Happy Birthday, GLORY BE!

Was it really January 1, 2012? Wow.

I remember the first time I saw my first book in a hardcover, book-jacketed, fabulously cover-arted edition. It was real! It was a book!

As a librarian, it was a thrill.
As a writer who'd worked ten years, off and on, through a number (ahem!) of rejections, it was sheer joy.

Still is.

Thank you to everybody who brought this book into the world. Thank you to the teachers and librarians who've put it on their states' children choice award lists. 
Thank you for the great reviews, over all these years. 

 The sheet cake my daughter ordered to celebrate GLORY BE's beginning!

I'm proud of GLORY BE which chosen by Mississippi to represent our state at the National Book Festival, awarded the 2013 Crystal Kite Award, and given lots of other really amazing accolades.

Resources and links may be found on my blog, HERE.

Oh, and PS- There's a certain online site that has the HARDCOVER on sale for $8.
(I didn't think you could even buy a hardcover edition most places.)

 Fun Author Visit memory. My first visit "home" to a Mississippi school.

I'm a big fan of Skype visits, too! 

 Cookies! I need one of these! Right now!

(from a very special NYC Book Club night. )

School Library Month, Podcasts, and all sorts of fun stuff

This morning I ambled around my sunny neighborhood with earbuds and my podcasts. 
I chose randomly- I'm so far behind. But I picked perfectly.

Click here--> It's a MUST LISTEN: librarians talking about their own libraries- childhood, school, professional. How they came to love books.
A terrible, possible future for kids without libraries.

School Library Month was April, but we should always celebrate libraries and the connections librarians make between readers and books.

I smiled when John Schu said he'll always call himself a librarian, even though he's moved on(?), away(?), sideways for a bit.
I feel the same way. Once a librarian, always a librarian. Or media specialist. Or whatever we choose to call ourselves.

While you're here, note my new blog title. (Thanks, Eileen!)
And my own chapters: writer, book reviewer, librarian. 
(I've worn a lot of hats- haven't we all at this point!)
Okay, enough about me. Hurry on over to that podcast: 

Librarians: Making Hearts Large Through Story 

(John Schu, Scholastic librarian Deimosa Webber-Bey, and Kristina Holzweiss, the 2015 School Library Journal School Librarian of the Year)

 

My Very Own Library

"My Very Own Library and Scholastic Book Fairs give 250,000 books to children in need..."
(Scholastic blogpost)

There are so many ways to get books into the hands of young readers. Readers who may not have their own books.
 
My friend Donna Gephart supports a great charity, Bess the Book.
 
I'm proud to have been a part of My Very Own Library, visiting schools in Newark NJ.

You can read about the schools who hosted me, HERE and HERE.

One of my all-time favorite photos, illustrating my respect for busy urban librarians with limited funds but great enthusiasm. 

(The entrance to the auditorium where I was speaking.)

Thanks, Scholastic and My Very Own Library, for the amazing ways you get books into kids' hands.  And if you're wondering whether books really make a difference, read all about it, HERE.

What I'm Doing Now: Reading Wendy Shang

Although you might assume differently from the picture, no, I'm not reading while sipping a lime-flavored drink and watching the birds.

But I am doing a spring-like thing. Reading a book about a spring sport!





I just finished Wendy Wan-Long Shang's new book-to-be. Thank you, Scholastic, for sending me the Advance Reading Copy (ARC). I adored this one!

I have added it to my list of favorite baseball books. 
Which, come to think of it, consists of TWO baseball books. 

THE WAY HOME LOOKS NOW.
PLUNKED (by Michael Northrop).

What I like about this new book (coming April 2015 but ready for pre-order now):

1. The subtle baseball references. Even the title!

2. Wendy managed to sneak in some timely (1972) references that kids might not totally get or even care about but I sure laughed.

Ms. Rowe is the first teacher at my school to use Ms., which , as far as I could figure, was meant to blend Miss and Mrs. What no one has been able to explain to me though is what Ms. is short for.

Oh, how I often wondered that myself, Peter!

3. There's a plot twist that surprised me. At first, I wasn't sure it was going to work. But under the masterful hands of Wendy Shang, it was perfectly executed. She convinced me and I know young readers will totally buy it. And love everything about this book, as I did.

Although baseball is a huge part of this middle-grade novel, THE WAY HOME LOOKS NOW is about so much more than baseball.

