Middle Grade Mania!

I missed Marvelous Middle Grade Monday this week--well, okay, I've missed it most weeks, sorry--but it wasn't until yesterday that I had full details on this cool event coming up in just over a week:

That's right, six authors will be signing books at Anderson's Two Doors East in Naperville, IL (just outside Chicago) at 4:30 pm, June 29 (including me)! It's all part of the author-packed weekend that comes from having the American Library Association Conference in town. Check out these events! Click on the links for more details:

Venues:
Anderson's Bookshop Naperville: 123 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL |  (630) 355-2665
Anderson's Two Doors East: (2 doors down from the Naperville store): 111 W. Jefferson Ave., Naperville, IL |  (630) 355-2665
Anderson's Bookshop Downer's Grove:  5112 Main St, Downers Grove, IL | (630) 963-2665
The Book Cellar: 4736 N Lincoln Ave #1,  Chicago | (773) 293-2665

FRIDAY, JUNE 28

4:00 pm: 2k13 Middle Grade Writers (Reading & Book Signing) featuring Liesl Shurtliff (Rump: The True Story of Rumplestiltskin), Tamera Will Wissinger (Gone Fishing), Polly Holyoke (The Neptune Project), & Tara Sullivan (Golden Boy). Event held at The Book Cellar.

5:00 pm: 2k13 YA Authors (Reading & Book Signing) featuring Debra Driza (MILA 2.0), Caela Carter (Me, Him, Them, & It), Kate Karyus Quinn (Another Little Piece), Jennifer McGowan (Maid of Secrets), Nicole McInnes (Brianna on the Brink), & Demitria Lunetta (In the After). Event held at The Book Cellar.

6:00 pm: 2k13 YA Authors Preview for Upcoming Releases featuring Mindy McGinnis (Not a Drop to Drink), Geoffrey Girard (Project Cain), K.A. Barson (45 Pounds More or Less), Lydia Kang (Control), & Cristin Terrill (All Our Yesterdays). Event held at The Book Cellar.

7:00 pm: YA Night featuring Sonia Manzano (The Evolution of Evelyn Serrano), Jacqueline Woodson (Beneath a Meth Moon), James Preller (A Pirate's Guide to Recess--children's, not YA), & Paul Rudnick (Gorgeous). Event held at Anderson's Two Doors East.

SATURDAY, JUNE 29

2:00 pm: Newbery winner Katherine Applegate (The One and Only Ivan). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.

4:30 pm: Middle Grade Mania featuring Tim Federle (Better Nate Than Ever), yours truly--squee! (The Key & the Flame), Elisabeth Dahl (Genie Wishes), Lisa Greenwald (Reel Life Starring Us), Sarah Stewart Taylor (The Expeditioners and the Treasure), & Margaret McNamara (Sylva and the Fairy Ball). Event held at Anderson's Two Doors East.

4:30 pm: YA Afternoon featuring Hilary Smith (Wild Awake), Michael Grant (Fear: A Gone Novel), Ellen Hopkins (Tilt), Lauren Myracle (Shine), & A.G. Howard (Splintered). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.    

SUNDAY, JUNE 30

1:00 pm: Picture Book Fun featuring Chris Raschka (Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bike) Loren Long (Otis and the Puppy), Molly Idle (Tea Rex), & Jesse Klausmeier (Open This Little Book)

3:00 pm: Even More YA! featuring Annabel Pitcher (My Sister Lives on the Mantlepiece), Marcus Sedgwick (Midwinter Blood), S.A. Bodeen (The Raft), Sara Zarr (Lucy Variations), Tara Sullivan (Golden Boy), and Matthew Quick (Boy 21). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Naperville.

3:00 pm: Tom Angleburger (Art 2 D2’s Guide to Folding and Doodling). Event held at Anderson's Bookshop Downer's Grove.
 

The June Books!

