DELIVER ME by Kate Jarvik Birch

I am so happy to be a part of the cover reveal for DELIVER ME by Kate Jarvik Birch, coming April 15^th from Bloomsbury Spark.

Blurb:

One People. One Union. One Future. 

Wynne’s entire life is dictated by the Union: the clothes she wears, the books she reads, even the genes she inherited. And like every other girl in the Union, Wynne dreams of being chosen as a Carrier on her 16^th birthday—one of the elite selected to carry the future generation within her womb. Wynne and her best friend Odessa are certain they will both make the cut, but when Odessa is chosen and whisked off to a life of privilege, Wynne is left behind to work as an assistant, delivering babies for the Union.

As Odessa slips deeper and deeper into the role of Carrier, Wynne begins to see the Union for what it really is: a society that criminalizes the notion of love, and forbids words like mother and family.

For the first time in her life, Wynne is faced with a choice: submit to the will of the Union, or find a way to escape and save Odessa before she is lost forever.

Goodreads |

About the Author

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist and writer living in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. She wrote her first novel in fourth grade. The main character was suspiciously similar to herself and the love interest bore quite a strong resemblance to the boy she had a crush on. As an adult, her essays and short stories have been published in Isotope: A Journal of Literary Nature and Science Writing, Saint Ann's Review, Scissors and Spackle and Indiana Review. Her first play, (a man enters), co-written with Elaine Jarvik, was produced in 2011 by Salt Lake Acting Co.

Kate’s debut novel, DELIVER ME, comes out April 15^th from Bloomsbury Spark. PERFECTED will be released July 1^st from Entangled Teen.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Giveaway

Enter the giveaway below to win an electronic copy of DELIVER ME from Bloomsbury Spark as well as a $20 Amazon gift card!

Click here to Enter

  

Jacob's New Dress by Sarah and Ian Hoffman

I have been waiting to get my hot little hands on this book for months. It was waiting for me when I returned from SCBWI Winter Conference in New York on Sunday. I ripped open the nondescript envelope, and this beautiful picture book fell out in to my lap.

Jacob's New Dress is written by Sarah and Ian Hoffman, published by Albert Whitman & Company. It is gorgeously illustrated by Chris Case. I met Sarah and Ian on twitter when they were guests on the #MGLITCHAT about LGBTQ characters in middle grade back in November.

This is the blurb from Goodreads:

Jacob loves playing dress-up, when he can be anything he wants to be. Some kids at school say he can't wear "girl" clothes, but Jacob wants to wear a dress to school. Can he convince his parents to let him wear what he wants? This heartwarming story speaks to the unique challenges faced by boys who don't identify with traditional gender roles.

Jacob doesn't understand why he can't wear a dress to school. "Boys don't wear dresses," one of the other boys tells him. But his mom, his teacher, and his friend Emily support his efforts to find the perfect dress to wear to school.

This book is a perfect book whether you know a "pink" boy (the male equivalent of a tom-boy) or not. My eleven year old daughter read it over my shoulder and wondered out loud why you *wouldn't* want to be different from everyone else. "Different is fun," she says.

I hope she's always that idealistic. We know different isn't always fun. But Jacob's New Dress shows kids that different is just fine. 

Jacob's New Dress on Amazon

SCBWI New York 2014

This weekend, I'll be attending my second SCBWI National Convention in New York City. This is big. There's an amazing roster of agents, editors, authors, illustrators and people who love books for kids.

As the New England SCBWI Conference Chair, I have a little bit of history with planning big events. I know how much work is behind lining up the keynotes. I know how tricky it can be to manage the travel and transportation and hotel accommodations and room set ups and details of each and every faculty member. If it's anything like New England, everyone has a different set of circumstances, so there's some finesse involved.

Managing the details with the hotel, handling the audio/visual, making sure all the nametags are prepared, considering the menu--no one can manage all the details alone. There are a host of people in the background planning the details, making it all look seamless.

So I just want to say THANK YOU in advance for the fabulousness of SCBWI NYC. I know the gala is going to be awesome, registration is going to run smoothly, the breakouts are going to be informative, and the keynotes are going to be inspiring.

I've got my outfits picked out, my pencils sharpened, and my suitcase packed. I've got my business cards, my notebook, and my phone charged. I'm spending three nights away from home, hoping to meet some new friends, have a glass of wine or two with old friends, and get a healthy dose of inspiration.

I owe so much of my writing career to SCBWI -- I'm thrilled to be spending the weekend at a place with like minded colleagues, where I can introduce myself to strangers as an author of children's books.

Launch of The Fall Fourteeners

YAY!

Happy Valentine's Day!

I'm happy so happy to be a Fall Fourteener: A group of YA authors with debut novels coming out between July and December 2014.

FALL FOURTEENERS

Great new blog AND an awesome giveaway.

NESCBWI 2014 Badges for your Website

I am so pleased to offer these to the attendees, volunteers, and faculty of the SCBWI - New England conference, May 2-4, 2014. Designed by the fabulous Denise Ortakales - http://sculptedpaper.wordpress.com/

Please feel free to tell the world about your involvement with SCBWI - New England. Not registered yet? Sign up here: NESCBWI Registration