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| Pam Munoz Ryan |
It seems like I have recently seen more well-known national authors visiting Utah than in years past. They've visited public libraries, bookstores, and conferences. Have you noticed this, too? Maybe it's the state of the economy, and the publishing companies are encouraging the authors to travel more and make themselves more available in order to increase sales. Or maybe it's just that children's literature is becoming more and more mainstream, and there is a demand for these authors. For whatever reason, it's great fun to be able to listen to notable children's authors.
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| Gary Soto |
What are some of your experiences being able to hear from authors---whether at a conference, bookstore, etc? Were there some authors that were especially memorable?
I heard Jon Scieszka at the children's literature conference that is held each summer in Provo. I don't remember much of what he said---I just remember a room full of teachers and librarians laughing uproariously.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, Julie Bentley and I got to volunteer at the Provo conference. One of our assignments was to pick up Lois Lowry at the airport and drive her to her hotel in Provo. This was back in the day when you could actually walk up to the terminal. Lois Lowry is a small, almost frail woman. As we were walking past one of the food places near the terminal, Lois Lowry slipped on a piece of lettuce that was on the ground and crashed to the floor. Julie and I were sure that she must have broken a hip. But she got up and said she was fine and trundled on. That was certainly memorable. Allan Say was also at this conference, and every morning when we went to the hotel to pick up Lois Lowry to drive her to the conference location, she would be in the hotel coffee shop having breakfast with Allan Say. It was all so much fun!
What a cool experience! And a fun memory!
DeleteI went to a literature conference a long time ago and there were some very impressive authors there. Margaret Peterson Haddix had just come out with her first book and she was very interesting. Gail Carson Levine spoke and she had just received Newbery Honor. Our dinner speaker was Louis Sachar. I remember how casual he was and funny. It was also fun rubbing elbows with some of the authors who came to the King's English in the years I was working there.
ReplyDeleteI was lured to Utah with a contract offered by Granite District to be Skyline High School's librarian. The staff was packed with incredible dynamos such as Ted Wilson, Margaret Smoot, and Ivy Ruckman (author). Ivy taught English at Skyline. I wondered at the time, with her dedication as a teacher, how she found time to write. Her works include Melba the Brain and Night of the Twisters, which was made into a 1996 movie. Night of the Twisters was a best seller.
ReplyDeleteTeaching affords us the opportunity to associate with remarkably sincere and gifted professionals. I am grateful for the many opportunities to learn from the lives of aspiring, achieving teachers who make their lives count in the effort for greater good.
I loved hearing Brandon Mull last year at UELMA. I also invited him to come to Ensign when he first published Fablehaven. He was fabulous then, too. I like his humor and telling how he came up with the ideas for his books.
ReplyDeleteI think we have some really great local authors and I am thrilled that they are doing so well nationally and globally.
I'm a big supporter of the BYU summer symposium Books for Young Readers. I have heard amazing authors and illustrators speak there. My favorites were Gary Paulson, Kadir Nelson, Eric Kimmel, David Wisner, and so many others I can't name. It is an amazing 2 days every summer. For years, Julie B, Phyllis and myself have gone as well as others and we have a marvelous time. It is a sad year when I can't attend.
ReplyDeleteBobbie Pryon came to speak to our students this year during our book fair. Her first novel, A Dog's Way Home, is on the Beehive Book list this year and her second novel just came out in October. Our students were absolutely thrilled to be able to interact with a "real live" author. Bobbie has worked for years at several different Salt Lake County Libraries.
ReplyDeleteJean Fritz came and spoke at a conference I attended in Logan, Utah while I was working on my endorsement.I had the opportunity to assist her to and from her hotel. It was interesting to chat with her about her life and motivation in choosing her topics and process or writing.
ReplyDeleteI used to go to the BYU Book Symposium in July. My teacher friend was in to having books signed for her kids who are now grown up. I saw Allan Say. He drew as he talked. He said he was going to publish a book about Chinese characters. I haven't seen it yet.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite author and illustrator at the symposium
ReplyDeletewas Sarah Stewart and David Small. They are such a cute couple. They showed The Friend. It's about a house keeper who cares for a child more than the parents do. The child almost drowns in the ocean and the friend rescues her. My library assistant told me about a long time friend who was raised by a nanny who she was very close to, who had since died. We bought the book and sent it to her. That's the great thing about books. They can touch your heart.
I forgot I saw Leo and Diane Dillon, the illustrators. They told how they draw the pictures together and sometimes have different opinions about the pictures. They were cute too.
ReplyDeleteShannon Hale (West HS graduate) came to West when I was there and was the most humorous, delightful and encouraging author that you can imagine. Plus she wore a tiara for the Princess Academy. She was wonderful.
ReplyDeleteI heard Gary Soto speak when he came to the Main Library. I am so glad that I get to hear him again at UELMA!
I have seen a number of authors, Shannon Hale, Gary Paulsen, Ann Cannon, Katherine Paterson, Eric Rohmann, Sarah Deford Williams, the Buehners, Brandon Mull, James Dashner and Matthew J. Kirby to name a few. They are all so different and interesting. I really enjoyed Shannon Hale, she is a totally hilarious woman! Utah has some amazing writers coming out of our state, it is pretty cool!
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