Texas Library Association, 2009

I'm packing up for TLA tonight! rgz co-founders Dia Calhoun and Justina Chen Headley and I are headed out in the morning. We'll be kicking it up at the YART dinner on Wednesday night. Our presentation is on Thursday at 2:00, and we sign in the Author Alley at 3:00. The Publishers' Reception is Thursday evening. If you are in Houston, please stop in and say hey! We'd love to meet you!

*wheels her suitcase to the door*

Shout Out: Gianni!

My daughter's beau is headed off to college to finish his degree. We will miss him so much, but wish him the best as he makes a new stand. Here's a shout out for the G-man!

Go well!

Poetry Friday: Caught

This week I played at Laura Salas' site, with her 15 Words or Less.

How fun! She posts a photo and then in 15 words or less, you write. Here's my entry with her springboard photo:

Caught
on a point,
sails tauten
against an iron needle
of time.

You can contribute your own work on Thursdays, and then she reposts for Poetry Friday. Thanks to Holly Cupala for tipping me off!

This week check out the official roundup at the lovely Julie Larios' site.

A Cane of Distinction

How sweet is my beautiful friend? SO SWEET! She heard I was going to TLA...

and how I often end up needing a cane on extended trips. I was lamenting that my old standby just didn't have much personality. So, she special ordered this one from England for me from Fashionable Canes!

It is so cute! I LOVE IT! I'll be sporting it in Texas!

Here's a shout out to her, so thoughtful, generous, and supportive. Thank you! *do a little dance with a frog*

Washington State Thespian Festival: Show me how you jigalo!

You might have seen my Tweets this past weekend. Two days with 800 thespians at the Washington State Thespian Festival. WHAT A BLAST! And exhausting. I captured this bit of video to share the vibe. Woohoo!

Poetry Friday: Patio Tea

Patio Tea

Ceramic pots
cradle tea leaves
and cup hot water
in their round bellies.

Rattan chairs
cradle friends
and cup woven stories
between their open arms.

Lorie Ann Grover, 2009

Catch the full poetry roundup with Elaine at Wild Rose Reader!

My Gallery Home!

It's always been a hope of mine to have a gallery interested in showing my illustrations. I've participated in various shows but never have found a more permanent location. Recently, I stopped into ART & HOME DESIGN on Main Street in my hometown and found Michelle Miller was interested in showing my work!


What a delight! I quickly delivered over thirty pieces from various past projects. She graciously framed six for display to accompany my two framed pieces. So generous!

The remainder are shrink wrapped against illustration board for perusal and protection.

I'm so happy to have my work represented in Sumner, Washington. If you are toodling by, please stop in!

Now I really should plan a party: a book signing, a few friends, a little wine...

TBD '09 Press Release!

For more information contact:

Sara Easterly, Publicist for readergirlz

Sara Easterly & Friends

sara@saraeasterly.com

206-632-8588

READING STIMULUS PLAN FOR HOSPITALIZED TEEN PATIENTS
LAUNCHES JUST IN TIME FOR “SUPPORT TEEN LIT DAY” APRIL 16

Despite economic downturn, generous publishers have donated
thousands of young-adult books for readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and YALSA
to deliver to teens in America’s top pediatric hospitals

March 17, 2009 (Seattle, Wash.) – Teen patients in pediatric hospitals across the United States will receive 8,000 young-adult novels, audiobooks, and graphic novels next week as readergirlz, Guys Lit Wire, and the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) celebrate the third annual Support Teen Lit Day on April 16.

In its second year, “Operation TBD” (short for Teen Book Drop), puts free books donated by 18 book publishers into the hands of many teens most in need of escape, inspiration and a sense of personal accomplishment. Books with exceptional characters and fabulous stories can provide just that for teens and their families dealing with difficult, long-term hospital stays.

At a time when philanthropic giving is down, readergirlz co-founders have been inspired by overwhelming industry support for Operation TBD. “readergirlz is always looking for innovative ways to connect teens with literature, “ said Dia Calhoun, co-founder of readergirlz and acclaimed young-adult author. “We’re honored that publishers have supported this goal by giving so liberally this year.”

Operation TBD also aims to encourage all teens to choose reading for pleasure as a leisure activity, over other entertainment options. Inciting the broader teen community to participate in Operation TBD in its drive to spur reading on a national scale, readergirlz has launched a trailer on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/readergirlz) inviting teens and YA authors to leave a book in a public place on April 16. When visiting www.readergirlz.com, participants can download bookplates to insert into the books they’ll leave behind, which explain the surprise to the recipient and tell them to read and enjoy.

“This event is such a special one because it not only raises awareness about teen literature, but it also truly helps those teens most in need. Teens facing illnesses will be able to find an age- appropriate new book to read while in the hospital — teen books matter and not just any old book will do,” said Sarah Cornish Debraski, YALSA president. “Our thanks to the publishers, readergirlz, and Guys Lit Wire. It’s wonderful to unite with these organizations to forward this cause.”

