Neil Gaiman Addresses the University of the Arts Class of 2012

In this speech shared with the University of the Arts Class of 2012, celebrated author Neil Gaiman has some incredible things to say about pursuing a career in the arts, and about visualizing and achieving your goals in any field:



If you can't see the video player above, click here.

Watch for it: Devine Intervention, Unbreak My Heart, and Dragonswood

You know the volunteer divas are all award-winning YA writers as well, right? Be sure to catch these books up and devour them. Each novel is just like her author, of course.



Fast, fun, and rings with Martha Brockenbrough's awesome wit.
Devine Intervention



Honest, dear, and heart-warming with hope from Melissa Walker.
Unbreak My Heart



Exciting raw imagery and intrigue from a master of high fantasy, Janet Lee Carey.
Dragonswood

Find these, rgz, as soon as they are all released. There is talent among us, and you will fall in love with the works of our staff. Ready, set, go!

rgz HOST Post: Mother/Daughter Day Out!

Calling all mother/daughter/reader teams in the PA area - tomorrow, diva Melissa and I will be joining romance authors Maya Rodale and Sarah MacLean for a Mother/Daughter Afternoon Out! We'll be at Barnes & Noble at the Promenade Shops of Saucon Valley, PA. 

The address:2960 Center Valley Parkway
Center Valley, PA 18034

The time: 

4pm-6pm

The Facebook Event info: 

http://www.facebook.com/events/278463065579978/

Come join us in celebrating Mother's Day early (books make a great Mother's Day gift, you know. Just sayin'.)!

Sarah Dewitz, 12, and Just 1 Book

An excerpt from I Heart Daily:

When Sarah Dewitz, 12, from Orlando, Florida, learned about a town next to hers that was facing a lot of hardship and poverty, she immediately thought about the kids and what they had to do without. She wondered if they had access to books.

Then she had an idea: If every child at her school donated “just one book,” it would amount to 763 books that could go to the neighboring town! In her proposal to her school principal, she wrote, “I want to do this because if I was a child who did not have any books to read I would not be as smart as I am today. When I read books it makes me feel like I am an entirely different person and the world escapes my mind… If this is what books do for me, imagine what it can do for other children and the difference it would make in their lives...”

Read more about Sarah's incredible organization, Just 1 Book, on iheartdaily.com!

rgz Seattle HOST: SCBWI and the Inside Story!

Here's host Stephanie Guerra with the latest from Seattle! 

Hi girlz!

Last week SCBWI Western Washington celebrated the bi-annual Inside Story at Mockingbird Books in Seattle. Local authors and illustrators came together to share their recently published books and tell their “inside stories,” including the inspiration behind their works. There was an amazing turn-out with all seats filled and a lively audience of booksellers, teachers, librarians, and fans. Host Martha Brockenbrough (Things That Make Us [Sic], Devine Intervention) upped the fun with literary trivia questions and prizes. Below please find a spotlight on the YA authors who presented, with information about their newest releases. (I was one of the number, and so excited to be a part of it!)

Weaving Magic by Mindy Hardwick

He loves magic. She loves romance. But the biggest illusion is the one Shantel and Christopher perform together.  Sixteen- year- old Christopher fights to stay sober while fifteen-year-old Shantel struggles in the aftermath of her mother’s death and seeks refuge in a fantasy world. But the unacknowledged roots of their problems refuse to stay buried and soon, the two are headed toward a deadly magic trick. Can Shantel and Christopher move beyond magical illusions to find love?

The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Cecily’s father has ruined her life. He’s moving them to occupied Wales, where the king needs good strong Englishmen to keep down the vicious Welshmen. At least Cecily will finally be the lady of the house.

Gwenhwyfar knows all about that house. Once she dreamed of being the lady there herself, until the English destroyed the lives of everyone she knows. Now she must wait hand and foot on this bratty English girl.

While Cecily struggles to find her place amongst the snobby English landowners, Gwenhwyfar struggles just to survive. And outside the city walls, tensions are rising ever higher—until finally they must reach the breaking point.

Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a horrible car accident—including her memory of the event. As their small town mourns his death, Allie is afraid to remember because doing so means delving into what she’s kept hidden for so long: the horrible reality of their abusive relationship.
 
