BEA 2010 Recap 1: Pre-BEA Activities

After worrying for over a month that the Iceland volcano would ruin our trip to New York, Daniel and I were just happy to get on the plane on the Friday before BEA. But it was nice, too, that Delta upgraded us to business class (medallion status is sooo worth it).

Upon arriving in NYC, Daniel and I checked into our hotel, and headed over to Brooklyn for a dinner party hosted by the very fabulous Lauren Oliver. That’s right, not only can she write and sing, she can also cook and put together a super-fun mix of people. I got to meet four of Lauren’s good friends including two who are upcoming debut YA authors: Leila Sales (MOSTLY GOOD GIRLS, SimonPulse Oct 2010) and Jessica Rothenberg (THE CATASTROPHIC HISTORY OF YOU AND ME, Dutton 2011).

Leila is hilarious (she made us watch a clip of Tyra Banks flipping out over Vaseline on YouTube) and has inspired me to join the Facebook group “pretending Jim is short for Jimothy”. My brother has also joined this important cause. I hope you will consider it as well. In any case, she brought me an ARC of MGG, and after I pretty much read the first 20 pages aloud in our hotel room, giggling, Daniel stole it from me.

Lauren with her bookcase.

I was amazed to see just how many owned books we have in common – there’s probably a crossover of about 80%. No wonder we click so well! Read more about the evening at Lauren’s blog.

Saturday was a “free day” for Daniel and me. We shopped and napped and walked around a lot. Then we met Amy (My Friend Amy) and Nicole (Linus’ Blanket) for dinner at an Italian locale. It was so nice to see both of them again and to discuss their new business venture Winsome Media Communications as well as Daniel’s book IS YOUR BUFFALO READY FOR KINDERGARTEN? (written by Audrey Vernick).

Sunday we met up with Trish of Hey Lady! Watcha Reading? at the Strand bookstore. While there, we ran into Alea (Pop Culture Junkie) and Gail (Ticket to Anywhere). Alea, Gail and I plundered the YA ARCS (I got PLAIN KATE by Erin Bow & RAISED BY WOLVES by Jennifer Lynn Barnes) and I also picked up hardcovers of RAMPANT by Diana Peterfreund and SHADE by Jeri Smith-Ready. Then Trish, Daniel and I headed over to The Cupping Room for a delicious dinner of hamburgers with avocado.

The evening was dedicated to a LOST viewing party in Michelle (Galleysmith) and Trish’s hotel room. Also present were Natasha (Maw Books) and Amy. We also had a few other bloggers drop by including Pam (Bookalicious), Laura (I'm Booking It) and Jill (Fizzy Thoughts). During commercials, we chatted and laughed and Trish made us do the Fake vs Real smile test. I got 16 out of 20 right. The finale itself was a bit of a head-scratcher for me. I am still not sure if I liked it or not. Maybe I need to watch it again. Maybe I need to watch the entire series again.

At Random House (photo curtesy of Maw Books)

Monday morning I met Amy, Nicole, Trish, Natasha, Michelle and Ann Kingman (Books on the Nightstand) for a tour of Random House. We ate breakfast in their caf and then got to walk the hallowed halls. We met a bunch of cool people there including cover designer Peter Mendelsund who talked a bit about the process of creating cover art. (He blogs at Jacket Mechanical – check it out!) I finally got to meet the lovely Meg O’Brien and compliment her on the fun Random Buzzers site. She gave me a couple of ARCs including AS King’s PLEASE IGNORE VERA DIETZ *squee*.

The Random Buzzers Cube

Then we set off to our tour of Harper Collins set up by Book Club Girl Jennifer Hart. We met Alea and Gail in the lobby and were soon ushered into a conference room where we were joined by a ton of HarperCollins publicists including Elyse Marshall who I’ve been in contact with for ages. We talked about expectations from both sides which was awesome. Elyse also brought me a copy of Lauren Oliver’s DELIRIUM which made me deliriously happy (I should note that Ive already read it and it is fantastic)! A few of us also did a video in their studio. We really needed a make-up artist to take care of all that shine. Moving on…

Scholastic tour group and the NYC skyline

Our next tour was at Scholastic, but we were a tad late due to the amazing lunch provided to us by Harper Collins. Tyler Reed met us in the lobby and we wandered around a bit looking for the rest of the group (including Daniel). Scholastic had a bunch of surprises in store for us, including a quick visit with Rick Riordan (in the office signing 800 copies of 39 Clues), a talk/signing with Aimee Friedman, and a visit to a free-for-all book table (I picked up Eliot Schrefer’s THE DEADLY SISTER, which was cool, because I was able to get it signed later at the TAC). We also got to visit the massive archives where they have copies of many of their published books including a ton of rare first editions.

