the nightstand: Orange ChapStick, notebook to record dreams, The Hunger Games (amazing book!)

Favorite drink while you write: Hot tea with lots of honey and milk

Pets: Half-corgi-half-lab named Luli. She's short and long and bratty - she gets lots of laughs.

Place to write: My *sweet lil fifties rig* - a cozy silver trailer in my driveway

Dream book tour: How about a series of candlelit readings in remote caves around the world? Getting there would be an adventure for everyone.

Favorite outfit: A très chic strapless silk dress I discovered last summer at a street market in Aix-en-Provence, France. Always looking for excuses to wear it — not easy here in Colorado -- the land of Polarfleece and Tevas.

WOW. I so want to meet Laura's dog, write in her rig and go to her candlelit cave readings (maybe even wearing her strapless dress). You guys? Find out more on readergirlz.com!

May: Looking Past Assumptions

One theme in The Little Prince quotes in Red Glass is that what's essential is invisible. Can you think of a time in your life when you had to look past surface appearances to find what was most important? Have you ever made an assumption about a person, and then, after you've gotten to know him or her, had a different impression?

May: Older female inspirations

Sophie is blessed to know and love Dika, an older woman with a zest for living and complete acceptance of her body. Dika has lived through immense trials, but she has a joy for the day she's been given.

Do you have anyone in your life like Dika? Psst: what does she look like?

May: rgz LIVE! with Laura Resau

Welcome to rgz LIVE! Jump into the party with Laura Resau, the divas, postergirlz, and rgz. Let's celebrate Latina month!

May: Unexpected Reactions

In Red Glass, Sophie encounters an extremely gross bathroom on her solo trip into Guatemala. She runs outside and ends up laughing hysterically. Why do you think she does this? What's the most shocking (or grossest!) place you've encountered? How did you react? Have you ever had a completely unexpected reaction to something?

PS-Don't forget to join us tonight at 9pm EST/6pm PST...

May: Red Glass Party Ideas!

Wanna host a book party in honor of Red Glass? Laura Resau has some ideas for a colorful, musical fiesta!

Invite: Star-shaped invitations with The Little Prince quotes Under the Same Moon, Like Water for Chocolate, El Norte, The Motorcycle Diaries

Food: Mangos, fruitcake (um, if you're not into fruitcake, how about quesadillas?), red Jell-O -- and lime juice squeezed over EVERYTHING!

Décor: Scatter around little white flowers and hard corn kernels, red glass beads or marbles, chicken feathers, a map of the US, Mexico, and Guatemala (to trace Sophie's route)

Movies: Under the Same Moon, Like Water for Chocolate, El Norte, The Motorcycle Diaries

Craft: Learn to dance salsa, meringue, or cumbia; make corn tortillas

May: What's your heritage?

In this month's roundtable concerning Red Glass, Little Willow asked:

"Anyone want to share their background or nationality? Are there any immigration stories in your immediate family?" Anyone celebrating their Latina heritage?

May: Unusual Behavior

Each of the characters has an eccentric behavior - Dika holds her red glass, Angel carries his box, Sophie squeezes lime juice . . . Do you or someone you know have unusual behaviors? What might be some deeper reasons behind the behaviors?

May: Special clothes or jewelry that make a difference

Sophie's new white dress and coconut jewelry make her feel like a different person. Do you have any special clothes or jewelry that make you feel different somehow?

May: What have you overcome?

Laura says:

The main characters of Red Glass have to overcome past traumas or fears on order to connect with each other. For example, Sophie has to get over her fears in order to become close to Angel and ultimately, to help him. Have you had any fears that you feel proud of overcoming? How has your life changed now that you can deal with the fears? Do you have more fears that you hope to overcome one day?

May: Have you ever taken a trip that changed your life?

Laura says:

Sophie's trip to Mexico and Guatemala makes her see herself - and her life - differently. Have you ever taken a trip that changed you or your life somehow?

Is there a trip you want to take someday? How do you think it might change you?

Poetry Friday: Red Glass

In honor of Latina Book Month and rgz guest author, Laura Resau, I wrote this for Poetry Friday.

Red Glass

Latina Month fires
piercing light through pure red glass,
to emblazon souls.

Catch the full roundup with the wonderful Maya Ganesan at Allegro.

Welcome, Laura Resau!

We are thrilled to welcome Laura Resau to readergirlz. Her novel, Red Glass, is our May pick! Check out the our interview with Laura, book party ideas themed around Red Glass, and our Reach Out project idea--as well as the awesome soundtrack Laura's chosen for the book--on readergirlz.com.

Here's a little about the book: One night Sophie's family is called to a hospital, where five-year-old Pablo is recovering from dehydration. He was the sole survivor of a group of Mexican immigrants crossing the border. Sophie's family takes him in and comes to love him. A year later, Sophie must take a road trip with an unlikely group of people to Pablo's hometown in Mexico. Full of fears at first, she ends up opening herself to adventure and growing closer to Angel -- a boy her age with a secret. When Sophie dares to travel alone into Guatemala to save Angel, she explores whether love is worth the risk of loss.

And the buzz...

"Rich, poetic language . . . a captivating read." - School Library Journal starred review

"A vibrant, large-hearted story." - Publishers Weekly starred review

International Reading Association Young Adult Book Award Winner

Americas Award Winner

Cybils Award Finalist 2007

We are psyched! Join us all month right here on the blog for discussions and mark your calendars a LIVE chat on Wednesday, May 20th at 6pm PST/9pm EST.

Happy May, readergirlz!