Barbara Dee Blogs

TRAUMA QUEEN nominated for 2011 Cybils!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 14:14:00 +0000

TRAUMA QUEEN was nominated for a 2011 Cybils Award in the Middle Grade Fiction category! I'm super excited about this, especially because the nominator was Danielle Smith,who writes one of my favorite blogs, Theresabook.

You can check out the list of nominees here. The list closes October 15. Did your favorite books from 2011 make the list? Some of mine did, and I'm looking forward to reading all the titles that are new to me!

Also wanted to share with you some photos from a mother-daughter book club I attended last night in Sleepy Hollow, NY. I was so delighted that they launched their year with TRAUMA QUEEN, and thrilled to be invited. The girls and their moms were incredibly enthusiastic and sweet, and made me feel really welcome. Not only did we have a great discussion about the book, but we got to hang out a bit and share delicious home-baked goodies. I was blown away by all the Trauma Queen posters, and the girl who showed up in custom-made Trauma Queen monkey flannel pj's--with CHOCOLATE NIGHT written on the back! Too cute!

Nell Minow Interviews Me on Movie Moms!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:03:00 +0000

Here's an interview I feel really honored to have done. It was for Nell Minow's blog, Movie Moms.

Nell is an amazingly accomplished, fascinating person. She isn't just one of the nation's leading experts in corporation law--she's also an important blogger with a parent's alert eye for movies and books that are both appropriate for and appealing to kids. I'm so delighted that she calls TRAUMA QUEEN "terrific," "smart and very funny." Please check out our conversation and add your thoughts!

Visit to North Wales Area Library, North Wales, PA

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 15:39:00 +0000

Last night I spoke to the tweens at the North Wales Area Library in North Wales, PA. In honor of the Chocolate Day theme in TRAUMA QUEEN, Jayne Blackledge, the lovely children's librarian, served chocolate bars and chocolate fondue! Yum!

While we were all enjoying the gooey deliciousness, I spoke about being a writer. One thing I told the kids was that to be a writer, you don't have to create perfect stories--you just have to write! I told them about the tiny notebook I keep in my pocket so that I'm always ready to jot down random thoughts, stuff I notice when I'm people-watching, overheard snatches of conversations, jokes. When you "find" stuff in nature and record it in your notebook, that counts as writing!

How To Get An Agent

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:27:00 +0000

Sometimes, especially in the summer, I hear from people who have just completed manuscripts. They ask me, “What’s the first thing I should do?”

Here’s what I tell them. Put the manuscript aside for a month or so. Then reread it, revising like crazy. Revise it until you’re sure you’re done. Then show it to some critical (but tactful) readers, and revise it again, based on their feedback.

When you’re sure that if you revise one more word, you’re going to totally ruin your manuscript, you’re ready to try to get a reputable, well-connected children's book agent. Anyone can call herself an agent--they don't need a license—so it's important to thoroughly check out anyone willing to represent you. You’ll want someone with a strong list of authors, ideally some of whom write within your genre. I would strongly advise meeting any potential agent in person, because chemistry is crucial. Your agent will sometimes be delivering bad news, and you want someone who will be careful with your feelings. Always keep in mind that your agent is your face to the publishing world, so you want someone who can work cordially and effectively with editors.

Unfortunately, it can be tough to get an agent, especially for this market. Here are some ways to get going:

--Join SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) and go to their meetings, etc
--Get a copy of Children's Writers and Illustrators Market
--Join JacketFlap and other networking websites
--Read Verla Kay's message board, and others
--Read the Acknowledgements page in other books of you genre. Sometimes agents are thanked there, and you can get names that way
--Read Preditors and Editors, and other online sources

When you have a list of reputable agents with experience in the type of book you've written, be sure to follow the agent's rules for submissions. Some are not currently accepting queries, some want the first three chapters of your manuscript, etc. Pay attention to exactly what they're asking, and research how to write a query letter. This is a world with a lot of customs and procedures, and you can't cut corners.

Good luck!!