This is where the magic happens. Who thinks there is a copy of MOCKINGJAY locked in David Levithan's office?

Then we headed over to the Teen Author Carnival where I met a ton more bloggers (Steph Su and I had a very nice chat) and authors. I really enjoyed the panels and even asked a question in the fantasy panel that garnered me a set of books (including Linda Gerber’s TRANCE) and a Ghost Girl pillowcase (I LOVE pillowcases!). The signing afterwards was insane and loud. But I did get a chance to chat with Elizabeth Scott, Melissa Walker, Sarah Ockler, Amy Brecount White and so many others my brain fries just thinking about it. After being kicked out of the building by an irate cleaning staff, Daniel and I walked with Linda Gerber to the subway and went back to our hotel to rest up for our busy Tuesday.

Eliot Schrefer, Maryrose Wood and Linda Gerber at the Fantasy/Mystery panel

Stay tuned for more BEA/NYC recap fun! And if you've done a BEA recap or an Armchair BEA post, please give me your links in the comments! I'd love to read about your experiences too.

International Book Blogger Mentor Program Featured Bloggers (3)

I'm a bit late with this (thanks BEA!), but the International Book Blogger Mentor program is in its' 4th month! Today I am introducing April's participants.

First up is Kate from Read this Book! For privacy reasons, she does not publicize her location, but rest assured that it is outside the US and Canada and postage to her country is astronomically pricey. Kate chose Maggie Steifvater's LINGER, the highly anticipated sequel to SHIVER, and provided a review after only reading 3/4 of the book. Check out her blog to find out why!

Kate's enthusiam for YA books is infectious and I always love to see a new tweet from her. Follow her too @readingthisbook

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My author sponsor for April was Karen Mahoney who sent four books to UK based blogger Jessica of Nayu's Reading Corner. And guess what?! Jessica read and reviewed ALL four already (wow!). Here's what she had to say about THE ETERNAL KISS, an anthology which features one of Karen Mahoney's short stories:

"I now will happily embrace anthologies. They are an opportunity to get to know an author's style (well, several authors) before committing to one of their novels. Thanks to this book, I am now eyeing up several, new-to-me authors." Read the whole review.

Jessica is super friendly and her book blog is a lot of fun to hang out on, so go on over and say hello!

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Megan at the Cape Eleuthera school in the Bahamas sends her thanks for all the boxes of books generous bloggers have sent so far! There is still time to donate (until June 15th) and possibly win an amazing BEA swag bag from me (it could include a copy of Cassie Clare's CLOCKWORK ANGEL if you wish). See last month's post for all the details. NOTE: Megan has requested that you include a note for customs listing all books included in your package and assigning them a value of $1 each. Thank you!

Tuesday (108) = Picture of Emmy ... oh, wait that's Finn again

We find Finn relaxing in the strangest places...

Yes, our flowers are long dead.

Happy Birthday to me & Excerpt of Jandy Nelson's The Sky is Everywhere

So yeah...you haven't heard from me in awhile. As most of you know, I was in New York City for a week for Book Expo America last week (which was excellent...I will be recapping as soon as I can steal pictures from my book blogger pals). This week I am visiting dear friends in Ohio. And today's my birthday.

I didn't get my review copy of THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE before I left for the US, so I haven't read it yet, but I've heard wonderful things. Today I have an excerpt of it for all of you who haven't read it yet either. You can read the previous excerpt at Teenage Fiction for All Ages and the next one at Bookalicious Ramblings.

I say softly, “I feel so guilty,” almost hoping the night will suck my words
away before Toby hears.
“I do too,” he whispers back.
“But about
something else too, Toby…”
“What?”
With all the darkness around me, with
my hand in Toby’s, I feel like I can say it. “I feel guilty that I’m still
here…”
“Don’t. Please, Len.”
“But she was always so much … more—”
“No.” He doesn’t let me finish. “She’d hate for you to feel that way.”
“I know.”
And then I blurt out what I’ve forbidden myself to think, let
alone say: “She’s in a coffin, Toby.” I say it so loud, practically shriek it –
the words make me dizzy, claustrophobic, like I need to leap out of my body.
I hear him suck in air. When he speaks, his voice is so weak I barely hear
it over our footsteps. “No, she isn’t.”
I know this too. I know both things
at once.
Toby tightens his grip around my hand.
Once at Flying Man’s,
the sky floods through the opening in the canopy. We sit on a flat rock and the
full moon shines so brightly on the river, the water looks like pure rushing
light.
“How can the world continue to shimmer like this?” I say as I lie
down under a sky drunk with stars.
Toby doesn’t answer, just shakes his head
and lies down next to me, close enough for him to put his arm around me, close
enough for me to put my head on his chest if he did so. But he doesn’t, and I
don’t.
He starts talking then, his soft words dissipating into the night
like smoke. He talks about how Bailey wanted to have the wedding ceremony here
at Flying Man’s so they could jump into the pool after saying their vows. I lean
up on my elbows and can see it as clearly in the moonlight as if I were watching
a movie, can see Bailey in a drenched bright orange wedding dress laughing and
leading the party down the path back to the house, her careless beauty so huge
it had to walk a few paces ahead of her, announcing itself. I see in the movie
of Toby’s words how happy she would have been, and suddenly, I just don’t know
where all that happiness, her happiness, and ours, will go now, and I start to
cry, and then Toby’s face is above mine and his tears are falling onto my cheeks
until I don’t know whose are whose, just know that all that happiness is gone,
and that we are kissing again.

And a poem:

Tuesday (107) = Picture of Emmy

An early morning face-off as Emmy defends her place in the laundry hamper:

Book Review: Still Missing by Chevy Stevens

Annie O’Sullivan was a successful realtor until the day a man abducted her and kept her captive in a remote mountain cabin for a year. Now Annie’s so traumatized, she sleeps in her closet and can’t work. In 26 sessions with her therapist, the whole twisted story comes out.

Through most of this novel, I wasn’t sure I liked it. It’s riveting reading, yes, but it is also extremely disturbing and not for the faint of heart (or young teens). But then, once the big twist was revealed, I was blown away by how well the whole story was crafted.

Annie’s nickname for her abductor is The Freak, and it is apt. He is a terrifying guy with deep psychological issues and very strict rules. Crossing him by say, using the bathroom at a non-scheduled time, can lead to bizarre punishments such as having to drink from the toilet. What puzzles her is just how much he seems to know about her and her family, leading her to think that his crime was not random and that even if she escapes him, there may be someone else out to get her…

Annie’s experience changes her a lot – so much so that I almost couldn’t recognize the broken woman swearing at her shrink and shrinking away from her friends and family as the same independent woman we see in her “flashbacks”. Not only is this a fascinating character study, it is also a very satisfying thriller with a shock ending. Highly recommended!

STILL MISSING is coming out in hardcover 0n July 6, 2010. My copy was courtesy of the Amazon Vine program. Find out more about the book at the author's website.

Waiting On Wednesday (43) Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins + My Burma Photos

Long time no WoW pick, but this one's worth breaking my ban! I went to Burma with Daniel back in 2001, and it was an eye-opening trip. We had the chance to talk to citizens and hear their stories - even though they were scared, they wanted to be heard so badly. And that's why I am sure this is an important novel.

Here's the summary from Charlesbridge:

A refugee and a child soldier challenge the rules of war.

Narrated by two teenaged boys on opposing sides of the conflict between the Burmese government and the Karenni, one of Burma's many ethnic minorities, this coming-of-age novel takes place against the political and military backdrop of modern-day Burma.

Chiko isn't a fighter by nature. He's a book-loving Burmese boy whose father, a doctor, is in prison for resisting the government. Tu Reh, on the other hand, wants to fight for freedom after watching Burmese soldiers destroy his Karenni family's home and bamboo fields. Timidity becomes courage and anger becomes compassion when the boys' stories intersect.

Also check out http://www.bamboopeople.org/

If you are going to BEA, Mitali will be signing copies of the book on Wednesday from 12:30 - 1 pm at the Charlesbridge booth (#2859). I'll be there!

I also wanted to share a few pictures with you from my trip:

The government wants its people to play nice with visitors. They need the foreign cash that tourism brings.

A child we met on a tour of a village near Kalaw. She spent all day picking and drying tea leaves.

A couple from the North we met in Bagan. We were the first foreigners they had ever seen. We assume this picture has a special place on their mantel.