When the police reopen the investigation, it casts suspicion on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around town. Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free? Debut writer Jennifer Shaw Wolf takes readers on an emotional ride through the murky waters of love, shame, and, ultimately, forgiveness.

The Lost Code: Book One of the Atlanteans by Kevin Emerson

The ozone is ravaged, ocean levels have risen, and the sun is a daily enemy. But global climate change is not something new in the Earth’s history.

No one will know this better than less-than-ordinary Owen Parker, who is about to discover that he is the descendant of a highly advanced ancient race—a race that took their technology too far and almost destroyed the Earth in the process.

Now it is Owen’s turn to make right in his world what went wrong thousands of years ago. If Owen can unlock the lost code in his very genes, he may rediscover the forgotten knowledge of his ancestry…and that less-than-ordinary can evolve into extraordinary.

Dragonswood by Janet Lee Carey

Wilde Island is not at peace. The kingdom mourns the dead Pendragon king and awaits the return of his heir; the uneasy pact between dragons, fairies, and humans is strained; and the regent is funding a bloodthirsty witch hunt, hoping to rid the island of half-fey maidens.

Tess, daughter of a blacksmith, has visions of the future, but she still doesn't expect to be accused of witchcraft, forced to flee with her two best friends, or offered shelter by the handsome and enigmatic Garth Huntsman, a warden for Dragonswood. But Garth is the younger prince in disguise and Tess soon learns that her true father was fey, making them the center of an exciting, romantic adventure, and an ancient prophecy that will bring about peace between all three races - dragon, human, and fairy.

Torn by Stephanie Guerra

Stella Chavez is your classic good girl: straight As, clean-cut boyfriends, and soccer trophies . You’d never guess that Stella’s dad was a drug addict who walked out when she was a kid. Or that inside, Stella wishes for something more.

New girl Ruby Caroline seems like Stella’s polar opposite: cursing, smoking, and teetering in sky-high heels . But with Ruby, Stella gets a taste of another world—a world in which parents act like roommates, college men are way more interesting than high school boys, and there is nothing that shouldn’t be tried once.

It’s not long before Stella finds herself torn: between the best friend she’s ever had and the friends she’s known forever, between her family and her own independence, between who she was and who she wants to be.

But Ruby has a darker side, a side she doesn’t show anyone—not even Stella. As Stella watches her friend slowly unravel, she will have to search deep inside herself for the strength to be a true friend, even if it means committing the ultimate betrayal.

The Summer of No Regrets by Katherine Grace Bond

The day Brigitta accidentally flings herself into the lap of a guy she's never met, her friend Natalie is convinced he's Trent Yves, egotistical heartthrob-in-hiding. When the boy, who calls himself Luke, is nearly eaten by a cougar, Brigitta finds herself saving his life, being swept into his spectacular embrace and wondering if she wants Natalie's fantasy to be true.

As the two spend the summer together raising orphaned cougar cubs, Brigitta still can't be sure of his true identity. But then again, since her grandparents' death, her father's sudden urge to give away all their possessions and become a shaman, and her own awkward transition from girlhood into a young woman, she isn't sure of anything. What is the truth? More importantly, can she accept it?

Sounds like a fantastic event! Thanks, Stephanie!

Cover Stories: The Jade Notebook by Laura Resau

The lovely Laura Resau has a new book out! The Jade Notebook is the third in her beautiful series about Zeeta (read her Cover Story for The Indigo Notebook). Kirkus Reviews says, "In this third in a series of novels focusing on Zeeta and her wanderlust-stricken mother, readers are immersed in the details of a lovingly described coastal town in Mexico and an action-filled mystery surrounding the poaching of ancient sea turtles that make their home there...  a graceful conclusion to Zeeta’s story."

Here's Laura to tell the tale of the cover:

 "I'm happy and honored to be back on your blog, Melissa--I could spend all day reading these fascinating cover stories!

