this weekend, a new class at PITT, etc.
hello friends!
first off, i want to let everyone out there know that i will be doing a reading / signing / pizza party at a fabulous independent bookstore called Aaron's Book in Lititz, PA this weekend! if you leave near Lancaster County, i hope you'll come out and say hello! info here.
in other news, i've just learned that my new spring class at the university of pittsburgh has just filled up! the class is called CHILDHOOD BOOKS, and i've developed a pretty kickass reading list, which centers on the theme of REBELLION. you know i'm teaching Hunger Games! : ) but seriously, i am so psyched for this class. i'm going to run things book club style, which will hopefully keep things casual and encourage participation from the students that aren't english or lit or writing majors. i've got three girls from PITT's nursing program! hopefully that will work well. i want my class to be a really fun and enjoyable experience...especially for those folks who haven't read a YA or MG book in a loooooong time. hopefully they will leave my class and become YA converts.
and other than that, i've been having a lovely couple of weeks off as i wait for line edits back on my new book. i've been reading a ton (WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT by Natalie Standiford, DREAMLAND by Sarah Dessen, and MARCELLO IN THE REAL WORLD by Francisco Stork). i swear there is no better way for me to recharge my creative batteries than to sit down with someone else's book. and these four are fabulous.
i've also taken the time to unpack my sewing machine and i'm working on a couple of projects. i made some new slip covers for two floor pillows, and now i'm going to work on a jumper for my friend's daughter and a couple of those wide fabric headbands, since i'm in the process of growing out my bangs. i just requested about ten different sewing books from the carnegie public library, and bought some new beautiful fabric from pearl patchwork, which is my absolute favorite store in NYC. i got about 2 yards of this little ditty, from amy butler. thinking it would make a cute skirt or something for spring. ain't it purdy?
yay for making things!
finally, can i just say how absolutely thrilled i am by SAME DIFFERENCE showing up on the BBYA nomination list for this year? alongside soooo many other fabulous writers and books? seriously, it's a real joy and a personal highlight for me and my writing. and even though it is just a nomination, i am just so thrilled. i know that's probably a little corny and cliche to say, but i com-pletely mean it.
first off, i want to let everyone out there know that i will be doing a reading / signing / pizza party at a fabulous independent bookstore called Aaron's Book in Lititz, PA this weekend! if you leave near Lancaster County, i hope you'll come out and say hello! info here.
in other news, i've just learned that my new spring class at the university of pittsburgh has just filled up! the class is called CHILDHOOD BOOKS, and i've developed a pretty kickass reading list, which centers on the theme of REBELLION. you know i'm teaching Hunger Games! : ) but seriously, i am so psyched for this class. i'm going to run things book club style, which will hopefully keep things casual and encourage participation from the students that aren't english or lit or writing majors. i've got three girls from PITT's nursing program! hopefully that will work well. i want my class to be a really fun and enjoyable experience...especially for those folks who haven't read a YA or MG book in a loooooong time. hopefully they will leave my class and become YA converts.
and other than that, i've been having a lovely couple of weeks off as i wait for line edits back on my new book. i've been reading a ton (WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead, HOW TO SAY GOODBYE IN ROBOT by Natalie Standiford, DREAMLAND by Sarah Dessen, and MARCELLO IN THE REAL WORLD by Francisco Stork). i swear there is no better way for me to recharge my creative batteries than to sit down with someone else's book. and these four are fabulous.
i've also taken the time to unpack my sewing machine and i'm working on a couple of projects. i made some new slip covers for two floor pillows, and now i'm going to work on a jumper for my friend's daughter and a couple of those wide fabric headbands, since i'm in the process of growing out my bangs. i just requested about ten different sewing books from the carnegie public library, and bought some new beautiful fabric from pearl patchwork, which is my absolute favorite store in NYC. i got about 2 yards of this little ditty, from amy butler. thinking it would make a cute skirt or something for spring. ain't it purdy?
yay for making things!
finally, can i just say how absolutely thrilled i am by SAME DIFFERENCE showing up on the BBYA nomination list for this year? alongside soooo many other fabulous writers and books? seriously, it's a real joy and a personal highlight for me and my writing. and even though it is just a nomination, i am just so thrilled. i know that's probably a little corny and cliche to say, but i com-pletely mean it.