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Friday, June 3, 2011

YA Cafe: Summer Reading Book Club

Welcome Back to YA Cafe, where book lovers can gather and chat about teen literature.  I'm your barista, along with Ghenet from All About Them Words.

Each Friday we pick from a menu of topics and share our thoughts on our respective blogs.  We've also got plans brewing for interviews, events and even some exciting giveaways, so stay tuned!  Join the discussion by responding in the comments, on your own blogs or on twitter using the hash tag #yacafe.

Today's Special: YA Cafe Summer Reading Book Club

Here at YA Cafe, we talk about about books and YA themes, so it seemed liked the logical next step would be to read books and discuss them together.  Ghenet and I thought that it might be fun to read a couple of books over the summer (some fun summer reads!) and then host a book club through YA Cafe.

Our first book would be The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han and we'd discuss it on June 24th.  The idea behind doing this book is that the third book in the series is out this summer, so we thought it might be a fun way for people who want to get into the series but haven't gotten a chance to catch up on the first book.  For people who've already read the first two books, they might find it fun to re-read the first before reading the new one, just as a refresher.

The way we see the book club working is we'd post on our blogs the day of the book club, and then you all can comment either in the comments, or leave a link to your blog where you discuss the book.  In addition to the actual book club, we're also planning on tying in a giveaway with one of our summer books and maybe even getting some twitter chats going.

What I want to know is... what do you think of this idea?  Are you in?

Also, don't forget about our super-fun blogfest next week.  Sign up using the linky below and then on June 10, tell us why you write YA on your own blog.  Then hop around to different blogs and see what other folks are saying.

Join our "Why Do You Write YA?" Blogfest!

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Core Workout for Writers

Melissa Paris (Missy) is always stressing to me how important it is to have good posture and to work my core.  Here are some core exercises that you can do right next to your desk and without any equipment.  For more information about Melissa Paris, check out her blog and her Facebook page or connect with her on twitter (@Melissa_Paris). 

The core is the essential part of your body.  It helps you sit up straight at your desk and with proper training can prevent you from getting lower back pain.  So lets get to it!

• Plank hold for 30 seconds
• 20 Back Extensions: face down, hands laced behind head, lift upper body off the ground.
           Repeat 3 times
Plank


• 20 Bicycle Crunches
• Side Plank 15-30 seconds each side
           Repeat 3 times
Side Plank

• 20  Standing Side Bend with towel, 20 each side
• 20 Superman: face down, hands and feet lift off floor for 2 second count
           Repeat 3 times

Thanks for these awesome exercises, Missy! I'll definitely be using them on my work breaks this week. (Even plank, which you know is my favorite :P)

Remember, you can get more information about Melissa Paris, at her blog and her Facebook page or by connecting with her on twitter (@Melissa_Paris). 

Monday, May 30, 2011

More BEA Fun!

BEA 2011 has come and gone and I've come home with armloads of treasure, some of it collected especially with you in mind, reader friends.

On the left you see a stack of books, all of which I picked up just for you (I even met one of the authors and managed to get that book signed!)  You'll have a chance to win these books over the summer and fall via giveaways either on iggi&gabi or on YA Cafe. Stay tuned.

More exciting yet, I've put together two awesome bags o' swag.  Each includes an adorable tote, two ARCs, an iggilicious journal and much more!  I assembled these bags especially to commemorate a sooper-seekrit, sooper-exciting blog milestone that will be coming up within the next week or so.  Don't worry.  I'll let you know more details on how to win these bags-of-awesome when the time comes.  All you gotta do is keep your eye open for updates.

OK, reader friends, that's all for today.  Missed you tons!  Did ya miss me?

Sunday, May 29, 2011

5 Best Books... from BEA that I Can't Wait to Read

Today I've decided to join the 5 Best Books meme hosted by Indie Reader Houston.  This week's theme is 5 Best Books I picked up at BEA, but I wanted to make it more specific.  I picked up a ton of books at BEA and it's tough for me to know which ones are the "best" until I read them.  Instead, I'm listing the 5 books that are on the nightstand right now as we speak, the 5 books I absolutely cannot wait to read.  Here's my list.



Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
I read The Invention of Hugo Cabret and loved it.  About a year ago I had the opportunity to meet Brian Selznick and hear him speak about this new book.  I've been waiting anxiously for it ever since!



The Wikkeling by Steven Arnston
This is perhaps one of the most beautifully designed books I picked up at BEA.  The art is gorgeous, including several color plates in the middle and silhouette illustrations throughout.  Many of you who know me, know I love books that pay attention to every detail of the reading experience.  I have a feeling, this is one of those books.



The Chronicles of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg
I am a huge fan of The Mystery if Harris Burdick and the line-up of authors contributing to this anthology is nothing short of awesome.  Oh and let's not forget Van Allsburg's gorgeous illustrations.  If the stories are as amazing as the drawings, this will probably make my list of all-time favorites.



The Future of Us by Carolyn Mackler and Jay Asher
I love Carolyn Mackler's books.  I've read every single one and I've been waiting for what feels like an eternity for the next one to come out.  The fact that she's teamed up with Jay Asher (author of Thirteen Reasons Why) makes this book all the more exciting.  Also, I love books that are co-authored because I like seeing the different author voices work together.


The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer, adapted by Seymour Chwast
The Canterbury tales are among my favorite pieces of literature of all time.  What could be cooler than reading a version of the tales in graphic novel form?  Needless to say, when I saw this at BEA, I jumped on it.  And the cover image of the Wyf of Bathe riding a motorcycle... hello?  That just rocks.


