Podcast appearances and mentions of Margaret A Edwards

Today I am sharing my thought-provoking conversation with mom and author A.S. King (aka Amy to friends).  She shares about her daughter Gracie who died by suicide in Dec. of 2018. She openly talks about the duality of being a public speaker who advocates for teen mental health and is a champion for teens' voices in general AND that she is also a mom who lost her child amidst her advocacy and openness...because suicide happens, Amy speaks her mind and this "tell-it-like-it-is" host thinks that is admirable. I wish more people were willing to have this type of unguarded, honest chat...there is a LOT to take away from today."A.S. King is an award-winning author for young people and is the recipient of the 2022 Margaret A Edwards award which recognizes an author's work in helping adolescents become aware of themselves and addressing questions about their role and importance in relationships, society, and in the world. Amy is a faculty member of the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts and spends many months of the year traveling the world speaking to high school and university students, educators, and humans who care about the mental health of young people. After more than a decade of living self-sufficiently and teaching literacy to adults in Ireland, she now lives in Pennsylvania." You will hear Amy and I talk about:The loss of her daughter Gracie to suicide in  Dec. 2018Our immense need for trauma-informed "everyone" in our world todaySuicide is normal- how we create stigma where it needn't be From banned books to banned mental health care initiatives - where we are getting it all wrong & the current climate we have is only making it worse!Suicide prevention may be "sexy" but why do suicide loss survivors understand it's NOT where our attention should be - the real path forward to less suicideTeenagers are real people who deserve real respect & not just be labeled & dismissed (& are often mostly smarter than us so-called grown-ups)There is so much more trauma to deal with than most will admit - we need to start listening and healing Learn more at www.as-king.com (P.S... that award-winning author part is serious - go buy her books, she's amazing!)Find her on Social media - Instagram and Twitter Find other good stuff and links here--->>> Good Stuff and Links_______________________________________________  My WEBSITE "The Leftover Pieces; Rebuilding You" support central  - MY HUB - and that means my different SUPPORT GROUP Options are available. Go DIRECTLY to my SUPPORT page here where you will find ALL of the ways to connect and find support. My first two books (tools I am creating for you!) in the "Facing Life After Suicide" series are available on AmazonIf you, or someone you know, is struggling  with suicidal thoughts PLEASE reach out:The National Suicide Lifeline is there for you OR CALL 988In a crisis, you can also TEXT--->TEXT the word "HOME" to 741741 in the USAin Canada TEXT 686868in the UK TEXT 85258Support the show

Stand Up is a daily podcast. I book,host,edit, post and promote new episodes with brilliant guests every day. Please subscribe now for as little as 5$ and gain access to a community of over 800 awesome, curious, kind, funny, brilliant, generous souls Check out StandUpwithPete.com to learn more 36 mins Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times bestselling author whose writing spans young readers, teens, and adults. Combined, her books have sold more than 8 million copies. Her new book, SHOUT, a memoir-in-verse about surviving sexual assault at the age of thirteen and a manifesta for the #MeToo era, has received widespread critical acclaim and was Laurie's eighth New York Times bestselling book. Two of her novels, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was short-listed for the prestigious Carnegie medal in the United Kingdom. Laurie has been nominated for Sweden's Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award seven times. Laurie was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award and has been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. In addition to combating censorship, Laurie regularly speaks about the need for diversity in publishing and is a member of RAINN's National Leadership Council. She lives in Philadelphia, where she enjoys cheesesteaks while she writes. Find out more about Laurie by following her on Twitter at @halseanderson, Instagram at halseanderson, and Facebook at lauriehalseanderson, or by visiting her website, madwomanintheforest.com. At 1:07 mins in I welcome the great Maura Quint. Maura is a humor writer and activist whose work has been featured in publications such as McSweeneys and The New Yorker. She was named one of Rolling Stone's top 25 funniest twitter accounts of 2016. When not writing comedy, Maura has worked extensively with non-profits in diverse sectors including political action campaigns, international arts collectives and health and human services organizations. She has never been officially paid to protest but did once find fifteen cents on the ground at an immigrants' rights rally and wanted to make sure that had been disclosed. She was the co founder and executive director of TaxMarch.org  And she recently began a new gig at the Americans for Tax Fairness campaign director Listen to Maura co host their new podcast revisiting the YA books we loved in the 80s & 90s "My So Called Book Club" Support Maura and Megan on Patreon!  Check out all things Jon Carroll Follow and Support Pete Coe Pete on YouTube Pete on Twitter Pete On Instagram Pete Personal FB page

