Tales from the Rushmore Kid

Book Blips - Class of 2K10 - The Secret Year - Jennifer R. Hubbard

Jennifer R. Hubbard is another debut novelist from the class of 2K10. Her YA romance novel, The Secret Year, has just been released by Viking (Penguin). I asked her to give us a summary of the book and talk about what inspired her to write it.

Seventeen-year-old Colt has been sneaking out at night to meet Julia, a girl from an upper-class neighborhood very unlike his own. They’ve never told anyone else about their relationship: not their family or friends, and especially not Julia’s boyfriend. When Julia dies suddenly, Colt tries to cope with her death while pretending that he never even knew her. Then he finds a journal Julia left behind. Colt is not prepared for the truths he discovers about their intense relationship, nor to pay the price for the secrets he’s kept.

 
“What inspired you to write this book?”

I had a mental image of a boy who had been involved in a secret relationship, and whose girlfriend had just died, leaving behind a notebook.  I wrote the book to find out what was in the notebook and why the relationship had had to be secret.

David Diaz - Illustation Tip of the Day

I have known David Diaz for several years. He's a Caldecott winner, SCBWI board member and all around teddy bear kind of guy. At the Winter Conference in New York he agreed to give us an Illustration Tip of the Day. ( I apologize for the grainy video.)

Seven Authors for Teens & Tweens - Book of Wonders NYC

When I was in New York for the SCBWI Winter Conference, I was lucky enough to attend a book signing event at Book of Wonders.  This is one fabulous independent children's bookstore, a gorgeous space full of kidlit books and a cupcake bakery to boot. I was so excited to meet some authors I have interviewed in the past. One of those was Fran Cannon Slayton, who wrote the wonderful When the Whistle Blows. I predict she'll be the next Richard Peck. Another was Albert Borris. I recently did a book trailer for his great, edgy YA, Crash into Me. The panel, which also included J.T. Dutton, Lisa Greenwald, Ellen Hopkins, Ann Haywood Leal and Sydney Salter, read from their books, talked about what inspired them and took questions from the audience. What an inspiring night for me! Another reason I was glad I made the trip to New York.

Book Blips - Class of 2K10- Leaving Gee's Bend - Irene Latham

Irene Latham is a member of Class of 2K10.  Her novel, Leaving Gee's Bend has just been released by G.P. Putnam's Sons.  I asked Irene to give us a summary of the novel and what inspired her to write it.
 
Ten-year-old Ludelphia Bennett has only ever known the log cabins, orange dirt, and cotton fields of her small sharecropping community.  But when Mama gets deathly ill, Ludelphia does something drastic – she leaves Gee’s Bend for the very first time.

Ratfink - Book Trailer - Marcia Thornton Jones

I love the challenge of all different kinds of trailers. Ratfink is a charming middle grade novel.  It is fun to have the art to work with and make it sing with the videos.  I give you Ratfink book trailer.

Book Blips - Class of 2K10 - New Island Sting - Bonnie Doerr

Bonnie Doerr is another debut novelist from the class of  2K10. Her novel, New Island Sting, has just been released by Leap Books. I asked her to give us a summary of the book and talk about what inspired her to write it.

Summary of Island Sting:

Kenzie Ryan's New York know-how and private girls' academy education prove useless when she moves to a cottage in the exotic Florida Keys. Upon arrival, she is thrown into the midst of an ecological island mystery involving the endangered Key deer. How can she navigate this upside down world?

SCBWI Winter Conference 2010

I've been to about 12 Summer Conferences but this was my first Winter Conference in New York City and it was great fun.  I passed on the Friday optional round table critique with an agent or editor since I already have both, but I heard great things about it from several authors who not only got great suggestions but a few notes saying "Send this to me" from editors. Lin Oliver and Steve Mooser MC'd much of the procedings with touching and hilarious speeches from Libba Bray, Jacqueline Woodson, Peter Sis and Jim Benton.  Susan Raab gave the low down of what's selling, Sheldon Fogelman talked career choices and Jane Yolen gave a detail twenty writer/illustrator tips.
The break out session with editors were not only helpful but several allowed limited time submissions for queries and manuscripts if you attended the conference.  I hung out with some of my buddies from the Southern Regions and had a few Blog fans approach me. One of the biggest thrills for me was seeing CWIM 2010, that I have an article in, sold in the bookshop. All and all a great time for a cold weekend in the city.