Anybody have more books to add to my growing list of spring sports/ baseball books? You know, we are gearing up for spring training down here!

Thank you, Scholastic!

I totally love my editor, my publisher, and all the amazing people who are bringing this book into the world.

Check out Scholastic's new online preview HERE. 

Editor Andrea Pinkney introducing THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY, mid-way through, melted my heart. She and my book are in the Middle Grade section, along with a lot of other brand new books I can't wait to read.

(Confession: Had to fast-forward through the part about THE HONEST TRUTH. A debut novel I'm just beginning and can't put down.)

Here's the link right to the Middle Grade New Books section:
http://bcove.me/jiwngnae

More ARCs!

The lovely people at Scholastic just told me they are sending me a few more ARCs. (Advance Reader Copies/ Uncorrected Proofs/ Galleys- many names but basically it's my second book! Yay!)

I would love to share.

If you'd like one, leave me a comment on the blog.
Or on Facebook. 
Or Retweet this link.





I'll pick somebody by Sunday. 
Or maybe a couple of somebodies.





(I bet Rocky the Rockstar bassett will help me choose.)

THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY

I'm beyond excited to tell everybody that my next book, coming in January 2015 from Scholastic Press, is now available to pre-order.

Thanks for telling your favorite independent bookstore the news.

Here's the Amazon link:  http://www.amazon.com/The-Stay-Destiny-Augusta-Scattergood/dp/0545538246/ref=tmm_hrd_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1409860323&sr=8-1

And one for Barnes&Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-way-to-stay-in-destiny-augusta-scattergood/1119689429?ean=9780545538244

AND- TaDa!

The gorgeous cover.

And if you're still reading, you can actually hear me sharing an early passage and talking a bit about how I got started, lo those many years ago.

Solving the Problems of the World Through Literature...

Or not.

I've had such great talks with kids about my book. Some of their questions about GLORY BE, about the 60s, about integration, even about my opinions, have blown me away.

Still, I feel very strongly that writers shouldn't set out to solve the problems of the world in a book. Or to teach young readers all the answers. That's not why I write. But if a book's topic relates to something going on in a child's life, in her school, on a sports team, make that connection. Just understand that the author probably didn't sit down one day and say "Hmmm, let's teach kids to be nicer to each other."

In a good book, it just happens that way.

For tips on the topic, especially as your younger child begins a new school year,
check out this article from Scholastic via Parent and Child.

I've probably only written about this one time, an interview with Children's Literature Network, linked HERE:

http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/magazine/whats-right/given-illumination/

Of course, I know writers look for ways to connect their books to kids, teachers, parents. But a good book stands on its own. No preaching necessary!
The connections, when they are made, happen magically- or so it seems.


Opinions are welcome. That's what the comment box is for.
✎ ✎ ✎ ✎ ✎

First Pass Pages

For those of you who might not know how the editing process goes (I sure didn't!), I'll tell you what I'm doing to my new novel right now. Novel-to-be. Coming, January, 2015.

We've been through copyediting. That was about a month or two ago. Time flies. 

During that stage of the process, I changed sentences, checked time frames, made sure my characters' names, hair colors, etc, were consistent. Answered all the copyeditor's questions. There were a few. Okay more than a few.

 

Now I have in front of me an actual printed copy, sent by Scholastic, of what the book's pages will look like. FIRST PASS PAGES.
Chapter headings, italics, the "handwritten" notes set off in different fonts, etc.

TA-DA!

(No, that's not what the actual cover art will look like. Stay tuned for that as soon as I can share.)

Now this is our chance to fix tiny things. Like whether a question mark might be better than that period I originally thought worked.

Or whether it's possible that a bucket of night crawlers would cost $.50 in 1974.
(Yes, because my brother and his fishing buddy Galen told me so. It's a big bucket.)

This time I didn't get as many Stets as before. 
That means should we leave it as is, for voice? 
For example, "I swan"-- which we all recognize as a real word, right?
Maybe because this novel isn't as southern as GLORY BE was. 
Or maybe this editor grew up in the South and has a southern granny in her family. 

Tomorrow, off it goes. Back to my editor. 

All 170-plus pages of THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY!

PS If you're still reading...
After meticulously going over the entire manuscript for the zillionth time this weekend, I decided I could finally toss out some of the old printed chapters I'd saved during revision. And I discovered some interesting (to me! Possibly to no one else!) things. 


