Book Blogger Convention

Photo by Antoine Henrich

It's not over yet...

BEA may be over, but the fun's not. The fabulous book bloggers have a convention planned:

When: May 28, 2010
Where: Javitz Convention Center

Registration and breakfast will be located in rooms 1E13 and 1E14. Sessions will be held in room 1E15.  Here's the agenda:

7:45-8:45 – Breakfast and Registration
8:50 – 9:00 Opening Remarks
9:00 – 10:30 – Keynote Speaker
10:45-11:45 – Professionalism/Ethics
11:45-1:00 – Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 – Writing/Building Content
2:00-2:50 – Marketing
3:00-3:50 – Social Responsibility
4:00-4:50- Author/Blogger Relationships
4:50 – 5:00 – Closing Remarks

For additional information, check out the Book Blogger Convention website. Hope to see you there!!

Visit the St. Agnes Branch of the NY Public Library today at 4 pm

New York Public Library (St. Agnes Branch)

When: Thursday, May 27, 4pm – 6pm

Where:  New York Public Library (St. Agnes Branch) (map)

Description:  See authors Judith Graves, Kitty Keswick, and Bonnie J. Doerr along with other members of the Class of 2k10, who'll be there for a reading and a panel.

See Leap Authors at Voracious Reader at 4 PM Today

Leap Books authors along with other members of the Class of 2k10 will be appearing at The Voracious Reader at 4 pm today, May 26, 2010.

Here's the press release:

Teen Event - Meet the Class of 2K10
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
4:00pm - 5:00pm

Meet 13 of the hottest debut authors of middle grade and young adult fiction. Arriving from L.A. to the U.K., Alberta to Arizona, they have historical fiction, supernatural thrillers, and everything in between. Free pizza!

For more information go to their website.

Ages 10 and up

Here's the store window:

Be sure to check out the three Leap Books in the window!

Leap Authors Appearing at Books of Wonder at 6 PM Tonight

Join Leap Books Authors and 12 other members of the Class of 2k10 at at Books of Wonder :

MEET THE CLASS OF 2K10! . TUESDAY MAY 25th, 6 - 8 PM

SWATI AVASHTI ALEXANDRA DIAZ JERI SMITH-READY JENNIFER R. HUBBARD KITTY KESWICK JUDITH GRAVES JANET FOX BONNIE J DOERR JAME RICHARDS SHARI MAURER LEAH CYPESS IRENE LATHAM RHONDA HAYTER SHANNON DELANY ERICA PERL Split Of All the Stupid Things Shade The Secret Year Freaksville Under My Skin Faithful Island Sting Three Rivers Rising Change of Heart Mistwood Leaving Gee's Bend The Witchie Worries of Abbie Adams 13 to Life Vintage Veronica

If you'd like to keep up with authors Kitty Keswick and Judith Graves as they travel around New York, check out their videos.

Teen Author Carnival tonight from 5-8 pm

Meet author Judith Graves and get a sneak peek at Under My Skin at the Teen Author Carnival. See these other exciting authors:

1. Heidi Kling - Website
2. Jeri Smith-Ready - Website
3. Holly Cupala - Website
4. Michelle Zink - Website
5. Stephanie Kuehnert - Website
6. Elizabeth Scott - Website
7. Judith Graves - Website
8. Alexandra Diaz - Website
9. Barry Lyga - Website
10. Jon Skovron - Website
11. Tonya Hurley - Website
12. Amy Brecount White - Website
13. Linda Gerber - Website
14. Melissa Walker - Website
15. Kieran Scott - Website
16. Courtney Sheinmel - Website
17. Michael Northrop - Website
18. Lauren Oliver - Website
19. Ned Vizzini - Website
20. Melissa Kantor - Website
21. Susane Colasanti - Website
22. Violet Haberdasher - Website
23. Eliot Schrefer - Website
24. Sarah Darer Littman - Website
25. Gayle Forman - Website
26. Sarah Ockler - Website
27. Sarah Mlynowski - Website
28. Maryrose Wood - Website
29. Kody Keplinger - Website
30. Simone Elkeles - Website

 Join them and their hosts :

Devyn Burton
In association with
Mitali Dave & Korianne Wey

Presents:
NYC Teen Author Carnival
May 24, 2010
5:00 - 8:00 PM

Location:
Jefferson Market Branch Library
425 Avenue of the Americas [at 10th St.],
New York, NY 10011-8454

And while you're there, please support the campaign to prevent library closings:

Don't Close the Book on Libraries

They've arrived...