My Visit to Mary Tisko School

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:08:00 +0000

Last Friday I visited the fourth grade at the Mary Tisko School in Branford, CT. I spoke a little about how important it is to accept constructive criticism, reading to the kids from my early rejection letters. (Kids are shocked by those letters! Sometimes it seems as if they think writers finish a manuscript and then just hit the PUBLISH BOOK button.)
I also read to them the first chapter of Trauma Queen, and then we had a lively Q & A. My favorite question: What part of your personality is in each of your characters? Wow.

Oh, and it was fun asking the boys in the audience if they ever read realistic fiction.
The boys: Sure we do!
The teachers: Ahem. No, you don't.

After the presentation I was delighted to eat lunch with fourth grader Lisa, fifth grader Jennie, the school's amazing Library Media Specialist Lydia Orloff Kroeber, teacher Erin Blake Burris, and the stupendously generous Laura Desmarais. Thank you all!

TRAUMA QUEEN BOOK TRAILER CONTEST

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:40:00 +0000

What is a Book Trailer?
A book trailer is like a movie trailer for a book. It uses multimedia such as images, video, animation, music and words to compel the viewer to read the book. It should be engaging, persuasive, captivating and exciting.

Competition Guidelines:
* Only tweens/teens ages 10 -18 may enter this competition.
* Trailer must be based on Barbara Dee’s book, TRAUMA QUEEN.
*One entry per person/group. You may not enter individually and then as part of a group;
you must choose which way you wish to enter. Group size must not exceed six participants.
* Maximum time limit for trailer is one minute in length.
* Your book trailer must adhere to copyright laws. All work must be original, copyright free or permission must have been obtained for borrowed images and/or music. Barbara Dee has posted book cover images, and her photo on her blog – visit her website at BarbaraDeeBooks.com and her blog at blog.BarbaraDeeBooks.com
* All book trailers are to be submitted to Z, Head of Teen Services, Chappaqua Library 195 South Greeley Avenue, Chappaqua, NY 10514, on a well labeled DVD or flash drive and must be accompanied by an official entry form, available online on her blog or at the Chappaqua Library and its Teen Zone website. NOTE: DVD and Flash Drives will NOT be returned.
* Entry deadline is 5pm, Friday, September 30, 2011. Late entries will not be accepted.
* Winning entry will be announced on Barbara Dee’s Blog as well as the Chappaqua Library Teen Zone Website during Teen Read Week October 16 to 22, 2011.
*Judging panel: author Barbara Dee, Larry D'Amico, Graphic Artist/Gallery Curator at Chappaqua Library and Carrie Krams, New Castle Media Center Executive Director.

Judging Criteria:
10 marks will be awarded for each of the following criteria giving a total of 50 marks.
* Hook – Hooks are used to build interest and grab the attention of the audience
* Presentation – Pacing fits the storyline and builds mood. Presentation is succinct. Transitions are smooth and a logical sequence is presented.
* True to Book – Provides enough information about the book to persuade people to read it without giving away the plot.
* Technical Expertise – Proficient and creative use of chosen technology.
* Originality

Prizes:
Grand Prize: ONE Ipod Shuffle 2GG black and personalized autographed copies of TRAUMA QUEEN (one book per group participant).

Second Prize: ONE TRAUMA QUEEN tote bag with ONE full set signed books (Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life, Solving Zoe, This is Me From Now On, Trauma Queen) by Barbara Dee and Snickers pack (one set/pack per participant if entering in a group). If a group wins, everyone in the group will win a personalized autographed copy of TRAUMA QUEEN and a Snickers pack.

Third Prize: ONE TRAUMA QUEEN t-shirt, TRAUMA QUEEN nail polish sets. If a group wins, everyone in the group will win set of TRAUMA QUEEN nail polish

This contest is co-sponsored by Barbara Dee, The Chappaqua Library, New Castle Parks and Rec & New Castle Teen Alliance.