1. The first time I showed it to a professional in the book business was in 2004 at a Rutgers One-on-One conference when my mentor was Sally Keehn. 
My agent, Linda Pratt, was also there. Fun to imagine what would have happened if our paths had crossed way back then. 

2. One of my longest critiquing friendships has been with my buddy Janet McLaughlin. She's now in my actual Florida writers group (Go, Skyway Writers!). But I bet she doesn't remember seeing THE WAY TO STAY IN DESTINY when we were in that now defunct online group, many moons ago. Many titles ago. Many character deletions and renamings ago.
The group didn't last long for us, but I continued to tap away at this book and Janet continued to comment.

I also smiled to see other familiar names critiquing my early versions. 
When Sue Laneve organized a new Pinellas County Florida group, I found my people.
My very first SCBWI Critique group. 

Hello, Denis, Sylvia, Lenore et al.
Thanks, Sue.

(Old chapters, ready for recycling!)

 

BADGER KNIGHT giveaway!

In its great generosity, SCHOLASTIC has sent me not one but two ARCs of Kathryn Erskine's new novel for ages 8-12. Perhaps it was unintentional. But I'm going to share the wealth.

 (very cool cover, no?)

Since they just arrived, I've not read the book yet. 
Though the first few pages made me want to hide under a shady tree, forget my To Do list, and read.

Since it's not available for sale until August 26, perhaps you haven't read it either?

Would you like one of my Advanced Reader Copies?
Go ahead, leave me a comment!  Here or on Facebook.
 
I'll draw ONE name tomorrow and whisk it in the mail ASAP. (You didn't think I was going to share both copies, did you? I can't wait to read it!)
NB: if you're the winner, I'll need to have a shipping address no later than Monday. 
So stay tuned, please.

Here's what you might want to know about this intriguing novel:

National Book Award winner Kathryn Erskine presents a unique novel about a sickly boy's epic journey through England and Scotland at the height of Medieval times.

Adrian is small for his age, even for an almost thirteen year old. It doesn't help that  he has albinism, which makes those he meets wonder if he's an angel or a devil. His father is a bowyer, and all Adrian wants to do is become apprenticed and go off to war as an archer. But that's not what his father wants for him. Since Adrian can write, his father wants him to be a scribe. That's just about the last thing Adrian wants. When the Scots invade England and Adrian's best friend Hugh runs off to find his father and fight in battles, Adrian soon follows, intent on finding Hugh and joining him in glorious warfare against the pagans invading England from the north. When Adrian finds Hugh, who is caring for a wounded Scotsman, he's horrified that Hugh would aid an enemy. But soon, as Adrian gets to know Donald, he begins to question what he's been taught about the enemy and the nature of war. In this epic journey an afflicted boy finds an inner strength he never knew belonged to him.

Kids Say the Greatest Things

Which perhaps I've failed to report in sufficient quantities this year.
But I've had a great time hearing them, noting them, smiling and realizing kids' book writers are the luckiest ducks in the world!

5th Grade Boy, Orlando. Buying 2 copies of my book.
"Just sign one of them to me. Only need your name on the other. I'm selling it on Ebay."


My last school visit of 2013-2014 was bittersweet- hate for the year to end!-  but great fun. 
Thanks, Scholastic and My Very Own Library, for inviting me to talk to the kids at two schools in Newark, NJ, and for giving those kids some awesome books. 
Such great kids, so well prepared, the best listeners.

Here I am, signing books, schmoozing with a terrific librarian at Ivy Hill School.

The boys at Eagle Academy helped me stand on a chair in the back of the room so I could be seen in this group of young men, standing tall.

I do love this part of being a writer. 
Now summer's here and it's back to the other part- the actual writing.
Have a great vacation, kids, and I hope you read a ton of books!

A SNICKER OF MAGIC

When Scholastic sent a review copy of this, I knew I'd love it. 
That cover! That title!

And then I opened the book and fell inside.

Such a terrific book.
My review from the Christian Science Monitor. 

If you don't believe me, check out what the  
New York Times Book Review said.

I mean, that's some serious praise going on.


In a recent discussion among some kids' book writers I know, the topic of 
MAGICAL REALISM popped up.
Check out this very clear, cut-to-the-chase explanation from Kimberley G. Little, who knows what she's talking about.
See that list of books at the end of the blogpost? Yep, Snicker of Magic, right there. A perfect example.


