Elizabeth Dulemba: Why I Write For Teens

My guest this week is Elizabeth Dulemba. She's a talented picture book author who has ventured into the middle-grade world with her debut novel A BIRD ON WATER STREET, already garnering great praise. Elizabeth is also my new "agency-sister" at Erin Murphy Literary Agency, so I'm doubly thrilled to have her here. And her question - why write for kids and not for adults - is one I encounter all the time, and I share her passion for the answer to that question. 

Elizabeth has graciously offered to host a giveaway of a signed copy of A BIRD ON WATER STREET, so please comment to enter, and if you've reposted let me know for more points!

Here's Elizabeth:

Most authors of mid-grade novels get the question at some point, "Why do you write for teens? Why not write for adults?" And within the kidlit community, "Why write mid-grade? Why not write Young Adult?”

As a picture book author/illustrator for thirteen years, I'd heard the stories of such conversations, but I thought it was a cliché, a myth of the writing community. That was until word got out about my debut historical fiction mid-grade, A BIRD ON WATER STREET, and I started getting the questions myself. Happily, I have an answer.

Adult novels seem to me to be about solving problems (mysteries!), or finding that perfect mate, or re-discovering oneself. The first two elements might be indicative of any good story (replace mate with friend/companion/whatever). But the third is where I like to dwell. But I skip all of the re-discovery nonsense and go straight to the source, in the beginning, when a main character isn't re-discovering anything - when they are discovering who they are and what the world is all about for the first time.

To me, it makes for unpredictable scenarios. Young teens aren’t yet set in their ways. They don’t know if they are generally good or bad, if they tend to make smart decisions or not. It's all new territory and the pendulum could swing either way.

Like thirteen-year-old Jack in A BIRD ON WATER STREET… will he stand up for what he believes in, or follow the generation of miners in his family into a career that causes him anxiety and distress? When Jack’s uncle is killed in a mine collapse, will he stand by mining as a viable option for his future, or will he try to do something to improve the damage that has been done to the land after a century of poor copper mining practices and pollution? His family may love everything underground, but Jack loves everything above - or what is supposed to be above anyhow. His denuded home has no weeds, no trees, no bugs, no birds. How can Jack follow his heart and support his community at the same time?

In the hands of a young boy, these are enormous questions - how to be true to yourself, or who you think you might be, especially when it runs counter to who you’ve been taught to be.

It's all about firsts really, when the world is still a wonder. When a teen is trying to make sense of things. It’s an exciting and unpredictable time. There is such promise and possibility - the world is wide open! It's a powerful sensation, which is why I find it especially profound to explore those emotions when they're happening for the first time. It's why mid-grade may very well be a sweet spot for me. I hope for my readers too!

Awards for A BIRD ON WATER STREET:

·      Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance OKRA Book Pick

·      Gold Mom’s Choice Award

·      ABOWS has been chosen as THE 2014 title to represent the state of Georgia at the National Book Festival in Washington, D.C.

Website:          http://dulemba.com

                        http://ABirdOnWaterStreet.com

Facebook:        https://www.facebook.com/ElizabethDulemba

Twitter:           @dulemba

Sign up for my newsletter and get free coloring pages at: http://dulemba.com/index_ColoringPages.html

Elizabeth O. Dulemba is an award-winning children's book author/illustrator with two dozen titles to her credit. She is Illustrator Coordinator for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Southern Breeze region, a Board Member for the Georgia Center for the Book, and a Visiting Associate Professor at Hollins University in the MFA in Children's Book Writing and Illustrating program. She speaks regularly at schools, festivals, and events, and her "Coloring Page Tuesday" images (free to parents, teachers and librarians) garner around a million hits to her website annually with over 3,500 subscribers to her newsletter. A BIRD ON WATER STREET (Little Pickle Press) is her first novel and has already won three awards: it is a Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance (SIBA) Okra Pick; a Gold Mom’s Choice Award Winner; and is THE 2014 National Book Festival Featured Title for the state of Georgia in Washington, D.C. Learn more at <http://ABirdOnWaterStreet.com>.

Map Art: A Fab Nonfiction Project Lab

This week I'm participating in a blog tour for a gorgeous new book: Map Art Lab, by Jill K. Berry and Linden McNeilly.

Before I began writing for children I experimented with design, and took a series of classes at Rhode Island School of Design, one of which was 2-Dimensional Design. One of my portfolio requirements was to design a game board.

I wish I'd had this book back then - because there, on page 94, is a wonderful way to make a game board, complete with lore and images of some of the earliest boards.

And that's what this book is filled with. Beautiful and artistic projects, with stunning visuals and fun histories. And, hey, there are 52 of these projects, so you and the kids could spend an entire year, one week at a time, having a blast.

If you comment on this or on any of the other tour stops (see below) you'll be entered in contests to win a copy of this must-have book. For this stop, please leave a comment with contact info and whether you've posted to other social media. 

