 President's Letter |
Dear WNBA members,
Recently I was watching an episode of The Good Wife where Alicia is contemplating a run for the State's Attorney's office. She ran into Gloria Steinem (I know!) who said to her "If you would do a good job you should run ... we need more good women to run."
It's not about whether or not Alicia wants to run. Just like how many of us might not want to ask for a raise or a promotion, we still need to do it. Or we might wonder if we want a promotion that is being offered to us. We need to take it. Particularly if it would give women more of a voice in the workplace. Heck, these days going for a raise or a promotion is much like a campaign, sometimes starting as long as a year in advance, with collecting data and backing up your arguments.
We're all very busy, with families, friends, homes, pets, book clubs, extracurriculars, the WNBA, and our jobs. But we need to make the time. Does your list look like the one above? Our careers are important. We need to be sure to prioritize them.
One thing that can help us all get ahead is to do more with the WNBA. Chairing a committee, being a local officer, or national board member looks great on a résumé. And the networking opportunities are fantastic. I try to send business to other WNBA members and I even ask around to try to use WNBA members for services I need. I recently rewrote my résumé and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I had to add from the last few years regarding the WNBA. And don't worry, you don't have to be president to get a lot of experience, make connections, and have an influence on how the organization operates!
Cheers,
Carin Siegfried (Charlotte)
WNBA National President
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WNBA's Executive Officers
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President
Carin Siegfried (Charlotte)
VP/President Elect
Jane Kinney-Denning (NYC)
Secretary
Shannon Janeczek (Detroit)
Treasurer
Gloria Toler (Nashville)
Past President
Valerie Tomaselli (NYC)
For further information on the national board, chapter, presidents, committee chairs, please go to the WNBA website.
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WNBA's 3rd Annual Writing Contest
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Deadline January 15, 2015
Fiction * Nonfiction * Poetry
Submit your entries here!
* Online submissions only
* Unpublished work only
* Fiction: 3,000 word max. (Includes flash and short fiction, novel excerpts)
* Non-fiction: 2,500 word max. (Includes essay, commentary, memoir)
* Poetry: 3-5 pages maximum
* WNBA Members: $15 per entry/Non-Members: $20 per entry
* $250 cash prize and publication in a special contest anthology of The Bookwoman, the official publication of the Women's National Book Association
This year's fiction judge is Michelle Hoover, the Fannie Hurst writer-in-residence at Brandeis University. Non-fiction judge is National Book Award winner, Deirdre Bair. Poetry judge is Ellen Bass, award-winning author of Like a Beggar and The Human Line.
Read last year's winning entries in The Bookwoman--Special Contest Issue.
Questions? Contact: joan@joangelfand.com.
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Boston
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www.wnbaboston.org
Yankee Bookswap & Writing Across Gender
On Monday, September 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., the Boston chapter hosted a Yankee Bookswap at Newtonville Books, followed by refreshments. Members and nonmembers brought books in gaily wrapped packages and chose from the colorful pile. They enjoyed what they picked or traded with others. | |
Jessica Keener, Hank Phillippi Ryan, Askold Melyczuk & Julie Wu
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Nashville
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www.wnbanashville.org/
Coffee with Authors at
the Southern Festival of Books
During the twenty-sixth annual Southern Festival of Books, the Nashville chapter hosted its annual Coffee with Authors, the signature event for NRGM countrywide celebration. Featured this year were Lily King, Euphoria (Atlantic Monthly); Nadia Hashimi, The Pearl That Broke Its Shell (William Morrow); Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (Algonquin Books); and Ann Weisgarber, The Promise (Skyhorse Publishing). The panel was moderated by writer, editor, and artist Mary Laura Philpott, who serves as Parnassus Books' social media director and online literary journal editor-in-chief.
Coffee with Authors is an official part of the Southern Festival of Books--A Celebration of the Written Word (Humanities Tennessee) held each fall in Nashville and is cosponsored by the Nashville Public Library and Parnassus Books Nashville: An Independent Bookstore for Independent People. Special thanks to WNBA-Nashville's local NRGM coordinator Mary McCarthy (Cokesbury) and all the NRGM committee members, as well as Serenity Gerbman, Director of Literature and Language Programs for Humanities Tennessee, and Jill Tardiff, NRGM national chair.
