Nerdy Book Club People!

I love this blog.
Guess who's their guest today? 
Me- Nerd for a Day!
Click over there and read a bit.

Here's the link:
https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2013/03/31/where-in-the-world-am-i-by-augusta-scattergood/

Coconut cake!

There, I got your attention. It's Easter weekend, and I'm remembering those lamb-shaped coconut cakes decorating long ago Easter Sunday dinner tables. Remember those? I love coconut. But I don't think I'll attempt the lamb shape.

Here's a recipe, or as she surely knew it, a receipt, from Emily Dickinson. Her favorite cake for birthday celebrating. Mine, too.

http://thehistorykitchen.com/2011/12/09/emily-dickinsons-coconut-cake/#

 Speaking of cakes. Have you read Lisa Graff's brand new middle grade novel? A novel filled with magic, multiple characters, mysteries and quests-And cake recipes. Such fun!

My review from the Christian Science Monitor. ⬅

A link to read more about TANGLE OF KNOTS, and order your own copy.


I'm also a fan of Red Velvet cake. It made its way into my novel, GLORY BE.
My friend Nancy McIntyre made this one from scratch for our gathering in June.

While I was writing, novelist Helen Hemphill shared a story about how her editor laughingly said every time he turned a page of her first book's manuscript, somebody was cooking or eating. With that in mind, a lot of fried chicken and pimento cheese got the ax from Glory's story early on. But many food references and events stayed in.

I made a Pinterest board about the Food in Glory Be. Check it out here. 
I'm not so great at Pinterest but sometimes something just strikes my fancy and up it goes.

In a story I'm noodling now, there's a character who cooks. Maybe I'll include a recipe or two. Hmmm. Good idea or not?

It certainly worked in Lisa Graff's new book. Then again, she's a baker. Me, not so much.
Maybe I'll stick to writing.

Happy Easter, everyone! 


Past Posts, possibly related:
Helen Hemphill interviews me
BOOK FOOD, pimento cheese
Home Food

Thanks for asking...

Since I'm a little distanced from my blog right now, Kate Hannigan and her "Author Of" blog were kind enough to ask a few questions.

http://authorof.blogspot.com/2013/03/segregated-1960s-inspired-augusta.html


(trying to make the link clickable while blogging on my iPad is a tad problematic. Hope it works...)

BOOK TRAILERS, by kids.

I adore this project created and shared with me by Holly Mueller, teacher extraordinaire.

Her brilliant 4th graders made trailers for their civil rights project. 
GLORY BE was part of the project.

To see her blogpost about the project, and the trailers, click here.

THANKS, KIDS!

Amaryllis, revisted

Checking in on my amazingly beautiful flower this year.

We replanted it a month ago, from a pot right into the earth.

Here it is! 

Tons of blooms- And more to come.

If you missed my blog about Superhero karate-chopping the blooms for me,  
CLICK HERE to revisit last year's flower story.

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.

Author Turf

Check out my interview on Author Turf.

Other than fifth graders, whose questions are mostly fantabulous, nobody's asked me about Pep Squad lately. And yes, I still remember the moves.

You can find tons of author interviews here. 

I'm sharing because the questions Brittney asked truly tickled me. 

What would you answer to the question about your most fun chapter to write?

The Very End

Remember my advice from the other day?

Be Brisk. Be Brief. Be Gone.

I love endings. I love READING the final lines. Don't even mind writing them, if I hit the nail on the head so to speak. 
No cliches, no over-sentimentalizing. :)
I want an ending that makes me sigh. 
Brisk, brief, and gone.

For fun (?) today while re-writing an ending, I reached behind me and grabbed the closest stack of books for inspiration.

A sampling from some of my middle-grade novel collection. No titles, thus no spoilers.
(but if you'd like to know a title, leave me a comment and I'll share via the comment section." )

UPDATE: Several of you have asked so here are the titles. Skip this part if you don't want to know!)
1.With a Name Like Love
2. Hound Dog True
3. Touch Blue
4. Penny From Heaven
5. The Liberation of Gabriel King



"Daddy says it's his trademark, but it's not. It's our only salvation."