Yeah, I know--we're halfway through the month already. I plead an insane May schedule due to my One & Only graduating high school and then spiriting me away to Florida. But however late I may be, I can't neglect showing off these fabulous debut kidlit authors' releases from the Lucky 13s!*

The Monstore by Tara Lazar; illus. by James Burks
June 4 (Aladdin)
picture book

Parched by Melanie Crowder
June 4 (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)
MG near-future

The Oathbreaker's Shadow by Amy McCulloch
June 6 (Random House Children's Publishers--UK only)
YA fantasy

Insomnia by J.R. Johansson
June 8 (Flux)
YA paranormal

Another Little Piece by Kate Karyus Quinn
June 11 (HarperTeen)
YA thriller

Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross
June 11 (Delacorte Books for Young Readers)
YA historical

Charm & Strange by Stephanie Kuehn
June 11 (St. Martin's Griffin)
YA paranormal

Every Day After by Laura Golden
June 11 (Delacorte)
MG historical

Linked by Imogen Howson
June 11 (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
YA sci-fi

Rush by Eve Silver
June 11 (Katherine Tegen Books)
YA sci-fi

The Wig in the Window by Kristen Kittscher
June 18 (HarperCollins Children's)
MG mystery

In the After by Demitria Lunetta
June 25 (HarperTeen)
YA sci-fi

Golden Boy by Tara Sullivan
June 27 (G.P. Putnam's Sons / Penguin)
MG contemporary









* What's a Lucky 13? An author lucky enough to be publishing his or her very first book for kids or teens in 2013! Each month, I'll introduce a new crop of fabulous debut fiction. Search for the tag 2013 debuts to see more, and read the Lucky 13 blog right here. And hey, if you love BOOK TRAILERS, head over to my Pinterest board, where I'm putting up Lucky 13 trailers as they become available!

A Thank You to Watermark Books

Unlike a lot of authors I know, I haven't exactly been busy on the book-signing circuit. First of all, let's dispel a myth, in case you're still clinging to it: Most of us don't get sent on paid book tours. Because most of us are not Neil Gaiman or Veronica Roth or Lauren Oliver. Surprise!

Most of us are just ... us.

That means that we newbie authors pay our own way when we want to promote our books. I'm not dissing my publisher or any other publisher (why would I shoot that particular foot?). It's just the reality of the business. When you're rolling with the third or fourth book of a wildly popular series--Jeff Kinney, Rick Riordan, those folks--then you can put away your credit card.

As for my credit card, let's just say the magnetic strip is looking pretty worn.

So, being a writer who will soon start paying her child's college tuition, I've not done much traveling. But lucky for me, Watermark Books & Cafe in Wichita is a drivable distance (about 3 hours), and it's also convenient to some nice free lodging, courtesy of my mother-in-law and her husband.

Watermark not only hosted a successful signing last week, with about 35 people in attendance, but marketing manager Beth Golay set out a beautiful spread of cupcakes, crackers, and cheese. (Don't you love the old typewriter?!) Store owner Sarah Bagby gave me a lovely intro. And both of these ladies even uncorked a bottle of champagne! How's that for a welcome?

So thank you, Watermark Books & Cafe, for hosting such a lovely event. And thank you, Diane Wahto and Pat Roche, for opening your home to me. Wichita is a great town with beautiful parks and gardens, great restaurants, and lovely people. Let's do it again soon!

Spotted in the Wild: Massachusetts

It's time again for the monthly first Friday feature where we espy copies of The Key & the Flame around the country! Today's featured in-the-wild spotting happened at

Brookline Booksmith, Brookline, Massachusetts

TK&TF is in fine company nestled just above Andrew Clements' Frindle, a children's classic!

For over 50 years, Brookline Booksmith has been a beloved indie bookstore in the greater Boston area. It features a steady stream of author events--sometimes three or four in a week--and hosts both adult and YA book clubs. Find them on Facebook here.

Thanks to author Jennifer Ann Mann for this month's Spotted in the Wild photo!

________________________________________________

Have you spotted The Key & the Flame in your town? Snap a photo and send it to me at readerchat [at] cmcaterer [dot] com or Tweet it to me here (@ClaireCaterer). Be sure and tell me the store name and the city, and I'll use it in an upcoming SITW feature.

Introducing ... PARCHED!

This week I'm highlighting a very special new novel by the amazing author Melanie Crowder. Parched released yesterday to rave reviews, including positive nods from Kirkus Reviews, The Wall Street Journal, School Library Journal, and Booklist. (You can read my own review on the Lucky 13 blog right here.)

Part survival story, part friendship story, Parched is a book you'll swallow whole. Don't be put off by its brief page count--like a beautiful poem, the depth is in its spare, gorgeous prose and its heartfelt story.

Melanie's website
Follow Melanie on Twitter
Like her on Facebook

In fact, I'm so moved by this story that ... yeah! I feel compelled to give a copy away to one lucky winner! The giveaway runs for 1 week only, so get in on it.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Join the Kid Lit Blog Hop! Plenty of great reviews and commentary on children's literature from all over the blogosphere every first and third Wednesday of the month.