Participating book publishers who have donated books or audiobooks include Abrams Books, Bloomsbury/Walker Books, Candlewick Press, Full Cast Audio, Hachette Book Group, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Hyperion, Milkweed, Mirrorstone Books, Orca Book Publishers, Peachtree Books, Perseus Book Group/Running Press, Random House, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing, Soft Skull Press & Red Rattle Books, TOKYOPOP and Tor/Forge/Starscape/Tor Teen.

“Putting the right book into the hands of a teen can turn that teen into a reader for life, “ said Suzanne Murphy, VP and Group Publisher, Scholastic Trade Book Publishing. “We are delighted to have the opportunity to help Operation TBD show teens firsthand just how much fun reading can be.”

Pediatric hospitals that have signed up to receive books include Phoenix Children's Hospital (Phoenix, Ariz.), Rady's Children's Hospital (San Diego, Calif.), Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Hospital and Research Center (Oakland, Calif.), All Children's Hospital (St. Petersburg, FL), Children's Memorial Hospital (Chicago, Ill.), UM C.S. Mott Children's Hospital (Ann Arbor, Mich.), Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics (Kansas City, MO), The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Children's Medical Center in Dallas, Mary Bridge Children's Hospital & Health Center (Tacoma, Wash.) and Seattle Children's Hospital.

“Our teen patients here at Seattle Children’s loved the books donated through the Operation Teen Book Drop last year,” said Kim Korte, Child Life Manager, Seattle Children’s Hospital. “Books are a wonderful avenue for our patients to be distracted from the pain and stress of hospitalization. We are always in need of books and greatly appreciate the generosity of the publishers who donated.”

Everyone who participates in Operation TBD is invited to celebrate at the TBD Post-Op Party on April 16 at 6 p.m. Pacific Time on the readergirlz blog: http://readergirlz.blogspot.com.

About Support Teen Literature Day

For the third consecutive year, Support Teen Literature Day will be celebrated April 16, 2009 in conjunction with ALA’s National Library Week. Librarians all across the country are encouraged to participate in Support Teen Literature Day by hosting events in their library. The purpose of this new celebration is to raise awareness among the general public that young adult literature is a vibrant, growing genre with much to offer today’s teens. Support Teen Literature Day also seeks to showcase award-winning authors and books in the genre as well as highlight librarians’ expertise in connecting teens with books and other reading materials.

About the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA)

For more than 50 years, YALSA has been the world leader in selecting books, videos, and audiobooks for teens. For more information about YALSA or for lists of recommended reading, viewing and listening, visit www.ala.org/yalsa/booklists or contact the YALSA office by phone, 800-545-2433, ext. 4390, or email, yalsa@ala.org.

About readergirlz

readergirlz is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by five critically acclaimed YA authors—Dia Calhoun (Avielle of Rhia), Holly Cupala (A Light That Never Goes Out) Lorie Ann Grover (Hold Me Tight), Justina Chen Headley (North of Beautiful), and Melissa Walker (the Violet series). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award.

To promote teen literacy and leadership in girls, readergirlz features a different YA novel and corresponding community service project every month. For more information about readergirlz, please visit www.readergirlz.com and http://readergirlz.blogspot.com, or contact divas@readergirlz.com.

About Guys Lit Wire Guys Lit Wire brings literary news and reviews to the attention of teenage boys and the people who care about them. Working to combat the perception that teen boys aren’t as well read as teen girls, the organization seeks out literature uniquely targeted toward teen male readers in hopes of bringing attention of good books to guys who might have missed them.

Ó2009 readergirlz

###

TBD '09 Challenge!

Hey all!

Here's a word from Holly:

The time has come for a contest! Actually, five weeks of contests!

Here's the deal: each week from now until Support Teen Literature Day on April 16th, we'll be awarding a package of books to one winner. To enter, you just comment at the readergirlz blog (comments on older posts count - a point for each comment!) and get an extra ten points for taking up the week's challenge. Get ten more any time by becoming one of our blog followers!

Report your post at the readergirlz blog with the URL (and get eleven points!). We'll keep track of the comments and urls and award the winners each week. Books! Prizes! And you'll be supporting teen lit and hospitalized teens across the country.

This week's challenge:

Post the Operation TBD trailer on your blog (trailer below). Spread the word about Operation TBD!



Remember, for your posts to count toward the contest, you must post at the readergirlz blog. Hope to see you there!