Lovers and friends, a deliciously inspiring episode awaits you today. On this week's podcast episode, Toska sits down in conversation with the magical and illustrious author, Francesca Lia Block. We talk about how magic weaves into storytelling, her book, “The Thorn Necklace: Healing Through Writing”, Venus rituals, exploring alt-identities through crafting characters, etymology, love spells, the magnetism of Los Angeles, sipping strawberry “Rita-Hayworth”s, the power of sharing our stories with the collective, and SO much more. It was such an honor to have Francesca on the show. Cozy up and tune in. Francesca Lia Block is the bestselling author of more than twenty-five books of stories, nonfiction, and fiction, including the Weetzie Bat books, her series of magical-realism novels. She has received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award, and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association, the New York Times Book Review, and Publisher's Weekly. Francesca's Links & Socials https://www.francescaliablock.com https://www.instagram.com/francescaliablock/ https://twitter.com/francescablock https://www.facebook.com/francescaliablock/ Purchase Francesca's Book - The Thorn Necklace Links & Socials Stay in touch ~ www.sexmagicsociety.com Access our online courses ~ https://sex-magic-podcast-s-school.teachable.com/courses (use code SCORPIOSZN for 20% off!) Join our community ~ www.patreon.com/sexmagicpodcast Connect on social media ~ www.instagram.com/sexmagicpodcast --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/sex-magic-podcast/support

Chris Crutcher’s years as a teacher, then director, of a K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California through the nineteen-seventies, and his subsequent twenty-odd years as a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect, inform his thirteen novels and two collections of short stories. Chris has received a number of coveted awards, from his high school designation as “Most Likely to Plagiarize” to the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award. His favorites are his two Intellectual Freedom awards, one from the National Council for Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Five of Crutcher’s books appeared on an American Library Association list of the 100 Best Books for Teens of the Twentieth Century (1999 to 2000). Chris is interviewed by Stephenie Eriksson, a National Board Certified Teacher, a teacher-consultant with the Ohio Writing Project, and a past-president of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts. For over 22 years, Stephenie has taught readers and writers in Blanchester, Ohio. She started her career teaching seventh and eighth grade and currently teaches sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

Chris Crutcher’s years as a teacher, then director, of a K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California through the nineteen-seventies, and his subsequent twenty-odd years as a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect, inform his thirteen novels and two collections of short stories. Chris has received a number of coveted awards, from his high school designation as “Most Likely to Plagiarize” to the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award. His favorites are his two Intellectual Freedom awards, one from the National Council for Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship. Five of Crutcher’s books appeared on an American Library Association list of the 100 Best Books for Teens of the Twentieth Century (1999 to 2000).Chris is interviewed by Stephenie Eriksson, a National Board Certified Teacher, a teacher-consultant with the Ohio Writing Project, and a past-president of the Ohio Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts. For over 22 years, Stephenie has taught readers and writers in Blanchester, Ohio. She started her career teaching seventh and eighth grade and currently teaches sophomores, juniors, and seniors.

David Levithan is the author and co-author of over twenty books including the critically acclaimed and bestselling, Boy Meets Boy, Every Day, Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist, and Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares (now a Netflix Series). In 2016, David won ALA’s Margaret A. Edwards Award for his significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. David is also the only author who was picketed by an angry mob of three while visiting KPL. His newest book, The Mysterious Disappearance of Aidan S. was released on February 2 of this year.For all things, David go to www.davidlevithan.com.This podcast is presented by the Kalamazoo Public Library. Follow 5AQ on Twitter and Instagram - @fiveauthorquestions Email 5AQ - podcasts@kpl.gov 5AQ is produced by Jarrod Wilson. The technical producer is Brian Bankston. 5AQ is hosted by Sandra Farag and Kevin King

