Hopping Across My Laptop

Things are hopping across my laptop for readergirlz right now. So what does that look like? Without giving away top secret rgz diva info, this is what's boinging around.

1. First there's Operation Teen Book Drop, 2009! I just outreached to the Woodmark Pediatric Hospital group to see who's in for TBD in April. Already we have 4 hospitals signed up! Thanks to Holly Cupala for our new green version of the logo.

2. The letter to request publisher participation is drafted and ready for Dia Calhoun to run with it.

3. There's a top secret meeting on Thurs. I can't say more. Very nervy-making.

4. Nearly all the bookings are complete for our amazing Teen Read Week. Did you see the poster Holly made for us? Woot! Soon there will be a final edition with book covers and a pdf available at rgz.



4. We have the Kidlit Conference we are headed down to the end of the month where we hope to make great connections and fab rgz tv. Plus there will be a very special partaaaay. More about that soon!

5. Then Dia and I have a couple speaking gigs to prepare for. She is a wiz at Powerpoint. Yay!

6. Mitali and I are hunting down great features for rgz. Right now we are concentrating on Latina work. Very fun.

7. We are getting ready to turn around the October issue.

8. We are ordering buttons to give away. I made a new button at the Zazzle Store with the new rgz tv logo designed by Holly. It's the cutest!

9. New coolio bookmarks are on the way.

10. And we are having a blast chatting with Paula Yoo about Good Enough at the rgz MySpace group forum!



Of course, all of that is between when I'm checking Facebook to see if Justina Chen Headley is on in China. Obviously, there's a ton to talk about. And of course, now that she's settled, her new ideas for rgz will be hopping too. Boing, boing, boing!

Where is everything?

Sometimes as an author you stop and say, "Wait. Where is everything?" So here's where it's all at right now.

Hug Hug! comes out December 16th from Little Simon. I'll be doing something very fun for the launch with my amazing friend Joan Holub.

The new paperback of Rainy Day Slug comes out March 1st.


Hm. Then my Scholastic Cartwheel board book, Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish comes out in June, I think. I have the cover but don't know if I can share it yet! Debra Ziss has made the sweetest Little Fish.



My novel about Korea is in the hands of my amazing agent, Elizabeth Harding. Will I need another rewrite or not, is the question! This part is very nervy making. (The following photos are my collages or visual maps of my works in progress.)

Then my prose fantasy is off to my fab critique group buddies, Joan Holub and Dia Calhoun. I expect at least a month of work when they send their comments back to me. My dear friend Justina Chen Headley may read it in October in China. Then there will be--another rewrite.


So what right now? Well, there's a first draft of a verse novel I can get back to in the meantime. I wrote a work after the experiences of my daughter's friend Sarah. (Sarah is in the foreground, and Emily is in the background.)


There's much to do on the work. Sarah's story is chilling, and I'm so ready to get back to it. I'm right at that juncture where I need to breakaway away into fiction. Opening your hand and letting the truth go to make a better story is a distinct step in writing from life experiences. That is exactly where I'm at. And I have a few minutes right now to get going!

The Last First Day

It's back! The day has come. The day I knew would come has come. The day is...the first day of school. *sighs*

I now prepare for the migraine. This year it will be from me banging the trig book against my head.



The sight of this makes me shiver. Yes, the last year of homeschooling begins today. I can't believe it's year 15 of teaching.

So here are El and I in reality:

But we'll make an effort to put on our happy faces. Because I really know, as soon as it ends and she's off to college, I WILL MISS IT! Although you won't catch me doing a few trig problems for fun on my own.

The highlight this year will be the humongous stack of the Norton Anthology of Literature.



Can you say, essay? *laughs maniacally*

Okay, the first bell has rung, and we are off. Well, my poptart has popped at least. Here's to a new school year. The last first day.

September rgz Roundtable

I participated in rgz postergirl Little Willow's roundtable this month where we discussed Paula Yoo's novel Good Enough. So I get to post it, too. Some differences popped up, but that just makes it all the better, right? Read on and then enter the chatter at the rgz group forum!

Roundtable: Good Enough by Paula Yoo

Paula Yoo's debut novel, Good Enough, was declared great by the readergirlz and chosen to be our selection for September 2008.

In this roundtable discussion, three members of the postergirlz teen lit advisory council plus readergirlz diva Lorie Ann Grover talk about schoolwork, homework, and making families work.

Little Willow: What did you think of Good Enough in general?

Jackie: I thought it was a really fun read. I'm happy that I can give it with confidence to all ages - and that's not common.

LW: I agree, Jackie. It's fun and it's clean, so I have no problem giving the book to middle school readers - though most of the girls I've shared it with have been high schoolers, all of which have told me they can "so relate to Patti," and I quote.

HWM: I enjoyed reading this book and could relate to everything on so many levels.

LW: I loved how the humor came from a very real place. It was a truly funny book because the funny bits felt true. The narrator wasn't a comedienne, and she wasn't TRYING to be funny - she simply was.

HWM: I laughed out loud in a couple places and I teared up too. I love books that get the emotions going.

LW: I think - not only from having read the book, but from speaking to the author about it, too - that Paula wrote Good Enough not to be a cautionary tale (this is what happens when you disobey your parents!) nor a recipe (directions on how to disobey your strict parents!) but instead to be simply real. I feel as though she accomplished that.

Lorie Ann: The voice rang true for me. I could feel Patti's pressure and enjoy her humor so much. I was instantly submerged in the story.

To read the complete roundtable click here.

California Traipsing

My trip to California was fantastic! So much writing done and a bit of time to tour the city. Do you see the tiny Hollywood sign behind El and I?

I found Johnny Depp's handprints and bootprints. Awesome possum! I'm not going to think of how many people like me put their hands into the concrete. Although that could be why they are black, right?

Grauman's Chinese Theater was more beautiful than I expected.


And the stars went on so long down the street! I found many of my favs including Jim Henson's star!

Many thanks to my dear friends Dani and Arden for hosting me and El. They fed us delicious food night after night and let me write undisturbed. Friends for life!

And of course El had a blast with her friend Abby! Beach buddies, 2008!

I do believe I'll even miss the Japanese beetles. And Dani screaming in panic and running inside. :~)

Such great California memories. Now to my email which is piled high!

Final Round

It's truly amazing to complete the final pass of a manuscript and get the work to your agent. The ball goes to her court and there's a refreshing moment of freedom. That's about the time I turn to my bookshelf and run to the library.

What a delight to sit with someone else's work and lose yourself in their story.

Although right now, I have 2 more novels to polish for my critique group. Maybe just a short celebration stint. I am down in CA this week. I can hear the Disneyland fireworks each night.



I'd guess Mickey and Minnie would vote for a break!

Wordle!

I've had fun making wordles at www.wordle.net

Hmm. Really this was during breaks from writing. And it's Justina's fault. She showed me the site. :~) Try it out. It's really fun! Get a visual representation of words that describe you!