THIS SUNDAY: Great Books and Local Impact!

My friends - it has been so long since I have written, but look at what I've been doing! For those who live out of reach of this event, please consider helping us spread joy, literacy and critical thinking to children and teens EVERYWHERE!  Panelists are: Nora Raleigh Baskin, Gae Polisner, Wendy Corsi Staub, S. Chris Shirley, Barbara Dee, Lucy Frank, Julie Strauss-Gabel!

This New York Times article affirms the research-proven benefits of expressive writing: Writing Your Way to Happiness. You can make an impact by providing opportunities for local kids to develop these skills. Join us at Sunday’s A Year in Books 2014. Writopia Lab’s 2015 efforts to reach underserved students in NYC’s northern suburbs will be funded through this January 25th literary event. Last year’s Understanding the Books Your Kids are Obsessed With was a successful start, funding free summer workshops at the Yonkers Riverfront Library. For many of those students, it was their first experience with professionally led creative writing, and the impact was tremendous! Buy tickets now to A Year in Books 2014, and encourage your friends and family to attend with you. This local event will feature an amazing panel of authors (and John Green’s editor/publisher extraordinaire). Books will be available for sale at below-retail prices, generously provided by publishers and authors alike to help us raise money. Please forward this urgent plea to your personal contacts and social media.

In addition to our growing outreach work in communities north of the city, Writopia Lab acts as a regional affiliate for theScholastic Writing Awards, promoting access to the Awards, organizing its adjudication, and providing an annual recognition ceremony. If you are unable to come but would still love tosupport us and donate, that would be greatly appreciated. We need your feedback: please let us know which programs you feel could be most impactful Regional Scholastic Writing Awards Programs at local schools Programs at local libraries Expanded programs at our local labs

Why Words Matter: Star-Studded Author Panel at FLMS!

We held a literary event last night at my kids' place of learning, Fox Lane Middle School. It was a veritable authorpalooza. Here I am with authors James Howe and Gae Polisner, gazing at Rebecca Stead.

Community is awesome, isn't it? Communities strive to find common ground and share values. One of our major tasks as human beings is to not only find our place in community, but to help it evolve, grow, and function.

For instance, when I moved to Northern Westchester just over three years ago, I became a de facto member of that community at-large, and have looked for my niches within the larger structure. There's my sweet neighborhood in Bedford Hills, the kids' schools, Writopia Lab and then there's the kid-lit community.

I was asked by another mom to find an author to host an event in December to coincide with the  Book Fair. (And I was thrilled to find out that the school would be using an independent book store, Main Street Books as the vendor.) Knowing my author friends and their beaucoup experience in this arena, I couldn't just ask one. Why not ask a few? We all like each other so much in our community, we love having an excuse to hang out!

And then this past Monday, I got nervous about people showing up. There didn't seem to be any buzz . . . until a few of us shouted out into the universe and people in our community and others helped with email blasts and Facebook posts.

Thank you! We had over 100 people show up - the room was full of not only kids, but librarians and teachers. Our principal, Anne-Marie Berardi was there as well as Superintendents  Jere Hochman and Drew Patrick. So much support!

What a treat to have Newbery Award winner Rebecca Stead, National Book Award winner Judy Blundell, the inimitable James Howe, Michael Northrop, Nora Raleigh Baskin and Gae Polisner. We were regaled not only with their humor, pathos and authenticity, but with their generosity of spirit in signing books and connecting with the audience - our community! I moderated a discussion on Why Words Matter and how reading and writing saves our sanity. So many kids went home with beaming smiles, their hunger for literature satisfied.

                                                           Here's Nora and Michael!

                                                                    Judy and a fan!

            Just look how many kids got to meet and interact with some of their favorite authors!

Thank you to everyone who came out last night to help make it a groundbreaking event at FLMS - we are sure to make this an annual event!

Novel Nerves and Friday Feedback

I just hit the SEND button with an attachment of my new novel, India Flips to my agent, Edward Necarsulmer. Here's what will happen: he will clear off all other things from his desk, eager to start reading right away because I am oh so fabulous.

NOT.

Okay, yes, he adores me, but there will be no clearing of the desk. What will happen is that India Flips will get into his MASSIVE reading queue. And the EARLIEST he will get back to me is late July.

But I obsessively read it through, editing and copyediting it no less than five times this week. Now it is 46,000 words instead of just shy of 45,000.

I am scared, but I must let go of it, and it's a good thing that I have a very busy summer of teaching writing camp, and then reading as many books as I can possibly get my hands on.