In this episode of Parallel Fiction, Heather and Jeff run down two of Heather's favorite works.  To commemorate Heather's big 30th birthday, she took the liberty of picking what Jeff will cover.  This episode doubles as Heather's guilty pleasures, as these stories are connected by 1 thing: Heather likes them a lot!  Jeff covers the 2002 drama A Walk To Remember staring Mandy Moore and Shane West.  Going through the triumphs and heart brakes of characters Landon & Jamie, Jeff gives his opinions on the cringey early 2000's music and some of the best scenes. Did you know?  Mandy Moore also appeared in the movie How To Deal, a novel by Heather's writer Sarah Dessen who wrote This Lullaby Heather follows up with her summary of This Lullaby by Sarah Dessen.  Another early 2000's romp, This Lullaby follows the adolescence of main character Remy, who is being courted by the hyperactive Dexter, all while managing her responsibility avoiding mother.  Heather notes that even though Remy is juggling a lot, she is able to find out the important things in life and come around to people she may have written off.   Fun Fact! Sarah Dessen won the Margaret A. Edwards award for Significant and Lasting Contribution to Young Adult Literature in 2017. Following these reviews, Heather and Jeff dive into commonalities between the two works such as personal growth, true love, and building positive relationships.   Listen in to hear Jeff and Heather's candid thoughts on the masterpiece scenes of each story, how This Lullaby, Trains, and A Walk To Remember compare, and how Jeff and Heather relate to aspects of each with some interesting facts and opinions about Heather's Favorites/Guilty Pleasures. Share this episode with anyone who you think would enjoy it and let us know what some of your favorite guilty pleasures are! Heather's Rating of This Lullaby: Super Nice – A must-read.  A phenomenal story that hits every emotion.Jeff's Rating of Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Nice – A fun 2000's movie & good date night flick.  Some characters are insanely stereotypical and dated though, keep an open mind.  Watch A Walk to Remember Here: https://www.netflix.comPick up This Lullaby here: https://sarahdessen.com/book/this-lullaby/ About Parallel Fiction:Parallel Fiction is the perfect supplemental companion to all of the stories you consume. We will be covering movies, television, books, graphic novels, video games, and music whenever it applies. Learn more about things you love, and get to know us a little bit better as we give you a peak into our lives and opinions. Connect with us:Email Jeff & Heather: Parallelfictionpod@gmail.comFollow us on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ParallelfictionFollow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ParallelfictionConnect with us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/Parallelfictionpod

The world is at the same time both together and necessarily apart. We’re all going through the same pandemic, and most of us are practicing “social distancing.” How does that affect us? Some believe it can be a time for growth, and that’s the subject of episode 56. Our guest is author and family therapist Chris Crutcher, and this is a conversation you and your family won’t want to miss. About the guest - Chris Crutcher is a native of Cascade, Idaho. He spent the 1970s as a teacher, then as director of a K-12 alternative school in Oakland, California. The following 20+ years he was a therapist specializing in child abuse and neglect. Those years largely inform his thirteen novels and two collections of short stories. He has also written what he calls an ill-advised autobiography titled King of the Mild Frontier, which was designated by Publisher’s Weekly as “the YA book most adults would have read if they knew it existed.” Chris was awarded the American Library Association’s Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as two Intellectual Freedom awards, one from the National Council for Teachers of English and the other from the National Coalition Against Censorship.  Five of his books appeared on an American Library Association list of the 100 Best Books for Teens of the Twentieth Century (1999 to 2000). You can support the podcast and receive subscriber-only benefits at www.patreon.com/mindmatters. The Mind Matters podcast is available on Facebook and Instagram at Mind Matters Podcast, and on Twitter @MindMattersPod. For more information go to www.MindMattersPodcast.com. Thank you for caring about kids. Copyright © 2019 Morris Creative Services LLC. All rights reserved.

