Picture Book Month & Marcel the Shell

Today at my school we celebrated the start of Picture Book Month.  You might be asking "What is Picture Book Month?" Well I grabbed this explanation off of Katie Davis' website:

"It is an international initiative to designate November as Picture Book Month, encouraging grown-ups to read picture books with children. Founder Dianne de Las Casas, and Co-Founders, Wendy Martin, Elizabeth O. Dulemba (author/illustrator), Tara Lazar (author) and I (Katie Davis) are putting it all together."

Here is the website for more information:  http://picturebookmonth.com/ 

You might be wondering how we celebrated Picture Book Month.  For Day 1, one of the first grade classes at my school skyped with Mr. Schu's (@mrschureads on twitter) second grade class from  Brook Forest Elementary in Illinois.  Mr. Schu's class did a great job telling us about Picture Book Month and then I had a chance to share about 3 special picture books with them.

However, it didn't end there.  In second and third grade today, we welcomed debut picture book creators Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp to San Rafael.  Their book Marcel The Shell With Shoes On released today.  It was so much fun to get to celebrate with these two wonderful writers and illustrators and help them kick off their book tour.

Above Dean and Jenny tell a little bit about their new book.



Answering questions from students.


Dean operates the technology while Jenny reads the story in Marcel's voice.

If you haven't seen the original video that sparked this book, take a minute to check it out below.



We are looking forward to more Skype visits with Twitter Friends from all over the country.  I am so excited to be able to connect my students with students from other places and together be able to celebrate picture books.  I am also thrilled that we will be hosting visits from the following Picture Book authors and illustrators - Scott Campbell (Zombie in Love), Oliver Jeffer (Stuck), and Bill Thomson (Chalk). 

The Crossroads Blog Tour Final Day: Interviews with Lucienne Diver and Jackie Morse Kessler

We wrap up the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Lucienne Diver and Jackie Kessler Morse.  Hope everyone has enjoyed this week's interviews and the chat last night on Mundie Moms.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.


Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world? 

One of my favorite things about the Vamped series is that I get to take my readers to a new place each time. The series is set in our world, so I don’t have to make something up out of whole cloth, but I do have to make sure each locale is a place I know and have internalized to the point where I can convey the spirit of it, even when I change this shop name or tweak a location to fit the needs of the story. I want to write every setting like an intimate insider. My worldbuilding comes into play a lot more with the mythology. What kind of vampires do I want to use? What other magics populate the world? What are the rules, powers and limitations? For the Vamped series, I chose classic vampires but an unconventional heroine, one who’s neither angsty nor kick-ass…though she gets there in the end. My heroine Gina is, in fact, a teen fashionista who gets bitten at the after-prom party and soon after wakes up dead. She has to claw her way out of the grave, totally ruining her manicure, only to discover that while she’s gained eternal youth, she’s lost the opportunity to make the most of it…. No reflection, no way to fix her hair and make up—her own personal hell! It was a lot of fun to give something old a new spin. Of course, vampires might not be all that goes bump in the night, but you learn more about all that as the series goes on.

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why?

My most difficult character is my protagonist, Gina. You see, I’m a geek. Gina wouldn’t make any of the same pop culture references I would. She probably doesn’t know a thing about Harry Potter (unless there was a feature about him in Cosmo) or tried butterbeer (too many calories!). It was challenging to write a character who didn’t think about the same things in the same way I would. However, once I got the hang of her, she started to affect my thinking. I literally can’t shop without hearing her in my head. She’s even insisted on her own blog so that she can continue her work of helping the fashion-challenged with her “How Not to be a Hot Mess” posts.

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do?

Oddly, I’m not sure my favorite fictional characters and I would have much in common. Maybe that’s why I love them. They have strengths I can only aspire to. They fight real battles and overcome important challenges. Take Katniss Everdeen from Suzanne Collin’s excellent Hunger Games series. After I ran out of praise, which she’d undoubtedly be terribly impatient with, what would I have to say that would be at all relevant to her world? I suppose I most read about people in difficult situations who do the extraordinary, whether it’s becoming one of the undead and facing a vampire vixen who wants to turn your classmates into her own undead army or instigating a revolution. I suppose that if I could meet any of my favorite fictional characters, I’d find out what I could do to help. Then I’d find out what I was made of.