Authors Judith Graves and Kitty Keswick are now in the Big Apple. Bonnie J. Doerr will be arriving on Monday. You can catch up with them at the following places. For additional details check out the posts below.

More information will posted each day, so you can be sure to see them if you live in NY or are there for BEA.

Here's one more event where you can find them:

 And if you'd like to meet some of the other authors in the Class of 2k10, here's another opportunity to see them at the Mulberry Street Branch:

Have You Signed Up for the Book Blogger Convention Yet?

If you're in NY for BEA,you might want to plan to stay an extra day to attend the fabulous convention the book bloggers have planned:

When: Friday, May 28, 2010
Where: Javitz Convention Center

Meet authors, pubishers, and bloggers. Registration and breakfast will be located in rooms 1E13 and 1E14. Sessions will be held in room 1E15.

For additional information, check out the Book Blogger Convention website.

Here's the agenda:

7:45-8:45 – Breakfast and Registration
8:50 – 9:00 Opening Remarks
9:00 – 10:30 – Keynote Speaker
10:45-11:45 – Professionalism/Ethics
11:45-1:00 – Lunch
1:00 – 1:50 – Writing/Building Content
2:00-2:50 – Marketing
3:00-3:50 – Social Responsibility
4:00-4:50- Author/Blogger Relationships
4:50 – 5:00 – Closing Remarks

Sounds great, doesn't it? Hope to see you there!!

Nab an Autographed Leap Book at Books of Wonder

Books of Wonder, "New York City's oldest and largest independent children's bookstore, as well as the city's leading specialist in children's literature both new and old," is hosting 15 authors from the Class of 2K10:

Books of Wonder located at
18 West 18th Street New York, NY

Here's their press release:

Books of Wonder is thrilled to welcome 2010’s class of debut authors in a HUGE event featuring 15 talents on Tuesday, May 25^th, from 6-8pm! SWATI AVASHTI will shock us with Split about a troubled 16-year-old with a disturbing past; LEAH CYPRESS will fixate our attention on an immortal creature bound by an ancient spell in the ever-spooky Mistwood; SHANNON DELANY will freak us out with a monstrous adventure in 13 to Life: A Warewolf’s Tale; ALEXANDRA DIAZ will excite us with Of All the Stupid Things, a tale that follows a high school drama involving promiscuity, gossip, and abandonment; BONNIE J. DOERR will sail us off to the Florida Keys for a love story wrapped up in a mystery in Island Sting; JANET FOX will enchant us with Faithful, a tale of star-crossed lovers with Yellowstone National Park as their romantic backdrop; JUDITH GRAVES will take us for a roller-coaster ride complete with magic, beasts, and all sorts of paranormal activity in Under My Skin; RHONDA HAYTER will regale us with The Witchie Worries of Abbie Adams about a young witch trying to keep her unusual abilities a secret; JENNIFER R. HUBBARD will alarm us with The Secret Year about a puzzling relationship that leads to an unexplained death; KITTY KESWICK will bring in Freaksville, a high school mystery involving two lovers with freakish talents; IRENE LATHAM will inspire us with Leaving Gee’s Bend about 10-year-old Ludelphia, a visually impaired sharecropper trying desperately to help her sick mother before it’s too late; SHARI MAURER will show us that lost love can in fact be rekindled in Change of Heart; ERICA PERL will introduce us to a fashion-minded but friendless 15-year-old who works in a vintage boutique in Vintage Veronica; JAME RICHARDS will regale us with Three Rivers Rising, a tale about sixteen-year-old Celstia trying to find the right guy in the screwy world of society; and JERI SMITH-READY will spook us with Aura, a girl who can speak to ghosts, not excluding her dead boyfriend in Shade. Beginning at 6pm, these 15 talents will introduce their titles, take questions from the audience and then sign copies of their exciting new titles. Ages 10 and up. 6-8pm.