The Free Verse Project

How wonderful is this project from poets.org? The Free Verse Project looks wonderful! Thanks to Sara Lewis Holmes for blogging this on Poetry Friday! My mind is thinking! Inspired by the 2009 National Poetry Month Poster design, the Academy of American Poets invites you to capture and share your own ephemeral bits of verse. Write lines from a favorite poem on a sandy beach, assemble twigs on a hillside, or chalk the sidewalk. Take a photo before it disappears and post it in the Free Verse group page on Flickr, or on the Academy's Fan Page on Facebook, or email your photo to freeverse@poets.org. Include the source of your lines in the photo caption. All photos posted by April 15 will be automatically entered in a contest to win the new Poem in Your Pocket anthology and a commemorative piece of jewelry by San Francisco designer Jeanine Payer, who specializes in hand-engraving lines of poetry on earrings, necklaces, and other items. Selected entries will be featured on Poets.org.

Poetry Friday: Samurai Armor

Happy Poetry Friday, everyone! Here's another photo I caught at my brother's Bujinkan dojo affiliated with the Onibujin. Here goes...

Samurai Armor

The empty samurai shell
sits humped in the corner.
A breeze licks the negative spaces,
seeking the soul
of the warrior
whose sweat
rings the plates of armor
like echoes of fury and passion.

Lorie Ann Grover, 2009

Catch the full roundup at The Miss Rumphius Effect.

Listen, from Laurie Halse Anderson

I have to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Speak! Congratulations, Laurie!

Find Beauty Challenge: Me!

So, of course, I had to make one! Here's my submission for the Find Beauty Challenge!



Appearances: Miss Erin, Ellen and Emily, Jackie Parker, Dia Calhoun, Janet Lee Carey, Cathy Garber, Kato the dog, Justina Chen Headley, Holly Cupala, and me! Yay!

North of Beautiful: Find Beauty Challenge, Justina

Oooooh. How sweet and beautiful is this? THANK YOU, JUSTINA! xox

Poetry Friday: Frozen Laugh

This is the fellow that greets those that enter my brother's Shinobi Dojo. So many contrasting elements!

Frozen Laugh

Your frozen laugh
winks gold
between black strands
that sway
in the breeze of my passing.
Your laugh
bubbles red
when I glance back
over
my shoulder.

Lorie Ann Grover, 2009

Catch the full roundup at Picture Book of the Day!

Writing Retreat, 3/09

It's going to seem like I retreat frequently. But I don't. Really! It's just that this opportunity came up and so we HAD to go, right?

One weekend with members of the team who could make it: postergirl Jackie Parker, divas Dia Calhoun, Justina Chen Headley, and me, here:

Two fantasies and two contemporary novels were being born. And a few good photos. This is my favorite!


There are always surprises when you go to a place sight-unseen. The next photo looks perfectly normal. But it's a skylight! The eroding mud hill was LOOMING over us. Did it make for faster typing as we all worried we'd be washed out to sea? Um. Yes.

Of course dinner out is a highlight, the chance to share how the writing day went. Just in time for happy hour!


Then back to writing in the morning!


All in all, I'm liking this retreat lifestyle. Good friends, good writing, good fun.


Until next time...maybe the whole team will make it!

Shout Out: Sumner, Washington

A shout out to my hometown of Sumner! Woot!

My family and I have lived here since 1997, but we had our sights on the city since 1987. This is where we wanted to raise our family.

Sumner sits near the foot of Mount Rainier, in the valley where the White River flows into the Puyallup River. Settled in 1853 by early pioneers, the city produced hops, daffodils, rhubarb, and grasses. Sumner is still the Rhubarb Capital of the World.

It doesn't look a whole lot different from its early days. :~)

You won't find bubble tea, tabouli, or a movie theater in our town this far south of Seattle, but you will find a bit of quirkiness, a population of 9,000, and good cheer. I thought to give this shout out seeing a quote from The Seattle Times:

"Sumner so completely embodies the nostalgic ideals of small-town America, it's hard to stay long without welling up."

My homage to Sumner has been to set On Pointe in the city. And to fill Rainy Day Slug with daffodils.

There's an introduction. Feel free to stop in and visit, especially the gallery on Main Street. More coming soon...

My Thoughts and Reactions to Tender Morsels

I saw Tender Morsels on the Printz Honor list. I heard warnings about the content. But I also am familiar with Margo's work and knew I had to read it.

Warnings for sexual content and violence are warranted, but I'm so glad this book received a reward and recognition. I was aware of the pacing in a few points, and a couple of characters ring so good, I would have liked to see them with a few faults. HOWEVER, those are such small points in the context of this weighty work.

What I found so compelling were the themes and questions:
* Is it good and right to cloister a child or yourself?
* What are the benefits and damages?
* How does one forgive?
* Revenge is all too sweet.
* Oh, the grief we women experience as we age and lose traditional beauty.
* Oh, the sacrifice we mothers make for our children.

I finished reading this book in the presence of friends who were laughing at my reactions: squeals of wicked glee to tears for truth. And I wouldn't tell them about it all! I did say, "This author is my age. I know it. I know it by the themes." Sure enough. We are only 4 years apart.

This book reached my heart. I'm thankful I chose to brave the violence to find the sweetness and truth that I won't ever forget. Thank you, Margo and Alfred A. Knopf!