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I was a horsey girl growing up. I mucked stalls, sniffling and snuffling from allergies and asthma the entire time, and babysat crazy hours to make the money for the lessons my parents discouraged because of those medical conditions. Thus, I read all the horse books out there. One of my most inspirational moments ever was writing to Jean Slaughter Doty, the author of The Monday Horses, and having her write back. A lovely, handwritten note that probably made my tween years. I don’t know that there was a particular book that inspired me to write, but I do know there were many, many books that inspired me to read. Among them: The Secret Garden by Francis Hodgson Burnett, Watcher in the Woods by Florence Engel Randall, The Changeover by Margaret Mahy, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle, The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare…. I could go on forever!

Newest/Upcoming Release: Vamped, Revamped, Fangtastic

Blog: http://www.luciennediver.com/ & http://luciennediver.wordpress.com/

Twitter: @LucienneDiver 


What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

I wish I had one! I’m so boring. I’m the person who gives away far too much candy during Halloween. Maybe that’s scary: I’m willingly giving away chocolate!!! ;)

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming?

Oh wow. That had to be when I was writing RAGE. I was getting ready to write the big battle scene by the end of the book…when I suddenly heard the voice of War. Now, you have to understand that the entire book is written in close third-person, past tense. But out of nowhere, I heard this booming voice—definitely an ALL CAPS sort of voice—declare: “The world is a wound, and I will cauterize it.” And I was like, WHAT THE HECK IS THAT??? It was the voice of War. And that’s why there’s one chapter in the book that suddenly switches to first-person present tense.   A close second is I was surprised that it took me 22 drafts to get LOSS right. Oy!!!

If you could spend the afternoon with a favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do?

I’d hang out with the Doctor, from DOCTOR WHO. An afternoon can be an entire lifetime – and it can be eye-opening and enlightening and fun and dangerous and brilliant.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

There definitely are rules. If you don’t stick with the rules you create, you break the reader’s trust. There have to be rules, whether you’re writing a paranormal novel or a contemporary one. There must be established limits—otherwise, it’s all And Then The Hero Or Heroine Are Brilliant And Save Everyone Easily And At No Personal Peril, and it’s boring and un-fun. That’s not to say that authors don’t make mistakes. Sometimes, we don’t know until book three something that would have played out differently had we known it in book one. The trick is figuring out A) how to work that “mistake” into the overall series and B) how to fix it going forward. Entire subplots can be created to fix such mistakes. That happened to me in my first adult paranormal-romance series: I had to come up with a reason why one branch of Hell changed its name. Whoops!

Newest/Upcoming Release: Hunger (Oct 2010); Rage (April 2011), Loss (2012)

Blog: http://www.jackiemorsekessler.com/ 

Twitter: @JackieMorseKess 

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 7: Interviews with Angie Frazier and Kiki Hamilton

We kick off Day 6 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Angie Frazier (who is an alum of the same college that I attended - go KSC Owls!) and Kiki Hamilton.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.


Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world?

I try and remind myself that helping the reader to see the world I’ve created is important, but to remember that the story and the characters are the real focus. Also I have to trust a reader’s imagination. I don’t need to cover absolutely every detail—the reader is going to use their imagination to fill in the blanks.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

In THE ETERNAL SEA, the sequel to EVERLASTING, I was very surprised that Camille’s fiancé, Randall, developed into a great guy. I’d planned him to be kind of a jerk, but as I wrote his character he took on a whole new personality and I ended up loving him.

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite author, who would it be and what would you do? 

There is this woman who demonstrates the proper uses and layers of Victorian age dresses and underthings by dressing in front of a crowd, piece by piece. It’s like a backward Victorian striptease with commentary on the clothing! I’d take Sarah MacLean with me and I’d try not to fangirl her all afternoon.

What is the one book that you wish you had written and why? 

I don’t know if I can honestly say I wish I’d written another author’s book. But I am reminded of the day not too long ago when my 7-year-old daughter asked, “Mommy, did you write Harry Potter?” I laughed and said no, to which she replied, “I wish you wrote Harry Potter.” To which I sighed and said, “Me too, kid. Me too.”

Newest/Upcoming Releases: Everlasting; The Midnight Tunnel: A Suzanna Snow Mystery (Mar 11)

Blog: http://angiefrazier.com/ 

Twitter: @angie_frazier 

What was the hardest part about doing research for your book?

Writing about a time that I can never visit. Though there are books and movies, it’s not the same as being there yourself.

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why? 

I wouldn’t call her ‘difficult’ but the most complicated character is definitely Larkin. She’s like an onion with some many layers. Interesting and complicated and intriguing – there’s a lot more to Larkin than was revealed in the first book.

When did you know you wanted to be a writer and what did you first write about?

