Category: Reading

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Happy Friday, guys! I’ve had a good dose of creative connectivity this week, and I’m looking forward to even more creative time with my lovely crit group members over the weekend. In the meantime, here’s a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer:

Reading: Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert
Encouraging, open, and conversational book about living as an artist. Definitely what I needed.

Writing: “You can’t sleep through my cross-country playlist,” TJ said. “It’s rhythmically impossible.”
Hoping to finish up with this pass of revision over the weekend; psyched to dive into something new, but I’m going to miss these characters (for the time being, at least).

Young Readers for a Better World

Leave a comment

A fantastic TED talk by Linda Sue Park about how children’s books make kids better human beings:

I love hearing about real kids who are connecting with their greater world and challenging injustice because of books. Major kudos to authors like Park and educators and librarians who are helping young readers practice empathy.

Quote of the Day

1 Comment

“…have patience with everything unresolved in your heart and to try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing it, live your way into the answer.”–Rainer Maria Rilke, from Letters to a Young Poet

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Happy Friday, everyone! The east coast is getting some major snow this weekend (stay safe, Southern and Mid-Atlantic friends!), which means it’s a good time to stay inside and cozy up with a book. Here’s a look at what I’ve been reading and writing this week, in fifteen words or fewer:

Reading: Out of Darkness by Ashley Hope Pérez
This book wrecked me in the best way possible. Devastating story, brilliant writing.

Writing: “And in the stage wings, I saw Colby Finch, smiling like he felt it, too.”
Revision rolls along!

Links Galore

Leave a comment

A few of good links for today:

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Happy Friday, guys! I tackled a lot of revision today and hoping to power through some more this weekend. So let’s kick things off with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.

Reading: Conviction by Kelly Loy Gilbert
Powerful book about family, sports, abuse, religion, survival and more. So good.

Writing: “…if I can find a college that offers foot-mouth-contortion as a major, I’ll be set.”
As tough as revision can be sometimes, I’m glad to be back with these guys.

In Case Emma Watson’s Looking for Suggestions for Her Feminist Book Club

Leave a comment

Emma Watson, aka Hermione Granger, aka magical bookworm, is starting her own feminist book club. She’s starting off with Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road, but it got me thinking about what books I’d include in a feminist book club.

For powerful and thoughtful YA novels about girls and family and their place in the world:

  • Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
  • The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth
  • Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero
  • Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed
  • Dairy Queen by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
  • Story of a Girl by Sara Zarr

For YA novels about girls fighting back in many different ways:

  • The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart
  • Rites of Passage by Joy N. Hensley
  • Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
  • All the Rage by Courtney Summers
  • Far From You by Tess Sharpe
  • Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

YA feminism isn’t limited to the real world:

  • The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater
  • The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
  • The Fire Wish by Amber Lough
  • Beware the Wild by Natalie C. Parker
  • Alanna: The First Adventure by Tamora Pierce
  • Seraphina by Rachel Hartman

And graphic novels are perfect for a feminist book club:

  • Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Taki Soma, Robert Wilson
  • This One Summer by Mariko Tamaki, Jillian Tamaki
  • Lumberjanes #1 by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Brooke A. Allen

And some of your favorite elementary/middle school reads are perfect for feminist book club:

  • A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
  • Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh
  • Matilda by Roald Dahl
  • Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones
  • Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman
  • From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Konigsburg

This is obviously not a complete list, because there are so many awesome books featuring compelling female characters and dealing with feminism and what it means to be a woman.

Did I leave out a favorite? Shout out in the comments.

ARCs, Feminism, Thin Mints, and Librarian Friends: a Weekend at ALA Midwinter

Leave a comment

collage-2016-01-12 (1)This weekend I got to go to ALA Midwinter–aka where librarians, educators, authors, publishers, bloggers, readers, and general fans of books and media come to learn and engage and share Girl Scout cookies. (Seriously, bringing Girl Scout cookies to a conference is a way to ensure people love you.) I’d never been to an ALA event before, and I only got an exhibit hall pass, but it was such a fantastic weekend. Some highlights:

  • Meeting librarian and writer and blogger friends from the Internet in real life–you get to hug them in real life!–and seeing lovely librarian and writer friends from the Boston area.
  • Seeing adorable baby pictures of aforementioned friends. (Or adorable pictures of their babies or their nieces/nephews.)
  • Having writer friends in from out of town meant an awesome panel at Brookline Booksmith, one of my favorite places to both meet readers and buy books. Awesome questions, thoughtful/hilarious discussion, fantastic audience.
  • Saying hi and the Candlewick booth and snagging an ARC of A Tyranny of Petticoats: 15 Stories of Belles, Bank Robbers & Other Badass Girls.
  • Listening to thoughtful discussions at the We Need Diverse Books panel and the Class of 2K16 Debuts panel.
  • Seeing ARCs for friends books and getting excited about all the future readers who will love these books.
  • Sharing Thin Mints with friends old and new.
  • Talking about reading, writing, publishing, teen readers, feminism, graphic novels and more with people who get it.

collage-2016-01-12This is the kind of weekend that reminds me why I love being part of the book community. People are so enthusiastic and smart and talented and kind and thoughtful and funny. They’re pushing the boundaries in all sorts of fields and making a difference for readers everywhere. I cheered along with the webcast of the ALA Youth Media Awards this morning, and was so proud to be part of this larger community.

Thanks to all who helped make this such a fun and inspiring weekend. Here’s to another awesome year of our bookish community!

Friday Fifteen

Leave a comment

Happy Friday, everyone! I’m extra excited for this Friday, because it’s the start of ALA weekend here in Boston, which means I get to meet some of my favorite librarians and bloggers and writers in person. Book lovers unite!

In case you’re in town for the conference or a YA-loving local, don’t forget to come to tonight’s Real Teen Lives YA panel at Brookline Booksmith (7pm EST)! In the meantime, let’s kick off the weekend with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.

Reading: Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine (Bitch Planet #1-5) by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Taki Soma, Robert Wilson
Started off the year with some feminist sci-fi graphic novel goodness.

Writing: “I wonder if Ms. Simpson is somewhere now, walking with the living and reciting poetry.”
My latest short story (about poetry and the zombie apocalypse) is up at the Hanging Garden.

Links Galore

Leave a comment

Lots of links I’ve been saving: