Children's Book Authors Helping After Oklahoma's Tornado

I belong to a group of fellow 2013 children's debut authors called The Lucky 13s. Normally our main mission is to help each other with networking and support during this year that our first books are releasing into the world. But this week after the tornado that leveled Moore, Oklahoma and killed 24 people - including children - one of our members, Ellen Oh, working with Rachele Alpine, suggested that we consider helping in a bigger way; I thought that sounded like a really good idea. Here is an excerpt and link to our blog. It does include a way for anyone to help with disaster relief and, in the process, earn the chance to win some of our debut books.  

Kidlit Authors for Oklahoma Disaster Relief

This past Monday, a massive tornado hit the city of Moore in Oklahoma. It demolished 2 elementary schools, killing innocent children. A total of 24 people died, but many more lost their homes and all of their possessions. 

The Lucky 13s have joined forces with the Friday the Thirteeners and the Enchanted Inkpot to help those  affected by the Oklahoma tornado. To that end, we are offering up a humongous extravaganza of a giveaway. Kidlit Authors for Oklahoma is starting today and will run for 2 weeks. Enter for your chance to win 1 of 5 book prize bundles and a chance to win a critique from our many wonderful authors.

To enter, all you have to do is...TO READ THE FULL POST, CLICK HERE

Thank you for the support you've given The Lucky 13s throughout the year, and whatever you decide to do related to the Moore, Oklahoma disaster.

A few announcements:

Here is another way that children's authors, spearheaded by Kate Messner, are helping Moore, Oklahoma: KidLitCares for Oklahoma

Poetry Friday is at Jama's Alphabet Soup

Verse Day is at Marion Dane Bauer's 

05.24.2013

Congratulations & Book Review: THE NEPTUNE PROJECT by Polly Holyoke

Polly Holyoke's debut MG/YA novel THE NEPTUNE PROJECT (Disney Hyperion) releases today, May 21, 2013! I'm so happy that this book is now out in the world and I'm so pleased to be celebrating with Polly! Congratulations, Polly! 

I was lucky that I was able to read an advance copy of Polly Holyoke’s debut novel, THE NEPTUNE PROJECT. As soon as I began, I knew it would be one of those books that I would want to linger over, yet that I couldn’t wait to finish to see how it ended. I was right – I wanted it to last, but I ended up reading it fast. The good news is that it’s now available and later today I’ll be heading to my local bookstore to pick up the copy that I ordered a while back. Here’s my take on Polly’s novel. 

REVIEW: THE NEPTUNE PROJECT by Polly Holyoke

• Middle Grade/Young Adult Science Fiction/Fantasy
• Arriving Today, May 21, 2013 from Disney Hyperion
• Available wherever books are sold

THE NEPTUNE PROJECT by Polly Holyoke is a crisply written action adventure with a reluctant, compassionate heroine, young love lost and found, and lost again, with themes of courage, forgiveness, strength of family ties, and ultimately of redemption. As the title suggests, the story takes place at sea. Not on the sea, but in the sea. Without submarines or even scuba gear. It is a futuristic fantasy, and while I admire so many things about this story, one of my favorite aspects is its authenticity. I know that human’s can’t breathe under water like fish, yet this story is so good, so well told, that I was willing to suspend my disbelief and follow where the storyteller took me. Also aiding the realism is the rich descriptive scenes, coupled with the harsh, serious realities that are a part of this natural world. As beautiful as it is, the ocean is a dangerous place.

Subtly woven into the fabric of the entire story, the haunting question: What are we willing to sacrifice to protect our world and the future for our children, and what is the cost of our actions or inactions? It’s a compelling question raised, and THE NEPTUNE PROJECT provides one captivatingly imagined answer. I’m not joking when I say that I truly hope this story is made into a movie. Live action, with someone like James Cameron guiding the way. It would be difficult to produce, yes, but worth it. To me, this story has the feel of X-Men/Hunger Games/Abyss with a touch of the gilly weed scene from Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. If these stories are interesting to you, my guess is that you will love THE NEPTUNE PROJECT.

My Goodreads Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Note to writers: I think that THE NEPTUNE PROJECT is an excellent example of how an author uses rich and precise details to create authenticity in a science fiction story, and how an author can, through the use of a light touch, successfully write intense scenes for younger readers that aren’t upsetting.

Here are links to Polly online: 

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Goodreads

To Purchase THE NEPTUNE PROJECT

Again, CONGRATULATIONS, Polly! I'm thrilled that THE NEPTUNE PROJECT is on shelves everywhere!

05.21.2013

Feature on Cynsations!

Last week, Gone Fishing and I were featured by Cynthia Leitich Smith on her blog, Cynsations!

Here is an excerpt:

How did you approach the research process for your story? What resources did you turn to? What roadblocks did you run into? How did you overcome them? What was your greatest coup, and how did it inform your manuscript?

 There is a nonfiction section in Gone Fishing called “The Poet’s Tackle Box,” which includes information about the poetic forms that I used when I wrote the poems for the book.

To develop that end matter section, I read a pyramid of poetry and reference books. I wanted to make sure that the poems and the details about them were accurate. It was challenging because each book was structured a little differently and included or excluded some forms.

Finally, in the front of one of my rhyming dictionaries, I found a section that outlined rhyme, rhythm, and stanza patterns. That information was my key.

To read the full interview, click: Tamera's interview with Cynthia Leitich Smith

Thank you, Cynthia! 

05.20.2013

Congratulations May MG Debut Authors!

Congratulations to Ari, Barbara, James, and Polly! These four fellow Middle Grade authors have debut books releasing this month. (Barbara's and James's book releases today!) We're part of a larger group of 2013 debut authors called The Lucky 13s. I've read Polly's wonderful book (I'm posting a review next Tuesday, May 21,) and I'm looking forward to reading Ari's and Barbara's and James's books very soon.  

Ari Goelman 

THE PATH OF NAMES

Mysteries, mazes, and magic combine in this smart, funny summer-camp fantasy -- like THE AMAZING ADVENTURES OF KAVALIER & CLAY for kids!

May 1, 2013 Arthur A. Levine

Links to Ari online:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Amazon 

My interview at Smack Dab in the Middle Blog with Ari on May 20. 

James Iver Mattson & Barbara Brauner

OMG: THE GLITTER TRAP! 

A girl accidentally injures a classmate’s fairy godmother and must take her place.

May 14, 2013 Disney-Hyperion

Links to James and Barbara online:

Website

Facebook

My interview at Smack Dab in the Middle Blog with Barbara and James.

Polly Holyoke

THE NEPTUNE PROJECT

Fierce battle and daring escapes abound as Nere and her friends race to safety in this action-packed marine adventure.

May 21, 2013 Disney-Hyperion

Links to Polly online:

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Goodreads

Amazon

My interview at Smack Dab in the Middle Blog with Polly on May 14, 2013.

I hope you'll check out these great new books!

05.14.2013

Poetry Friday: May 10, 2013

I don't have a poem to share for Poetry Friday today, but I wanted to share a couple of links related to GONE FISHING that I discovered while I was catching up on my online reading.

On April 9, Irene Latham wrote this nice review of GONE FISHING. 

How great that Irene shared photos of her fishing boys!

On April 28, Laura Purdie Salas read a poem from GONE FISHING as part of her April Poem Starter Video series: Sam's Fishy Spell read by Laura Purdie Salas

I just love how Laura puts so much intensity into her reading! This is a really fun poetry form to write. 

~~~~~

Announcements:

Poetry Friday is at Anastasia Suen's Poetry Blog

Verse Day was at Emily's One A Day Y.A.

05.10.2013