Please click on the book images below to pre-order signed copies*

     

See Author Judith Graves at Teen Author Carnival

"Art by Salvatore Vuono"Are you heading to NY on Monday? Or do you already live there? Stop by the Teen Author Carnival to meet some fab YA authors.




The authors have been announced for the Teen Author Carnival in NYC on May 24, 2010, from 5:00 - 8:00 PM.

And Leap Books is thrilled that author Judith Graves will be one of the attendees. Other fabulous authors attending include (click on their names to check out their websites):

1. Heidi Kling
2. Jeri Smith-Ready
3. Holly Cupala
4. Michelle Zink
5. Stephanie Kuehnert
6. Elizabeth Scott
7. Judith Graves
8. Alexandra Diaz
9. Barry Lyga
10. Jon Skovron 
11. Tonya Hurley
12. Amy Brecount White
13. Linda Gerber 
14. Melissa Walker
15. Kieran Scott 
16. Courtney Sheinmel 
17. Michael Northrop
18. Lauren Oliver 
19. Ned Vizzini 
20. Melissa Kantor 
21. Susane Colasanti 
22. Violet Haberdasher
23. Eliot Schrefer
24. Sarah Darer Littman

You can see all these authors at:

Jefferson Market Branch Library
425 Avenue of the Americas [at 10th St.],
New York, NY 10011-8454


For a a night of Q&A, activities, and giveaways, join these authors and the hosts of the event (Devyn Burton, Mitali Dave, & Korianne Wey) for a star-studded evening in the Big Apple.

Countdown to BEA

  

Photo by thephotoholic

It's almost here. Leap Books authors are descending on the Big Apple for BookExpo America. Meet Kitty Keswick, Judith Graves, and Bonnie J. Doerr in person. They, along with fellow authors in the Class of 2k10, have many appearances and booksignings planned. All this week we'll give you sneak peeks at the venues where you can find them.

This is a quick rundown, but we'll highlight each of the places in a separate post so you'll know what to expect and when.

Monday, May 24th - Judith Graves at the Teen Author Carnival from 5-8 PM at the Jefferson Market Library.

Tuesday, May 25th - 6 PM - Class of 2k10 booksigning at Books of Wonder

Wednesday, May 26th - 10 AM - Class of 2k10 reading and panel at New York Public Library (Mulberry St. Branch)

Wednesday, May 26th - 4 PM - Class of 2k10 book signing at The Voracious Reader Bookstore in Larchmont, NY.

Thursday, May 27th -  4 PM - Class of 2k10 reading and panel at New York Public Library (St. Agnes Branch)

See you then!!

Your Last Chance

Today's your last chance to attend a Children's Book Week event. This week, which runs from May 10-16, is coming to end. But don't despair, you can enjoy an exciting program today at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC.

In addition to 6 other fabulous authors from a variety of publishing houses, you can meet Leap Books author Bonnie J. Doerr in person from 1-3 pm today. Pick up an autographed copy of her book Island Sting. And you'll also get to hear readings from Freaksville by Kitty Keswick and Under My Skin by Judith Graves. And get to see the great graphics by Val Cox. If you haven't already snagged a copy, all the books will be for sale at the event. Or get one from our Leap Books store for 30% off from now until May 31, 2010.

Children's Book Week

This week (May 10-16) is Children's Book Week. It's a great time to celebrate literature, authors, and books.

The American Booksellers Association began Children’s Book Week in 1919. In 1944 the Children’s Book Council (CBC) took over the role of promoting reading and literacy through Children’s Book Week activities. Each year in May, CBC sponsors a nationwide week of events to encourage children and teens to read. A list of these events, as well as related online activities, can be found at the Children's Book Council website. To read more about the history of Children's Book Week, go here.

As a member of the Children's Book Council, Leap Books supports Children's Book Week. Leap Books authors will be featured at a program at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC, on May 16, 2010 from 1-3 pm.

If you can't make it to North Carolina this weekend, come out to see our authors at BEA in NY the end of May. More later about the fabulous events our authors have planned as they descend on the Big Apple. Or meet author Bonnie J. Doerr at the Bookfest in NC the following weekend (June 5, 2010) or at ALA in Washington, DC, the end of June or in Harrisburg, PA, the weekend of June 26. Stay tuned for more info on these and other upcoming events.

