Moving to LiveJournal

At Theo’s recommendation, I’ve switched to Live Journal.

Obviously.

So here’s what’s up…

More reviews are up for PROM. Fellow author and all-around great Texan Cynthia Leitich Smith also weighed in about the book. (Note – if you are a teacher, writer, or lover of children’s and teens books, spend your lunch hour (or all afternoon) enjoying Cynthia’s incredible website. Cyn is the author who really set the standard for comprehensive author websites, and was the inspiration for the changes on my site. Look at her husband Greg’s site, too! His new book, TOFU AND T. REX is getting rave reviews.)

Mer and I had an ab-fab time in NYC. We LOVED Wicked. Had one of those Twilight Zone moments before the play. We were eating dinner at a Cosi near the theater (go and eat S’Mores there) and we couldn’t help overhearing the conversation two girls were having at the next table. Nobody within a quarter-mile radius could help overhearing them because they were talking VERY LOUDLY so as to draw maximum attention. Anyway, these were brand-new college roommates who, like us, were stoked because they were about to see Wicked. But they were also busy getting to know each. There was a little sparring and lots of nervous laughter. Who was going to be the alpha roommate? Who was going to call the shots? What made this extra-amusing is that the central premise of Wicked is that Glinda the Good Witch (we’re talking Wizard of Oz here) was the college roommate of the Wicked Witch of the West. It was very tempting to ask those girls for their Livejournals so we could follow the state of their relationship over the next five months. But we didn’t have the guts to do it.

We saw the play, bought popcorn on the way back to the hotel, and slept like death. Next morning we went out for real bagels and schmear for breakfast, then we shopped down Fifth Ave., until we got to the train station and came home. If you haven’t been to a Broadway show or spent a couple days in New York City yet, put it on your To-Do list and start saving money right now.

I also had a long meeting with my Simon & Schuster editor, Kevin. Yes, there are photos, but everytime I try to put any photos in this stupid journal, the program yells at me. So imagine we are looking at Kevin and me conferring about book stuff.

I’ll update about the Eagles’ plan to win the Superbowl and conquer the world tomorrow.

Oh, wait. Before I sign off, there is an email I wanted to post. This comes from English teacher Joe Gucci of Johnson City High School, Johnson City, NY.

Mr. Gucci writes: In examining your novel, I have provided the students with an excerpt from Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. In reading this, the students quickly pick up on the fact that the name of the person that raped Ms. Angelou is Mr. Freeman. They (and I) are curious as to whether or not it was a coincidence that a Mr. Freeman also appears in your book. The kids also wonder if that it supposed to be his real name or if Melinda just gave him that name (similar to Mr. Neck and Hairwoman).

I actually borrowed Mr. Freeman’s name from one of my kid’s science teachers. The name, not the personality. My thinking was that the art teacher in the book is the person who helps Melinda free herself from her prison of silence. When I reread Caged Bird I saw the parallel and decided to leave it stand – not sure why, it just felt right. Your students might want to note that Melinda gives nicknames to the people she feels no connection to. She feels safe with her art teacher and knows that he really cares. Hence, Mr. Freeman is his real name.

Mr. Gucci also writes: I have searched far and wide for information regarding the release of the movie version of Speak. Is there any information available regarding a release date or a way to see this movie? My students have been begging me to get them news about the movie because they loved the book so much.

Theo really beefed up the Speak movie pages. We are posting the release update info here.

Melissa writes: Hi im doing a report on laurie hales anderson for school is you could tell me about ur self alitte that would help me alot thanks. ps im reading ur book speak

If you are doing a report about me, you’ll find everything you need on my About Me page.

Note to Heela – Thanks so much for your cool note. It made me smile.

54 Replies to “Moving to LiveJournal”

  1. Welcome to LiveJournal! There are tons of great authors who keep blogs on this system. Let me know if you’re interested in a complete list!

  2. Welcome to LiveJournal! There are tons of great authors who keep blogs on this system. Let me know if you’re interested in a complete list!

  3. Welcome to LiveJournal! There are tons of great authors who keep blogs on this system. Let me know if you’re interested in a complete list!

  4. Hi! You don’t know me, but it seemed weird to just add you without introducing myself. I am a children’s and YA bookseller in San Francisco — and I just read Prom, and am about to write a BookSense nomination for it. (This reminded me!) I am a fan, but I am not psychotic or anything, don’t worry. Welcome to LJ!