CLICK HERE for a look at Natalie's own blog. 

Natalie's done a ton of interviews for other blogs. This is one of my favorite. And not just because of the ice cream...
http://www.foodiebibliophile.com/2014/02/author-interview-natalie-lloyd.html


So, what do you think? Does a "snicker" of magic make for magical realism? Does a cover like this and a great title tempt you, or do you open right up to page one and jump in?

Very Special Editors: WITH THE MIGHT OF ANGELS

True confessions- I don't listen to books. Well, not too often. I can count on one hand the books I've actually heard.

My problem?
1. I'm not in a car long enough to listen there.
2. I keep wanting to take notes, go back and forth, underline. Doesn't work for an audio book, does it?
3. I haven't taken the time to figure out how, except on the CDs from the library, and my new computer doesn't have a disc drive.

So I'm not an expert on audiobooks. But when my friend Kate Swanson told me I HAD to listen to this one, I did.
And now, I'm telling you the same.

WITH THE MIGHT OF ANGELS, by Andrea Davis Pinkney.
(Click on that link and you can hear a sample from audible.com)

Yes, she's my editor. And one could not have a more amazing mentor to guide her through the ups and downs of writing a book.

Guess what? Andrea Pinkney will be at Miami SCBWI.  Soon. January 17-19, 2014, to be exact.
There's still time to sign up, people!

And if you listen to this remarkable book, read by Channie Waites (I know nothing about audiobook readers, but she's got to be a star), you'll know Andrea a little better. The author material at the end, shared by none other than the author herself, made me feel like Andrea was riding in the car with me.

Reading it on a seven-hour drive from NJ to VA, where the book just happens to take place, was an unexpected and wonderful surprise.

Another confession, I'm not a total fan of the Dear America books. For no particular reason, I just haven't read enough of them to find one that really grabbed me. But this one did. No matter who had written it, I would have appreciated Dawnie Rae's story.

If you can't get your hands on the audio version of With The Might of Angels, with Andrea's author interview, and want to get to know her a little better, try this:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/andrea-davis-pinkney-interview-transcript

or her fabulous speech:

Andrea's Coretta Scott King Acceptance Speech
http://www.hbook.com/2013/07/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/coretta-scott-king-author-award-acceptance/#_

Seriously, don't miss this tribute by her son, husband, and brother:
http://www.hbook.com/2013/07/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/a-profile-of-andrea-davis-pinkney/

One of my favorite photos, with two of her authors at the Library of Congress's Book Festival this fall.

I suspect Kathryn Erskine feels the same way I do about Andrea's remarkable editing skills and her ability to help us turn our books into the best they can be. And isn't that what the very best editors do?
The part about being funny and nice and smart is just icing on the cake.

Giveaway Time! YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME

Not only do I have a writer I've known her entire life to interview today, I'm giving away her brand new book.

Moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, aunties and uncles, this is your lucky day. Bayne Gibby's first board book for young children has just been published by Scholastic. Yes, you can order your own copy, of course--I've already given three as baby gifts-- but I'm giving the book to a lucky commenter.

(Thank you, Scholastic!)

An actor and comedian, BAYNE GIBBY grew up in Chatham, NJ, a few streets from where our family lived. She graduated from Kent Place School, where I worked as a librarian. Imagine my surprise and delight when I heard her first picture book, YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, was coming soon.

Now she's agreed to a chat.  Thanks for stopping by, Bayne.

Tell us how you moved from a famous HBO actress to writing this sweet story for little children.

I've always wanted to be an actress, and have been very focused on that ever since I can remember. I began writing children's books and short stories when I was in college and briefly dabbled in getting published while living in New York City. I had one short story published in a collection called Regeneration: Telling Stories from our Twenties, but I didn't have much luck with my children's books. The process was so daunting and difficult, my aspirations were put on the back burner for a while. 

When my two older brothers began having children, I started making small books for my nieces and nephews for their birthdays and Christmas, getting them laminated and bound at Kinko's. That reignited my excitement for the whole world of Children's Books. My sister-in-law nudged me by claiming my books were better than some of the ones bought in stores. That got me moving! I started seriously trying to get published about five years ago. About two years ago, Scholastic looked at a whole packet of my material and chose You Mean the World to Me. It was originally written for my niece, Samantha, about being an aunt. I did a rewrite where it then became about being a mother. Samantha recently found the original version. 