Member News
 Cynthia S. Brown announces publication of The Heart of Radnor Lake, a spiritual coffee table book filled with a compilation of scripture and photographs, taken by Brown, of Radnor Lake. To order visit www.mirabooksmart.com.
 Phillip and Esther Lee announce publication of Reindeer in Dixie , the retelling of a true-life experience that proves the heart of Christmas is alive and well. Children will be delighted by the adorable and ambitious reindeer sisters. More at www.reindeerindixie.com.
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San Francisco
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Chapter News
Lori Noack, Executive Director of Marketing and Development for the Afghan Women's Writing Project (AWWP) spoke to members and guests of WNBA-SF November 1, at North Oakland's Temescal Branch Library. On a brisk, fall afternoon we learned about this powerful writing project and how it has changed lives of women half a world away.
Nahid Aria, an Afgan-American woman who wore traditional dress, read poetry and shared her colorful illustrations. We were able to purchase the AWWP anthology, The Sky is a Nest of Swallows: A Collection of Poems and Essays by Afghan Women Writers (2012) and take away a workshop publication, Lessons from Afghanistan: A Curriculum for Exploring Themes of Love and Forgiveness.
A meditation poem from the workbook is particularly compelling. It seems radical for any women to write, anywhere. Here is its brave, first verse of "Last Night":
I was a guest in the house of my heart
The house smelled familiar
It was full of colors, the colors in me
The walls full of mirrors
Full of pictures of me...
~ By Nasima
We are interested in a literacy partnership with AWWP, with plans to solicit mentors and readers in January 2015. Our November meeting was the start of what may be an enduring project. The appeal to members is that all the work is done online: reading and commenting on blog posts, mentoring writers, and editing work. Though communication is high risk on the other side it could be a lifeline to self-expression and empowerment.
Member News
 Katy Pye's Elizabeth's Landing received the Next Generation Indie Book Awards--Category Winner for Children's/Juvenile Fiction and Mom's Choice Awards--Gold YA Fiction. Earlier recognition includes Nautilus and Writer's Digest Book Awards.
 Julia Park Tracey recently signed with publisher BookTrope for a novel, Veronika Layne Gets the Scoop, out this fall. BookTrope is also re-publishing both of The Doris Diaries. Julia was just named Poet Laureate in Alameda, CA, for a two-year term.
Frances Caballo's newest book is Avoid Social Media Time Suck: A Blueprint for Writers to Create Online Buzz for Their Books and Still Have Time to Write. The posting schedules, applications, and strategies in this book save time and make marketing efficient.
Teresa LeYung-Ryan's workbook Build Your Writer's Platform & Fanbase In 22 Days: Attract Agents, Editors, Publishers, Readers, and Media Attention NOW is now available in Kindle edition.
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Washington DC
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14th Annual National Book Festival
This year's convention held twelve straight hours--ten a.m. to ten p.m.--talking and hearing about books. Upon entering the exhibit hall, we were met by a full-sized Wells Fargo stagecoach surrounded by children, while other children worked/played at crafts tables. People queued up at the fifty-one tables at the Pavilion of States (states plus DC), picking up bookmarks, posters, and promos for authors. Past the humming book-sales area stood the daunting rope lines for book signings.
Some of the sessions included a poetry slam,
"Centennial of Three Mexican Literary Legends," and a "Graphic Novels Super-Session." Evening events were one of the new features this year, resulting from the festival's move from the outdoor National Mall to the indoor Washington, DC Convention Center. I took an evening session called "Books into Movies." Four authors--E.L Doctorow (Ragtime), Alice McDermott (That Night), Lisa See (Snow Flower and the Secret Fan), and Paul Auster (Smoke)--discussed movie adaptations of their books in a thoughtful conversation about the differences between the sensibilities and perspectives of writers and film-makers, as well as different ways in which books and movies capture our hearts and our minds.
 As at every other National Book Festival, participant questions were generally incisive, often eliciting unexpected answers, and it was a treat to be amidst throngs of avid readers. Still, besides not being able to walk on soft grass or take a break by lying under a big tree, the greatest loss of moving the festival indoors seemed twofold: rooms with walls kept one from having any sense of what's going on elsewhere at the festival, and the fragmentation diminished the "community of the book" experience.
