Sundary Series: Heroes & Saints (Katherine Paterson)

Katherine Paterson is the brand spanking new Ambassador for Young People's Literature!

Superb choice! As someone who appreciates wacky humor (and who often wishes I could write funny too) I have to say - I love that the hilarious John Scieszka is being succeeded by someone who writes with a more serious tone.

Ms. Paterson has been my role model for a long time. Back before the turn of the century, (remember this blog is history!) while living in Lancaster County, PA, I stood in line to get Katherine Paterson's autograph. After securing it, I sheepishly gave her a copy of Best Friends Forever. (It was all I had at the time.) Then I disappeared in a flash - as if I had no social skills whatsoever.

And truthfully, I have very few. I become speechless in the presence of people I admire. I don't want to presume on their time, for one thing. And for another, every brilliant question or thought I might've had, goes into deep hiding in some crevice of my brain until that person is no longer standing in front of me.

Fortunately, in this case, I'd signed up for a workshop with Ms. Paterson for the day after my faux pas. And I even worked up the courage to talk to her.
Since then, I've been so bold as to tell my editor that, someday, I really want Katherine Paterson to blurb my one of my books. But alas! Now that she is ambassador, she will be busier than ever...

Sigh.

But this blog is history so let's not talk about the future.

I just want to call attention to a few of Ms. Paterson's historical works that I have particularly enjoyed.

Lyddie - a story of poverty and hardship for a New England factory worker.
Jip: His Story - a tale of unlikely friendship in a Vermont "poorhouse".

Bread and Roses, Too - told from the points of view of a boy and a girl who get caught up in a historic labor dispute.

Jacob Have I Loved - one girl's struggle to feel valued while living in the constant shadow of her twin sister. (Note the Newbery sticker on the cover! - Ms. Paterson's first but not her last!)

Ms. Paterson has written dozens more books, of course. They all seem to explore some weighty subject. Her selection as our new YA lit ambassador validates the fact that it takes many types of books to reach all kinds of young readers.

NEW WEBSITE CELEBRATION BOOK GIVEAWAY

So my hubby pulled the names from the proverbial hat and voila! The winners of my new website free book contest are:

1. Set of my 4 books goes to Tina Davis (my facebook friend and all around wonder woman)

2. Nathan Clement's Picture book, Drive & my Healing Water go to Amy Butler Greenfield, author of A Perfect Red.

Congratulations Tina and Amy! And thanks to all for helping me and Nathan celebrate my new website design!

Find more of Nathan's Designs at Stickman Studio.

BIRTH ORDER: # 1 Book Child

Books are like children in a family. Each has it's own personality and hangups. And some are perceived as favorites while others feel neglected.

Take BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, my first book which is unknown and largely unavailable. I published it with the first editor who made an offer and did not consider the consequences of working with a publisher that does only mail order sales.

In many ways, BFF has become an orphan. I take her with me for sale when I speak to groups but I don't usually center programs around her. I could though.

The book is a story of friendship between a Pennsylvania Mennonite and a Ukrainian Orthodox girl. It's a small tale about how they spent one school year together and during that time discovered a bond. Like many friendships this one is built on things the girls have in common. But it finds its depth in the ways they are different.

BFF is somewhat autobiographical. I am a Mennonite. I have a Ukrainian friend. We met as adults but I wrote the book as though we were children when we met. It's fictional of course but it has a lot of me in it. And a lot of Maria too.

If I had a picture of Maria as a child I would post it alongside one of me. You would see two girls in pigtails. As adults we both love gardening - especially carving a landscape out of a boring or neglected plot of land. We have other things in common (I think). Mostly we are different.

Take this pic of us below. We are standing in Maria's home in front of her self-portrait. (She painted this BEFORE Pirates of the Caribbean hit theaters, so call her original, puhlease!) Maria has always loved pirates.
I have never loved pirates and believe that to emulate them in movies or children's literature is some sort of travesty. Call me boring if you please. I don't care. I just hate stealing and kidnapping, and guns in general.

I painted a self-portrait once. As you can imagine, it was tame by comparison. And also hideous because I'm not half the artist Maria is. And no, I am not posting it on my blog so get over that idea. Immediately!

Maria almost got the illustrating job for Best Friends Forever. She should have had it but, at the time, there was so little that the two of us knew about publishing, that I'm afraid we blew our opportunity!

I sometimes read from Best Friends Forever at the beginning of a presentation. It works as a way to introduce myself. And it's a reminder to me, too. That I have this neglected child who for has been overshadowed by her domineering siblings.

BEST FRIENDS FOREVER
from Chapter 1
Because You Wear Pigtails

I saw Nadia Kuropas before I saw anyone in the classroom. She stood out from all the other fifth graders like a colored image in a black and white photograph. Which is sort of strange when you think about it--her being in color. She was so plain, just like me. That's why I noticed her.

Why hadn't Grammy told me there was another Mennonite in my class, I wondered. I looked at Grammy who was handing my birth certificate to the teacher. Grammy looked at the boys and girls and then turned to the teacher as if she hadn't even noticed the girl with the brown pigtails.

A redheaded boy on the front row noticed. He looked at me and then at the other girl and said, "Now Nadia has a twin."

The other children snickered. The girl with the pigtails put her nose in the air and refused to smile. She must be Nadia, I thought. I smiled at her but she looked away.

I knew right then she was going to be my best friend...

Maybe I'll post the whole first chapter someday. But I'd have to type it in. The digital version of this is in my computer cave. And you know what that means -hierglyphics. I wrote BFF in WordStar. I can transfer it into Word but I have to delete a lot of coding. And right now, is not the time.

Just another example of me neglecting my first book child. Nowadays, Cokesbury is handling Best Friends Forever. You can order it here.

RECENT RAMBLINGS

The sign is compliments of White Knoll Middle School, West Columbia, SC. Wait until you see the close-ups! (I'll post those pics later.)

I've been burning up the road lately which makes it hard for me to blog. But I do want to report on some lovely school visits to Snow Hill, MD (setting for Best Friends Forever) to Wilkesboro, NC, and to West Columbia, SC.

I promise not to get too wordy. Will simply show pics of some wonderful people I met along the way.

A few of the terrific 7th graders in Snow Hill who are reading my books! They all had great questions! I love Q & A time when I can just interact with the students.

Me talking about the publication timeline for Blue. And emphasizing the big pink eraser - Revisions! Revisions! Revisions!

Barbie, the lovely Media Specialist at work.

Stephanie, the teacher friend who made the connections! (Steph's hubby, who is from Hawaii, told me about Father Damien which led to the writing of Healing Water.
A big shout out to the Worcester County Library at Snow Hill for sponsoring my visit! Thanks a big one, my friends!

My next visit was to Wilkesboro Elementary School which is about an hour from my home. I'd met Media Specialist Janis Harless last February when I presented at a teacher workshop. I loved being in her school!

With a few tips from the students I figured out how to use the SmartBoard.

Here is Marcia Reynolds who provided me with juice, muffins and cookies with Blue sprinkles. She also collected book money and generally helped organize the visit and the PTA sponsorship! Thanks so very much to the PTA!

I love meeting the students and always wish there was more time to chat.

On the road again...

On November 14 I traveled to West Columbia SC and White Knoll Middle School.

You've gotta love it when the media specialist wears wisteria inspired clothing and the principal dons overalls in honor of your book!

Wanda made some wondrously healthy carrot muffins. How did she know?

Tessa, a library intern who shares my passion for Holocaust literature.