To Our Community

The children's writing community is known for its supportiveness and friendliness. Recently, misunderstandings about the "Class of 2K" label have caused rifts in part of our community.

We, the Class of 2k8, are troubled by these misunderstandings. What threatens one writer threatens us all, and we should have voiced our concerns about these issues earlier. We regret that we did not. As first-time children's novelists, we are learning as we go. However, we wish to be clear now: We fully support Jackson Pearce, the 2009 Debutantes, and all other authors with books debuting in 2008, 2009, and beyond.

We are not only members of the Class of 2k8; we are also part of the larger children's writing community, and we value and respect that community and its members. We look forward, especially, to sharing the thrill of becoming first-time children’s novelists with other debut authors.

The Class of 2k8
Marissa Doyle, Jody Feldman, Lisa Schroeder, Jenny Meyerhoff, Nina Nelson, Sarah Prineas, Barrie Summy, Laurel Snyder, Debbie Reed Fischer, Nancy Viau, Kristin Tubb, PJ Hoover, Elizabeth Bunce, Jen Bradbury, Courtney Sheinmel, Regina Scott, Daphne Grab, Ellen Booraem, Donna Freitas, Terri Clark, Liz Gallagher, Teri Brown, Michele Barker, Brooke Taylor, Stacy Nyikos

Unforgettable heroes

Quick T.I.P.:
Little Willow/Slayground has interviewed Daphne Grab!
Read it now, then cruise on back for more about heroes.

To sum up this week's hero theme, we take a more serious turn and talk with Nancy Viau. Nancy is the author of Samantha Hansen Has Rocks In Her Head, a middle-grade novel that explores the heart and soul of a ten-year-old who loves rocks, and hates the fact she can’t keep her temper under control.

Who’s your hero, Nancy?

Well, when I first think of heroes, I think of the men and women who give up their comfortable lives to fight overseas. They do this unselfishly, and I am so grateful. It’s because of them that I (quite selfishly) get to do what I do—write. Thankyouthankyouthankyou!

On a personal note, my dad is my hero. And it’s not just because he served in the U.S. Army for 26 years. (I’m an Army brat, can you tell?) There was never a day that my dad did not believe in me. In fourth grade, when I told him I wanted to be an astronaut, he said, “You can do anything you set your mind to.” In high school, when I longed to be a Broadway dancer, he said, “That’s great!” And in college, when I told him I was planning to be an elementary school teacher, he looked at me kind of relieved, and replied, “Perfect.” Years later, as I worked toward getting published, his encouragement kept me going. He dealt with the death of a wife, son, and most of his good friends, and lived in extreme pain, yet this “Energizer Bunny” met each day with a positive attitude, a twinkle in his eye, and a sense of humor. I hope to honor him by doing the same.

Nancy has written a special tribute to her dad that can be found in the latest Chicken Soup for the Soul anthology: Chicken Soup for the Soul Celebrating People Who Make a Difference. Pick up this book in a store near you, and read her heartfelt essay: “Save the Best for Last.”

Think you’d like to try your hand at writing a personal essay? Click HERE for the “Recipe For A Winning Chicken Soup for the Soul Story.”

Stay tuned next week for a list you can’t miss:
28+ Reasons Why You Need a Web Site.

BIG T.I.P. (Totally Important Post)

Our family is growing!

Information about the Class of 2k9 (yes, that's right folks, we're talkin' NEXT year) can be found HERE. More info coming soon!

Today, February 7th, is Charles Dickens Day! Did you know that?
Don’t look so forlorn, dear Charles. You are a very special kind of hero to us.

And speaking of heroes, Barrie Summy, author of the fabulous I So Don’t Do Mysteries, has this to say about her hero: Charles Gordon Maynard.

Barrie?

Around 1909, Charles invented wine gum in his father’s candy store in Libya. There is some debate as to whether or not wine gums have ever contained real wine. Personally, I have never eaten a wine gum made with alcohol. About those first candies, who’s to say? Charles’ father was a staunch tee-totaling Methodist, and Charles may have been a bit of a bad boy.

Wine gums come in rolls of round candies or in bags of various geometric shapes and crowns. There are six colors: red, yellow, orange, green, white and black. Wine gums are a hardier chew than their cousin, the gummy bear, and fruitier in taste than their sibling, the jujube.

Wine gums are the perfect pick-me-up when your characters (or your children, for that matter) aren’t behaving themselves. Likewise, they are a delicious reward for each chapter (or page or sentence or, even, word!) written.

I have never seen a photo of Charles, but I suspect he’s a cross between Johnny Depp, Kevin Bacon and Orlando Bloom. He may or may not be a descendent of William the Conqueror.

According to Wikipedia, Roald Dahl (author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and many other great books) loved wine gums and ate one every night before going to bed.

So, thank you, Charles Gordon Maynard, for sweetening up my life. (OK, I do have real everyday heroes, but it’s been a giddy week...)

Barrie, we happen to know that your book is every bit as sweet as wine gum and twice as fun.

Sail into reading with Courtney Sheinmel

Today we hear from Courtney! Courtney’s contemporary young adult novel, My So-Called Family, involves donors instead of fathers, and same-age sisters who are NOT twins. You can’t get any more intriguing than that! Let’s dig into the mind of this author, and find out who her hero is.