Report by Carolinda Hales
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Charlotte
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www.wnba-charlotte.org
Bibliofeast 2014
 Bibliofeast is the favorite event of
Charlotte members, and this year's soiree did not disappoint. Ten, yes ten, authors joined members and guests at the sold-out event, located at Maggiano's Little Italy Restaurant. Authors included Wiley Cash, Kim Church, Joshilyn Jackson, Allegra Jordan, Charlie Lovett, Erika Marks, Rebecca Petruck, N.P. Simpson, John Warley, and Kim Wright. These authors were so generous with their time and deserve thanks for creating a memorable evening. Not only did they answer lots of questions about their books and writing processes, they regaled tablemates with stories that elicited admiring sighs, raucous laughter, and quiet reflection. In addition to lively conversations and signed books, attendees enjoyed a delicious Italian feast. Kudos to Susan Walker for organizing the best Bibliofeast yet!
Report by Nicole Ayers
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Los Angeles
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NRGM Panel, Literary Tea, &
Spring Writers' Conference
Los Angeles chapter is busy! Chapter members hobnobbed and dined with the authors before our NRGM panel event at Diesel, A Bookstore. Our four intriguing authors were Cynthia Bond, Ruby (Hogarth/PRH); Gabrielle Zevin, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (Algonquin Books); Michelle Huneven, Off Course (Sarah Crichton Books/FSG); and Gina B. Nahai, The Luminous Heart of Jonah S. (Akashic Books). At the end of the evening, we raffled off two free massage certificates.
In September we enjoyed one of our three annual Literary Teas at the home of long-time chapter member, Joan Jackson, and our special guest that day was Annie Kim, community engagement fellow for the US Fund for UNICEF. Annie gave an informative talk about the WNBA's relationship to the UN and UNICEF. And we collected $200.00 in donations!
Currrently, we are organizing our annual spring writers' conference and will be collaborating with Mt. St. Mary's College for the first time. We expect that this partnership will be a fruitful and productive venture, and we are looking forward to expanding our outreach and effectiveness.
Member News
 J. Dylan Yates announces the release of The Belief in Angels, a gripping, heart-rending family saga that explores the darkest side of human nature-and the incontrovertible, uplifting power of hope.
Report by Ruth Light
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New York City
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www.wnba-nyc.org
NRGM at the Strand Bookstore, Political Fiction at Pace and a Book Drive for KRC
It was an exciting fall for NYC starting with our Fall Networking Party and the kick-off for our 2014 literacy project/book drive to support the Kids Research Center, literacy programs to children and families in immigrant communities and low-income neighborhoods founded by chapter member Marlene Velosa.
Over 100 people attended our November 5th panel discussion, Balancing Commitment and Craft in Political Fiction at Pace University in New York City. The Dyson College departments of Pace Publishing, Women's and Gender Studies, and English departments co-sponsored the event. Our authors discussed the challenges of writing political fiction--framing language, developing character, and structuring plot to dramatize conflicts of class, race, gender, and politics while avoiding the pitfalls of authorial intrusion and didacticism.
In January, we're bringing back, by popular demand, a social media workshop on everything you need to know about Twitter. More exciting spring plans include a writers' workshop on character development; a poetry program; and the ever-popular Query Roulette. A panel on book marketing with industry experts, our famous spring brunch, and more neighborhood lunches will round out the year's events.
Member News
 Fran Cohen is delighted to share that she and her husband have published a humorous, quirky, entertaining relationship guide, Still Holding Hands: A Whimsical Guide Through the ABC's of a Long Term Relationship. Great for holiday giving, for newlyweds, oldyweds and everyone else. Elaine Donadio's MG Fiction e-books have been published and are now available through Amazon and Smashwords: The Science Project and The Ocean's Way. Va Hallerman has launched a website and blog for the soon-to-be-published memoir, Starts Wednesday: Coming of Age in a Movie Palace and is particularly interested in building a lively discussion on the demise of movie palaces, and hope to include people's memories of cherished theaters. To submit, please visit http://www.startswednesday.com/blog.  Linda Mahkovec's (Agnes Irene) latest book, Christmastime 1942, is now available - both as an ebook and in soft cover. The third of six in her Christmastime series, Linda just found out that a book club in New Mexico has chosen the first book as their November book for discussion!  Joan Ramirez has been asked to conduct a workshop at New Jersey City University on her latest book, Let it Go, Let it Flow Leadership. Rosalind Reisner gave a webinar for New Jersey librarians on recent and forthcoming literary fiction, titled Fresh Lit! Fatima Shaik spoke about publishing on a panel at the Miami Book Fair on November 22 and was featured at the Paris Lit Up Open Mic at Culture Rapide on December 11, reading her short stories for adults.