If you are interested in reading the opening page of India Flips, I have bravely posted it over on Gae Polisner's blog today. (You know my friend Gae - of Pull of Gravity fame?)  She is working in concert with Kate Messner's big summer project, Teacher's Write.

She has a new weekly feature called Friday Feedback, in which she, or a guest author, posts an excerpt of something he, she, (I?) are working on, and then invites peeps not only to give feedback, but to post their own excerpts for feedback from her (and the guest author.)

Isn't that the coolest? So what are you waiting for?

If you need another push, here is the link to Friday Feedback - I'd love to hear your thoughts!

LiterHottie Award (Beautiful Blogger)

Yup, that's me. A Literary Hottie.*

That is, according to Anne Chaconas and Tracey Baptiste, both fabulous authors who have given me the honor of nominating me for the latest and greatest blogger award. Blogger Awards, for those of you who don't know,  are a way of extending and growing our on-line community. I have received several in the past, and the rules are always to nominate more people and spread the love. The rules for this award are to name 7 random facts about yourself and then to name 7 other bloggers.

*Full credit for LiterHottie goes to Reading Rambo, the coach for Suburbia Roller Derby's Backyard Bullies. You can read about my new love of Roller Derby here. (And have a chance to win a copy of my book, Edges.)

1. I am flying to Seattle today to attend the premier of Camilla Dickinson at the Seattle Film Festival. Camilla Dickinson is my grandmother's first YA novel, and now there's a lovely indie movie! (Of course, we're hoping for world domination. ;-)) How is this a random fact about me? Well, I have NEVER been to Seattle before! AND I am bringing only one of my kids - they are taking turns going on trips with me. I promised them that I would always take one of them with me wherever I get to go. AND I finally get to meet in person one of my favorite people and favorite new author - the fabulous Lish McBride who had me howling with laughter with her debut, Hold Me Closer, Necromancer. Her follow up, Necromancing the Stone is coming out this fall! Stay tuned . . .

2. I love peanut butter. And I mean, LOVE. I also love Dr. Who. (Now that's random!)

3. My extravagant self-care ritual is a spa pedicure once a month.

4. Even though I haven't had a drink or a drug in over 18 years, I am still the life of a party, unless . . .

5. I sometimes don't sleep very well. I've had insomnia ever since I can remember. It is much better now than it used to be, but I still have bouts. It is genetic. My grandmother, Madeleine suffered from it, as did her mother - also Madeleine. (And guess what - my legal name is Madeleine too, so the Madeleine's in my family have it.)

6. I had two aliases in my 20's - Venus de Velcro and Tallulah Trip. Both were High Priestesses of Cocktail Music and one was sexier than the other. Can you guess who?

7. I still have to pack for my trip. I am leaving in two hours, but I want to get this done - for Anne and Tracy. First thing's first!

My blogger shout outs:

1. Anne Chaconas 
Anne is a very funny writer that I met through Novel Publicity, which goes to show you (me) that not all social networking is a waste of time. She is very funny and has thoughtful, empathetic posts on the writer's life and how to navigate social media.

2. Tracey Baptiste  
Author of Angel's Grace and a short biography of my grandmother.  She writes inspiring tidbits on her blog like this:

"From Cynthia Ozick:
“One must avoid ambition in order to write. Otherwise something else is the goal: some kind of power beyond the power of language. And the power of language, it seems to me, is the only kind of power a writer is entitled to.”
It’s hard to avoid ambition, isn’t it? We all  aspire to be something more–and that’s a good thing. But to be something specific, best-selling author, for instance. Wanting to be that, desiring only that, well, that’ll eat you alive."

3. Deborah Batterman
This lovely lady is the author of the short story collection, Hair, Shoe, Nails AND she is also a Bedford/ Katonah resident. She is a beautiful writer. Reading her work always makes my hands itch to write myself!

4. Elizabeth Cassidy
Her posts are guaranteed to make me laugh. AND they are poignant - how does she do that? She is also a creative writing coach - maybe I'll ask her!

5. Jayne Martin
very funny new friend I have made on-line. Her posts are always compelling and helpful. Her book, Suitable for Giving, has been a real hit with readers!

6. Gae Polisner
Publishing House sister and author of The Pull of Gravity, soon to be out in paperback! She is the real deal - lovely, funny and authentic. She tells it like it is, the highs and the lows. AND she is a great hugger! I heart you, Gae!

7. Christa Desir is amazingly funny on her blog while exploring the toughest subjects in her novel writing. I can't wait to read Trainwreck which is forthcoming from Simon Pulse in the fall of 2013. Maybe I'll be lucky enough to get an ARC? Seriously folks, this is someone to watch for!