For more 5 Best Books, check out Indie Reader Houston's blog.  You can also join the linky at her blog and share your own 5 Best Books list.

Friday, May 27, 2011

YA Cafe: "Why Do You Write YA" Blogfest!

Welcome Back to YA Cafe, where book lovers can gather and chat about teen literature.  I'm your barista, along with Ghenet from All About Them Words.

Each Friday we pick from a menu of topics and share our thoughts on our respective blogs.  We've also got plans brewing for interviews, events and even some exciting giveaways, so stay tuned!  Join the discussion by responding in the comments, on your own blogs or on twitter using the hash tag #yacafe.

Today's Special: "Why Do You Write YA" Blogfest!

Ghenet and I decided to do something a little different.  We've been doing all the talking so far and we thought it would be fun to hear from you, so we decided to host a blogfest!  Since so many of you write for teens, we want to know: Why do you write YA?  Post your response on your blog on June 10th.  Use the button on this post to sign up so we'll know where to find you.  Then on June 10th, hop around using the list of links and find out why other writers write YA!

We whipped up this button to help you spread the word. :)
We hope you'll join us!


 Why do you write YA?  Tell us on your blog on June 10th!

Monday, May 23, 2011

Be Back Soon...

Wow, it's been a crazy weekend and with BEA coming up, it's going to be a crazy week.  Between BookExpo and my teaching schedule, I'll have to take a few days off from posting, but I promise I'll be back soon with lots of iggilicious BEA news.



iggi and I will both be at BEA, so if any of you are there, look for me. I'll be the person with the Iggi button on her badge.

Friday, May 20, 2011

YA Cafe: 5 Facts You Should Know about YA


Welcome Back to YA Cafe, where book lovers can gather and chat about teen literature.  I'm your barista, along with Ghenet from All About Them Words.  Today we have a few guests joining us: the Editorial Staff from Verbal Pyrotechnics, an online magazine dedicated to publishing the best teen literature on the Internet.

Each Friday we pick from a menu of topics and share our thoughts on our respective blogs.  We've also got plans brewing for interviews, events and even some exciting giveaways, so stay tuned!  Join the discussion by responding in the comments, on your own blogs or on twitter using the hash tag #yacafe. 

Today's Special: The Stigma of Reading and Writing YA

I think anyone who writes or loves to read YA has experienced the Stigma.  It's happened to me more times than I can count.  For instance, I tried lending lawyer-hubby a YA book and he said "no" because he couldn't read a teen book on the subway... what if he ran into his boss or someone from the firm?  They would think that he *gasp* liked reading YA.  I couldn't see what the big deal was but I decided let this one slide, after all, lawyer-hubby doesn't make me read his boring law books.

A more painful example, though, was when I was taking a writing class with students writing in various genres.  I was the only writer in the class working on YA and when my turn for critique came up, the teacher felt the need to preface it by telling the other students to take my piece just as seriously as any other, even though it was written for teens.  I didn't know who I wanted to smack first, the students for needing the lecture or the teacher for giving it.

It's moments like these that leave me feeling somehow inferior for loving and writing YA.  Yet, if you look at the facts, YA is actually one of the most exciting places to be both as a reader and writer.

Fact #1: The YA market is booming... other areas of fiction, not so much.  I moderated a panel on Reading and Technology last week and of course, one of the many topics that came up was YA.  According to a publisher on the panel, one trend that's partially responsible for the boom in YA is that adults are reading YA, more so than ever before.  These phenomenon has made it so that while the rest of publishing is struggling, YA is doing well.

Fact #2: Today's YA is not the same YA many of us grew up with.  In fact, it's a whole lot better.  When I was a teen, YA books at the time didn't do much for me so I just skipped YA altogether and started reading books for adults.  If I were a teen now, though, I'd never want to stop reading YA.  There's a lot more risk-taking going on, and books are edgier and more sophisticated.  Frankly, YA has just gotten a whole lot better in the last ten-to-fifteen years.

Fact #3: YA fans are really into their books.  As a writer, it's so great to be writing in a category that has such dedicated fans and such a vibrant literary community.  For an "lesser-genre" we sure have a lot of fans.Want proof?  Check out this blog list of all YA book blogs.  And let's not forget The Story Siren, who is perhaps one of the most prolific and well-known book bloggers out there, she blogs about YA.  So there.

Fact #4: You can pull some stunts in YA you'd never be allowed to do in "regular" fiction.  From an anthology about Zombies vs. Unicorns, to a fairytale about a girl married to a polar bear, to a book about the struggles of a transsexual teen, YA lets you do as much or more than adult literature.  Maybe it's because readers are more willing to read outside their comfort zones.  Maybe it's because the writers are more willing to write outside their comfort zones.  I'm not sure.

Or maybe it's because genres tend to meld together in YA.  Whereas in adult literature tends to be broken up according to category, teen literature is usually shelved together.  This might be because a lot of YA often tends to cross over genres.  In adult literature, you have fantasy in one category and romance in another.  YA often combines the two.  All I know is that as a writer, I feel like I can do things in YA that I wouldn't be able to do if I were writing strictly for adults.

Fact #5: YA is awesome!*  It's that simple.  YA is fun, it's interesting, it speaks to me in a way that no other category does.  Other fiction is fine and I'll read it from time to time, but frankly, I find it a bit dull.
*OK, so this one is an opinion but you get the idea.

Have you ever experienced the stigma of reading or writing YA?  Feel free to vent about it in the comments!

Want to hear more about the Stigma of YA?  Fellow barista, Ghenet shares her thoughts on her blog: All About Them Words and our guests Verbal Pyrotechnics discuss it on their site too!  Check it out, then tell us what you think!

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