I am incredibly afraid of boats (among many other things), and right now – at this very moment – four of my closest friends are on a sailboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. They are traveling (by themselves – no other captain or crew) from California to the South Pacific. And two of them are not even old enough to vote. In fact, they are not even teenagers yet. Those girls are my heroes.

Last spring, I spent a week on the sailboat with the girls and their parents, and I felt incredibly brave just for negotiating the steps between the dock and the boat. I sat in the corner and clutched the handrail, reminding myself that I was wearing a life jacket. The girls, who were nine and eleven years old at the time, helped steer and jibe, and lifted bumpers that weighed more than they did. They jumped off the boat to the dock, and never looked down, and never cried out for fear of falling in the water. They called to me and said, “You can do it, Courtney!” And they held my hands while I climbed down oh so carefully.

I am in awe of how brave and capable they are. But it is more than that. They are just two of the greatest people I’ve ever known. They are beautiful and polite and kind. When I’m around them, I find myself saying “please” and “thank you” more, because I want to be as good as they are. They are hysterically funny, and they inspire me to write better. I’ve even used things they’ve said in my books. Their delight for the world is infectious, so when I am hanging onto the handrail for dear life, and one of them shouts, “Hey look, there’s a dolphin!” I can loosen my grip for just a second and start grinning and waving with them.

Before they left for the South Pacific, I asked the older one if she was scared about the trip, and she said she was, a little. “But this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” she reminded me. Her voice didn’t waver. She and her sister make me want to be brave. They make me want to be better. They are everything I want to be when I grow up.

Ahoy, there, Court! You may not be a sailor, but your book will certainly sail off the shelves come October. And readers won't even need these:

Heroes!

No, not the TV show! This week The Class of 2k8 is talking about those everyday heroes that are an inspiration to us, make us appreciate life, and remind us how much we love reading, writing, and 'rithmatic (hmmm...math? Maybe not so much).

Anyway, today we're hearing from Terri Clark, author of Sleepless, a paranormal novel that will knock your socks off and get you checking to see if diabolical doctors are hiding under your bed. Terri is the perfect person to feature during Library Lovers Month because, not only is she the teen patron specialist at her library, her heroes are librarians! How cool is that?

Terri?

Two of my everyday heroes are co-workers. Julie and Kris are exceptional teen librarians who have been incredible mentors and friends to me. They've taught me so much and continue to inspire me daily. They're passionate advocates for teens. Whether it's developing programs, knowing YA literature, defending teen rights or allowing young adults their own unique personal expression these two ladies are truly everyday heroes. The teens at our library may not recognize their super hero status, but I do. After all, Catwoman was a librarian and she's got nothing on Julie and Kris.

And where would librarians be without readers? Sarah Prineas has a very clear idea of who her hero is.

The anonymous reader is my hero. Somebody who is in love with books, engages fully with the story and the characters, and tells his or her friends about them.


Look for Sarah’s novel, The Magic Thief, this summer. It promises to keep middle-grade kids hooked on reading for years. Her cover alone is enough to make readers salivate, don’t you think?

Fabulous February

Don’t fret because the groundhog saw his shadow, and we’re in for 6 more weeks of winter.

Don’t stress over the fact that Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and you’re clueless about what to get a loved one.

And … don’t be sad that not a single Class of 2k8 member launches her book this month. (OK, you can be a little sad.)

There will still be a ton of bloggin’ fun going on right here!

First up, the Class of 2k8 has a few T.I.Ps. for you. What’s a T.I.P., you ask? A T.I.P. is a Totally Important Post.

Jody Feldman and Marissa Doyle have been interviewed by Cynthia Leitich Smith. Read this fantastic interview on her Cynsations blog.

You can find Liz Gallagher on Authorlink.

And our class has been mentioned on Joshilyn Jackson’s blog.

Word is getting out!

Next up for this first week in February, we have some random facts:

February is National Library Lovers Month. If you haven’t gotten a peek at Liz Gallagher’s book, The Opposite of Invisible, and Lisa Schroeder’s book, I Heart You, You Haunt Me, head on over to the library and check it out.

And February is the month that students and teachers everywhere dig out the party hats to celebrate the 100th day of school. Join the excitement!

There’s more …

This first week in February is Children’s Authors and Illustrators Week. And that’s where we fit in. The Class of 2k8 will be chatting about heroes and those people, young and old, who have been an inspiration.

Let’s jump right in:

Kristin Tubb, author of Autumn Winifred Oliver Does Things Different, has a couple of heroes right in her own home. We can’t help but wonder if they have moustaches…

My everyday heroes are my two young kids. There are many reasons why, but one of the reasons is they remind me why I adore kid lit. My daughter (age 3) loves to play with “mommy’s books” (the activity books I’ve written). She sometimes asks me if I wrote those books just for her. “Yes,” I always say. “I did.” It’s a wonderful reminder of where those books eventually wind up – in the hands of kids who are thrilled to crack open a new story.

More about 2k8’s heroes tomorrow.

Meanwhile, who's your hero?