I’ve always enjoyed writing. I wrote short stories when I was a kid - I think one of them was called ‘Slimey and his Funny Friends - and poetry in high school. But then I went to college and got a job and never really had time. When Goblet of Fire came out, I read the first Harry Potter book and I was totally hooked. I read all four books in one week. That’s when I decided to write a story for my daughter and the madness set in…..

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it?

There were lots of books I loved when I was a kid. In high school, I would read three books a week. A lot of romance, I loved mysteries. Funny enough, I don’t remember reading that much fantasy, though. When I was younger, there were a couple of fantasies I loved: THE SWING IN THE SUMMER HOUSE by Jane Langton and THE WICKED ENCHANTMENT by Marg Benary-Isbet. I loved them enough that I tracked them down and bought a copy as an adult.

...Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I read a wide variety of books. At that time, they didn’t have a ‘young adult’ section, so I often read adult books in high school. Usually mysteries and romance novels.

Thanks so much for having me over! xo Kiki

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Faerie Ring (2011)

Blog: http://www.kikihamilton.com/ 

Twitter: @ kikihamilton

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 6: Interviews with Stacey Kade and Judith Graves

We kick off Day 6 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from authors Stacey Kade and Judith Graves (who did an amazing job of organizing this blog tour too).  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page daily for clues to answer questions and win a prize.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

You know, the fun thing about world building is that you need restrictions. You need rules that limit what your characters can and can’t do even if it turns out later that it would be waaaaay more convenient if they could do something that, by the rules of the world, is not possible. So, as long as those rules are logical to the world you’ve created, then you’ve got to stick with them and make them work. And usually, it adds an extra layer of tension to the story when characters are forced to stay within those boundaries. So, no, I don’t think I would change anything now, but if you’d asked me during the writing, when I was struggling to figure out how to make everything fit, I might have had a different answer!

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming?

I was startled when Alona took Will to see her mother in the first book. I never thought she would do that. But she was both angrier and braver than I’d given her credit for.

List your top 3 fictional crushes and why do they make the list? 

Mr. Darcy, Han Solo, and Sam Winchester (through Season 4 of Supernatural). Mr. Darcy because, well, he’s so formal and proper but underneath it all he has a good heart. Han Solo, who doesn’t love a cocky space pirate who can make the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs? And Sam, my Sammy, because he’s vulnerable and sad and always tries so hard to do the right thing even when everyone else can see that it’s going to blow up in his face. (She’s a demon, Sam! How did you *think* that relationship was going to turn out?)

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

I don’t think there’s one particular book that inspired me, but I loved all the Nancy Drew/Trixie Belden type stories. In fact, the very first story I tried to write when I was a kid was very much in that same style.

Newest/Upcoming Release: The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead 

Blog: http://www.staceykade.com/ 

Twitter: @StaceyKade 




What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume? 

While I’m a huge horror buff and I love to decorate for Halloween, etc, I don’t have especially fond memories of the October 31sts of my youth. Several factors have made this so. 1. I’m five years younger than my brother and sister. 2. We grew up in Edmonton, Alberta. Put these tidbits together and this is what you get: -30C weather, and two candy-crazed older siblings who keep sending their youngest sister out in the mind-numbing cold for more sugary treats. The reward was watching them suffer from sugar hangovers while I slowly picked my way through my hidden stash.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially? Um…were you standing over my shoulder, or what? 

Yes, I’ve run into a few brick / plot walls thanks to rules I established in the first book. However, those moments kick my creativity into high gear, they provide challenges my characters wouldn’t have otherwise encountered and ultimately crank up the conflict. All good things. Besides, rules are meant to be broken and turning a character’s world upside down is what good fiction is all about. But you have to provide a solid foundation for the rule breaking to appear logical, even if it’s only a temporary glitch caused by wonky magic. ;)

Since you are also a musician, do you create a playlist for your books? Characters? 

I do! I also write songs from different characters POVs – this process reveals layers, backstory or secrets I didn’t know they had. The lyrics are essentially their innermost feelings, fears and desires. For me it’s kind of a character development exercise, set to music. I quickly record those tunes in ProTools (I’m a bit of a computer geek) and incorporate them in my playlists of “real” tunage. I use something called position music, compositions intended for film use – often the background tunes of book trailers, short films, etc – for when I’m writing battle scenes. The intensity keeps my writing sharp. I also listen to specific songs when trying to evoke a certain mood or emotion. In Second Skin, I listened to Metallica’s, Enter Sandman whenever a certain demon gave Eryn hell.