 Anne-Marie Sutton's short mystery story "Here, Kitty, Kitty," appears in the Best New England Crime Stories 2015 anthology, title: Rogue Wave. Published by Level Best Books. Available in print and ebook formats. Report by Andrea Barron & Jessica Napp |
Seattle
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www.wnba-books.org/seattle/
NRGM Event
We gathered at University Book Store on October 16 to enjoy a panel of four outstanding Seattle-based women authors. Stephanie Kallos (Broken for You, Grove Press, and soon-to-be released Language Arts, Houghton Mifflin Harcout) acted as moderator and facilitated a lively, engaging discussion with authors Sarah Jio, Kathleen Flinn, and Laurie Frankel. Ms. Jio's book, Goodnight June (Plume), is an imaginative recreation of a relationship between Margaret Wise Brown and a fictional mentor. Ms. Flinn's Burnt Toast Makes You Sing Good (Viking) is a memoir that takes full advantage of her experience as a food writer and time spent at the Cordon Bleu, and includes recipes. Ms. Frankel's novel, Goodbye for Now (Anchor), features a software engineer who figures out what we all hope for, a way to e-mail with our beloved dead, in an engaging and convincing way.
After a wine and cheese reception for the authors and audience, Ms. Kallos began the program by asking each panelist a question about herself and how that fed her writing. Each author then read an excerpt from one of her books related to that question. This approach stimulated an interesting discussion and was much enjoyed by the audience.
Finally, the authors were asked to comment on books in their current reading pile: Ms. Flinn: Sawdust in Our Shoes; Ms. Jio: The Year of Magical Thinking; Ms. Frankel:Language Arts. Ms. Kallos: We Need to Talk about Kevin.
Report by Linda Gray
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Got Gift Cards? Buy Books!
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Gift Cards, Books, and Starting a New Year's Tradition with Your Kids!
By Nicole Ayers (Charlotte) and Tracy Jean Sottosanti (Charlotte)
By now, you've probably settled on your resolutions for 2015, but may we suggest adding one that might very well turn into a New Year's tradition? (And it is a great way to use up any small gift cards you may have received.) We've compiled a short list of books that both you and your teen can read and enjoy. After you've both finished a book, you can sit down and discuss it together. It's a great way to encourage reading in a child who might not otherwise be interested in books, and for those children who have inherited the book worm gene, it is a great way to encourage critical reading. A family book group for the new year!
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Across the Universe by Beth Revis delivers on its promises of a good mix of sci-fi, mystery, and romance in so many ways. Take a generation spaceship on a journey at least 300 years long, fill it with secrets, murder, a beautiful frozen girl, and a young new leader; stir in a few unexpected twists and shocking reveals, and there you have Revis's recipe for a bestselling series. Check out this interview with Beth Revis and snag a free copy of her book, Paper Hearts, written for writers.
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I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafazi and Christina Lamb shows that one girl, one voice, can make a difference. This memoir recounts Malala's courage and her family's devotion to educating all girls. Reading about the youngest recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize helps teens think beyond their own small spheres of influence and allows them to imagine being agents of change themselves.