Loving Bloggers: Spread the Love

Love is glue, an ephemeral word that means more when it is used as a verb rather than a feeling. Love in action is what makes the world go around, and the world needs it, we need it to grow and to evolve into more enlightened human beings. We create, we write, paintactdancesing as a way of expressing and processing love.

Say what you want about social media - yes, it drives us crazy, yes we never feel like we're doing enough, but it has taught me something about community, and anything I learn about how communities work also teaches me about love.

Reciprocity. One of my gorgeous compadres on this writing journey is the fabulous Gae Polisner, who has passed this Versatile Blogger award on to me.  In 2010, Alison Roskos Treat invited me to play the reciprocity game but I was brand new at blogging and didn't know what to do, and then in 2011, I was invited to play by Demery Bader-Saye and made my very first attempt.

This will be my second attempt, and I will not be following the original rules to a tee, because of time constraints. So I will be following Gae's rules of bestowing the award onto six other author/bloggers, who in turn should do the same, and use the Versatile Blogger Award badge when you do so!

Now, are you ready for a love-fest?

1. Jen Violi: I love this woman and I have never had the opportunity to meet her on the physical plane (although we have been known to astral project.) She views writing and teaching as a ministry, much in the way that I do, but she is all groovy and West Coast. She is also very funny, writes love notes, and is the author of the YA novel, Putting Make-Up on Dead People which I loved and reviewed last May. Who could be more appropriate for Valentines' Day? She sends out a newsletter rather than blog regularly, so get on that list people! You won't be sorry.

2. Keith Jennings: my soul brother! Who I have also never met. He has a wonderful blog called Keitharsis: Creativity, Roots and the Portfolio Life. His posts are always very thought provoking and inspiring. Love him! I command you!

3: Katie Davis: you need to know about this wonderful author of some of my daughter's favorites, Kindergarten Rocks, Little Chicken's Big Day (and much much more!) and who does so much for the writing community in terms of reciprocity and networking. She is a beautiful dynamo who goes non-stop and is the best marketer I know. I have learned so much from her. Plus, whenever I see her I just want to squeeze her!

4: Emlyn Chand & Novel Publicity: This marvelous young woman in Michigan has redefined "karma" and reciprocity! I have watched her grow this past year into a marketing tycoon and it's been amazing. Her debut YA novel, Farsighted, is available as an ebook on Amazon!

5: Hope Perlman: Her blog, Unmapped Country is fantastic. She has written a remarkable series about Success that I think should be published! I love her writing, and I love hugging her too when I see her, which isn't often enough as she lives in Albany!

6: Lisa Ricard Claro: Writing in the Buff? How could you not read a blog like that? I "met" her when she "discovered" my blog. Isn't that just the coolest?

PS I just found out I was nominated for another Versatile blogger award, with different rules! Thank you Maryj! 

Why I Heart Gae and YA

Last night I dreamed that I got 10k and a contract for a new book. While that part isn't a reality yet, I still woke up this morning glad to be a writer, and in particular, a Teen Writer.

Here I am with 6 other YA authors and the women who rule Dolphin Bookshop in Port Washington, NY. 

We had just done a 3.5 hour event called Falling Apart and Picking Up the Pieces which was the brain child of Gae Polisner (third from the left). Her debut novel, The Pull of Gravity came out in May and she has been tireless in promoting not only herself, but other authors as well. This is what we in the YA scene come to understand and appreciate very quickly; that we're all in the same boat and it's much more fun to paddle together than by ourselves.

Gae pulled together Christopher Grant (far left) with Teenie, Michael Northrup (back middle) with Trapped, Nova Ren Suma (third from right) with Imaginary Girls, Arlaina Tibensky (second from right) with And Then Things Fall Apart, and Matt Blackstone with A Scary Scene in a Scary Movie.

She had us all "prepare" by choosing 90 second excerpts from our books based on certain themes. Nine of them! We would read some, and then "mingle" with the audience. And what an audience we had!

All because of the muscle that Gae and the women at Dolphin had put into the event.

Gae started working on this event last July when she approached the women at Dolphin about a group reading and signing. These wonderful women started hatching a plan to get a couple of us into the local high schools to promote each other and the event, in order to ensure an audience. (You know that there's no guarantee of people showing up to these things, don't you?)