Californians will have an opportunity to see author Kitty Keswick in person, and Canadians can meet author Judith Graves at many venues throughout the provinces this summer. Our authors are on the road, so we'd be glad to stop at a location near you. If you want to be sure we get to your town, contact Cathleen Cartwright, Public Relations Assistant, to book an author visit. Or if a visit is too pricey, ask about a Skype visit. Our authors love to visit schools, libraries, bookstores, and book clubs--either in person or virtually.

Schedule for Author Appearances on May 16

SCHEDULE FOR CHILDREN’S BOOK WEEK AUTHOR PROGRAM

May 16, 1-3 pm
Flyleaf Books
752 Martin Luther King Blvd. (Historic Airport Rd./Highway 86)
Chapel Hill, NC


PICTURE BOOK/MG AUTHORS (1:00-1:35)

Caroline McAlister
Adrienne Ehlert Bashista
Anne Runyon
Bonnie Doerr

10-MINUTE BREAK (1:35-1:45) /PICTURE BOOK AUTOGRAPHING

YA AUTHORS (1:45-2:25)

Laurie J. Edwards
Kitty Keswick (a reading)
Maryam Tabibzadeh
Judith Graves (a reading)
David Macinnis Gill

QUESTION & ANSWER SESSION (2:25-2:35)
AUTOGRAPHING (2:35-3:00)

Bonnie Doerr Appearing at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, NC

FLYLEAF BOOKS HOSTS LOCAL AUTHORS FOR CHILDREN'S BOOK WEEK

Chapel Hill, NC-Local author Bonnie J. Doerr will be appearing at Flyleaf
Books in Chapel Hill, NC, from 1-3 p.m. on Sunday, May 16, during Children's Book
Week. Doerr's debut novel, Island Sting, is the first in a series of
eco-mysteries for tweens published by Leap Books. Her next two books,
Stakeout (2011) and Pelican Peril (2012), are also fast-paced, science-based
adventures set in the Florida Keys. Doerr's writing has won a NOAA (National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) grant for use in environmental
education.

Six other local authors will join Doerr for a reading, question-and-answer
session, and booksigning. Hear excerpts from David Macinnis Gill's
award-winning YA, Soul Enchilada ; Caroline McAlister's retold folktales
¡Holy Molé! (August House) and Brave Donatella and the Jasmine Thief
(Charlesbridge); Maryam Tabibzadeh's poetic Persian Dreams (Dream Books);
Laurie J. Edwards' biography of R&B singer Rihanna (Lucent) and
thriller/romance from the anthology Summer Lovin' (Wild Rose Press);
Adrienne Ehlert Bashista's picture books on Russian adoption, When I Met You
and Mishka: An Adoption Tale (DRT Press); and Anne Runyon's seasonal picture
book, The Sheltering Cedar (Portal Books).

Attendees will be treated to a sneak peek at two of Leap Books' most recent
paranormal releases: Freaksville by Kitty Keswick and Under My Skin by
Judith Graves. These teen novels have unique graphics and illustrations by
Canadian artist Val Cox. Leap Books, a newly launched publisher of teen and
tween books, is sponsoring this Children's Book Week event at Flyleaf Books,
752 Martin Luther King Blvd. (Historic Airport Rd./Highway 86) in Chapel
Hill, NC.

Featured authors are all members of SCBWI (Society of Children's Book
Writers and Illustrators), an international organization that provides
networking, education, and support for authors and illustrators of
children's books at all stages of their careers.

The American Booksellers Association began Children's Book Week in 1919. In
1944 the Children's Book Council (CBC) took over the role of promoting
reading and literacy through Children's Book Week activities. Each year in
May, CBC sponsors a nationwide week of events to encourage children and
teens to read. A list of these events, as well as related online activities,

can be found at the CBC website.

Do the Write Thing for Nashville

As Nashville struggles to clean up after the flood, the writing community is rallying to their aid. Authors, editors, agents, and publishing professionals are donating their skills or their books to be auctioned off. All proceeds go to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Want to help out?

Why not bid on the items up for auction at DO THE WRITE THING FOR NASHVILLE
This idea was the brainchild of Victoria Schwab, Myra McEntire, and Amanda K. Morgan, and the initiative raised almost $15,000 in four days. Stop by while the bidding is still going on for some incredible opportunities.