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| We Were Liars by E. Lockhart is a New York Times bestseller that readers will be thinking about days after reading. This novel may even have them rereading to see if they can find clues that hint at the shocking ending. Cadence, the narrator, has returned to her family's summer home after illness kept her away last year. Everything is different, but she can't remember why. Readers will stay up all night to see what is fluttering just beyond Cadence's memory. | |
| Unbroken is the incredible but true story of Olympic runner Louis Zamperini's survival as a prisoner of war during WWII. Hillenbrand's depiction of Louis as a wild teen who stole anything he could put his hands on (he frequently emptied neighbors' iceboxes!); ran away from home; picked fights with other kids and ultimately channeled his ingenious, indomitable spirit into surviving against almost unbelievable odds, will appeal to the rebel in young and old alike. Unbroken comes in a young reader's edition (pictured left), but the adult edition is accessible to most readers 14 and older. |
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UN Corner
The Women's National Book Association is a NGO associated with the
United Nations Department of Public Information
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 Compiled and Edited by Jill A. Tardiff (NYC) WNBA NGO Main Representative at the United Nations (UN) The UN celebrates its 70th anniversary on United Nations Day (24 October 2015). The 65th Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference Returns to United Nations Headquarters 2015 AND BEYOND--Our Action Agenda #UNNGO2014, #MDGMomentum Twitter @UNDPINGO, https://twitter.com/UNDPINGO?lang=en Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annual-UN-dpingo-Conference/221078231257330  | |
Trustee Council Chamber(UNHQ/NYC)
Photo courtesy of Jill A. Tardiff
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After several years' absence, the Annual UN DPI/NGO Conference returned to the UNHQ/NYC in late August 2014 (August 27-29). With the general theme of 2015 AND BEYOND--Our Action Agenda, workshops focused on a post-Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) world with sustainable development and climate change, poverty eradication and human rights as headliners. The three-day gathering culminated with "I Am The Future Statements" from Civil Society and the Reading of the Conference Declaration. The WNBA was very fortunate to have a full complement: Jill A. Tardiff (Main Representative/WNBA-NYC), Marilyn Berkman (First Alternate/WNBA-NYC), Dena Mekawi (Youth Representative/Pace University) and Jenna Vaccaro (Youth Representative/Pace University), as well as Valerie Tomaselli (WNBA National Recent Past President) and Jane Kinney-Denning (WNBA National Vice President/President-Elect). Their reports will be presented in full in the near future.
*** Meet Our New NGO Youth Representative (UN DPI) Caitlin Morrow  | Photo credit: Prestige Portraits
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Caitlin Morrow recently graduated magna cum laude from Elmira College, receiving B.A. degrees in International Studies and English Literature. She is currently a graduate student at Pace University pursuing a M.S. in Publishing Degree. Upon acceptance into the program, she received two merit-based scholarships: the Graduate President's Scholarship and American Media Inc. Scholarship. She has extensive experience with Amnesty International, serving as treasurer of her college's club. An active member of her college's National Model United Nations, she participated in several conferences along the East Coast and Montreal. She also served as club secretary as a sophomore. During her junior year, Caitlin was selected to study abroad at Kansai Gaidai University in Hirakata, Japan. Here she was able to immerse herself in the Japanese culture, living with a host family and traveling on the weekends. On her trip to South Africa, she assisted a community garden in planting sustainable food for local families. She has also traveled to India, where she visited a boys' orphanage to play and interact with the children. Caitlin has been a summer intern for the Independent Publishers of New England, helping IPNE increase its membership by 20%, while performing editorial and marketing tasks for three publishing companies. She currently lives in Brooklyn. Caitlin will join our other NGO Youth Representative Dena Medawi attending weekly briefings and occasional conferences, reporting news from UN agencies and affiliates, researching and writing topics of interest amongst other duties and responsibilities. Thanks to both in advance. Join Our Team--WNBA Seeks Candidates for Its NGO Representative (UN DPI) Second Alternate Position The Women's National Book Association (WNBA) has been a non-governmental organization affiliated with the United Nations Department of Public Information (UN DPI) since 1959. During the first four decades, Beatrice James, Helen Wessells Hettinger, Rose Eichelberger, Claire Friedland, and Sally Wecksler represented the WNBA. Our current NGO Representatives at the United Nations Department of Public Information team includes Jill A. Tardiff (Main Representative/WNBA-NYC), Marilyn Berkman (First Alternate/WNBA-NYC), Dena Mekawi (Youth Representative/Pace University), and Caitlin Morrow (Youth Representative/Pace University). Past Alternate: Nancy Stewart (WNBA-Nashville); Past Youth Representatives: Diana Cavallo and Jenna Vaccaro. As a NGO affiliated with the United Nations Department of Public Information, the WNBA must meet the following four criteria in order to remain a member in good standing (via Annual Review). - Share the ideals of the UN Charter http://www.un.org/en/documents/charter/.
- Operate solely on a not-for-profit basis.
- Have a demonstrated interest in United Nations issues and proven ability to reach large or specialized audiences, such as educators, media representatives, policy makers and the business community.