What books did you love as a child that you continue to see being checked out by children today?

There isn’t one particular title, however my time in school and public libraries assures me that the topics, genres, and authors I gravitated toward in my tweens and teens are still popular. Mythology and mythological creatures, cryptids (although that’s a newer term), ghost stories and hauntings, monsters, unexplained mysteries, horror, paranormal, romance, fairytales and retellings of fairytales, folklore from around the world and all things gothic or macabre.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Under My Skin; Second Skin (2011), Skin of My Teeth (2012)

Blog: http://judithgraves.com/ 

Twitter: @judithgraves

The Crossroads Blog Tour Day 5: Interviews with Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ashby

We kick off Day 5 of the Crossroads Blog Tour with interviews from Jeri Smith-Ready and Amanda Ahsby.  Don't forget to check out The Crossroads Blog Tour Main Page for clues to answer questions and win a prize.


What is your most embarrassing/funny/scary Halloween experience or costume?

My favorite Halloween was probably freshman year of college. My friends and I spontaneously decided to go trick or treating the night of Halloween in the neighborhood near campus. We thought the neighbors would be mad that a bunch of 18-year-olds were out trick or treating (in my hometown, twelve is the oldest you’re allowed to trick or treat—yes, there’s an actual law). But they were thrilled to see us! We got tons of candy and hot chocolate, because hardly any real kids in the area had bothered to dress up.

What was the most surprising thing that you discovered about one of your characters that you didn’t see coming? 

Auugh, I really wish I could say without spoiling, because this just happened to me last month. I was folding laundry, playing out a scene in my head like I was watching a movie. Aura said something, and Zachary said something in reply, and I was like WHAT, BOY?? You wait until the fourth draft of the third book to tell me THAT? Then I had to flip through the earlier books to make sure this revelation didn’t contradict anything already established, and it didn’t. The reason why he’d kept the secret totally fit with his character and the way he feels about Aura.

If you could spend the afternoon with a favorite fictional character, who would it be and what would you do? 

I want to hang out with Cole and Sam from Maggie Stiefvater’s SHIVER series while they have a jam session. Then Sam can make dinner while Cole and I…keep ourselves occupied.

When authors create a world for a series there are rules they need to stick with for consistency, are there things you would change in your book world that you didn’t foresee being an issue initially?

Not when all is said and done. There definitely have been moments where an established rule has come back to haunt me (heh, I said “haunt”), but then it turns into a challenge to be even more innovative. As much as I resent the problems that come from complex worlds and plots, solving those problems makes for a much better book.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Shade, Shift (2011)

Blog: http://www.jerismithready.com/ 

Twitter: @jsmithready 






Creating a world in which a story is set into can be a challenge. What things do you take into consideration when creating that world? 

The main thing I take in to account is the Sara Hantz factor! Sara is actually one of my critique partners and while I have no interest in details, she is the master of logic so if I create a world that doesn’t make sense I KNOW that she is going to send me a zillion emails asking me to explain to her. Anyway, she’s worn me down over the years so that now I try and figure out as many answers as I can before I send it to her!!!! So, my advice for anyone who doesn’t have a Sara in their life, try and find the voice of reason who can sit on your shoulder and ask ‘what/what/where/when/why’ over and over again! Your world building will thank you for it!

Who was the most difficult character (from one of your books) for you to write and why? 

Honestly, I love my characters. I guess it’s like a casting call and if I don’t like a character I tend to rewrite them into someone that I do like! Mainly because if I’m going to spend so much time with them, I want them to amuse me!!!

If you could spend the afternoon with your favorite author, who would it be and what would you do? 

Oh, that sounds like fun!!! I have so many favorite authors and I do have a feeling that not all of them would be as much fun in person as they are on the pages of their books, so I’m going to pick Janet Evanovich because I’m sure she would be awesome. As for what we do, well I would probably take her to a deserted cottage in a wood and tell her that she’s not leaving until she lets Stephanie Plum end up with Morelli.

Was there a book as a child that you read which inspired you to be a writer and what book was it? Or What were your favorite books to read as a child? 

Like many writers, I loved reading as a child though it never for a moment occurred to me that I could be a writer (of course this was pre-Internet so it was a lot harder for me to figure out that writers were actually ‘real’ people!). Some of my favorite books growing up where Trixie Belden, Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Three Investigators, Swallows and Amazons and Ballet Shoes.

Newest/Upcoming Release: Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day 

Blog: http://www.amandaashby.com/ 

Twitter: @amandaashby