TRAUMA QUEEN Blog Tour giveaway winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Tue, 17 May 2011 00:32:00 +0000

Announcing the three winners of the TRAUMA QUEEN blog tour giveaway! They are:

Ali, Grand Forks, ND
Maggie, Fayetteville, NC
Judy, Baltimore, OH

Each winner gets a copy of TRAUMA QUEEN plus a super cute TRAUMA QUEEN t-shirt. Winners, if you take a photo wearing the t-shirt, please send it to me and I'll post it here!

We pick the postcard giveaway winners on Friday. Stay tuned!

2011 Hudson Children's Book Festival

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 08 May 2011 14:14:00 +0000

Yesterday was the third annual Hudson Children's Book Festival in Hudson, NY. This was my second year attending, and once again it was a blast. I always love chatting with readers, parents, teachers and librarians! You can read more about the HCBF in this article in the Daily Mail. I'm quoted!

It's such a treat for me to hang with other authors (pictured here, top to bottom: Kate Messner, Aimee Ferris and Sarah Darer Littman). I also really enjoyed talking to Eric Luper, Amanda Marrone, Mark Shulman, Susanna Reich and Gary Golio, Alison Formento, and Julie Chibbaro, whose new YA book, Deadly, looks absolutely fascinating.

A great day at HCBF--perfect weather (except for a brief rainstorm), big turnout. Even the ten-minute evacuation (smoke in the school kitchen, no big deal!) was a nice chance to chat with people. Can't wait for next year's festival!

TRAUMA QUEEN--Review Roundup, Week One!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 02 May 2011 00:35:00 +0000

TRAUMA QUEEN has been out for just over a week now, and already it's gotten so many cool reviews! I've mentioned it's reviewed in the current issue of Discovery Girls magazine, and also on GirlsLife.com. So exciting!

You can also find reviews of TRAUMA QUEEN on these excellent blogs. Be on the lookout for some giveaways too!

There's A Book

Booking Mama

5 Minutes For Books

Mother Daughter Book Club

Bermuda Onion

The Brain Lair

Green Bean Teen Queen

The O.W.L. For YA

Y. A. Book Central

Satisfaction For Insatiable Readers

Bookalicio.us

Mrs. Yingling Reads

Radical Parenting

Book Chic

My Love Affair With Books

I Want To Read That

Mrs. Magoo Reads

QuickWitLitniks

Marjolein Book blog

Not bad for TRAUMA QUEEN's first week! I'll round up my guest posts next!

TRAUMA QUEEN a Girls Life "Must Read"

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 23:55:00 +0000

Some super great news today--GirlsLife.com just named TRAUMA QUEEN a "GL Must Read!!!" In a review called "What A Trauma Queen!" they say the book is:

"a totally funny, refreshingly realistic look on a crazy middle school life. Trauma Queen by Barbara Dee is an easy read, filled with humor and relatable scenarios."

I love how they describe the plot, and I especially love the way they depict the main character's mom--"a totally crazy artist and dog-walker! (Think: Lady Gaga as a mother)." Exactly!

You can read the entire GirlsLife.com review here.

I couldn't be more delighted that two amazing magazines for girls--Discovery Girls and Girls Life--give TRAUMA QUEEN their thumbs-up!

Tween Trauma, part 5

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 20:28:00 +0000

TRAUMA QUEEN published this week! One of the high points was Aladdin MIX author Anna Hays sharing this memory of tween trauma!

Falling Head Over Heels

I was lucky enough to be seated next to the cutest boy in art class. The first letter of his last name followed the first letter of my last name and destiny took care of the rest. One day in class, while trying to strike up a conversation with him, surrounded by a group of other adoring young females, fate handed me a humiliating twist. While adjusting the high metal stool at the long communal table to get a closer look at my crush's perfect brown eyes, I somehow slipped off my seat and fell flat on my butt. I think I even bounced off the floor. That's how hard I came down. It was kind of like being in a car accident where everything is suddenly in slow motion and sound stretches wider than the Mississippi. The laughter in the room echoed in my ears, and in an instant, my almost big moment with this dreamy boy was gone. Each time I walked into class after that, I recreated every embarrassing detail in my mind, dissecting it over and over again, and kept to myself. Falling hard for someone never hurt so bad!

P.S. By senior year in high school, the cute guy with the perfect brown eyes and I had "fallen in love" and he ended up being my first real boyfriend. Fate is an unpredictable friend and when she wants to, she can be very kind...

--Anna Hays, author of Portia's Ultra Mysterious Double Life

SLJ Teen Giveaway Winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 19:52:00 +0000

TRAUMA QUEEN will be out tomorrow, and to celebrate, I'm announcing the five winners of the SLJ Teen giveaway! Here they are!

Lincoln Middle School
Hawthorne, NJ

Wausau West High School
Wausau, WI

Brimfield Public Library
Brimfield, IL

Carnegie Public Library
Albany, MO

Seton-LaSalle High School Library
Pittsburgh, PA

Winners, who were chosen at random, will receive a set of all four of my books (including hot-off-the-presses TRAUMA QUEEN), and a set of tween Emotion nail polish! Thanks to all who entered!

Tween Trauma, part 4

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 17 Apr 2011 15:31:00 +0000

To help me celebrate the publication of TRAUMA QUEEN this week (April 19!!!), fabulous author Taylor Morris shares this traumatic tween memory:

As if having your mom volunteer at your school all day every day wasn’t bad enough, she used to check up on me—especially when I got glasses I refused to wear. One day I looked up from my desk and saw her face pressed against the classroom window, spying on me to make sure I was wearing them. I wasn’t. She crooked her finger and had me come outside and proceeded to yell at me while everyone in my class and the class across the way watched. Humiliation overload.

--Taylor Morris
author of Best Friend Breakup and the Hello, Gorgeous series

Enter My Book Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:07:00 +0000

Win a complete set of my books!

To celebrate the publication of my newest book, TRAUMA QUEEN, I invite everyone to enter a free drawing to win all four of my novels plus a cool TRAUMA QUEEN tote bag!

Five lucky winners will receive a tote bag and a paperback copy of each of the following books: TRAUMA QUEEN, THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON, SOLVING ZOE, and JUST ANOTHER DAY IN MY INSANELY REAL LIFE.

To enter, send an e-mail with your name and e-mail address to DeeGiveaway@gmail.com. One entry per person; prizes will only be shipped to U.S. or Canadian addresses. Entries must be received by midnight (PST) on May 19, 2011. Winners will be chosen in a random drawing on May 20, 2011 and notified via e-mail. If you're under 13, have a parent enter for you.

Good luck!

Tween Trauma, part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Fri, 08 Apr 2011 14:46:00 +0000

TRAUMA QUEEN launches in eleven days! I'm so happy my author friends are helping me celebrate by sharing their own tales of tween trauma. Here's one from Cindy Callaghan--with a happy ending!

So, I’m new to a school circa fourth grade. We’re in the locker after gym and a girl named Julie had done something that apparently rubbed me the wrong way – I don’t remember what it was. So, it seemed that a good way for me to get “in” with the other girls was to say something like, “Do you girls like Julie?” Of course, she was standing on the other side of the lockers and came walking around them to confront me with something like, “Why?” I had that feeling, you know the one, you just got nabbed. My face flushed and hot, my heart pounded out of my training bra. I think my reply was something so lame as to me, “Because I sure do!” Well, it worked. She and I have been nest friends for about thirty years.

Cindy Callaghan
JUST ADD MAGIC - Aladdin M!x, October, 2010

Tween Trauma, part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sat, 02 Apr 2011 14:15:00 +0000

To help me celebrate the release of TRAUMA QUEEN on April 19, I've asked some of my author friends to share their own memories of tween trauma. Here's Hilary Homzie's.