"The Jade Notebook is the third and final book in the travel-adventure-themed Notebooks series, each of which is set in a different country. The series went through a few different cover looks over the past few years.  If you're curious, you can read the story behind the hardcover look of the first in the series, The Indigo Notebook, here. For that cover, my publisher, Delacorte, did a photo shoot of an open, vintage-style suitcase containing items that evoked each different setting..."

Read the rest of Laura's Cover Story on melissacwalker.com.

rgz Newsflash: Wynne Jones and Rock the Drop in PW

In the awesome effort to remember and celebrate Diana Wynne Jones, folks are posting favorite lines from her works at #dwj2012. You can use Tumblr to share photos and further remembrances This is all the heartfelt brainstorm of Virginia Duncan and Sharyn November. Rock on, ladies! We heart you as well!

On April 19th, PW had this to say, which included a Rock the Drop recap:

In another instance of fortuitous timing, the Wynne Jones tribute’s April 12 launch coincided with this year’s Support Teen Lit Day, which followers of the Readergirlz blog and others celebrated by taking part in “Rock the Drop,” the guerilla-style book distribution scheme in which YA fans leave copies of favorite books in public spaces for readers to pick up and enjoy.

Diana Wynne Jones books were used in the recent "Rock the Drop" campaign on Support Teen Lit Day.

Judging from the #rockthedrop Twitter postings, quite a few of Wynne Jones’s books found their way into new hands. Greenwillow’s Duncan shared the account of one Rock-the-Dropper: Lois Adams, the copyeditor and proofreader for many of Wynne Jones’s books in the U.S. “I walked up to a public atrium on 56th Street with Enchanted Glass,” Adams said, “and as I walked in I saw an 11-year-old girl with her dad, eating an ice-cream cone. I told her that I was part of a daylong book giveaway project, and that I had to photograph the book first but then she could have it. She watched me taking the pictures, and when I walked away she headed right over to pick it up. I hope she loves it!”


Join the celebration of Diana, rgz, and thanks Greenwillow for Rocking the Drop!


 

rgz Newsflash: Top Ten Happiest Jobs

Just ran across this and found it interesting. Something to think about as you choose a career, rgz. My husband said to me, "No wonder you are so happy. You do about half of these jobs!"

So what's your fancy, readergirlz? From Forbes:

The top 10 happiest jobs:

• Clergy
• Firefighter
• Physical therapist
• Author
• Special education teacher
• Teacher
• Artist
• Psychologist
• Financial services sales agent
• Operating engineer

It's easy to see the joy in helping others as well as the happiness that is generated by the chance to express yourself.

Click here for the 10 most hated jobs like electronics technician, and marketing manager: www.forbes.com/sites/stevedenning/2011/08/11/think-your-job-is-bad-try-one-of-these.

Think it over!

Link of Awesome: FindTheData

It's a joy to share Links of Awesome. I encourage everyone to check out FindTheData. Click here to see the library comparison. What a cool tool! The site provides unbiased data-driven  comparisons. Definitely check them out. There are a billion things to compare even beyond libraries, right? In fact, I need a flight to Nevada...

The 2012 Guys Lit Wire Book Fair for Ballou High School

The American Library Association (ALA) has set the standard for number of school library books per student to be 11:1. Eleven books per kid. Ballou High School used to have less than ONE book per student. Now, thanks to the efforts of Colleen from Chasing Ray and the bloggers and supporters of Guys Lit Wire, the school has two books per student. Please help us fill their library even more!

Here's an update from Colleen of Chasing Ray, who organizes these book fairs:

Between our spring book fair and a small holiday fair last November we have helped Ballou move from a library that had less than one book for each of its 1,200 students at the beginning of 2011 to a ratio now of two books per student. While this is an impressive achievement and something we are quite proud of, the American Library Association advocates ELEVEN books for each student. It's obvious that Ballou is still operating at a serious literary deficit and because of that we have decided to commit ourselves to the long haul and stay with this school library until they have everything they need.

So how can you help? Donate books with a click of a mouse! Go to this book wishlist for Ballou through Powell's Books. Colleen's directions:

Once you have made your selections (note: the school prefers NEW or "standard used" condition, NOT "student-used" condition) head to "checkout" and you will be prompted to inform Powell's if the books were indeed bought from the wishlist. This lets the store know to mark them as "purchased" on the list. After that you need to provide your credit card info and also fill in the shipping address.

