Announcements

UTAH CHILDREN'S WRITERS AND ILLUSTRATORS

Announcement List—January 10, 2007

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CONGRATULATIONS!

To Sara Zarr, whose debut YA novel, STORY OF A GIRL (Little, Brown), Sara Zarr's debut YA novel, STORY OF A GIRL, is in stores now! The book has received a starred review from School Library Journal, and Kirkus wrote, "…This involving, touching first novel will resonate with those who have made mistakes and those who have not."

To Becky Hall, whose book, Morris and Buddy, The Story of the First Seeing Eye Dog, comes out in March 2007. 
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NEW BOOKS

from Jeff Carney, THE ADVENTURES OF MICHAEL MACINNES (FSG), on October 13, 2006.

from Chris Crowe, The Center for Christian Values in Literature is publishing "How I Came to Write:" LDS Authors for Young Adults in December 2006.

from Gloria Skurzynski,VIRTUAL WAR CHRONOLOGS BOOK FOUR, THE CHOICE.

from Greg Swearingen, illustrator, FAIRY QUITE CONTRARY, a picture book by Mem Fox.

from Rick Walton, MERRY MAPS AND CHRISTMAS CLUES: 25 TREASURE HUNTS FOR THE SEASON, from Leatherworks.

from Sara Zarr, STORY OF A GIRL, Little, Brown, January 2007.

COMING SOON 

Spring 2007

from Mark and Cara Buehner, GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS.

from Chris Crowe, TWO ROADS with Deseret Book.

from Chris Crowe, TEACHING THE SELECTED WORKS OF MILDRED D TAYLOR by Heinemann.

from Jessica Day George, DRAGONSKIN SLIPPERS, from Bloomsbury.
May, 2007.

from Becky Hall, Morris and Buddy, The Story of the First Seeing Eye Dog, comes out in March 2007.

from Sherry Meidell, THE CENTAUR, written by May Swenson, from Utah State University Press.

from Gloria Skurzynski and Alane Ferguson, NIGHT OF THE BLACK BEAR, from National Geographic.

from Mike Tunnell, the sequel to WISHING MOON, MOON WITHOUT MAGIC, with Dutton.

from Carol Williams, OH THE GAMES YOU CAN PLAY ON A CHECKERBOARD, from Gibbs Smith.

Summer 2007

from Ann Dee Knight Ellis, THIS IS WHAT I DID, July.

from Nathan Hale, author/illustrator, THIEVES LIKE US, and YELLOWBELLY AND PLUM, from Putnam.

from Becky Hall, 1-2-3 COUNT WITH ME: A UTAH COUNTING BOOK, a pb, to Sleeping Bear Press.

from Becky Hall, THE BIOGRAPHY OF MORRIS FRANK, to Albert Whitman.

from Mette Harrison, THE PRINCESS AND THE HOUND, a fantasy YA, from Harper Eos.

from Carla Morris, THE BOY WHO WAS RAISED BY LIBRARIANS, a picture book, illustrated by Brad Sneed, from Peachtree.

from Danna Kessimakis Smith, WHAT BEST FRIENDS DO, a picture book, published by Hyperion books for Children

from Kim Williams-Justesen, sequel to MY BROTHER, THE DOG, 2008

2008

from Shannon Hale and Dean Hale, RAPUNZEL'S REVENGE, illustrated by Nathan Hale, January 2008.

from Gloria Skurzynski, SWEAT AND BLOOD: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN LABOR UNIONS.

from Sharlee Glenn, JUST WHAT MAMA NEEDS, by Harcourt.

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APPEARANCES AND EVENTS

January 10, 2007--Rick Walton, Randall Wright, Ken Baker, and Sharlee Glenn will be speaking at Midvalley Elementary School.

January 23, 2007—Ken Baker will be doing a writing workshop at Dixon Middle School in Provo.

January 29, 2007-- Rick Walton will be doing two assemblies and an evening presentation at Grantsville Elementary School.

February 9, 2007 --Rick Walton will be visiting Snow Springs Elementary School in Lehi.

February 28, 2007-- Rick Walton will be visiting Manila Elementary in Pleasant Grove.

March 1, 2007 --Rick Walton will be speaking at UELMA.

March 5-8, 2007 -- Rick Walton will be visiting several schools in the St. George area.

March 14, 2007—Ken Baker will be visiting Northlake Elementary in Tooele.

March 23-24, 2007—Sharlee Glenn will be presenting at the LDStorymaker Conference

April 12, 2007—Sharlee Glenn will be doing an assembly at Riverton Elementary School

April 20, 2007 --Rick Walton will be visiting East Elementary School in Tooele.