Warm welcome to our new listeners, be sure to check out our archive of episodes by clicking here! --------------------------------------- Did you know we have a Patreon page!? Right now all Super Storytellers signed up at our “Silkie Chickens with Balloons” or “Snails with Mail” tier over in our Patreon get early access to interviews with Rachel Hawkins and literary agent JL Stermer this month! So, if you’re not yet a Super Storyteller and you’d love early access to these interviews in addition to other cool benefits, head on over to patreon.com/88cupsoftea and become a Patron at the “Silkie Chickens with Balloons” tier or our “Snails with Mail” tier.   --------------------------------------- For today’s new episode, we’ve partnered with Four Sigmatic. Four Sigmatic is a superfood company whose mission is to take over the world with their delicious coffees, teas, and cacaos that are all made with functional mushrooms and adaptogens. Head over to foursigmatic.com/88cupsoftea to learn more and get 15% off your order. Thank you to our listeners for supporting a brand we love and a brand that believes in the work that we do here at 88 Cups of Tea. A special thank you to our sponsors and collaborators who help keep our show running! ---------------------------------------  Are you curious about sustaining career longevity in your creative pursuits? How about ways to evolve your craft from story to story? Or how to develop strong romantic arcs? We talk about it all and so much more with Sarah Dessen! Sarah is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She’s the recipient of the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for outstanding contribution to young adult literature for her novels like Keeping the Moon, Dreamland, This Lullaby, The Truth about Forever, Just Listen, Along for the Ride, What Happened to Goodbye, and more. In our conversation, we dive into how Sarah fell in love with storytelling and how her writing has evolved throughout her career. We discuss what it’s like to write for yourself versus writing to please others, and how her mother-daughter relationships in her books are inspired by her relationship with her own mother and daughter. She shares how embracing both the good and bad parts of ourselves in our writing can help us begin to heal, and the importance of seeking help when we need it. She then talks all about her most recent novel, The Rest Of The Story, and shares a behind the scenes look into the writing and publishing process. And later in our conversation, she walks us through her experience of changing publishers, shares tips on crafting romantic arcs, talks balancing finances and your craft, and how to overcome writer’s block. Say 'Hi' to Sarah Dessen on Twitter: https://twitter.com/sarahdessen. Head over to Sarah's shownotes page at https://88cupsoftea.com/podcast/sarah-dessen/ to find all the resources and books mentioned in her episode, tweetable quotes, and the timestamps of highlights throughout the entire conversation.  --- If you enjoyed this episode, I’d really love your support in growing our community by subscribing to us on iTunes, and leaving a rating and review. These specific steps help to increase our visibility on iTunes, which really helps new listeners discover us. A huge heartfelt thank you for your time and support!

If you’d love to keep 88 Cups of Tea going strong, please consider supporting us through our Patreon membership. We added EARLY ACCESS TO INTERVIEWS for our Super Storyteller patrons in the $8.88 tier. Your kind support at any of our tiers is so helpful. A heartfelt thank you in advance. https://www.patreon.com/88cupsoftea --------------------------------------- Have your insecurities ever driven you to writer’s block? How can we use feedback, rejection, and self-encouragement to break out of writing-related anxiety? We unpack all of that and so much more with today’s guest Tamora Pierce. Tamora, a #1 New York Times bestseller and recipient of the 2013 Margaret A. Edwards Award, is the author of Alanna: The First Adventure, Lady Knight, Wild Magic, and many, many more. Her most recent novel, Tempests and Slaughter, begins the journey into her new series called The Numair Chronicles and is out on the shelves now. In our conversation, Tamora takes us on a journey throughout her life and describes the moments she first fell in love with writing, found her passion for crafting female heroes, what she’s learned from rejection, and much more. We talk about creative block and how we can encourage ourselves to believe in our craft. Her wisdom shines through as she discusses her research process into the world of magic, how she builds dynamic characters, and how she approaches writing more serious topics for young adults.  Say 'Hi' to Tamora on: Facebook at "Tamora Pierce, Fantasy Author"  Twitter at @TamoraPierce To access her shownotes page, head over to: 88CUPSOFTEA.COM/PODCAST/TAMORA-PIERCE

In this episode, The Ish Girl talks about one of her all-time favorites, A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle. Then, she compares the newest (2018) movie version of A Wrinkle in Time with the book. She highlights the following issues and gives examples: Bullying                             Love Conformity                        Self-Esteem Friendship                         Teen/Parent Relationships Good vs. Evil   The main themes of the book are: Embracing the things that make you different. The one thing that can overcome the darkness is love.   Links from the show: Madeleine L’Engle’s acceptance speech when she received the Margaret A. Edwards Award A Wrinkle in Time Movie Trailer Download The Dish on A Wrinkle in Time, a resource that provides discussion questions based on the hot topics in the book.