On Friday morning, before the reading in the early evening, Gae and I met at a Starbucks for breakfast before heading over to Schreiber HS to talk and teach. Hearts pounding with nerves and anticipation, we entered the halls of the high school and were led to the library where we were to meet with Honors students. How many could there be? I had been thinking forty, but then we were told one hundred, and it ended up being more like one hundred and fifty. Gae introduced us, and then we worked well together, talking about how we came to be writers, how we came to write our books, and reading short excerpts. The questions from the students were phenomenal. We had such a great time! Gae is an amazing public speaker, even though she swears up and down it doesn't come naturally. She's a wonderful person to share a stage with.

Then Gae and I were separated ("I'll miss you!") and went into different classrooms, where I talked mostly about different approaches to writing and where there were so many questions I didn't have time to give them my back-up writing exercise.

We were exhausted and happy, ready to move on to meeting up with our other friends at Dolphin Bookshop.

Thank you Gae for a wonderful day, for your vivacity and generosity. And tirelessness!

Can you see why I heart Gae and YA?

Steadfast Detachment with Writing?

I am trying to practice what yogis call abhyasa vairagya in my writing life. (Abhyasa means practice, and vairagya means non-attachment in the Yoga Sutras.)
 
My mind has been flitting all over the place lately, distractable and irritable whenever I try to sit down and focus on my current WIP. At least I am sitting down, I tell myself. At least I am engaging in the practice. But I have monkey mind.

Is it that I am still waiting to hear about the book that's out on submission, The Land of The Lost and Found? Last I heard was that my editor loved it enough to pitch it to the sales team and several other colleagues at MacMillan and FSG. But in this crazy, fear-based market, there is no guarantee.

(My second book is actually my current WIP - it was rejected by FSG after they took half a year to think about it, and I put it in a drawer instead of sending it to other houses. I don't know whether that was the right decision or not, but now I am completely rewriting it into a different book.)

There is never any guarantee of anything. This is why I must keep practicing letting go of the results, while at the same time engaging in my discipline and finding beauty in my own process.

I love this pose - it makes me feel strong and balanced, and it shows intention to both reach for the sky and stay grounded.

And in the meantime, I am all jazzed up about my day tomorrow with Gae Polisner - I am driving to Port Washington, Long Island, where we will be speaking to students and leading workshops at Schreiber High School. Later, Gae has created an event at Dolphin Bookstore where we will meet up with five other authors - Matt Blackstone, Arlaina Tibensky, Christopher Grant, Michael Northrup and Nova Ren Suma. It won't be your mother's author appearance, that's for sure! So if you are in the nabe, come see us! We'll be there with our proverbial bells (and Gae's real one) from 5:30 until 9PM!!!

PS Wish me luck with the driving! (I'll have to practice more of the abhyasa . . .)

Bloggy Game - Tag, You're It!

I've been tagged in my first blogging game. (Can you believe after 18 months of blogging that it's my first?) Blogger Demery Bader-Saye in Austin Texas has both challenged and enticed me to play, and to tag 8 other bloggers.

So . . . here I go - lightening fast answers on a Saturday night!

What do you think of when you the hear the word tag?

Um . . . social networking? Really. "Tag, you're it!" has become more of a community thing for me as an adult than when I was a kid. I was terrible at running and catching others as a wee one, and I always seemed to be "it" - which wasn't much fun. ( And TAG heuer - isn't that a watch?)

Do you think you're hot?

I don't just think it, I know it. We're in the middle of a heat wave in the Northeast and I am drenched.


Upload a picture or wallpaper that you're using at the moment.

See above.

When was the last time you ate chicken?

tonight at a stellar neighborhood barbecue, but of course I was shwetty.


The song(s) you listened to recently.

My son is playing Give it Away Now by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on his electric guitar RIGHT NOW. (I am in his room, listening to him practice and blogging. After I put my daughter to bed, he, his brother and I will continue our MONK marathon. Our love for Tony Shaloub carries on.) He also accompanied his sister singing The White Stripes We Are Gonna Be Friends on the guitar at the barbecue earlier.


What were you thinking as you were doing this?

How much I love prompts, and also how full my life is, and how lucky I am that there are so many things that I WANT to do, even if I get overwhelmed at times.


Do you have nicknames? What are they?

Léna is my nickname. My legal name is Madeleine


Tag 8 blogger friends... (okay, I have to tag 9, because I have a hard time with rules.)


1: Carrie Cox
2: Sarah Darer Littman
3: Arlaina Tibensky
4: Kristi Tuck Austin
5: Cherie
6: Anne Riley
7:Jen Violi
8: Gae Polisner
9: Amanda Cleary-Eastep


Who's listed as No. 1?
Carrie Cox was one of the first people to start commenting on my blog 18 months ago, and I am incredibly grateful for her friendship and support. She lives in Mobile, Alabama and is president of the Mobile Author's Guild. She has three children and LOVES to read and write YA. (She has also spearheaded the movement to get me out to Mobile next March. I can't wait to hug you in person Carrie!)