The summer after seventh grade, my family moved from Charlottesville, Virginia to Menlo Park, California. (quick fact: I set one of my books for tween girls in Menlo Park, Things Are Gonna Get Ugly). Anyway, moving to a new middle school in 8th grade is definitely asking for trouble. And trouble came quickly. It came in the form of...should I even say her name? Do I need to protect the guilty? Let's just say that her name was X and X was big and loud and I had to play against her team in basketball (during gym). Well, being new I wanted to do a good job. Plus, I liked basketball. So I guarded X very closely. I put up my hands and waved them like I was bringing in a jet plane into a hanger. Not only that but I guarded her so closely I was like a fly on sticky paper (okay, not that close but close enough) and made sure that I was blocking all of X's shots.
Did X like this?
Oh, no she didn't.
So she called me a lesbo. Now in middle school during the early 1980s, social consiousness or sensitivity about gender orientation had not exactly hit yet. Gigi's attempts to socially isolate me made me so mad. Later when I tried to insult her I couldn't. I could only babble X you're a....a....a....a
And I couldn't fill it in.
Because I just wasn't comfortable with language. I was raised in Virginia. I was polite. I was a nice girl. I didn't have a bag of insults in my pocket.
So X went around going, "Hillary is a...a...." and then stuttering.
I'd like to tell you that I got her back with a great insult.
I'd like to tell you that I lectured her about homophobia.
But I didn't.
I wasn't brave enough.
But I do remember a certain popular boy telling me, "not worry about X. That she was a jerk." That made me feel better. Incidents like this stay with me. Sometimes, I think I write for middle school so I can create characters who are a whole braver than I ever was!

Hillary Homzie (author of the just released, The Hot List as well as other books for tweens and kids)

Tween Trauma, part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 16:38:00 +0000

When I was twelve, I was ridiculously tall and stick-skinny, not terribly well-developed. (Okay: barely developed at all.). My dark red hair was chin-length. I had glasses, freckles, and braces. And my personal style was less-than-girly—usually jeans, some sort of figure-disguising sweater, Frye boots or sneakers.

So I guess it shouldn’t have shocked me every time Marco called me “Sonny.”

He was the waiter at Carolina’s, our family’s favorite Italian restaurant. We’d go there every Sunday for a delicious meal—fresh ravioli, usually, for me. And while everyone chomped on their breadsticks, studying the menu, I would sit there silently begging the mythical Carolina, “PLEASE don’t let our waiter be Marco.” But we always ended up with Marco anyway. I think he’d discovered that my Dad was a generous tipper.

This meant the torture was weekly. Marco would amble over to our table with a big grin on his pink, fleshy face. Then he’d loudly ask everyone for their order, and—it never failed!— turn to me and bellow: “And what for Sonny this evening?” I never corrected him; I just pointed to the menu, while my face turned the color of the famous Carolina tomato sauce.

When I finally confessed to my parents how mortifying the whole thing was for me, they were astonished. “He’s upsetting you?” they asked. “But he’s blind. And an idiot! Don’t pay any attention!” Well, that was easy for them to say, I thought. As for me, I couldn’t simply ignore the cheery insult. And after awhile, I was determined to set him straight.

So one Saturday, I got all dressed up for dinner at the restaurant. I put on jewelry, a skirt, stockings, my pinchy patent leather shoes with the pointy toes. I even wore blush and lip gloss. No way was that stupid waiter going to call me Sonny, I told myself. Once and for all, he’d see that I was a girl! Even if he was blind!

When we got to the restaurant, we took our usual table, and my parents began on the breadsticks. Instantly a fat, bald waiter appeared at our table and introduced himself as Gianni.

“Where’s Marco?” I asked.

“He doesn’t work here anymore,” Gianni replied. Then he smiled at me. “May I take your order, Miss?”

I gave him my order—I think for once I didn’t pick ravioli—and grinned. Whoo-hoo! I’d never have to deal with that jerk Marco again!

But it always bothered me that in some restaurant in the world there was a waiter who still thought I answered to Sonny.

Two bits of awesome!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 01:18:00 +0000

If you'd like to chat with me, you can now go to my Vyou.com page . There I am, with my adorable cat Luna, waiting for your questions! I'll answer you personally, through the miracle of webcams. Go ahead, think of a great question, and see if you can stump me! Or just ask me about writing or books or my favorite flavor (chocolate!). I'm really so excited about this new way to connect to readers, and I hope you'll chat with me often.