     "I'm Mattie Breen," she says. Her voice is quiet, but no one says Speak up. Everyone can hear.
     "I write stories."

     My hands on the wheel, my heart near to bursting, I aim the Tess Libby's bow at the horizon.
     And gun it. 

He'll grin and say, "Best seats in the house."
And they were.

Then maybe they'd figure out what love and courage were all about, and life would spring open like a lock that found its key. 


 Other places to look at last lines:
http://flavorwire.com/167171/famous-last-words-our-20-favorite-final-lines-in-literature

http://thelongestlistofthelongeststuffatthelongestdomainnameatlonglast.com/last77.html
 

Obeying the God of Storytelling

Always a good idea.

Rita Williams-Garcia, as quoted by her colleague, Elizabeth Partridge, on the Vermont College faculty blog:

Two favorite tidbits: She ran into a problem with a real life event she decided to put in her book at a different time than actually happened. She puzzled out how to explain her choice to us, then said,

  “You have to obey the God of Storytelling before Father Time.”
 
And another from Rita Williams-Garcia, via Cynthia Leitich Smith's website, on her very wonderful novel ONE CRAZY SUMMER:

The challenge was to write a novel with historical content but to not allow the Black Panthers to hijack the story from the central characters. There was so much research. So many historical comments to make, but I constantly cut away to stay within the heart and perceptions of character. Either I did it myself or my editor would ask me to do it later. 

(My mantra for today. Stay within the heart of the character. Or my editor will ask me to do it.)

Anybody out there with tips for staying within the heart of the story and your characters while struggling with real history?


 

Skype 101 from the other side of the computer

What I've learned from a year's worth of Skype chats.

The best Skyping, like the best Author Visits, happens when the kids know something about the book. The very best ones happen when they've actually read the book.

It's easier to hear the questions when students approach the computer, one at a time, and give you their names, then ask. Or at least when they have a microphone. (I learned this from a wise Skyper I know. Thanks, Barbara!)

Having just Skyped with a great class in the faraway northeast, here's a quick video run-down of our 20-minute session.  This is my second year with these fabulous teachers, and I'll come back any time they ask.




This is what they see behind me...
Looks fairly organized, no?




















This is what they don't see under my desk. (Shorts and old flipflops usually.)

They also don't see the other side of my desk. Not always like this.
Messy today because I was working on revisions until about five minutes before the call.
Note the glass of water, the tissues, the book. Ready for anything they bring!

I tidied up the other side of my office/ guest room. 

I couldn't put it all away. This is my To Do stack.

 Another tip- You need light, lots of light. But I usually make sure the computer is turned away from this window. Especially if the class is "calling" from a cold, snowy place.

Today the kids and their teachers had on sweaters. I'm not telling what I was wearing.
(See picture 2, above.)

I especially loved today's questions, showing how deeply they understood my book. Now I'm off to think more about Liam's inquiry. "Besides the Beatles and Elvis, what other culture from the Sixties did you put in GLORY BE?"

Teachers, Book Clubs, Readers- Click for Kate Messner's list of AUTHORS WHO SKYPE FOR FREE. Please note: These free visits have restrictions.

Related post: Skyping: What a treat!

A Cautionary Tale and A Writing Tip

This morning, up early and working hard, I tipped over a glass near a stack of 
writing notebooks.

 The good news? It was water.
 The bad news? Although they were mostly salvageable, some are unreadable.

I had been meaning to go through these notebooks forever because I was convinced they contained very valuable information. Maybe not!

But I always tell students the importance of keeping notes. 
Next time I will mention the value of keeping notebooks in safe places. Away from liquids.



But the other good news relates to a single page discovered inside the oldest, wettest notebook. Notes from a book I bought after reading it from the library. It may have been the very first book on writing craft I added to my newly created library. 