Eichler Sessions are a series of conversations with creative pioneers hosted in historic Eichler homes. Today we welcome special guest, and author of more than twenty-five books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, Francesca Lia Block. Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than twenty-five books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry, (many of which have been translated into other languages) as well as having written essays for various publications. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, among others. In addition to writing, she teaches fiction workshops at UCLA Extension, Antioch University, and privately in Los Angeles where she was born, raised and currently still lives.  She was recently chosen as the Pasadena City College Writer-in-Residence. Produced in conjunction with Jeffrey Crussell Fine Properties, Tru Bru Organic Coffee, and Creative Noodle. Click here to view photos from the program. For information on upcoming Eichler Sessions click here. Producer: Jon-Barrett Ingels and Kevin Staniec Manager: Sarah Becker Host: Jon-Barrett Ingels Guest: Francesca Lia Block

Laurie Halse Anderson is a writer known to many of you, but she was unknown to me until I walked into a panel at the 2016 NCTE Annual Convention about censorship and instantly appreciated her frank and blunt manor. She explained to me on the podcast that “life is short. I don’t believe in hiding the truth.” When I discovered that she is a New Englander at heart, It all made sense. Laurie is a New York Times–bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous national and state awards, as well as international recognition. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Laurie was honored with the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award given by the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) of the American Library Association for her “significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature.” We chatted about her writing process and the long walks she takes when brainstorming. You’ll find interesting the role technology plays in these walks. I sure did. She shares the story of her second-grade teacher’s role in making her appreciate the power of words, and she lets us know the best book she has read in the last decade. Even though she was fighting a cold for this interview, we had a great discussion about many different things.

With more than 10 million copies in print, Sarah Dessen is the undisputed queen of summer romance and her thirteenth novel, ONCE AND FOR is the best one yet. Set in the world of wedding planning, ONCE AND FOR ALL is inspired by those momentous occasions in life which can challenge one’s personal resources and ultimately bring out the best in ourselves and the friends and family around us. Sarah Dessen is the author of twelve previous novels, and her first two books, That Summer and Someone Like You, were made into the movie How to Deal, starring Mandy Moore. Dessen’s books are frequently chosen for the Teens’ Top Ten list and the list of Best Fiction for Young Adults. This past January, Sarah Dessen was awarded the highly coveted 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award at the American Library Association Youth Media Awards. Each year the American Library Association awards this honor to an author for his or her significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature. As a recipient of this award, Dessen stands alongside past recipients and young adult literature powerhouses S.E. Hinton, Judy Blume, and Laurie Halse Anderson among others. About ONCE AND FOR ALL: Is it really better to have loved and lost? Louna's summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically. But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn't about to be discouraged now that he's met the one he really wants. Maybe Louna's second chance is standing right in front of her. Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after. Read an excerpt from ONCE AND FOR ALL on EW.com: Sarah Dessen’s YA novel Once and for All

It's a first for Bookmarked! We sit down with New York Times Bestselling author Sarah Dessen to talk about her experience writing her latest book. We've brought on Bookstacked writer Amicha to conduct the interview and talk about Once and For All, writing, and -- of course -- YA! What to expect in this episode... Sarah Dessen joins us to talk about her latest novel, Once and For All. We learn about some of the inspiration behind Sarah's book. What are some of the challenges of writing 13 novels? How does Sarah approach some of the darker themes of her novels? Should YA books explore more of the darker themes behind teenage years? What role does the "happily ever after" play in YA contemporary romance? Sarah tells us how YA has changed since she started writing. We're seeing so much more diversity in YA! Would Sarah consider writing a book series? What's next for Sarah? Will she be writing for an older audience in the future? About Sarah Dessen: Sarah Dessen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels for teens, which have received numerous awards and rave reviews. Her books have been published in over thirty countries and have sold millions of copies worldwide. She is the recipient of the 2017 Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for outstanding contribution to young adult literature for her novels: Keeping the Moon, Dreamland, This Lullaby, The Truth about Forever, Just Listen, Along for the Ride, and What Happened to Goodbye.  An NC native, she currently lives in Chapel Hill with her family. (Courtesy: Sarah Dessen) About Once and For All: Is it really better to have loved and lost?  Louna’s summer job is to help brides plan their perfect day, even though she stopped believing in happily-ever-after when her first love ended tragically.  But charming girl-magnet Ambrose isn’t about to be discouraged now that he’s met the one he really  wants.  Maybe Louna’s second chance is standing right in front of her. Sarah Dessen’s many fans will adore this latest novel, a richly satisfying, enormously entertaining story with humor, romance, and an ending that is so much more than happily-ever-after. Related Linkage: Sarah Dessen's Website Learn more about Once and For All Bookmarked is brought to you by Audible.com! You can get a FREE audiobook (including any of the Harry Potter books) when you sign up for a 30-day free trial membership. Click here for more info! If you like the show, please RATE AND REVIEW it on Apple Podcasts!