Once it closes, you can still donate directly to the charity. So please, visit the site and spread the word.

Wow, Check Out Voracious Readers' Window!

If you're heading to NY for BEA (that's BookExpo America, for those of you who aren't familiar with this huge gathering of the book world), take a gander at this window. Pictures of all the Class of 2k10 authors and their books are on display. How cool is that?

And best of all, you'll see 3 Leap Books titles in that window. Isn't that fab?? Freaksville by Kitty Keswick, Island Sting by Bonnie J. Doerr, and our newly arrived Under My Skin by Judith Graves. You can meet all three authors in person at BEA or at the Voracious Reader (details below). And be sure to get an autographed copy of all the hottest debut books of 2010.

Thanks for the great publicity, Voracious Reader! And we hope you have a whole host of hungry readers mobbing your store for this event on May 26.

Russian Adoptive Parents Fear for Their Safety

St. Basil by Paul Martin Eldridge

Many people have been following the story of Artyom Savelyev (Artyem Saveliev). This incident also shed a spotlight on the difficulties adoptive parents face. Parents fearful for the safety of other family members or their communities have spoken out about some of the challenges they’ve confronted with their adopted children. One mother profiled on The Stir: A Café Mom Blog sleeps with a lock on her door, and another warned school officials her son was violent before the eighth grader pulled out a gun at school (Star Tribune, MN,  4/8/10).

Photo by Simon Howden

Many children in Russian orphanages suffer from fetal alcohol syndrome, which can cause attachment disorders and developmental delays. So living with and loving these children can be difficult. One organization that offers support for these parents is the Ranch for Kids Project, which helps adopted children, especially those from Russia. Its equine therapy and outdoor program provide healing benefits for these "at risk" kids.

Leap Books author Jacqueline Horsfall also explores the ties between Russian adoptees and nature through the eyes of her 16-year-old protagonist, Darya, who was adopted from Russia and brought to America as a child. Darya feels a strange, mystical connection to the deer the rest of the town is intent on hunting. But is that tie strong enough to fight her whole community, especially when she is struggling to overcome deep feelings of isolation and insecurity?

Watch for Horsfall’s timely book, For the Love of Strangers, coming from Leap Books in Fall 2010.

Russian Adoptees Wonder: Am I Secure?

Leap Books author Jacqueline Horsfall has firsthand knowledge about Russian adoption, which prompted her to write For the Love of Strangers.

From the time Horsfall's 16-year-old protagonist, Darya, is taken from the orphanage, she is plagued with doubts. Does the stranger who adopted her truly love her and want keep her? Or will Darya someday be sent back to Russia? With skill and sensitivity, Horsfall explores this delicate balance in the adoptive child's relationship with her new and foreign parent. Though Darya is a strong lead character, one who chooses to take on a fight against the town's leading citizens, her life is colored by the sadness and uncertainty of her early life and the constant fear that being adopted does not mean being loved or secure.

The fact that Darya's fears could be real was brought into stark relief by the media over the past month or so. Seven-year-old Artyom Savelyev lived out Darya's nightmare when he was sent back alone to Russia in April 2010. ABC's Good Morning America captured this heartbreaking story in a video called "Adoption Gone Wrong."

Prizes Galore

Take a look at all the goodies the Story Siren is offering as a prize pack for the 2010 Debut Challenge. If you follow the link, you can find out more about it. To participate, go to Sign Up for the 2010 Debut Challenge.

Three of our Leap Books authors are part of the challenge, and all Leap Books are 30% off until May 31, 2010, so take advantage of our Spring Special  to read some great books for the Challenge.

 BTW, did you notice what's in the center? Yep, it's a Leap Books T-shirt. Our authors have also donated books, so watch for other Leap swag.

Oh, and stay tuned for more info about prizes coming your way from Leap Books. If you check out the sidebar, you'll see we're signed up for Blogmania. Prizes are top secret for now, but they're worth well over $100 for the first prize winner, so keep an eye out for the list. And remember to save September 15-16 to visit all the blogs for a chance to win fabulous prizes.