Melissa Jackson, LIBRARIAN
Ballou Senior High School
3401 Fourth Street SE
Washington DC 20032
(202) 645-3400

It's very important that you get Melissa's name and title in there - she is not the only Jackson (or Melissa) at the school and we want to make sure the books get to the library.

Please share the links to both the wishlist (http://bit.ly/GLWBookFair) and Colleen's post at GLW through email, Facebook, Twitter, and blogs so we can fill up this library!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Don't let it stop there. If you know of a library, school, shelter, or hospital that's in great need of books and other items, give back. Rally up your co-workers, patrons, students, and friends, gather donated items (new or gently used), and donate them to your chosen organization or charity. Share your good fortune and good spirits with others.

Thank you for Rocking the Drop in 2012!

Thank you for supporting ROCK THE DROP! Those books are being found around the country because you all sent out your love for Support Teen Literature Day. Take a look:

FOUND ONE TODAY!!! Wow. Thought someone had lost a book or misplaced their library book. BOY, was I wrong. Found one outside a local restuarant, Fatz Cafe near some flowers on a stand on some waiting benches. WHAT A TREAT! Boiling Springs SC


i had the incredible opportunity to pick up one of your rock the drop books and i wanted to thank you guys because i think that is the coolest thing ever. so thank you. very much.

Rock on, readergirlz. Check out the rgz facebook page and twitter's #rockthedrop. Way to read, reflect, and reach out! We heart you!

Rock the Drop, 2012!

Happy Support Teen Literature Day, readergirlz!



How are you rocking the drop? Which book are you leaving for another to find? Post your photo at the readergirlz facebook page and tweet #rockthedrop. It's a perfect day to share your love of YA lit!

If you discover a book left in a public gathering place, nab it and tweet your fabbity find.

Here's to a great day!

rgz NYC HOST post: THE SECRET ME in NYC!

Here at readergirlz, we're all about celebrating ourselves in all of our fabulous forms -- sometimes secret, sometimes social, and always sensational! That's why I'm especially excited to showcase the newest release from Meg Leder and Rachel Kempster, THE SECRET ME BOOK! 

Discover what makes you, you...

What makes you tick and hum?

What quirks and habits are yours and yours alone?

who do you wish you could be?

who are you now?

The answers make up your "secret me," your soul's fingerprint.

Packed with creative and quirky prompts, ideas, and activities, The Secret Me Book gives you an inspiring way to get to know this core part of you.

Scribble thoughts, make lists, paste pictures, and doodle—all tapping into the real you.

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Is there a movie that defines you?

What's your secret talent?

Here's your secret me book—it's time to celebrate what you're made of.

Last Thursday, Meg and Rachel were on hand in NYC reading and signing from their book to a packed house! Meg (that's her on the right in the photo below) adds: “In the spirit of the book, we asked people to share some of their secret habits and dreams. And we discovered that in the audience, we had a woman who wished she could be the pope, as well as someone who always wanted to open a button factory. It was neat seeing the book come to life right in front of us, as audience members shared their own ‘secret me’s."

Sounds like a blast! Congrats, ladies! Now readers -- tell us: who's your "secret me?"

It's Coming! Rock the Drop!

Everyone get ready!!! We only have two days. Share the news so we can all Support Teen Lit Day by dropping a YA book in a public place on Thursday. Read more here. Ready, set, go!

Attention Diana Wynne Jones Fans!

Attention Diana Wynne Jones fans: I need quotes for an article being published mid-month. Leave a comment below telling me which DWJ book is your favorite, how old you were when you started reading her stories, or why you love her books in general! Leave your comments at my blog along with your real name OR username, however you'd like to be credited. Thank you!

Not sure what to say? Here are some prompts to help you out:
Which volume of the Chrestomanci series (aka The Chronicles of Chrestomanci) is your favorite?
What did you think of the film adaptation of Howl's Moving Castle?
What's your favorite part of The Tough Guide to Fantasyland?
Have you read her poetry and/or short stories?

Please leave your comments at my blog - and feel free to share this link with fellow fans and bloggers!