May 11, 2007 --Rick Walton will be speaking to the Granite School District librarians.

June 11-15, 2007 --Rick Walton will be on the faculty of the BYU Writing for Young Readers workshop.

June 17-22, 2007 --Rick Walton will be on the faculty of Writers at Work.


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SPECIAL OPPORTUNITIES

Randall Wright is now available for storytelling for birthday parties, church socials, business meetings, school events, etc. He tells original stories, folk tales, ghost stories, etc. For information and prices email him at randall.w.wright@comcast.net.

BRING AN AUTHOR OR ILLUSTRATOR TO YOUR SCHOOL

When kids get to meet and learn from real authors they get excited about reading and writing. It's a great way to bring books to life. For information on presentations, fees, and contacts, go to www.ucwi.org/visit.htm, or check out the author/illustrator websites below. If you've never held an author visit and don't know what to do, go to www.rickwalton.com/utahauth/bringing.htm for information, guidelines, and advice.


A DEAL FOR SPECIAL CAUSES

If you want to get books into the hands of kids who need them--e.g., kids in shelters, kids in hospitals, kids in foreign countries, kids in summer reading programs--we can get you select novels, picture books and joke books at rock bottom prices. You can get hardcover books at prices lower than a cheap paperback. Contact Rick at rick@rickwalton.com or Carol at carolthewriter@yahoo.com for more information.


GET BOOKS INTO THE HANDS OF YOUR STUDENTS

Rick Walton has a supply of deeply discounted books. If you buy one copy for each of the students in your school, Rick will do a day long visit at your school for free.

For more information see www.rickwalton.com/aboutric/deal.htm.

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UTAH AUTHOR AND ILLUSTRATOR WEBSITES

Matthew Armstrong -- www.matthewart.com  
Ken Baker -- www.bravemonster.com 
Anne Bowen -- www.annebowenbooks.com 
Ann Edwards Cannon -- www.aecannon.com 
Chris Crowe -- www.chriscrowe.com 
Alane Ferguson -- www.alaneferguson.com 
Guy Francis -- www.guyfrancis.com 
Sharlee Glenn -- www.sharleeglenn.com 
Shannon Hale -- www.shannonhale.com 
Mette Ivie Harrison -- www.metteivieharrison.com 
Kim Williams Justesen -- http://hometown.aol.com/kimorchid/myhomepage/profile.html 
Sherry Meidell -- www.sherrymeidell.com 
Robert Neubecker -- www.neubecker.com 
Michael Nordenstrom -- www.riversoffire.com 
Julie Olson -- www.jujubeeillustrations.com 
Gloria Skurzynski -- http://gloriabooks.com 
Dana Kessimakis Smith -- www.danasmithbooks.com 
Will Terry -- www.willterry.com 
Laura Torres-- www.lauratorres.com   
Michael O. Tunnell-- www.michaelotunnell.com  
Rick Walton -- www.rickwalton.com 
Kevin Wasden -- www.kevinwasden.com 
Hala Wittwer-- www.artbyhala.com  
Carol Lynch Williams -- www.carolinutah.com 
Randall Wright -- www.booksbywright.com 

Sara Zarr and Ann Dee Knight Ellis are both a part of the Class of 2K7--a group of about 40 debut novelists across the country who are all publishing in 2007. They have an ezine for the group that will come out quarterly for anyone who is interested. There will also be a pamphlet, a movie (a short short movie), and some other pub stuff. The official website has more details. www.classof2k7.com. It's turning into a very cool project! Check it out!


UTAH WRITER AND LITERATURE ORGANIZATIONS WEBSITES

BYU Children's Book Review -- http://cbpr.lib.byu.edu  
Children's Lit. Assoc. of Utah (Beehive Book Awards)-- www.clau.org  
League of Utah Writers -- www.luwrite.com 
UCTE/LA -- http://community.weber.edu/uctela 
UT Council/International Reading Assoc. -- www.utahreading.org 
Utah Children's Writers and Illustrators -- www.ucwi.org 

If you have a Utah organization related to children's literature, please send it to us and we'll add it to the list.


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Are you, or do you know an author or illustrator of books for young readers? Are you sponsoring a children's literature related event? Is there something else related to this list that we should announce? Send announcements to rick@rickwalton.com.

Are you interested in writing for kids? If so, you should join the Utah Children's Writers listserv. Get involved with other writers in discussions about writing, reading, and marketing literature for kids. To join, send a blank e-mail to utahchildrenswriters- subscribe@yahoogroups.com.