Also awesome: In exactly ONE MONTH FROM TODAY, Trauma Queen publishes!!!

SOLVING ZOE makes GL's List of "Top 100 Must Reads"

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 00:30:00 +0000

Girls Life magazine has just announced its list of “100 top must-reads”…and SOLVING ZOE makes the list at #53!! Whoo-hoo!

This is such an amaaaazing honor! (Actually, I didn’t even know the nice people at Girls Life had read it!!)

If you love books (and would you be reading this blog if you didn’t?), you should pop over to GirlsLife.com right away to check out this fantastic list! It’s divided into fifteen categories—such as “Sensational Series,” “Complete Classics,” “Picks-Turned-Flicks,” “Beach Reads” and “Fantasy Finds.” SOLVING ZOE is one of eight books named in the category called “School Daze.” You can see it's in pretty great company there--Stargirl and The Year of Secret Assignments are two of the other books in this category.

How many of the Girls Life top 100 books have you read?

Some Book Suggestions for Tween Girls

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 01:08:00 +0000

Over the vacation, I received this email:

hi
I'm reading just a day in my insanely real life! it's totally good and I want to read some more of your books! You also inspired me to start writing a new story.
Also I'm looking for some new books to read (after i read yours). Wondering if you've read any good ones recently
Coletta
10, Michigan

I get emails like this pretty often, so I thought I'd answer it on my blog!

Dear Coletta,

Wow, I’m so glad you’re loving JUST ANOTHER DAY, and that it’s inspired you to write your own stories! And I’m also so glad you’re looking for some book suggestions, too! The winter is always my favorite time to cuddle up with cats, cocoa, and a big stack of cheery books!

Here are six tween novels I’ve read recently that I’m sure you’ll totally love:

NICE AND MEAN by Jessica Leader—Plenty of snappy dialogue and fun characters make this realistic tale of “nice” Sachi and “mean” Marina, who have to work together on a school video project, a delicious treat. Can I admit I found mean Marina hilarious? Yes, I can. (Full disclosure: this book was published by Aladdin MIX/Simon & Schuster, which also publishes my own books!)

MEANICURES by Catherine Clark—Catherine Clark is one of my fave YA authors, because I think everything she writes is funny, quirky, and smart. MEANICURES is her first book for tweens, and it’s just wonderful— great characters, an unpredictable, maybe-magical plot, and pitch-perfect dialogue (one of Clark’s special talents). Because this book is also about the not-always-easy-to-navigate line separating “nice” girls from “mean” ones, I’d recommend reading MEANICURES along with NICE AND MEAN.

THE TOTAL TRAGEDY OF A GIRL NAMED HAMLET by Erin Dionne—Eighth grade is no comedy for Hamlet when her genius little sister invades her turf at school. And when Hamlet gets assigned a big Shakespeare project, it hits a little bit too close to home. Realistic, sensitive, and hilarious, with great characters you’ll want to hang out with. One of my favorite books of the year!

KARMA BITES by Stacy Kramer and Valerie Thomas—What happens when you mess with magic? Franny Flanders finds out the hard way! I thought this book was a nonstop giggle. Lots of great characters (especially Franny’s out-there grandma), lively dialogue, and some delish recipes, too.

RUBY’S SLIPPERS by Tricia Rayburn—Another perfect-for-tweens tale by the author of the Maggie Bean series. This fish-out-of-water story features Ruby Lee, who has to follow the yellow brick road from rural Kansas to suburban Florida in order to help her mom take care of Ruby’s elderly grandmother. Parallels to The Wizard of Oz make this sweet story extra fun. (Also an Aladdin MIX book!)

IT’S RAINING CUPCAKES by Lisa Schroeder—As yummy as a cupcake. This story about twelve-year-old Isabel—who’s trying to be a good daughter, a best friend, and a contest-winning cupcake baker—is sweet, funny and touching.