Lee Wyndham's Writing for Children and Teenagers.
An oldie, yes, but good information and a few used copies are still floating around for sale out there. Also in libraries.  

My book is not readily available so I'm glad I found this note inside a 

waterlogged notebook:

And right now I need to know everything there is to know about making ENDINGS better.

In case you can't read my notes:

1. Can't just think things out
2. Something must happen to the Main Character, a powerful personal experience that shocks, rocks or floors her. Terrific impact.
3. Then have a quiet scene to show the Main Character has changed. The Main Character thinks over her actions.
4. Then a scene where she PROVES she's changed.
5. CONCLUSION: The original character has changed considerably so
Be Brisk. Be Brief. Be Gone.

I'm off to re-create my ending! Thanks, Lee Wyndham.

Said -- Still Not Dead?

Today I'm minding my own business, pulling my hair over revisions, using my beloved Scrivener, concentrating madly.

Till I decided to use the Scrivener dictionary/ thesaurus tab. I guess I must have been searching SAY, though for the life of me, five long hours later, I can't think why.

But this appeared:
 word notes!

say, said
While most writing can be improved by choosing strong and precise nouns, adjectives, and verbs, this isn't always so. When reading a novel's dialogue, we should be paying attention to what the characters say, and learn about their feelings through their words. But too many young authors overstress the verbal markers of back-and-forth speech. So we read Frank replied or Frank riposted or even Losing his temper, Frank violently expostulated. Much of the time a careful writer can set up the rhythm of a conversation so that it's always clear who's speaking and with what degree of passion. If more precise identification is needed, a simple Frank said will usually suffice, the weak and common verb scarcely intruding on the give-and-take on the page.
— MD
Conversational, opinionated, and idiomatic, these Word Notes are an opportunity to see a working writer's perspective on a particular word or usage.


Just for fun, I posted the above in my status on Facebook.
Hey, I needed a little diversion from all the very hard work I'd been doing all day.

And boy-howdie! I got some reaction from my writer friends.

Almost two years ago, I'd blogged on the subject, here:

http://ascattergood.blogspot.com/2011/04/he-said-she-said.html

You really should read what some extremely talented writers had to say in the comments.

Much of this controversy stems from writing lessons for students advocating the use of synonyms for said.

Two years later, the topic still excites and infuriates.
What say/ announce/ yell/ explain endlessly/ blab/ question/ sigh/ hiss/ SAY you?

Going home again, a quick visual tour

Is there anything better than hearing what kids, enthusiastic teachers, and super librarians  have to say about your book?

I can't think of a single thing!

I arrived at Pelahatchie Elementary School, Rankin County, Mississippi, in a rainstorm, with the radio blasting alerts every ten minutes. Flooding! Hail!

Inside, all was calm and bright.


The halls were decorated with quotes and pictures. 

 Magnetic letters on the circulation desk!

 

Pelahatchie librarian Mrs. Black and me.

 Highland Bluff Elementary School librarian, Mrs. McWhorter.

 
A very impressive reader.

WOW! Lunch in the library for a select group. The kids had brought their treasure boxes from home. Some made their own, from all the fun things Mrs. Black supplied. Beads, cracker jack prizes, candy--the old-fashioned kind!

Pimento cheese and root beer, in bottles. Emma's Lemon Cookies for dessert. Yum.

Lunch with the librarian, a few special kids, and ELVIS!

(Yes, that's a Juke Box, made by Mr. Black. Impressive, no? 

He also made the pimento cheese and the lemon cookies!)

 The kids at Pelahatchie Elementary love the car! What a cozy place to read.

Great questions, yummy food, books to sign--Such enthusiasm for Glory Be.

 

 The fourth graders at each school were reading the book 

for their literature circles. 

We could have talked all day!

 

Thank you, Mississippi friends and family. I hope I'll be back soon.

And the winner is....

SHERRY RIFLEY.



I don't know Sherry, but I do know she'll love Bobbie Pyron's DOGS OF WINTER.

