Very cool Auburn librarian Eve Kneeland was at both events!

Last week, I had the opportunity to meet lots of Alabama librarians at the Alabama Library Association’s convention in Huntsville.  I spoke about how Emily uses PR for popularity in BRAND-NEW EMILY and how young adult services librarians can follow her lead…after all, what is cooler than reading?  It was exciting to hear about all the cool ideas these librarians have about getting teens into books.   Thanks to Steven Yates and Jana Fine for inviting me.

A couple of days later, I read at the Alabama Book Festival in Montgomery.  If you’ve never been to the annual book festival, you should try to make it next year.  So many wonderful authors to meet (I met Charles Ghigna, aka Father Goose; Rachel Hawkins of HEX HALL fame; poet Robert Gray; and winner of the 2010 Harper Lee Award Carolyn Haines,among others).  There were also plenty of fun things for kids to do–including going “fishing” for free books!  I got to hang out a little bit with old friends such as Irene Latham, author of LEAVING GEE’S BEND, and poet Jennifer Horne, and I met Jay Lamar of the Alabama Center for the Book.  I’ve long admired Jay’s brainchild, the “Get Caught Reading” campaign, which was, in a word, brilliant!   It was a great festival thanks to the hard work of the organizers and sponsors…including you, if you happened to buy a “Support the Arts” car tag.   Props to Ashley Gordon, Buffy Lockette, and Bob McLain for pulling off a great event. 

Here are a few pics from the festival…I forgot to take my camera to Huntsville, ’cause I’m all super-organized like that!  You’ll just have to trust me that Alabama’s young adult librarians are a great-looking bunch of cool peeps!  Thanks to both ALLA and the Alabama Book Festival for wonderful events.

Father Goose (Charles Ghigna)

Pulpwood Queen Kathy Patrick

Rachel Hawkins, who could be a stand-up comedian

Irene Latham, as beautiful as she is sweet

Love this tee? You can order it at www.itsallaboutbooks.com

BRAND-NEW EMILY is now available in paperback! And I’m loving the new cover…the look on the girl’s face has that fun hint of mischief. She’s up to something!

I had the opportunity recently to correspond with Cal McAllister, co-founder and creative director of Wexley School for Girls in Seattle.  What’s especially cool about Wexley School for Girls is that it’s not an all-girls’ school…or even a school…or even named after someone named Wexley.  I’d try to tell you what it is, but Cal can do a much better job of that than I, so I’ll let him explain.  He also has some interesting things to say about brand identity and other topics from BRAND-NEW EMILY.  Enjoy!

Ginger: Your company is called Wexley School for Girls, but it’s not a school.  What is it, what do you do, and why the name?
Cal: Funny, we never get that question. Since you asked, Wexley is a marketing company. We are founded on the belief that the traditional advertising billing model is broken. Continue reading ‘Your Acceptance Letter from Wexley School for Girls’