So, I spent yesterday eve at the home of YA writer, Stephanie Boman. BTW, if you haven't visited her blog, you should after this post. She rocks!!! She invited me to talk with her girls’ activity group about being an author/illustrator. It was a small, intimate group and the girls were mostly 6th-7th graders. The perfect tween group and they were full of awesome! That includes you too, Steph and Shannon!
This is what I brought with me to share:
1. My embarrassing sketchbook: I take it everywhere with me. It has all my notes, stories, and silly drawings. It contains the start of all my stories.
2. The interior design of GOSSIP: To show the girls what the book looks like before it’s corrected and goes to press.
3. The ARC: Their eyes lit up. I loved seeing this!
4. Bookmarks: I made laminated bookmarks for all of them that matched the cover of GOSSIP.
I had an hour with the group, which seemed to fly by. The only other time I’ve talked to kids about my book was back in June at my son’s school. It was in the MP Room, in front of 66 kids. I had to whisper loudly in a microphone because I had just lost my voice. So this was a totally diff experience for me. I loved being able to talk with them in a close setting like this.
Most of all I enjoyed talking to this age group, answering their questions, and watching their expressions. Seeing how much they liked this book and wanted to read it gave me hope that others their age will want to do the same when GOSSIP hits stores in January.
I will also be doing a blog just for Sofia, my main character. It will focus on the Blogtastic Series. This will be a site more for the kids. I realized this blog/site is geared towards writers, which I love. But I also want a kid audience and I think it would be hard to combine the two in one site. So if you have tweens, I’ll be putting this site up soon. If I can get enough kids for that site, I’ll do an ARC giveaway just for the kids. I think Sofia (and her friends) could blog a few times a week, maybe have her own comic over there. Any ideas for what else the kids might like? I can’t wait to start!
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| MEET MIA ST. CLAIRE: She wears a bow plastered to her hair of lusiousness,has cute dimples (gag) and a perfect smile (so yesterday!) She's $$ loaded $$ like a baked potato and transfered her popularity from elementary school to middleschool. AND she has caught the attention of Sofia's forever crush. It's so obvious why Sofia wants to TAKE. MIA. DOWN. (GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS ROOM) |
11 comments:
You rock! ALL of the girls can hardly wait to read your book! We feel very privileged to have had you visit - they are in awe (I can speak for Halli specifically).
Your book is going to FLY off the shelves. Trust me, I used to be the children's book buyer at the University of Oregon Bookstore and I would have totally snagged this to sell!
Sending so much love and good vibes to you, soon to be famous writer friend!
What a very cool experience! Kids give the best reactions so I bet it is quite rewarding talking about being a writer and watching their eyes light up at all the possiblities!!!
I think you have a wonderful idea on a kids blog! I of course would follow, stalk and most likely comment, but I would also do a shout out and see if their are any tweens stalking my blog and hope they'd hop over because I think you'd have one heck of a following of there!!!
The book was brilliant! I loved it and my mind is already racing of who would be a perfect fit on the kids blog, who could talk, what they could talk about! Oh the possiblities endless! You're onto something very big here Rose!
What an excellent idea! The idea of a blog for your main character is awesome and sure to stir up interest.
Thank you SO much, Steph! I'm so thrilled you invited me. Really! It made my day. And thank you for all the good wishes. Halli is so adorable-maybe she can borrow the arc to read and review if she'd like?
Jen-I think i'm realizing just how rewarding it is. If other kids like this book it will feel amazing. At first I thought I wrote it because I love to write, which I do, but I also wrote it for them. So many emotions, you know?
And yes, lets find those tween stalkers!
Thank you for stopping by Melissa! I'm glad you like the idea. I'm hoping it will bring kids to the site. Although I'm sure more kids will visit once the book is released.
this is such an amazingly cool idea! kids that age are awesome (aren't all kids really?)! and i bet the girls will eat it up!
How awesome is that!!! Way to go.
Wow that sounds like a really awesome time. How wonderful it must be to be able to give to young people at the same time you get to see a reaction to your art and writing from the exact audience it was meant for. Amazing!
That's really cool! It must make it so real to be doing that kind of thing now!
its awesome that you made them bookmarks to go with and match. you sure are talented.
I loved listening to you and observing your total enthusiasm, which was quite contagious. I can't wait to read your book, and I'm so glad to have met you!
What a fun experience to get to share your book with tweens! They must have had a blast. I can't wait for Sofia's blog--that's such a great idea!
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