  5. Hi! You don’t know me, but it seemed weird to just add you without introducing myself. I am a children’s and YA bookseller in San Francisco — and I just read Prom, and am about to write a BookSense nomination for it. (This reminded me!) I am a fan, but I am not psychotic or anything, don’t worry. Welcome to LJ!

  6. Hi! You don’t know me, but it seemed weird to just add you without introducing myself. I am a children’s and YA bookseller in San Francisco — and I just read Prom, and am about to write a BookSense nomination for it. (This reminded me!) I am a fan, but I am not psychotic or anything, don’t worry. Welcome to LJ!

  7. Welcome to the LJ club, Laurie! I haven’t read PROM yet, but it’s at the top of my ARC stash from ALA…can’t wait. I don’t suppose you have pictures of Julie Strauss-Gabel and the other Penguin ladies who wore prom dresses to the ALA party? Julie won’t share!!!

    Barry

  8. Welcome to the LJ club, Laurie! I haven’t read PROM yet, but it’s at the top of my ARC stash from ALA…can’t wait. I don’t suppose you have pictures of Julie Strauss-Gabel and the other Penguin ladies who wore prom dresses to the ALA party? Julie won’t share!!!

    Barry

  9. Welcome to the LJ club, Laurie! I haven’t read PROM yet, but it’s at the top of my ARC stash from ALA…can’t wait. I don’t suppose you have pictures of Julie Strauss-Gabel and the other Penguin ladies who wore prom dresses to the ALA party? Julie won’t share!!!

    Barry

  10. Hi Laurie,

    Glad to see you in this neighborhood! We met a couple years ago at an S&S suite gathering in Atlanta (me=Gravel Queen). I just saw that you have a new book coming out, as I work in marketing for a bookstore in Milwaukee and we’re putting PROM in our March newsletter. Very exciting. I look forward to reading it.

    -Tea Benduhn

  11. Hi Laurie,

    Glad to see you in this neighborhood! We met a couple years ago at an S&S suite gathering in Atlanta (me=Gravel Queen). I just saw that you have a new book coming out, as I work in marketing for a bookstore in Milwaukee and we’re putting PROM in our March newsletter. Very exciting. I look forward to reading it.

    -Tea Benduhn

  12. Hi Laurie,

    Glad to see you in this neighborhood! We met a couple years ago at an S&S suite gathering in Atlanta (me=Gravel Queen). I just saw that you have a new book coming out, as I work in marketing for a bookstore in Milwaukee and we’re putting PROM in our March newsletter. Very exciting. I look forward to reading it.

    -Tea Benduhn

  13. Hi Laurie! Welcome to LJ… mind if I add you as one of my friends? I adore “Speak” and “Catalyst”… sorry, I haven’t read your others yet! I promise I will soon! I’m sure I’ll be getting Prom for my birthday. March is the best month!! 😉 (well… except for all the slush from the snow and the rochester weather I get.. oh well)

    Carly

  14. Hi Laurie! Welcome to LJ… mind if I add you as one of my friends? I adore “Speak” and “Catalyst”… sorry, I haven’t read your others yet! I promise I will soon! I’m sure I’ll be getting Prom for my birthday. March is the best month!! 😉 (well… except for all the slush from the snow and the rochester weather I get.. oh well)

    Carly

  15. Hi Laurie! Welcome to LJ… mind if I add you as one of my friends? I adore “Speak” and “Catalyst”… sorry, I haven’t read your others yet! I promise I will soon! I’m sure I’ll be getting Prom for my birthday. March is the best month!! 😉 (well… except for all the slush from the snow and the rochester weather I get.. oh well)

    Carly

  16. Hello and thanks for checking in! And thank you, thank you, thank you for the very kind Book Sense nomination. I thank you, my kids thank you, my characters thank you, and the puppy would thank you, but she is busy stalking evil boxes of crackers.

  17. Hello and thanks for checking in! And thank you, thank you, thank you for the very kind Book Sense nomination. I thank you, my kids thank you, my characters thank you, and the puppy would thank you, but she is busy stalking evil boxes of crackers.

  18. Hello and thanks for checking in! And thank you, thank you, thank you for the very kind Book Sense nomination. I thank you, my kids thank you, my characters thank you, and the puppy would thank you, but she is busy stalking evil boxes of crackers.

  19. I saw a couple photos but I definitely got the sense there were more…. hmmm.. blackmail material mayhaps? Did you have fun?