Hot Topic: Russian Adoptions

Church On Red Square by Paul Martin Eldridge

"When I heard about the adoptive family who sent their 7-year-old boy back to Russia, I was saddened, but I wasn't surprised," said Josephine Ruggiero, parent of three Russian siblings and author of the article, "When Adoption Isn't Easy" (Newsweek, 4/26/10). Neither was Leap Books author Jackie Horsfall.

Jackie's soon-to-be-released novel, For the Love of Strangers (Fall, 2010), mirrors the attachment and behavioral issues faced by adoptive families, and now splashed across news headlines: "Shipping an Adopted Son Back to Russia" (New York Times 4/9/10) and "Why Won't Anyone Adopt These Kids?" (CNN, 4/28/10).

"It's a hot news item now," Jackie says, "but I wrote the first draft of my novel over ten years ago, after learning of a friend's trip to Russia to adopt two children.  I saw the adjustment struggles these kids were having right from the start."

But Jackie also saw glimmers of hope after traveling to St. Petersburg.  "Russia has many problems but also a powerful mythology, one I've allowed my 16-year-old protagonist to personify.  I hope every struggling Russian child, and his or her adoptive family, can identify with Darya's situation and have a conversation about it."

Pelicans Endangered Again

Nicknamed the Pelican State, Louisiana was once home to thriving colonies of brown pelicans. The state seal and early flag featured these nesting birds with their deep beaks for scooping up fish.

In the early 1900s about 50,000 brown pelicans lived along the Louisiana coast. Less than fifty years later, that number had dropped to 5000. By 1963 not one nesting pair could be found. The major cause was the pesticide DDT. The Mississippi River had carried it from the farms to the pelican nesting areas. DDT thinned out the eggshells, so when pelicans sat on their nests, they destroyed their eggs.

After DDT was banned, a pelican restocking program began. Wildlife refuges were set up on the barrier islands, and by the early 2000s, the pelicans had begun their return.

Now the pelicans are facing another danger. The massive amounts of oil spewing into the water off the Louisiana shore are imperiling wildlife, especially on the barrier islands and marshes.

According to the International Bird Rescue Research Center (IBRRC), a dime-sized drop of oil is enough to kill a bird. Oil clumps a bird's feathers so it has no protection from the cold and it loses its buoyancy. A bird's instinct is to preen its feathers to remove the oil, which also harms its internal organs.

Birds can even die of stress when rescuers try to wash their feathers, so refuge workers give the birds food, water, and medical treatment before they dip them into baths of dishwashing detergent and water. IBRRC estimates that it takes 300 gallons of water to clean one oil-soaked bird.

Oil isn't the only threat to the endangered pelicans. Leap Books author Bonnie J. Doerr is busy writing Pelican Peril, her third eco-mystery. Here's a picture of Bonnie helping refuge workers in the Florida Keys save some pelicans.

Find out more at Bonnie's blog, Bonnie Blogs Green.

Danger! Endangered Species Area

If you've ever traveled to Big Pine Key in Florida, these signs will be familiar. The big yellow warning signs caution you to watch for an endangered species. So once you slow down, what species will you be looking for?

The tiny Key deer, as small as a dog, which is found nowhere else but the Florida Keys. Speeding cars can kill these miniature deer, but so do other things. One of the greatest dangers to these deer are humans--humans who feed them "people food." According to Kenzie, a character in Bonnie Doerr's book, Island Sting, "so many people in cars feed them that they're losing their fear of humans and traffic." So instead of running from cars, they come toward them, hoping to be fed.

To help with the problem, officers have posted signs they hope will prevent people from feeding the deer. Here's an illustration from Doerr's book:

The fine for feeding a deer is $250, but this doesn't always stop people from offering these cute deer snacks as if they were pets. Many of the deer are so used to humans that they'll stick their noses in bag of chips or eat bites of sandwich straight from a person's hand.

Junk food and speeding cars present a major threat to these endangered animals, but even more deadly are poachers. Because they are so small, the deer don't provide much meat. But food isn't the only reason some people slaughter Key deer.

In Island Sting, Angelo and Kenzie team up to stop a vicious criminal from killing the Key deer, but will they survive when the poacher turns from stalking deer to hunting humans?

Get your copy of Island Sting to find out the answer. If you use the secret code for spring specials, you can save 30% off the cost of the book from now until May 31, 2010. See Leap Books online store for more details.