May 7 Linden McNeilly  http://www.facebook.com/lindenmcn

May 8 Kim Rae Nugent   http://kimraenugent.blogspot.com/

May 9 Debbie Gonzalez  http://www.debbiegonzales.com/simple-saturday/

May 9 Cynthia Morris   http://www.originalimpulse.com/blog/

May 10 Amy Smith   http://www.amysmithdesigns.com/blog

May 12 Sean Corcoran  https://www.facebook.com/TheArtHand

May 13 Janet Fox   http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com/

May 14 Tony Kehlhofer  http://www.maps4kids.com/blog

May 15 Laurie Mika   http://mikaarts.com/wordpress/

May 16 Jill Berry  http://jillberrydesign.com/blog/

Go for it!

And the Winner Is..........

I'm delighted to announce that L Myles has won an ARC of Penelope Crumb Is Mad at the Moon! Thanks for all your comments!

WEIRD ROCKS Rocks!! Plus a Giveaway

When I was a kid my first hobby was rock collecting. It all started with one of those little sampler boxes that we picked up at a museum. Then my parents took us rock-hounding: searching for gems in places open to the public. Then my sister found (and subsequently lost, sadly) a lovely ruby. Then I got my masters in geology. Then I married a geologist...well, you get the drill.

What I would've given for a copy of this book when I was young! Michele Corriel has written a truly fun exploration of some of the weirder rocks on the planet. Today she's here with a guest post, plus she's giving away one copy of WEIRD ROCKS. It would be a great addition to any library. All you need to do is comment and I'll put you in my random giveaway generator!

Sometimes it’s easy to think of a non-fiction picture book (or any non-fiction book) as a way to get information across to young readers. But for me, it’s much more than that. It’s an opportunity to understand language. It’s a new door opening for a poetic perspective. A new inlet to creativity. 

For example, you can’t say the “obsidian black sky” before you know what obsidian is. You can’t say “the granite feeling of winter” without knowing how old and stubborn granite can be.

There is also something empowering about being able to name things. (Think about Voldemort and how by never saying his name everyone became even more afraid.) For me, non-fiction is more empowering than the Hallow's elder wand.

So when I’m sitting down to write a non-fiction picture book, I think very hard about the words I’m using and how to embracing the language in a way that can open the door for young readers to use those words and to understand the concepts, not just in the scientific way, but in a poetic way as well.

In the same way, non-fiction books can used in the classroom as a means to seeing vocabulary not only as definitions but to hear how melodic words can be, how close beauty is to an idea. And, of course, as a way of avoiding the dreaded clichés.

Another way to use non-fiction for creative writing is to use the old “what if” scenario. What If the continents never drifted apart? What kind of world would we live in? Would we be a single country?

I also like to try to think out of the box when I approach a subject that has the potential to be very dry. I try to come up with a new way to introduce the reader to something as boring as, say, a simple rock. For every rock we come across there is a history as ancient the earth itself. Sometimes, even older (I’m thinking of meteorites). I think of star dust and mysteries. I think of cities destroyed by volcanoes. Or inland oceans whose only signature is the fossils they left behind.

Besides the words themselves, besides the story behind the subject, there are the people whose lives are dedicated to sorting out a single question.

The world is such a fascinating place, and it is the job of the non-fiction writer to get that point that across to the reader.

Check out the WEIRD ROCKS trailer, and then comment to win a copy!

Uma Krishnaswami's THE PROBLEM WITH BEING SLIGHTLY HEROIC: Interview & Giveaway

Uma Krishnaswami is one of my favorite people, not to mention one of my favorite authors, not to mention a true talent, crafting delightful middle grade books. Like her newest - The Problem With Being Slightly Heroic, a sequel to her charming The Grand Plan to Fix Everything - rich with humor, cultural interest, and fabulous characters. (Full disclosure: Uma was my advisor at Vermont College of Fine Arts during my critical thesis semester, and she Made. It. Happen.)

At my urging (okay, I had to beg...okay, I had to promise the Chef my own grandmother's secret granache recipe) Uma was able to persuade the one and only Chef Armend Latifi (yes, people, "Cooking With the Stars" Chef Armend!) to join me on the blog for an interview.

But before we go too far, we do have a giveaway!! There's a giveaway copy of The Problem With Being Slightly Heroic (U.S. addresses, please), so check out the Rafflecopter at the bottom!

Now, here we go into the Chef's inner sanctum...

Chef Armend, please forgive the intrusion into your busy schedule. I hope you don’t mind my stepping into your kitchen to ask you a few questions.

WHO are you? Blogs? What is a blog? Never heard of you. Young lady, listen to me. If your business is not haute cuisine, I have no time for it.

Um—can we talk…[looks around for inspiration] pastry crust? [Steps inside the door]. Please. Pretty please?

Whatwhat? You’re interested in pastry crust? Why didn’t you say so? Sit. Here. Take a look at that. Fine, yes? Look at that surface, that texture! That is a divine crust, you hear, divine. It is a symphony made with flour and butter and a delicate sprinkling of sea salt. [Stands there for a moment, lost in admiration of his own handiwork].