And, an article I wrote shortly after my trip for a travel website:

BURMA: TO GO OR NOT TO GO

There is quite a debate these days whether one should visit Burma or not. Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's democratically elected leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, has asked tourists NOT to come. Many guidebooks, including The Rough Guide series have asked tourists to respect her request and do not publish a guide to Burma. However, there are also well known democratic leaders in Burma who want tourists to come. Lonely Planet's Burma guide has a good essay outlining this position.

Now, obviously, I must be with the second group, since I went to Burma, right? Well, actually, I think people should decide for themselves how they feel, after they look at both points of view.

First of all, where does your money go when you visit Burma? If you go with a tour group, it is pretty hard to avoid stuffing government coffers. You don't have much control over where most of your money goes, and you won't have much contact with the average person who can benefit from your tourist dollars. As an independent traveller, however, you have a lot more control over who gets your money. If you stay in privately owned logding, hire independent guides, and use non-government owned transportation, you are helping ordinary Burmese citizens to earn an honest living. Less independent tourists means less opportunity to earn money and more temptation to simply beg to surivive. Those kids in the Bagan temples always trying to sell you something can be annoying, but it is much better than if they would be reduced to begging.

Those in favor of "boycotting" the boycott use free exchange of information as a major support for their view. Contact with tourists gives many Burmese the only form of free exchange of information that they can participate in (in a country where merely owning a modem will get you 10 years in prison!). We brought many current news magazines with us and they were very grateful. Before we went, we had heard that most people were reluctant to complain about the government, but they have apparently become bolder as a result of having contact with travellers. All of our guides were eager to discuss the political system with us and to offer their numerous criticisms. They are encouraged by the fact that people from other countries are taking an interest in their situation.

What about the human rights abuses allegations? The government's travel restrictions to certain "safe" areas virtually assures that outsiders will not witness any human rights abuses firsthand. One of our guides told us that slave labour is being used to build the railroad between Loikaw and Taungyi in Shan State. How it works: government officials decree that one member of each family must work 1 day a week. In the case of our guide's family, he was the chosen one. However, he was able to pay someone else to serve for him. Some argue that tourism in Burma directly contributes to Human Rights abuses, because the government forces people to build roads, etc to attract tourists. However, it is my impression that the government only conducts such forced labour activities in areas that tourists cannot enter (often due, at least in part, to safety issues such as rebellious tribes). How can these projects possibly be related to attracting tourists if tourists are banned from these areas?

Now I don't pretend to be an expert on this issue, and the things I have brought up here are only the tip of the iceberg, and my personal opinion as someone who has visited recently, so please do check out some other sources before you make your decision. However, I can encourage you to go as an independent tourist, if you do decide to go.

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This article was originally published by Lenore for Presenting Lenore. It cannot be republished without express written permisson. If you are reading this elsewhere, it has been stolen.

Tuesday (106) = Picture of Emmy

Emmy and Finn enjoying the morning on the balcony.

Book Review and Giveaway: Amy & Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson (+ Lenore's Road Trip Playlist)

After her father's death in a car accident, Amy is no longer driving. So when her mother needs Amy to transport her car from California to their new home in Connecticut, she enlists the son of a family friend, Roger, to drive with Amy across country. But instead of following her mother's carefully planned itinerary, Amy and Roger embark on a series of detours and work through their respective issues along the way.

I love road trips, so I was really excited to read this one - and it didn't disappoint. The narrative arc ended up just as a I predicted it would, but the journey there continually surprised and delighted me.

Of course it helped that Amy and Roger travelled some of the same roads I have - it was fun for me to reminisce about my own road trip experiences. But it wasn't just that. Both Amy and Roger were characters imbued with an amazing presence and I enjoyed watching them make their own discoveries. They also had a great rapport and dialogue that cracked me up.

I loved the people they met along the way. Bronwyn and her clothes obsession! Derek and Drew - the Kansas boys who loved Kansas. Lucien and his topiary.

And I can't end the review without mentioning Roger's epic playlists. From the songs I know, I have a feeling Roger and I have very similar music taste, so I can't wait to listen to a bunch of these songs and hopefully discover new favorite tunes.

AMY & ROGER'S EPIC DETOUR is now available in hardcover. You can find out more about it at the publisher's website.

I have a signed copy of the book up for grabs to my readers in the US. Just leave me a comment and tell me a favorite song of yours that you like to blast in the car. I'll leave the contest open until 11:59 pm CST on June 7th. Contest is sponsored by a publicity company.

And for a bit of inspiration, here's my own 20 song road trip playlist!