Be Positive!

Check out this article by Anya Strzemien at The Huffington Post, which is collecting comments for a good cause. Simply give yourself a compliment! For every comment up to 5,000, the Huffington Post Media Group will donate $1 to Girls Inc. I pointed readergirlz diva Melissa Walker to the article and she immediately posted about it at I Heart Daily. As Melissa said, "How cool is that?"

I told my friend Amber Benson about it as well, and she tweeted: "Say something positive about yourself and help raise some money for Girls Inc - JUST DO IT!"
 Go to the Huffington Post website and leave your comments by April 10th! Then post, tweet, et cetera, and encourage others to do the same.

The Healthy Hunger Games

In a recent interview with Seventeen, Jennifer Lawrence had this to say about being healthy in mind and body:

Seventeen: You've said girls should embrace their curves. Why did you think it important to make that statement?

Jennifer Lawrence: When I was playing Mystique in X-Men, I remember thinking, If I'm going to be naked in paint in front of the entire world, I'm going to look like a woman. I'm going to have curves and have boobs and have a butt. Because girls are going to look at that, and if I look like a scarecrow, they are going to think, Oh, that's normal. It's not normal. I'm just so sick of these young girls with diets. I remember when I was 13 and it was cool to pretend to have an eating disorder because there were rumors that Lindsay Lohan and Nicole Richie were anorexic. I thought it was crazy. I went home and told my mom, "Nobody's eating bread--I just had to finish everyone's burgers." I think it's really important for girls to have people to look up to and feel good about themselves.

I agree with Jennifer: It is very important for kids and teens to have good role models, and to have healthy eating habits. Encourage your friends and family members to eat right, and lead by example. Try to eat fresh food in every color of the rainbow, every day. It's easy and fun to do. Hint: Incorporate fruits and veggies into your meals and snacks!

I'm typing this as I eat my dinner -- farfalle (bowtie) pasta and brown rice mixed with tomato sauce and green peas. Yum!

Arizona plans to Rock the Drop!

It's coming! Rock the Drop is coming! So, get those books ready.

What are other folks doing? Check out the happening in Phoenix, AZ. Way cool!


ROCK THE DROP: LOCAL AUTHORS TEAM UP WITH EAST VALLEY TEENS TO CELEBRATE SUPPORT TEEN LITERATURE DAY

Chandler, AZ (March 19, 2012)—On Saturday, April 7, 2012, from 1:00-6:00 p.m., local young adult authors and East Valley teens will come together at Gangplank in Chandler to share a day of free writing workshops, a book sale, and a service project to support teen literacy. At the end of the day, teens will pick up a gently-used young adult book from a donated stash and “drop” it with an identifying bookmark in a high-traffic, public place on Thursday, April 12, 2012, to celebrate Support Teen Literature Day.

Way cool, right? Thanks, Sara! Let us know your plans to rock!

Go, Renee Olstead!

You may recognize Renee Olstead from her current role as Madison on ABC Family's The Secret Life of the American Teenager, or you might have seen her as Lauren on the TV series Still Standing. Maybe you saw her in the movie 13 Going on 30. But did you know that Renee is not only an accomplished singer and actress, but also a student? She's currently attending college classes and working on two productions, a new season of Secret Life and the movie The Midnight Game.

Renee recently posted an article at The Huffington Post in which she thanks her English professor, Joan Eyles Johnson, for inspiring her to be "a better writer, citizen, and human being." She goes on to say:

"I want to speak up and tell you that mascara and clothes don't make you cool, neither do name-brand handbags, but being a leader can. Every day we can choose to challenge what we 'know' and go on our own quest for answers. As teens, you have the ability to channel your thoughts and inspirations through the power of social media, to connect with one another and start social movements for change! Find something you care about -- social injustice, animal rights, international war crimes, human trafficking, or women's rights -- and make a statement. Connect with one another, take a stand, and spread the word."

Click here to read Renee's article.

Follow Renee on Twitter @renee_olstead - and tell her @readergirlz sent you!

Books of Wonder, Today!

This happens very soon, like today. Come if you can! It's kind of amazing.