I love this! And I love that you still have it.

Your young fans may not know you as Connie on the HBO show Enlightened, but the rest of us do!
 Are you an actor who writes or a writer who acts?
     
I think I'm an actor who writes, but I hope to soon be a hyphenate: Actor/Writer.
       

 What's been the most fun thing about having your first book published?

It's very exciting. I had gotten used to a constant stream of no's or we really really like it, but don't love it type of responses to this book and many others. I have a whole file full of the submission emails and letters and the rejections, and it's pretty astounding what goes into getting one thing published. Acting is full of constant no's also, which I'm used to, and it always feels wonderful to get a yes! Seeing the book on shelves is amazing and receiving pictures of friends who are reading it with their young children is really incredible. I'm saving all the pictures to make a big montage.
   

So send Bayne your pictures. Find her on Facebook, and her own website: http://www.baynegibby.com

 What's next up in your career? Anything you haven't tried that speaks to you now? More books? Music? Theater?
      
Yes, all of the above! More books, for sure. More tv, film, and theatre. I better get going!


Those of us who've known you since you starred in musicals as a seven-year-old have no doubt you can do it all!


Thanks for sharing your story with us, Bayne.


If you'd like to own a copy of YOU MEAN THE WORLD TO ME, leave me a comment here or on the original Facebook post and I'll add your name to the drawing. Please enter by next Thursday, March 22.

Sharing the Wealth

I love a good dog story.
But there's got to be more than just dogs doing cute things. Give me adventure! Give me heart! 
Give me Bobbie Pyron's fabulous novels.

Today is your lucky day, readers. I have a copy of THE DOGS OF WINTER. I'm sharing.





 Here's a link to Horn Book's review, from Bobbie's own blog.

http://bobbiepyron.blogspot.com/2012/12/horn-book-review-of-dogs-of-winter.html

For those of you who haven't been librarians since Caesar Was a Little Boy (as my funny father loved to say) -- Bobbie and I possibly have-- Hornbook is the Holy Grail of reviewing journals for kids' books. To get a tiny little word of praise by their reviewers sends an author into a swoon. But a full-fledged great review? Wow. Way to go. And all the other reviewers have been downright starry-eyed over this book.

I finished it yesterday, warm inside my house, but I felt as if I'd raced with Ivan through the snow. Based on a true story that's almost impossible to believe, this middle-grade novel will really grab you and hold on for a while.

Truly, Bobbie Pyron's books aren't just books about dogs. 
They are so much more.
Leave me a comment and you could be my lucky winner of THE DOGS OF WINTER.

(Thank you to our mutual publisher, Scholastic, for sharing the brand new hardback copy. Only read once, by me. )



I also loved her first "dog book" reviewed here:
http://ascattergood.blogspot.com/2012/06/dogs-way-home-and-giveaway.html 

And Bobbie has a great blog about Authors and Their Dogs,
FIDO AND FRIENDS
 (She let me squeeze a grand-dog into my spot.)

Comment here or on Facebook for the next week. 
This giveaway ends on February 10th.

Mother Daughter/ Grownups/ Girls and Boys

I've had all sorts of requests for links, questions, and activities for Book Clubs reading GLORY BE.

In fact, I'm immensely flattered that my previous Chatham, NJ group of grownups- lots of teachers and all great readers- chose the book for their June, 2013 read.

Here are a few links, including a Pinterest board of pictures: Food from the Book.

(Yum. My friend Nancy's RED VELVET CAKE from our summer gathering in Annapolis.)


I have a Readers' Theater link tab, right up on my blog. Very short. A less serious scene that was performed last spring at Scholastic's Texas Library Association fabulous breakfast.

http://ascattergood.blogspot.com/p/readers-theater-for-glory-be.html

Scholastic published a list of questions for Book Clubs, here:
http://www.scholastic.com/MotherDaughterBookClub/pdf/Scholastic_MDBC_GloryBeDG.pdf

(It's on the "archive" tab if that long link doesn't work.)

I also have a Pinterest board- picture of Food from the Book!
Red velvet cupcakes, pimento cheese, etc.
http://pinterest.com/gsgood/book-food/

 (Julie's beautiful table. Yes, it's close to lunchtime. These pictures aren't helping...)



And because sometimes that Scholastic link to the Mother Daughter Book Club questions may not work, I'll make it easy. Here they are. 
And thank you so much for reading and discussing.