Congratulations and send me your mailing address, Sherry.

Mississippi, Here I Come (back)!

Excited to be going back to the place I call home. 
Or close to it.

Though truthfully, I've never been to Pelahatchie, Mississippi, I can't wait to meet the librarians and talk to the kids next week. 

My "small world" state story? One of the librarians is a granddaughter of my daddy's colleague. 
She and I both worked, at different times, as interns for the State Library Commission. 

Southerners are so connected to each other!

Y'all can't really come though. Sorry.
I won't be hanging out at Lemuria to sign books this time.  
This is a trip to talk to students, teachers, share the story of my book.
(But I bet if you call Emily at the bookstore, she could arrange for me to leave a copy there for you.) 

 I'm thrilled to be headed home!
Home truly is where your story begins...

Children's Literature Network

This is for my writer friends.

When you are new at being a Published Author, it's hard to know which advice to take.
Before my first book made its appearance in the world, I received a lot of great tips.
One of the best?
Join Children's Literature Network.

So I did.



Here's the website:
http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/

They do bios, birthdays, and geographical listings of their members, book announcements and your book events.

Here's a little Q&A from a regular feature:  

WHAT'S RIGHT WITH CHILDREN'S LITERATURE?
(my answer, of course)




Some of what they've been doing for their impressive list of authors, for TEN years now?
Providing connections, raising awareness, creating in-depth resources.
Like them on Facebook, here. 

Check out their homepage and see what you think. 
Lots of great stuff, for authors AND for readers. 
Okay, what are you waiting for? Head on over and tell them I sent you! 

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.

Thought for the Week

Tidying up my desk.

Found this little notebook, 

a celebratory thought from 

last winter's tea with Linda.

(I'm taking it as a good omen.) 

We can do this, folks!

Related post: A Pinch Me Moment

Hooray for A.L.A!

What hard work it must be to read all those fabulous books, discuss endlessly, pick one over another. But it must also be fun.

Congrats to all the winners, runners-up, and list makers for this year's Rock Star Awards, aka the American Library Association's Newbery, Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Printz, etc etc etc.

Here's the big list:  AMERICAN LIBRARY ASSOCIATION AWARDS

Don't miss one of my favorite writers and people, the new winner of the Coretta Scott King Award, ANDREA DAVIS PINKNEY. 

I'm happy to report that the winner of the Newbery this year, Katherine Applegate, is one of the nicest writers I've ever met. We sat together at Anderson's Bookstore last winter when I did one of my very first book signings. (Her line was a tad longer than mine! But we had such fun.)

CLICK HERE for a short interview.

Click here for Monica Edinger's excellent explanation of what goes into the process.   TOP TEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT THE NEWBERY. 

This should be required reading before anybody comments on what the award is all about. And what it's not.


I was totally excited to find my signed copy of  THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN, buried beneath another book or two.
And now it's famous.

Buster Brown

Often when I travel to a school or library to talk about GLORY BE, I bring along a shoebox. If you've read the story, you know Glory and her sister save their treasures (and play poker, but I really try not to over-emphasize this activity...) inside their Buster Brown shoeboxes.

I was thrilled to find this one on eBay.

It came stuffed with match covers from all over the world. Which were kind of fun, but I had to air the box out for several days. (It smelled.)

I tied it with a purple ribbon, stuffed it with my own treasures, and took it on the road. The box has served me well. I love it.



But I was getting worried. Even though I have a handy-dandy, waterproof bag to carry my Junk Poker box and its treasures around in, it's traveled from NYC to Missouri to Mississippi, twice, all on various airplanes.

My talentedly artistic friend Leslie suggested I decoupage the box to make it sturdier. But since that's not happening until she moves closer and does it for me (hint hint), I decided to stalk eBay and try to find another.

It arrived this week.
It's not nearly as pretty as the first, but it will do for now.

I have to wonder: What do the nice folks who put these things on eBay think.
Geez, I bet somebody will buy a small little shoebox for ten bucks, plus shipping.

