Coming April 21, 2015
Dear Hank Williams, books, writing
An Early Peek
Olive Oil, Vinegar, and Writing
A few days ago my dear friends, Jennifer Archer and Charlotte Goebel drove over from Amarillo for a visit and a writing retreat. Even a mini-retreat can ignite creative juices. We did several timed writings, discussed our current works, and shared titles of books about our craft.
Late in the afternoon we decided to take a break. We justified our getaway by turning the short journey into a writing exercise--find a person who inspires a new character. Instead of heading for our intended destination--Starbucks, we somehow ended up at a shop, tasting olive oils and vinegars. On the ride back home, we realized we'd been charmed by the same person. We made a pact to each include a character in an upcoming story loosely inspired by her. I can guarantee you our characters will be different. Because that's the way inspiration goes. We each filter what we experience through our own lenses.
Silver Linings
If our irrigation well had not broken, I would never have experienced a moonlight watering.
An Offer for Educators of Chinese Students
Are you an educator of students whose first language is Chinese? If so, please contact me at kimberlywillisholt@gmail.com. I'm giving away three sets of the Chinese edition of the Piper Reed series.
For the Former Pink Flamingo Lady
When I met Karen Kessel 15 years ago I was visiting schools in Irving ISD where she worked as a librarian. The morning I saw the pink flamingos lined up outside her trailer library, I knew we'd be instant friends.
She moved to another part of Texas and a few years ago she invited me to her new school. Now we're both living in the same corner of the world. Today we'll meet for coffee. I think that deserves a little gift from my garden.
Why Bother?
A broken irrigation well can make a gardener ask, "Why bother?"
Here's why:
Life's interruptions can cause any creative person to ask the same question about her pursuits. If we look around with an open heart the answers are there.
Who is this?
Sunday marked the 20th anniversary of the day I started writing--June 15, 1994. I celebrated the day at Traders Village, a huge flea market in Grand Prairie, Texas. For some reason I bought this, justifying to myself that one should purchase something to remember such an occasion. Now as I study him perched on the top bookshelf of our library, I wonder, who the heck are you?
I'll Meet You at the Library!
Hey, Baton Rouge, spend the week at the library! Sarah Guillory and I'll meet you there on Wednesday, June 4, 2014 at 7:00 p.m. And on the other nights, there are some wonderful YA authors looking forward to meeting you, too!
Here are the details:
YA Authors to Speak at Free Library Events
As an offshoot of the LSU Young Adult (YA) Literature Conference & Seminar, which is scheduled June 2- 6 through the LSU College of Human Sciences & Education with keynote speaker and author Chris Crutcher, Crutcher and four other YA authors will be involved in three East Baton Rouge Parish Library System events that same week.
At 7 p.m. Monday, June 2, in the large meeting room of the new Main Library at Goodwood (7711 Goodwood Blvd., temporary parking off Independence Boulevard), Crutcher and fellow author Chris Crowe will read from their books for 20 minutes each, hold a question-and-answer session and then socialize with attendees. The free event is open to teen fans of their books or anyone interested in YA (teen) literature.
Crutcher’s first book, “Running Loose”, was published in 1983 for young adults. Since that time, he has published several books, including “Ironman”, “Whale Talk”, “Angry Management”, “Staying Fat for Sarah Byrnes”, “Stotan!” and his latest, “Period.8”. His many awards include the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award and two Intellectual Freedom awards,
one from the National Council for Teachers of English and another from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Crutcher’s short story “Angus” was released as a motion picture in 1995.
A professor of English at Brigham Young University, Crowe’s newest book is “Death Coming Up the Hill”, but he also is known for many others, including “Just As Good” and “Two Roads”. “Mississippi Trial, 1955” won several awards, including the 2003 International Reading Association’s Young Adult Novel Award. His nonfiction book “Getting Away with Murder: The True Story of the Emmett Till Case” was a Jane Addams Honor Book.
In addition, YA authors Kimberly Willis Holt and Sarah Guillory plan to read from their books at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 4, at the Main Library. This also is a free event that will include opportunities for questions and discussions with the audience. Guillory has always loved words and had a passion for literature. She teaches high school English and lives in Louisiana with her husband and their bloodhound, Gus. Her debut book is “Reclaimed”, which was released in 2013. Holt recently released “Dinner with the Highbrows” but also is known as the author of the Piper Reed series and many award- winning novels, including “My Louisiana Sky”, “The Water Seeker” and “Zachary Beaver Came to Town” (a National Book Award for Young People’s Literature winner). “My Louisiana Sky” was turned into a movie and won several book awards, among them ALA Notable Book for Children and Best 10 Books for Young Adults and the Louisiana Literary Award.
Authors Crutcher, Crowe and Matt de la Peña also plan to visit with teens in residence at the EBR Juvenile Detention Center on Tuesday, June 3. De la Peña is the author of such critically acclaimed young adult novels as “Balls Don’t Lie”, “Mexican WhiteBoy”, “I will Save You” and “The Living”.
For more information or to register for the LSU Young Adult Literature Conference, visit chse.lsu.edu/yalit or email lsuyal@lsu.edu. For more information about these author-related library events, visit www.ebrpl.com or email sgordon@ebrpl.com.
Memorial Day
This morning when my husband and I visited my in-laws' graves, we noticed a young father and his daughter placing flags at their loved ones' headstones. They were kind enough to let me capture the moment.
Hello, Louisiana Educators!
I'll be coming your way soon! Here's all the info:
Hope to see you there!!!