Saturday, November 21, 2009

Kicking off a New Reading Series TODAY

HM Bowuman and I are co-curating a new bi-monthly Reading Series at the Loft featuring writers of Children's Literature. The idea behind the series is to pair up a nationally recognized author with an emerging one in a kind of "if you liked..., you might also like ..."


We're so excited to get the authors we have for this month: Pete Hautman and JT Dutton. Here's the pitch: Come, enjoy, steal (or earn) a chocolate car.


Listen to Pete Hautman, winner of the National Book Award, read from his new novel, How to Steal a Car. We've got a newcomer in the line up, too: J.T. Duttonauthor of Freaked, will be coming through our fine twin cities just for a this reading.



When: TODAY, November 21st at 2 PM.

Where: The Loft. Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave. 2nd floor



And there's more! Chocolate cars, which you can try to steal or earn with a question! (Pete won't be giving lessons on car-jacking, but he will be signing books).



Not enough? We have even more.


DISCUSSION: Julie Shumacher will be discussing how to get published alongside editors from Milkweed, Carolrhorda and Flux.



When: Saturday, November 21st at 4 PM.

Where: The Loft. Open Book, 1011 Washington Ave., Minneapolis, MN



As you might already know, Pete was one of my mentors in the Loft's Mentor Series a couple of years back and, even though he no longer has the official title, he's remains one of my writing gurus.


Besides, the guy can write.


Here's an excerpt from Pete's newest book:


The way this whole thing got started was completely coincidental and not like I planned it or anything. Jen and I had been at Ridgedale a few days before and we got kicked out of Abercrombie & Fitch because Jen was carrying around this enormous drippy wafflecone, so we went outside and sat on one of the benches in front of Macy’s so she could suck down the rest of it. We were talking and watching people walk to and from their cars when I noticed this salesman-type guy younger than our parents but way older than us score a prize parking slot close to the front entrance. The guy got out looking very pleased with himself and set his car keys on the hood and started digging in his briefcase for something. His keys slid off the hood and landed by his feet. He didn’t notice.

I looked at Jen but she was having some sort of crisis with her cone.
A couple seconds later, the guy found whatever it was he was looking for. He closed his briefcase and took off toward Macy’s entrance, passing real close to us. I opened my mouth to tell him he’d dropped his keys, but for some reason I didn’t.

After he was gone I said to Jen, “That guy dropped his keys.”
“Where?”
I walked over to his car and picked them up.


See what I mean?


In fact, JT Dutton is also a mentor of mine. (I'm so lucky!), through the Class of 2k10. We've been emailing each other and she has given me some great advice already on being a debut author. More specifically, she has helped me with my second book blues. She reassured me that yes, the second book is a unique beastie and that the third book is much easier. I'm actually going to get to meet her today, which has me grinning. I hope to have an excerpt and interview for you later!


For now, hope to see you there.

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