With the launch of her first young adult novel, Diana Wagman along with Francesca Lia Block will discuss crossover between the YA genre and adult fiction. Extraordinary October (Ig Publishing) October is an ordinary girl. From her plain looks to her average grades, there seems to be nothing special about her. Then, three days before her eighteenth birthday, she develops a strange itch that won t go away, and her life is turned upside down. Suddenly, she can hear dogs talk, make crows fly, and two new and very handsome boys at school are vying for her affections. After she starts transplanting herself through solid rock, October learns that she is not ordinary at all, but the daughter of a troll princess and a fairy prince, and a pawn in a deadly war between the trolls and the fairies. Now October will have to use all of her growing powers to save her family, and stop a mysterious evil that threatens to destroy the fairy world.  In the fantastical vein of authors such as Julie Kagawa and Holly Black, Extraordinary October takes us on a magical journey from the streets of Los Angeles to the beautiful and mythical underground fairy kingdom.  Praise for Extraordinary October "In an auspicious debut for teens, adult author Wagman proves particularly adept at mixing genres and maintains a terrific balance between fantastical (and occasional macabre) happenings and genuine teen perceptions."--Kirkus Review Extraordinary October is author Diana Wagman’s first novel for Young Adults. She has written five novels for adults, most recently Life #6.  Her stories and essays have been published in The LA Times, Conjunctions, The Colorado Review and elsewhere and included in the anthologies LA Noir and MFA vs. NYC.   The Elementals (Griffin) From a star YA writer Francesca Lia Block, author of the Weetzie Bat books, comes an adult novel about a student, haunted by the disappearance of a friend, who must face the truth The Elementals is on one level a contemporary story about a young woman, Ariel Silverman, facing the challenges of her first years away at college in Berkeley, California, while her mother battles cancer at home in Los Angeles. But the book takes on deeper, stranger meanings when we contend with Ariel's obsession with the disappearance of her best friend, Jeni, who vanished without a trace a few years before. Her emptiness of spirit seems finally to find some healing with three mysterious, beautiful and seductive young people living in a strange old house in the Berkeley hills. But at what price?  Praise for The Elementals “The uniqueness of Ariel as a character as well as the mystery that unravels during the course of the book will make [The Elementals] appealing to both teen and adult readers… An engaging portrait.” – BUST Magazine   "The late great Diana Wynne Jones would approve of Lia Block's The Elementals, a hypnotic account of a girl's first years in college following the disappearance of her best friend on a school trip and the diagnosis of her mother's cancer. As a portrait of a troubled and impressionable girl, Ariel Silverman shimmers in the very air between page and eyelashes. Tam Lin meets the tabloids." —Gregory Maguire, author of Wicked and Out of Oz Francesca Lia Block is the author of more than twenty-five books of fiction, non-fiction, short stories and poetry. She received the Spectrum Award, the Phoenix Award, the ALA Rainbow Award and the 2005 Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, as well as other citations from the American Library Association and from the New York Times Book Review, School Library Journal and Publisher’s Weekly. She was named Writer-in-Residence at Pasadena City College in 2014. Her work has been translated into Italian, French, German Japanese, Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Portuguese. Francesca has also published stories, poems, essays and interviews in The Los Angeles Times, The L.A. Review of Books, Spin, Nylon, Black Clock and Rattle among others. In addition to writing, she teaches fiction workshops at UCLA Extension, Antioch University,  and privately in Los Angeles where she was born, raised and currently still lives.