- Have the commitment and means to conduct effective information programmes about UN activities by publishing newsletters, bulletins, pamphlets; organizing conferences, seminars and roundtables; and enlisting the cooperation of the media.
Position to commence upon approval of the Association's Annual Review by the Department of Public Information on/around March 1. Curious? Then contact for details: Jill A. Tardiff, jill.tardiff@gmail.com on/before January 12. Read more about the Women's National Book Association at the United Nations: http://www.wnba-books.org/united-nations-affiliation *** UN Observances Commemorative Days (Highlights) 2014 International Year of Family Farming (IYFF) - Feeding the world, caring for the earth Sponsor: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) October 5 October World Teachers' Day Invest in the future, invest in teachers Sponsor: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO]
11 October International Day of the Girl Child Empowering adolescent girls Sponsor: United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund [UNICEF] 15 October International Day of Rural Women Sponsor: UN Women 16 October World Food Day Sponsor: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [FAO] 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty Sponsor: Millennium Development Goals [MDGs], Department of Economic and Social Affairs [DESA], Millennium Campaign, ATD-Fourth World, World We Want 2015 24 October United Nations Day Sponsor: UN Member States November 2 November International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists Sponsor: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] 6 November International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict Sponsor: United Nations Environment Programme [UNEP] 16 November International Day for Tolerance Sponsor: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO] 20 November Universal Children's Day Sponsor: Millennium Development Goals [MDGs], Millennium Campaign 25 November International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women Sponsor: UN Secretary-General, UNiTE Campaign December 1 December World AIDS Day Sponsor: Millennium Development Goals [MDGs], UNAIDS, World AIDS Campaign 2 December International Day for the Abolition of Slavery Sponsor: International Labour Organization [ILO] 3 December International Day of Persons with Disabilities, United Nations Enable--Development and Human Rights for All Sponsor: United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization [UNESCO], United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [DESA] 5 December International Volunteer Day--Make change happen! Sponsor: United Nations Volunteers 10 December Human Rights Day Sponsor: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 18 December International Migrants Day Sponsor: International Organization for Migration 20 December International Human Solidarity Day Sponsor: United Nations Social Development Network [UNSDN], United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs [DESA] *** News From U.S. Fund for UNICEF/UNICEF Saving Lives, Building Futures The U.S. Fund for UNICEF fights for the survival and development of the world's most vulnerable children and the protection of their most basic human rights. UNICEF USA on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/UNICEF-USA @UNICEFUSA on Twitter The U.S. Fund for UNICEF helps save and protect the world's most vulnerable children. Rated one of the best charities to donate to, 91% of every dollar spent goes directly to help children. #StopEbola Update: UNICEF has sent nearly 3,000 metric tons of aid in last 3 months to #Ebola-affected countries in West Africa. That's equivalent to the weight of 250 city buses. Here's how you can help: https://www.unicefusa.org/donate/help-stop-ebola-west-africa/18771. *** UNICEF Holiday Gifts How to help--Shop UNICEF Market http://www.market.unicefusa.org/ ***
Recommended Reading  A Path Appears: Transforming Lives, Creating Opportunity by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn (Knopf, 978-0385349918). What does it mean to be an effective global citizen? Husband-and-wife team Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn show us how through profiles of extraordinary people and practical templates. More at: http://knopfdoubleday.com/book/225292/a-path-appears/ @NickKristof; www.facebook.com/kristof @WuDunn; www.facebook.com/SherylWuDunn Twitter @APathAppears; https://twitter.com/apathappears Facebook "A Path Appears" by Nicholas D. Kristof & Sheryl WuDunn, TV Show https://www.facebook.com/apathappears Website A Path Appears http://apathappears.org/ http://apathappears.org/book/ http://apathappears.org/film/ From the "Creators of @Half the Sky--A Path Appears," Television Premiere January 2015. The follow-up series based on the book Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide (Vintage, 978-0307387097). Check your local listings. More at: http://apathappears.org/#more. Back to top |
From the Editors
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Tracy Jean Sottosanti
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NYT's Bestselling YA Author Beth Revis
Interviewed By Tracy Jean Sottosanti (Charlotte)
(The first WNBA-er to email us wins a free copy of Across the Universe! )
We are delighted to bring you an exclusive interview with New York Times, Publisher's Weekly, and Indiebound bestselling author, Beth Revis. Her award winning Across the Universe three-book series will fill the sci-fi craving you never knew you had. And with pages teaming with action, a love story, and mysterious murders, it's a great series for YA readers.