Okay, I know--it’s a long winter! So if you’ve read these and are still looking for more suggestions, there’s a fabulous list called “Pink and Powerful: Girls in the Know” compiled by the Youth Services Department of the Weston Public Library. (Not sure, but I think it’s in Massachusetts).

Please let me know what you think of the girl-friendly books on this list! (I’m so thrilled that two of my own books—THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON and SOLVING ZOE—are on it too!) Yay for Girl Power!!!

Happy reading!

xox,
Barbara

My Visit to the Harlem Day Charter School

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sat, 11 Dec 2010 01:17:00 +0000

Yesterday I visited the Harlem Day Charter School in Manhattan as part of the Adopt-A-School program. I had a really wonderful time there, speaking to the fourth and fifth grades about accepting constructive criticism from the people who want to help you to be your best--editors, coaches, teachers, directors. I told them about how hard it was for me to get rejection letters when I started writing—and how quickly I got published once I learned to take a deep breath, objectively reread those letters, and try to follow the editors’ expert advice.

After I spoke, the kids asked LOTS of questions. Some of my favorites:
--What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid? (Answer: Batman.)
--Did you have a number-color theory, like Zoe in SOLVING ZOE? (Yes.)
--Do you write longhand or on a computer? (On a computer.)
--What was your favorite book as a kid? (Lots, but one was Harriet the Spy.)
--Did you have a friend like Francesca in THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON , and did you do that thing with the locket? (Yes, I once had a friend like Francesca, but NO.)
--Are you friends with other authors? (Yes!)
--If you’re angry do you write a lot? (I try!)
--How did they get handwriting into JUST ANOTHER DAY? (It’s a font.)
--Do you like Lois Lowry? (I certainly like her books, but I’ve never met her.)
--When you were a kid, did you eat potato chip sandwiches, like Zoe? (No, but my friend did.)

I was so touched that my publisher, Simon & Schuster, generously sent each kid at the school a copy of one of my books. The books arrived at Harlem Day on Wednesday—and by my visit on Thursday, several students (most of them girls!) were more than halfway through! The kids were all so enthusiastic and appreciative, and it was a delight to chat with them one-on-one as I signed the books. I also loved meeting the principal, Mr. Curtis Palmore, a number of the teachers, and especially Ms. Erin Blad-Johnson, the warm and dynamic school librarian.

The Harlem Day Charter School struck me as an exceptionally positive, nurturing place. I hope they’ll have me back!

My Hillary Encounter!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 21:05:00 +0000

Like many longtime New Yorkers, I’m pretty blasé about seeing celebrities. And I’ve seen my share of them too: Elvis Costello dining al fresco, Yoko Ono strolling near Central Park in a long, white fur coat, Woody Allen on 57th Street. Once I was riding in my apartment building’s elevator, the door opened--and Mike Tyson walked in! He grinned at me with all those gold teeth, and my stomach lurched. Scary.

But there’s celebrity, and then there’s power. When you see someone truly important, it just feels different.

I happen to live in the same town as Bill and Hillary Clinton. They moved here about ten years ago, when Bill was then a sitting President. So when they came to our local diner one day, our whole town was abuzz. Stopped traffic, blazing lights, news satellites, the works. I remember standing outside the diner with my young kids in the pouring rain, until a Secret Service guy asked me if we wanted to come inside to meet the President. “OH, SURE!” I said, trying not to seem suspiciously eager. Then we crowded into a booth with another family and pretended not to stare, as Bill and Hillary ate their eggwhite omelets and schmoozed with the grinning waiters.

On the way out, we had to pass their booth. My oldest son wished Hillary good luck running for Senate. “Why, THANK you,” she answered, as if no one had ever said this before. Bill shook my middle son’s hand, and petted my daughter in her stroller. You could tell he would have talked to them, too—at length!--if they hadn’t been too weirded out by all the hubbub.

Over the years, we’ve seen Bill in town several times, drinking coffee at the Starbucks, walking his dog. Once I was the only customer in our late, lamented indie bookstore when Bill walked in. You could tell he wanted to chat, but I was tongue-tied and nervous-giggling. (So much for my New York cool, right?) But Hillary-sightings have been rare around here, especially since she was appointed Secretary of State.