"Daniel" by Bat for Lashes

(sample lyric: And in the golden blue car you took me to the darkest place you knew and you set fire to my heart)

"Rewind" by Better than Ezra

(sample lyric: In my car we are superstars. Run your lipstick down your chin while up ahead we saw such a crash. Right there a song became a soundtrack for this space in time.)

"Drive" by Bic Runga

(sample lyric: No boy, don't speak now, you just drive. Take me through, make me feel alive.)

"Hunter" by Bjork

(sample lyric: If travel is searching and home what's been found, I'm not stopping. I'm going hunting.)

"Behind the Wheel" by Depeche Mode

(sample lyric: Oh little girl, there are times when I feel, I'd rather not be the one behind the wheel.)

"Tonight We Fly" by The Divine Comedy

(sample lyric: Tonight we fly over the chimney tops skylights and slates. Looking into all your lives and wondering why happiness is so hard to find.)

"Retread" by Embrace

(sample lyric: My girl is just a retread, I lost her when I hit the brake. Our love hit science fiction levels, now I'm bending cause I made a mistake.)

"Sink to the Bottom" by Fountains of Wayne

(sample lyric: Cars on the highway, planes in the air. Everyone else is going somewhere.)

"We Could be Kings" by Gene

(sample lyric: We could be kings, the planet is ours. With love on our side, and the keys to my car. Storm through the city - oh let's drive - hold tight!)

"Pace is the Trick" by Interpol

(sample lyric: I've seen love, and I followed the speeding of starswept night.)

"Eet" by Regina Spektor

(sample lyric: You spend half of your life, trying to fall behind. You're using your headphones to drown out your mind.)

"Leaving New York" by REM

(sample lyric: It's easier to leave than to be left behind.)

"The Cold, the Dark, and the Silence" by Sea Wolf

(sample lyric: So we're lost, we're lost out here on the plains, my love. It's only wind and ice and trees that wave from above.)

"1979" by Smashing Pumpkins

(sample lyric: With the headlights pointed at the dawn, we were sure we'd never see an end to it all.)

"There is a Light that Never Goes Out" by The Smiths

(sample lyric: Driving in your car, I never, never want to go home.)

"Your Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars

(sample lyric: Captured a taxi despite all the rain. We drove in silence across Pont Champlain. And all of the time you thought I was sad, I was trying to remember your name.)

"Tyler" by the Toadies

(sample lyric: We can drive to anyplace, day and night to cross this state.)

"Hotel" by Tori Amos

(sample lyric: King's Solomon's Mines. Exit 75. I'm still alive.)

"Highwayman" by Willie Nelson

(sample lyric: I was a highwayman. Along the coach roads I did ride.)

"See-Saw" by Youth Group

(sample lyric: Planes go across the sky of Petersham. One day I will see all the hope that's stored in them.)

I'd love to hear yours, even if you don't enter the contest!

Book Review: Viola in Reel Life by Adriana Trigiani

So now that the official announcement is out there, I can finally shed some light on the mystery of where I’ll be on Wednesday afternoon of BEA (the reason I have to skip some majorly cool signings and the reason why Daniel will be my stand-in signing slave). I won tea with Author Adriana Trigiani!! I will be joining 4 other bloggers to meet Adriana at Alice’s Teacup in NYC. As part of my prep, I dug VIOLA IN REEL LIFE out of the middle of my massive TBR.

Because her documentary filmmaker parents are on a shoot in Afghanistan, 14 year old Viola has to leave her friends in Brooklyn, New York and spend a year at a boarding school in South Bend, Indiana. It’s quite an adjustment at first, but supportive roommates, a first romance, and a student documentary contest go a long way to making Viola feel at home.

You know, it was so refreshing to read a YA novel about a normal teen living a normal life. This is a novel for everyone who complains that they are tired of mean girls, all-encompassing romances, disinterested parents, and enfeebled heroines with no hobbies.

I’ll admit I wasn’t that engaged at the beginning of the novel, because it wasn’t all that clear to me where the whole thing was going. Though I was instantly pulled in by Viola’s voice (a bit whiny, but independent and snarky), I wanted more plot to sink my teeth into.

But once Viola discovers the mysterious “lady in red” and decides to make her the subject of her film, I really started to enjoy the novel. Her interactions with her friends and her actress grandmother (who comes to help her out) feel really natural and everything just flows well.

I finished the last page and immediately wished I could pick up book two in the series - VIOLA IN THE SPOTLIGHT – but sadly, it’s not due to drop until this August.

Head over to the HarperCollins site for some cool VIOLA content, including character profiles, a deleted scene and a quiz.