Super Swag Sunday

Today I'm turning the blog over to Laurisa White Reyes, author of The Last Enchanter (coming October 2013). She has some exciting news for all you swag lovers out there. Now hang on, because she's pretty worked up about it. There may be excess saliva involved. Okay, take it away, Laurisa ...

* Win a copy of IMPOSTER by Susanne Winnacker (Ends 6/14)

* Win copy of THE SPIDERWICK CHRONICLES (Ends 6/10)

* Win a copy of THE EMERALD RING & a real emerald ring! (Ends 6/22)

GET READY FOR

The 2nd Annual

SUPER SWAG SUNDAY!!!

When:  June 24th thru July 1st



Where:  laurisareyes.blogspot.com



Why:  For a chance to win lots of cool promotional items signed by 40+ of today's best middle grade and young adult authors!



Win? Did you say WIN?



YES!

Every day for seven days, Laurisa's blog will spotlight some of the most amazing new books for kids and teens! Monday thru Saturday visitors will be able to enter for chances to win one of 6 swag packs containing everything from signed bookmarks and postcards, to pins, pencils, totebags, stickers, key chains, lip balm, charms and more!

On the last day, SUPER SWAG SUNDAY, one last MEGA SWAG PACK will be given to one very lucky winner! This pack so far includes everything listed above PLUS:

1- hardbound copy of THE UNWANTEDS signed by author Lisa McMann

1- TEST TASTE charm bracelet

1- TOUCHING THE SURFACE T-shirt

1 - LOVE AND LEFTOVERS charm necklace

1 - SEND ME A SIGN guitar pick

1 - paperback copy of EVERTASTER: THE BUTTERSMITH'S GOLD signed by author Adam Sidwell

1- hardbound copy of THE SCORCH TRIALS signed by author James Dashner

1- hardbound copy of THE ALWAYS WARS signed by author Margaret Peterson Haddix

1 - OyMG! T-shirt

1 - Original Artwork Print from FISHTALE signed by author Catherine Masciola

1- LOSING IT water bottle signed by author Erin Fry

1 - hardbound copy of LOSING IT signed by the author

1 - paperback copy of HYSTERIA signed by author Megan Miranda

And more prizes are still being added to the pile!

So be sure to stop by laurisareyes.blogspot.com every day from June 24th thru July 1st for plenty of chances to win. Stop by now and follow the blog to receive notifications of when the event starts posting.

See you then!

Happy Children's Book Week!

Join the Hop! Your hosts:
Mother Daughter Book Reviews
Youth Literature Reviews

I love young adult fiction. It can grab you tighter, pull you in deeper, than perhaps anything else. Think of The Fault in Our Stars or Thirteen Reasons Why or Before I Fall or a hundred other fantastic books. (You'll be adding C.J. Flood's Infinite Sky to that list, I promise you, if you've not read it. Wow.)

But while great YA makes my head spin, great middle-grade fiction tugs at my heart. It's where I live; it's home to me. There are wonderful adult books and great YA books, but deep down, I think middle grade books are my very favorite. They do so much with so little. They run the gamut from goofy-funny to heartbreaking. And perhaps the most heartbreaking part of even the funniest books is that, to the adults around them, kids' worries just aren't that big a deal.

But we all know they are. If you can remember what it's like to be ten years old, you recognize those feelings when a writer reveals them through character. And if you can't remember what it's like to be ten years old, I pity you. Read a few MG books and see if you can't get that back. Because it's important stuff we learn when we're ten, and it's important because we're ten. And no, I'm not talking long division here.

So celebrate Children's Book Week! Dance around the Maypole, if you didn't get a chance to do that on May 1. Go to the library and fill your arms with books like you did when you were little (or, bless you, like you ought to have done). Delight in their bright colors and their noble heroes. Take them seriously, because no one else takes a ten-year-old seriously. Then report back! What's on your middle-grade TBR shelf? Here's mine:

And anyway, what better way to celebrate Children's Book Week than with a cool giveaway and blog hop? Book bloggers extraordinaires Mother Daughter Book Reviews and Youth Literature Reviews are cohosting the fabulous Kid Lit Giveaway Hop referenced above. Hop  here, hop there, like good little blogfrogs, and enter to win kidlit books and gift cards!

And Yeah, a Giveaway Right Here
But first, don't think you're leaving here without a chance to win a free autographed hardcover copy of The Key & the Flame. Because that just wouldn't be right. Then scroll down to hop around to the rest of the sites!

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