  20. I saw a couple photos but I definitely got the sense there were more…. hmmm.. blackmail material mayhaps? Did you have fun?

  21. I saw a couple photos but I definitely got the sense there were more…. hmmm.. blackmail material mayhaps? Did you have fun?

  22. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned. Let me know what you think of PROM. I must admit I envy you the Rochester weather. It rarely feels like real winter down here.

  23. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned. Let me know what you think of PROM. I must admit I envy you the Rochester weather. It rarely feels like real winter down here.

  24. The more the merrier as far as I’m concerned. Let me know what you think of PROM. I must admit I envy you the Rochester weather. It rarely feels like real winter down here.

  25. I’m a YA librarian (and a big fan). i just found out about your LJ through and I’m so glad you have one!

    Just wanted to say that I recently finished reading an ARC of Prom and thought it was wonderful. It’s refreshing to read about “normal” kids, and you did a great job keeping them realistic (not to mention the fun plot). I’ve talked up the book in my Youth Advisory Board and they can’t wait for March. So, thank you from the reading frontline!

  26. I’m a YA librarian (and a big fan). i just found out about your LJ through and I’m so glad you have one!

    Just wanted to say that I recently finished reading an ARC of Prom and thought it was wonderful. It’s refreshing to read about “normal” kids, and you did a great job keeping them realistic (not to mention the fun plot). I’ve talked up the book in my Youth Advisory Board and they can’t wait for March. So, thank you from the reading frontline!

  27. I’m a YA librarian (and a big fan). i just found out about your LJ through and I’m so glad you have one!

    Just wanted to say that I recently finished reading an ARC of Prom and thought it was wonderful. It’s refreshing to read about “normal” kids, and you did a great job keeping them realistic (not to mention the fun plot). I’ve talked up the book in my Youth Advisory Board and they can’t wait for March. So, thank you from the reading frontline!

  28. I had a blast, but then I usually do at these things. This one was especially exciting because of all the new books my clients had being touted there, as well as getting to see a few people that I rarely get to (like Franny Billingsley).

    I saw some Dutton people at the SCBWI cocktail party Friday night and have been assured there are pictures and that I will get to see them. I think you should make them give them to you, for your website!

    Oh, and sorry about the Eagles…I thought they were gonna pull it off. Rats.

  29. I had a blast, but then I usually do at these things. This one was especially exciting because of all the new books my clients had being touted there, as well as getting to see a few people that I rarely get to (like Franny Billingsley).

    I saw some Dutton people at the SCBWI cocktail party Friday night and have been assured there are pictures and that I will get to see them. I think you should make them give them to you, for your website!

    Oh, and sorry about the Eagles…I thought they were gonna pull it off. Rats.

  30. I had a blast, but then I usually do at these things. This one was especially exciting because of all the new books my clients had being touted there, as well as getting to see a few people that I rarely get to (like Franny Billingsley).

    I saw some Dutton people at the SCBWI cocktail party Friday night and have been assured there are pictures and that I will get to see them. I think you should make them give them to you, for your website!

    Oh, and sorry about the Eagles…I thought they were gonna pull it off. Rats.

  31. It’s close enough that people move to Milwaukee from Appleton, but it’s further north and west, I think. (We’re about an hour north of Chicago). What’s bringing you to Appleton?

  32. It’s close enough that people move to Milwaukee from Appleton, but it’s further north and west, I think. (We’re about an hour north of Chicago). What’s bringing you to Appleton?

  33. It’s close enough that people move to Milwaukee from Appleton, but it’s further north and west, I think. (We’re about an hour north of Chicago). What’s bringing you to Appleton?

  34. Oh wow! That’s absolutely fantastic! What a wonderful thing. And how great that SPEAK was chosen for this venture! Of course, that’s not surprising considering it’s one of the few truly stand-out books of our time. That ought to be fun. I hope you have a good time.

  35. Oh wow! That’s absolutely fantastic! What a wonderful thing. And how great that SPEAK was chosen for this venture! Of course, that’s not surprising considering it’s one of the few truly stand-out books of our time. That ought to be fun. I hope you have a good time.

  36. Oh wow! That’s absolutely fantastic! What a wonderful thing. And how great that SPEAK was chosen for this venture! Of course, that’s not surprising considering it’s one of the few truly stand-out books of our time. That ought to be fun. I hope you have a good time.

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