Discussion Questions for Glory Be by Augusta Scattergood

1. Glory and her older sister were once good friends, but now they are drifting apart. Why do you think this is happening?
   
2. Frankie and Glory have been friends since they were very young. What difference of opinion is causing them to pull away from each other?
   
3. Hanging Moss has segregated facilities like water fountains, restrooms, pools, and schools. How would you feel if the color of your skin dictated where you were allowed to go?
   
4. Why do you think Glory ignores Emma’s advice to try not to worry about things she cannot fix?
   
5. Glory’s choice to befriend Laura is not popular with many of the kids in town. Have you ever made an unpopular choice because you knew it was right? How did it feel?
   

6. Many people judged Laura before getting to know her. How do people judge others at your school? Do opinions change over time?

7. Glory is excited to know people from other parts of the country. What can you learn from becoming friends with people from other parts of the country or the world? 

8. Emma tells Glory that if she keeps her mouth closed, she cannot cause trouble. Do you think this is a good motto to live by? Why or why not? 

9. Glory’s father says that she is opinionated like her mother. In what way are you like your family members? 

10. What events bring Glory and Jesslyn together?

Happy Birthday, Clifford

50 years old! And lots of celebrating going on.

Yesterday a huge banner appeared, unfurled onto the Scholastic Building in lower Manhattan. I missed it by a few days, but here's a great picture.

WOW!

I saw Clifford everywhere though.
Decorating Broadway, hanging out at the New York Public Library's main Children's Room.

(Can't resist sneaking this one in. 

Had to pose Glory Be with Clifford in the background. NYPL visit!)

If you've never visited the Scholastic Store, in the middle of Soho, it's totally worth a trip. Especially with kids in tow. 

This greeted us. 

Kate Messner, talking about reading and writing, encouraging kids. 

Okay, not really her. But pretty lifelike!

And there's also Clifford. Welcoming everybody into the store. Yes, it only takes a little to BE BIG. You tell 'em, Big Red Dog...

And my very favorite part of the store. Tucked behind the bright red bannister.

A quote I adore.

Greetings from Missouri!

Jefferson City, the state capital.  

In honor of adding Missouri to my Life List of states, here's a photo tour of this fun, quick trip to talk about GLORY BE.

Here's my driver for the trip from the St. Louis airport. Yes, he's 20-something. He'd been at the All Star Game the night before. He knew a lot about Missouri and he enjoyed sharing. He's a talker, I'm a listener. And this defensive end for his high school football team remembered Scholastic Book Club books with great fondness.


Fun fact: There's a Mexico in Missouri...

Our hotel, a stone's throw from the state capitol building.

My delightful dinner partners.

After dinner, I signed everybody's books
and got my picture taken WAY too many times. 

This was the last photo, and I look it...
(not a typo. I mean LOOK...)

Here's a screen shot of the Power Point.
My last slide is the fantabulous GLORY cake! 

They kept the picture up for the entire rest of the evening. 

Thank you, Allister!

And thank you to all my new Scholastic friends for inviting me to such a fun evening
and for all the terrific things the Book Club folks do
to promote so many authors' books.

I bet there are a whole bunch of grown-ups out there, like my driver, 

who remember fifth grade for the Book Club books they chose!

Butterflies!

Wow!
Check out the cover of my friend Kimberley Griffiths Little's forthcoming book, WHEN THE BUTTERFLIES CAME. Then click over to her own blog for all sorts of book giveways.

Can't wait to read this one. (Hint, hint, Scholastic people!)

Here's what I wrote about her very first novel, when I first "met" Kimberley:
CLICK HERE FOR THAT BLOG POST.

I've since come to know Kimberley, via all the ways possible to connect except in person (surely we'll remedy that one day soon. After all, we do share a publisher!). Her publication journey is amazing and encouraging. As her books mount up, so do the praises. Way to go, Kimberley!

Mother Daughter Book Club

 I'm delighted, excited, and proud to announce that Scholastic has chosen GLORY BE as its first Mother Daughter Book Club selection. AND they are giving away a free Skype visit with the author.

(That would be me!)

                           Just in time for Mother's Day. Spread the word, please.

CLICK HERE to go to Scholastic's website
and see the discussion guide and a recipe for Emma's lemon cookies.

                              Perfect for your Book Group? I hope so!