Sharon Draper, educator, and award-winning author, makes a return visit to the Fairfax Network. Her newest book "Stella by Starlight" received the National Council of Teachers of English 2016 Charlotte Huck Award. Selected as one of New York Times 2015 Notable Children’s Books, “Stella by Starligh”t was recognized for presenting a unique look at the power of family in the Jim Crow South and during the Great Depression. Winner of the 2015 recipient of the American Library Association Margaret A. Edwards Award, Sharon Draper discusses "Stella by Starlight", talks with students about what inspires her stories, the writing process, and what a writer's life is really about. During the webcast, Draper answers questions posed by students via telephone and e-mail, and talks with students from West Potomac High School's Teachers for Tomorrow program via Skype. Originally recorded on 3/18/16

Sharon Draper, educator and award-winning author, makes a return visit to the Fairfax Network. Her newest book Stella by Starlight received the National Council of Teachers of English 2016 Charlotte Huck Award. Selected as one of New York Times 2015 Notable Children’s Books, Stella by Starlight was recognized for presenting a unique look at the power of family in the Jim Crow South and during the Great Depression. Winner of the 2015 recipient of the American Library Association Margaret A. Edwards Award, Sharon Draper discusses Stella by Starlight, talks with students about what inspires her stories, the writing process, and what a writer's life is really about. During the webcast, Draper answers questions posed by students via telephone and e-mail, and talks with students from West Potomac High School's Teachers for Tomorrow program via Skype.

Aug. 30, 2014. Jacqueline Woodson appears at the 2014 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: For her dedication to children and young-adult literature, Jacqueline Woodson received the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2006. Woodson is known for exploring important themes in her works, including issues of gender, class, race, family and history. Her picture books, middle-grade and young-adult novels take the reader on an emotional journey by portraying characters in relatable, realistic situations. Woodson has written more than 20 books; some of the most notable include Newbery Honor Medal winners "Show Way," "Feathers," and "After Tupac and D Foster" and the Coretta Scott King Award-winning "Miracle's Boys." "Brown Girl Dreaming," her newest title released this summer, recalls the story of her own childhood as a young African American girl growing up amid the Civil Rights Movement. Written in verse, each poem gives the reader a snapshot of a child's effort to build a strong voice in the world. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6516

Susan Cooper appears at the 2013 Library of Congress National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Susan Cooper is the author of the classic five-book series "The Dark Is Rising," which won a Newbery Medal, a Newbery Honor Award and two Carnegie Honor Awards. Cooper has also received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for a "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature." Born in England, Cooper was a reporter and feature writer for the London Sunday Times before coming to live in the United States. Her writing includes books for children and adults, a Broadway play, films and Emmy-nominated screenplays. "Ghost Hawk" is her latest novel. For transcript, captions and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6126

Tamora Pierce appears at the 2013 Library of Congress National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Tamora Pierce says she grew up poor, "but we always had a lot of books. Books are still the main yardstick by which I measure true wealth." Her family struggled, and Pierce struggled for a long time before she could earn a living as a writer. She became well-known when she published her first series, "The Song of the Lioness." This year, Pierce received the Margaret A. Edwards Award from the American Library Association for her "lasting and significant contribution to young adult literature." Her new novel is "Battle Magic." For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6065

Richard Peck appears at the 2013 Library of Congress National Book Festival. Speaker Biography: Richard Peck is a prolific author of children's books and has won almost every children's literature award, including the Margaret A. Edwards Award, the Newbery Medal, the Scott O'Dell Award and the Edgar, and he has twice been nominated for a National Book Award. He was the first children's author ever to have been awarded a National Humanities Medal. His new book is "The Mouse with the Question Mark Tail." For captions, transcript, and more information visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6095

Judy Blume has sold more than 80 million copies of such young-adult best-sellers as Blubber: Just as Long as We’re Together and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret as well as the adult titles Summer Sisters, Smart Women and Wifey. Her books have been translated into 31 languages, and she has won numerous awards for her writing, such as the Margaret A. Edwards Award for Lifetime Achievement from the American Library Association and the Living Legends award from the Library of Congress. Blume is the founder and trustee of The Kids Fund, a charitable and educational foundation. Her newest book is Friend or Fiend? With the Pain & the Great One (2009). She lives on islands along the East Coast.