Or
This will never sell, but we'll put it up there for $5 and charge a ginormous amount for shipping and see who bites.

Either way, I now have a Junk Poker treasure box. And a backup. All is well.

For more on "treasures" found in books, 

check out my friend Leslie Davis Guccione's blog today!

Book Review: COLIN FISCHER

Although I'm not great about reviewing on Goodreads, I do try to post my reviews on Amazon and, if I remember, Barnes and Noble. (I've learned that actual buyers of books often use these sites!) 

One of my intentions for 2013 is to share more reviews on my blog. 
Here goes my first:

COLIN FISCHER

By Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz

(Razorbill, 2012)

I sense a series in the making. And we all know how young readers pine for more books about a character who solves mysteries while makes them laugh out loud.

Colin Fischer is just such a kid. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome, the 14-year-old doesn't want to be touched, hates the color blue, and has a mind for mysteries, the kind he can research and work out to the most minute detail. His "precious, dog-eared Notebook… had seen better days, though it had been fastidiously cared for." In it, he records facts, friends, reactions. Each entry about a new discovery is often punctuated by the simple command: Investigate.

And investigate he does. When someone shoots off a gun at a birthday celebration in the school cafeteria, Colin carefully works out the mystery. The incident leads him—and a surprising friend—on an adventure.

But at its heart, the book makes you laugh. Told in clever notebook entries, footnotes (which could possibly be a distraction to kids, but added an additional layer of interest for this grown-up reader), as well as Colin's constant flash-card facial clues to help him read his classmates' emotional states-of-mind, the novel is kid-friendly and fun to read.

But of course, there are serious layers to this story. A possible budding romance. Bullying which doesn't end well for Colin. An exceptional boy who's mostly figured out how to cope. A gun in school. As Colin copes with things he never expected to tolerate, the novel challenges many of the stereotypes about autistic kids; it could well open an avenue for serious discussion.

My criticism? I wasn't fond of the way the parents were portrayed. I wished for August's dad in Wonder. I wanted more understanding, more humor, less wine-drinking and adult behavior. And I hope if Colin continues his sleuthing into a second book, the writers will re-consider the character of Colin's younger brother. Yes, I know how difficult it would be to have a brother who embarrasses you on a regular basis, but Danny was downright unlikable.

As a writer, I was bothered some by the switches in point-of-view. These are the things that trouble writers who try to read for fun, or for any other reason! 

I don't think a young reader will notice.

Colin Fisher has much to recommend it. A funny, cleverly put together book, just right for older middle grade readers. And don't you love that cover?

Beginnings

Inspired by the Florida SCBWI event in Miami and my fabulous critique group- Let's write!

There's nothing quite like a blank page/ computer screen.





Dusting off my trusty Scrivener. Putting all my scribbled notes into folders (the Scrivener kind).






I'm reading a few encouraging quotes about beginnings.

Here's a good one

That's how a good story starts. It doesn't spell everything out for you. A good story gives you something to think about. It raises as many questions as it answers.

~ Eric Kimmel
(via Bobbi Miller's website. Lots of good stuff for writers. CHECK IT OUT, HERE. )

How about this from a little notebook I scribbled in frantically during a Maryland SCBWI event. Maybe 2009? (I never throw notebooks away, do you?)

The only way to figure out who a character is is to write. Write a whole draft.
You will never know what you are doing. 
You will discover.
from Coe Booth, though possibly paraphrased, so don't quote me/her.

And another hastily scribbled note, from Roy Clark at the St. Petersburg Times Festival of Reading, Fall, 2011:
Our writing standards are too high, too quick. Lower them at the beginning of a project. After you have a draft, raise your standards.


Here's to new beginnings, 2013. As we flip our January calendars, how are your beginnings?
Your revisions and your revisits?

Here's what's on my desk this morning. Enough inspiration! And now, to write.

Miami SCBWI

A quick visual recap of another fun learning weekend.