Okay. So yesterday I was shopping for warm wool socks at the shoe store in the next town. It’s a pretty good shoe store, nothing fancy. At the cash register ahead of me was a blonde woman in a bright purple jacket, speaking on her cell in a very loud Midwestern voice. I couldn’t see her face, but I heard her say, “We didn’t have the votes.” The voice was recognizable, and this clearly wasn’t just a business conversation. So yeah, I peeked.

Hillary.

As soon as she left with her Secret Service guy, the saleswoman confirmed my Hillary-spotting. “She shops here all the time,” she told me. So then I playfully asked the saleswoman what Hillary had just bought.

“Men’s shoes!” she answered. “She wanted something really tailored, and she tried on some woman’s shoes, but they didn’t fit. So she bought herself men’s shoes!”

Seriously, how cool is that?

I guess when you have that kind of power, you can buy any kind of shoes you want.

THIS IS ME a "Great Mother-Daughter Book Club" pick!

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 17:01:00 +0000

This week I was so happy to come across this post on Goodreads by Cindy Hudson of the respected website MotherDaughterBookClub.com. Writing on the topic "What Makes A Book Good For Mother Daughter Book Clubs" she lists her five criteria for book club selection, among them:

3. Yes issues...but no preaching. It's easy for kids to know that they're being led to believe something is good or bad for them. If the characters speak for themselves without preaching to readers, kids can come to their own conclusions about consequences of behavior.

4. Funny. Humor is a plus, as girls read a lot of very serious, very dark books in school. Sometimes it's fun to lighten up.

I urge you to check out her complete list of book club criteria on Goodreads.

And I couldn't be more delighted that she lists "Ten Great Mother-Daughter Book Club Books Released in 2010"--and one of them is THIS IS ME FROM NOW ON! For her complete list of recommended picks, click here.

Thank you, Cindy!

The Elevator Speech

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Mon, 27 Sep 2010 00:46:00 +0000

Sometimes an author has to answer a very tough question: What’s your book about?

This happened to me last week at Celebrate Children’s Books Day at Sunnyside. Sometimes kids and their parents would walk over to my table, pick up one of my books, and ask what it “was about.” The event was well-attended, which meant there were plenty of folks behind them—and other authors to meet, presentations to hear, food to eat.

So it was really important to have an answer, and say it fast.

What are my books about? Friendship, self-discovery, self-esteem, accepting differences—these are all themes I’m writing about, but you can’t say your books are “about” those things, because that makes you sound pretentious. Also not very entertaining.

You also can’t say your books are “about” the characters, because that sounds as if nothing much happens. I think when people ask what your books are “about” you need a one-sentence plot summary, something on the order of:—“This Is Me From Now On is about a well-behaved girl who gets convinced by a wilder girl to play matchmaker between their teachers.” Yes, it’s about a bunch of other things, too—but you shouldn’t try to cram all those things into the sentence.

Somebody once told me that this was called an “elevator speech”—a speech as long as it would take you to say it before the elevator door closes. And it’s a useful thing to have in your head, every time someone asks what your book “is about.”

Of course, when you’ve worked on a manuscript for over a year, rewriting it a zillion times, obsessing over every syllable, it’s tough to reduce it to a single sentence. You want to mention your pet characters, your best lines, your funniest jokes, all the various subplots you tie together by the end.

But when a reader asks what your book "is about," that’s not what she wants to hear.

Celebrate Children's Book Day, 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Barbara Dee) — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 23:14:00 +0000

Today was Celebrate Children's Book Day at Sunnyside, Tarrytown, NY. And it was wonderful--perfect weather, over 60 authors and illustrators (including, from top to bottom, Michael Buckley, James Howe and Wendy Mass), hundreds of enthusiastic readers, teachers and librarians. It was so cool that my books sold out! My only regret is that I didn't get to meet Rebecca Stead,whose book, When You Reach Me, was my fave of last year.