Say something about No. 5
I met Cherie on Twitter! We have been having a good time getting to know each other - twitterifically! She is also a writer and a mom. (Hmmm . . . I sense a theme here!)


How did you get to know No. 3?
I met Arlaina through a mutual friend - Arlaina is the creative director of Pen Parentis, a non-profit supporting parents-cum-authors, hosting monthly salons. Arlaina is a wicked cool and funny mamacita, whose first novel comes out THIS Tuesday 7/26, and is called And Then Things Fall Apart.


How about No. 4.

Kristi rocks. Like Carrie, I also met her through her comments on my blog, and started hopping over to hers which she shares with three other awesome writer/ artists. Then she asked me to come to Richmond, Virginia when Edges came out, and I said yes! I took the train and stayed with Kristi and her awesome hubby Adam - we drank loads of lattes, she held my hand at the ABC affiliate where I appeared on the morning show, we saw a silly movie before hitting Fountain Bookstore where I did a workshop, reading and signing. Kristi is now a life-long friend! (I miss you darling!)


Leave a message for No. 6.

Anne, I am so glad to have "met" you! Thank you so much for introducing yourself to me and getting this friendship ball rolling. I am so excited to sit down for a long talk when I come to Alabama next March!





Leave a lovey dovey message for No. 2.

Sarah, what can I say? You complete me . . . my go-go-girl. I can't wait to get my hands on Wanna Go Private, which comes out in two weeks on August 2nd!

Do No. 7 and No. 8 have any similarities?

Jen and Gae have both debuted on the YA scene in May, and they are funny, pithy generous souls and their waters run deep.  Please check out their fantastic fiction: Putting Make-Up on Dead People by Jen Violi (reviewed on this blog!) and The Pull of Gravity, by Gae Polisner. 


And I have to give honorable mention to Amanda, a wonderful writer in the Chicago area who has just started running writing workshops for teens!


Now my kids are giving me the stink eye, because MONK has just started and I need to pay attention!


Tag to you, bloggy friends!!

'Twas a B'Noodles Teen Author Event

Cooper and I went into the city last night for July's Teen Author Reading at the Jefferson Branch of the New York Public Library downtown. I wore my GoGo's concert tee in honor of Sarah Darer Littman, who was one of the readers, giving us a teaser of her new book, Wanna Go Private. She wore hers too, and we reminisced over our great evening at Irving Plaza. (Cooper insisted on taking this picture.)

I had been looking forward to this event for a couple of months, as I know several of the authors, a couple of whom are newbies to the scene. And there were NINE of them!

We got there in time to hob nob with a couple of Cooper's fave authors: Barry Lyga and Michael Northrop.

We sat right in the front to show our love and support.

First up was the beautiful Gae Polisner, whose wonderful book The Pull of Gravity made it's way onto the scene a couple of months ago in May. Gae is an extroverted and generous soul who has some of the funniest status updates on Facebook and de-stresses by having a rigorous swim practice. (Hmmm. Are we on the Dating Game?) Next was Alissa Grosso, reading from her debut novel, Popular. She was awesome too!

Next up with her fabulosity was Sarah, and she sent chills down everybody's spine reading a beautifully nuanced scene from Wanna Go Private. She read the scene where the young teen goes to meet the internet predator for the first time, and ends up getting in a car with him.

Tara McCarthy Altebrando wowed us reading from her starred review Dreamland Social Club, and a very pregnant Melissa Walker whet our appetites for her upcoming Small Town Sinners. Nova Ren Suma read from her wildly popular Imaginary Girls.

Now for the three amazing men who interestingly enough, were all clustered together. First up was debut author Matt Blackstone, whose book, Scary Scene in a Scary Movie came out Tuesday. I can't wait to read it - the title of this post, B'noodles, is coined by a character in his book. Meaning: Uniquely awesome, and that's what this book is. It is about a young teen with OCD who needs to learn how to play it cool. Matt read beautifully and had us all cracking up.

Blake Nelson read from his book Recovery Road, and he also had us in stitches, reading the dialogue from two teen girls in drug rehab. I have been wanting to read this book for some time - as you know the theme is close to my heart!

And last but not least was the handsome and eloquent Christopher Grant reading from his debut novel, Teenie. Chris also knew how to tickle our funny bones!

It was a wonderful evening and I was so happy to share it with my son and some friends. We had so much to talk about when we went to dinner and on the train home.

Thank you so much, you wonderful authors, for writing these books and sharing yourselves with us!