Although it was grey and cloudy one day, by the next it was beautifully sunny.
One of the many reasons writers, editors and agents love to come to Miami for our January Florida SCBWI event.

 The almost sunset view from my room (through not-so-bright window).

The fabulous bookstore,  BOOKS & BOOKS from Coral Gables, brings a roomful of fellow Florida authors' and presenters' books for signing and perusing.

Here's the Book Room at the Miami Sheraton and the Books&Books folks consulting with two authors.
(Hi, Aimee! See you next year when your own fabulous picture book will be prominently displayed!)

(Hey, Becky and Aaron! Thank you so much. )

 I got to meet, in real time and real life, some of my Facebook friends.
Here I am with Donna Gephart at the very end of the weekend (do we look it?).

I love her book OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN.  
Then again, I also love Scrabble...

Oh, and Donna has a fantastic blog. WILD ABOUT WORDS.

 That's about all my over-stimulated brain can share this morning.

But I'm especially looking forward to reading more and writing more about my favorite workshop, perhaps my favorite hour of the weekend, featuring Beca Publisi, author of THE EMOTIONAL THESAURUS, 
Do you know this book? This website? So much info, stay tuned for more on that.

Click on those links, if you're so inclined, and now let's get writing everybody!

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?

And the winner is!

I tucked all the entries into the closest I could come to Barnyard Bookstomp, in honor of this weekend's SCBWI Miami theme.

Most of the commenters were Floridians!

But the winner of A THUNDEROUS WHISPER by Christina Diaz Gonzalez is

TA-DAH!!!

Virginia Butler!

A fellow Mississippian, I do believe. Virginia, send me your address via FB message or email.
Congrats to you. I know you're a fan of historical fiction. Let us know what you think.

Florida Writers: Christina Diaz Gonzalez

 I'm a fairly new member of this esteemed group but let me tell you, Florida supports its writing community. Next weekend, we'll be gathering at our annual Miami SCBWI event.

(Meanwhile, other writer friends of mine will be down the road a piece at the amazing Eckerd College Writers in Paradise week. For more about that, click here)

Today, I'd like to share- literally! I'm giving away my copy!-
Christina Diaz Gonzalez's latest novel. A Thunderous Whisper follows on the heels of her highly successful The Red Umbrella, which I truly loved. This new book is also historical fiction but set in a time and place I'll bet not that many young readers are familiar with.
That's one of the spectacular things about this book.

The Spanish Civil War, Guernica, the Basque people. The book is filled with great details. And the story is a page turner of an adventure.

I feel the need to apologize to this wonderful book. It arrived just before the holidays, and I was very excited. Then I got distracted, put it down, and sadly, my pile grew taller. But I'm so glad I unearthed it and finished it because it was well worth the read.
I learned a lot, and I loved the characters so much.

My favorite quote from A Thunderous Whisper:

"Mama had been wrong. People don't always abandon you...even if they have to leave."


(I also love the hints at the end that the story could continue. There's so much more to tell! Are you listening, Christina?)

BLOG READERS, LISTEN UP.
This could be your LUCKY day. I'm giving away the copy that Random House shared with me. If you enter and win, and IF you are coming to Miami with us, I'll bring the book and you can have Christina sign it for you. (You can win even if you aren't coming to Miami, but there's still time to register if you've been on the fence.)

Just leave me a comment, here or on the Facebook post, and I'll draw one name by next Wednesday, January 16.

It doesn't matter if you've ever, recently, or never won a book giveaway here or anywhere. This is open to anybody who'd love to read A THUNDEROUS WHISPER.


Here are a few links to some of Christina's writing wisdom.

Since I'm hugely fascinated and love reading about character names, I loved this one:
http://themodpodgebookshelf.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-character-of-names-with-christina.html


Although this giveaway has ended, the interview is excellent.
http://www.thestorysiren.com/2012/10/author-interview-christina-diaz-gonzalez-giveaway.html