Selected as a YALSA Teen Top Ten novel, recipient of the Seal of Excellence and the Futuristic Novel of the Year Award from Romantic Times, long-listed for the Carnegie Medal, and featured on several state reading lists, it's not surprising that I was kept turning pages long past my bedtime as I delved into these novels.
I was also thoroughly impressed by the positive attitude and glowing confidence this author exudes. I've had the honor of meeting Beth at a couple of her book signings and found her to be an encouraging role model for her fans and for other writers trying to make it in publishing. In fact, if you are a writer, an industry professional, or just curious, I have a couple post-Christmas gifts for you! Here is Beth's free book, written just for writers, Paper Hearts, one of my personal favorites. She's also agreed to an exclusive interview with The Bookwoman, so please enjoy!
Why did you decide to write professionally?
I always wanted to write--even before I knew the alphabet. I'd watch my older brother make his letters and then demand that he teach them to me, too. Writing stories was always my passion for as long as I can remember, but I never thought I could make money off it--mostly because so many people in my life told me I couldn't. So I got a degree in English literature and education, became a teacher...and all the while, continued to write stories. It took ten years and ten books before I wrote something worthy of publication, and that was the book that changed my life and provided me with the financial security to turn this into my new profession.
What is one of the hardest thing about being a writer?
I think the hardest part is the you have to depend on other people. Whether you self publish or traditionally publish, it requires other people to make your dream--and your paycheck--come true. In many regular 9-5 jobs, you do your work, you get paid. In writing, you do your work, and maybe you'll get a book deal and maybe you won't. Maybe you'll find an audience and maybe you won't. You have to find faith in yourself and your work, and you have to find people who can help you realize your career. It's hard to be dependent on others, and it's hard to realize that your success or failure is not entirely in your hands. Of course there's a significant amount that IS in your hands--but not everything. Just wanting it, just working for it, is not enough.
What is one of the best things about being a writer?
It's about freedom for me. Freedom to do the work I want to do. Freedom to create the stories that I want to see in the world. One of the greatest things a person can do is create something new, and stories create new worlds, new characters, and new emotions within the reader.
The single best thing about being a writer is knowing that the words you wrote created an emotion in a reader. You made someone feel with nothing more than ink and paper.
Was ther e anything in particular that inspired you to write the Across the Universe series?
A book is inspired by a million little things! The plot itself probably had its originations in the idea of the end--there's a chapter near the end that's only a sentence long. That was the first sentence that came to me, and I wrote the book to get to that sentence.
My main characters, Elder and Amy, had inspiration from my own life. Elder wants nothing more than to be a good enough leader. At the time, I was desperate to be a good enough writer to be published, so those feelings were echoed in my own life. Amy was feeling alone and abandoned, and I tapped into the way I felt when I left for college to make her. I was two hundred miles away from home, without a car or money, and the knowledge that if something happened to me, my parents couldn't save me. That's how I made Amy feel.
What has your experience been like writing for teens in the science fiction genre?
Absolutely amazing. Stellar, even! Teens are among my favorite readers, because they become so passionate, and learning that someone who hadn't read sci-fi before started the genre because of my book is just utterly awe-inspiring and life-changing.
A huge thank-you to Beth for agreeing to talk to us for this issue and for sharing valuable insight into her journey to success. Check out the first book in Beth's newest series, The Body Electric.
~~~
Bookwoman Staff
Editor: Rhona Whitty (NYC)
Assistant Editors: Nicole Ayers (Charlotte) & Tracy Jean Sottosanti (Charlotte)
Copy Editors: Annette Marie Haley (Detroit) & Gloria Toler (Nashville)
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Important Copyright Information for Contributors
We only accept articles written by the author or copyright holder. The Bookwoman, website, and other publications of the Women's National Book Association adhere to all local, national and international copyright laws. By submitting an article to us you are granting permission for its use on our website in our resource library (articles), in our member resources area and/or in our magazine and newsletters. Contributing authors retain all copyrights to their individual works.
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