[Interviewer happens to think her pastry crust is pretty darn good, thank you very much...um, sorry.] Chef, what is your opinion of rose petal milk shakes? Of rose petal chocolate cake? Of rose petals in general?

Rose petals? Rose petals? [Kisses his fingertips.] I am a connoisseur of rose petals. There are rumors flying around that I used to be allergic to them. [Mutters] That is all nonsense. You be sure and tell your readers—all fabrication and lies. I am a sensitive soul, that’s all, and roses are a vital part of my family history. As for rose petal chocolate cake, let me tell you that MY cake is to be entered in the next Great British Bake-off. They’re taking bets on it, I’m told—what do you think about that?

Most impressive, Chef. On another subject, how do you feel about your first meeting with Dolly Singh?

Whowhowho? Oh, Dolly. We have a good working relationship now, don’t get me wrong. But she—she’s a bit touchy. [Shudders.] All that jewelry she throws around. Touchy and unpredictable, and we will not even talk about that first meeting, nonoNO. [Slams hand down on counter, then shrugs.] Well what do you expect? From a movie star? Hey, they’re all like that. Try this dressing for my six-fruit compote. Is that a wondrous flavor? Tastetastetaste!

[Yum. Yumyumyum. Wipes lips.] I know you were very fond of your grandmother. Can you tell us a bit about her?

My Nona? My NONA! [Wipes eyes.] She was a SAINT. A saint, but could anyone win an argument with her? ANYONE? NO, I tell you, no. My Nona was the cleverest woman in the world and the bravest and the kindest, the sweetest, the best. She used to read poetry to me—about love, suffering, solitude, death. The thorns that plague all rose bushes. Beautiful, simply beautiful! Do you have a grandmother? DO you? Grandmothers. They are all saints!

[See intro re ganache, which recipe interviewer politely and slyly slides across the table...] Maybe you could give me some culinary advice. I have this recipe for chocolate-cucumber-mint….

Cucumber? Chocolate-cucumber-mint? [Shakes head violently.] In a word…NO! And now thank you very much but I have work to do, WORK! Unlike some people who spend their time writing in blogs. Ha! [Takes notes as interviewer leaves and can be heard murmuring]. Chocolate. Cucumber. Huh. Mint? Hmmm.

Want more from the Chef? I do!! Here you go:

Uma Krishnaswami is the author of several books for children, including the first story featuring Dini, Maddie, and Dolly, The Grand Plan to Fix Everything. She is also on the faculty of the Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults. Ms. Krishnaswami was born in New Delhi, India, and now lives in Aztec, New Mexico. To learn more, visit her website: http://www.umakrishnaswami.com/.

Watch the book trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zuWPm5vWZ8

Follow all of the unforgettable characters from The Problem with Being Slightly Heroic on Uma Krishnaswami’s blog tour!

Mon, Aug 19	GreenBeanTeenQueen	http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/	Dini
Tues, Aug 20	There's a Book	http://www.theresabook.com/	Maddie
Wed, Aug 21	Once Upon a Story	http://www.novalibrarymom.com/	Soli Dustup
Thurs, Aug 22	The Compulsive Reader	http://www.thecompulsivereader.com/	Dini's father
Fri, Aug 23	Sharpread	http://sharpread.wordpress.com/	Chickoo Uncle
Sat, Aug 24	Booking Mama	http://www.bookingmama.net/	review
Mon, Aug 26	Read Now, Sleep later	http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/	Mini
Tues, Aug 27	I Read Banned Books	http://www.jenbigheart.com/	Dolly
Wed, Aug 28	Through the Wardrobe	http://kidswriterjfox.blogspot.com/	Chef Armend Latifi
Thurs, Aug 29	The Book Monsters	http://www.thebookmonsters.com/	Ollie
Fri, Aug 30	The Brain Lair	http://www.thebrainlair.com/	Alana

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thank You!!!

This week I want to give a shout-out to some fabulous bloggers who are hosting give-aways and teaser reveals for my newest release SIRENS. You are all my heroes: we authors are forever grateful for the way you help to spread the word about new books.

So, thank you, thank you, a million times thank you! to:

My Friend Amy

Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf

The Compulsive Reader

Emily's Reading Room

The Mod Podge Bookshelf

In Bed With Books

The Story Siren

Poisoned Rationality

Check out the links - some of the contests are still open! I'll have more thank-you's very soon.

And don't miss the Crossroads Blog Tour on now. A bunch of fabulous authors, spearheaded by my friend Judith Graves, are on board that train, including me. Look for lots of paranormals. The grand prize for coming by this tour is a Kindle, preloaded with our books - wow!

We'll all be together for a Twitter chat, hosted by the awesome Mundie Moms, on Monday, October 29 - check it out.

And since this second baby is now out in the world, here's teaser number 2 for SIRENS, with a shout-out to my talented son, Kevin Fox, who makes all my trailers: