June 2013
5 posts
YA Highway: When There Are No Words →
yahighway.tumblr.com
On writing historical fiction about bisexual characters
My most recent novel, The Elementals, is the third book in a historical fantasy series. Beginning with the Victorian era, moving to the Land Run era, this final book heads to San…
Interesting post on both the language of identity and being true to your characters and their world. :)
Stacked: Female Sexuality in YA Fiction: Exploring the Range of Experiences →
stackedbooks.org
There have been posts about what’s missing in YA, but I wanted to talk about the positive, empowering range of sexual experiences for females in YA fiction.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes: Author Gender, Null Results, & Examining Privilege →
jenniferlynnbarnes.tumblr.com
After I posted my thoughts on big book causality, I received this question in my ask box:
The Short Answer
My short answer to the question of whether or not I find it disingenuous to suggest that being male might have had some effect on John’s success is… no. Not even a little bit. Not…
More smart analysis, and questions for further consideration, by author Jennifer Lynn Barnes.
May 2013
5 posts
Lambda Literary Finalists Reading in Chicago Tonight!
Tonight (May 22) I will be reading from Personal Effects — along with 8 other finalists for the Lambda Literary Award reading from their wonderful work — as part of the run up to the June 3 Lambda Literary Award celebration in New York.
What: Reading by 9 Lambda Literary Award finalists from Chicago & the Midwest
Where: The Center on Halsted, 3656 North Halsted Street in the Senior Center
When: Wednesday, May 22 at 7:00 PM
Lambda Literary Foundation Board President Dr. Judith Markowitz will be hosting the event.
I am thrilled to be a Lambda finalist, and to be participating in tonight’s reading. If you’re in the Chicago area, hope to see you there!
Sex and YA Fiction | Malinda Lo →
malindalo.com
If I have any political agenda when it comes to representing girls’ sexuality and desire, it’s that I want to describe it positively. I don’t know if “sex positive” is out of fashion these days, but the term still speaks to me. I think it’s OK — and even realistic — for girls to feel desire and to express it physically and with confidence. From the beginning.
A really interesting post that continues to look at sex in YA — I embrace the central point: Write your characters true to themselves, not as you wish they were or as you imagine readers or others might wish they were, and that includes their feelings about sex and their sexual experiences.
In Our Own Words
I’ve been struggling with something lately, and in effort to get it out and move on with the writing, I blogged.
If our YA male characters are allowed their experiences of desire, it seems wrong that our female characters are not afforded that same personhood, the same standard.
The whole post is at: http://emkokie.com/attractive_nuisance/2013/05/09/in-our-own-words/
April 2013
1 post
Today at The Pirate Tree →
thepiratetree.com
Up at The Pirate Tree today, my post on reading ORLEANS by Sherri_L_Smith with OUT OF THE EASY by RutaSepetys, an exploration of the intersection of gender, socioeconomic class and gender, through the lens of historical and future New Orleans. http://www.thepiratetree.com/2013/04/18/once-and-future-new-orleans/
February 2013
1 post
An Evening with the Awesome Cynthia Leitich Smith!
Madison area folks, I hope to see you this Thursday, 2/28, 7-8:45pm, at the Alicia Ashman Branch of the Madison Public Library, 733 N. Highpoint Road, Madison, WI.
SCBWI-Wisconsin is sponsoring a great public event — An Evening with Author Cynthia Leitich Smith.
The always interesting Cynthia will start the evening by talking about her new releases, FERAL NIGHTS (Book One in the Feral series) and ETERNAL: ZACHARY’S STORY, a graphic novel illustrated by Ming Doyle (Tantalize series). Then I will join her for a discussion on a variety of writing and publishing topics, such as writing across age divisions, the ever-changing YA market, web platforms and promotion, craft and career reinvention, the writing community, and taking ownership of your success.
A Room of One’s Own independent bookstore will be on hand to sell books, and the reception following the talk and discussion will be a great time to get a book signed, catch up with fellow SCBWI members, and chat with area writers, readers and fans. Plus there will be giveaways (always a good thing!).
If you are an area writer/illustrator for children or teens and aren’t yet a member of SCBWI, this would be a great chance to meet some fellow writers/illustrators in your community. ;)
List-mania!
Good news for Personal Effects: http://emkokie.com/attractive_nuisance/2013/01/31/list-mania/
January 2013
4 posts
2013 Rainbow List!
I’m thrilled that Personal Effects was included on the 2013 Rainbow List with so many wonderful books, including some written by friends and admired colleagues! The whole list can be found at: http://glbtrt.ala.org/rainbowbooks/archives/1025
“Kokie beautifully crafts a story about the troubled relationships between an emotionally stunted father and his two sons… . A strong choice for reluctant readers and lovers of realistic fiction alike.”
—Hooray! Lovely review of PERSONAL EFFECTS from School Library Journal has been posted. :) Full review here: http://bookverdict.com/details.xqy?uri=15826800.xml
December 2012
1 post
Sarah Rees Brennan: Rants About Rants About YA →
sarahreesbrennan.tumblr.com
Smart, right on, hell yes words. Read them.
That got very Inception-y. RANTS INSIDE OF RANTS INSIDE OF RANTS INSIDE OF… anyway.
I see a lot of “rants” about YA floating around the Internet and in my real-life bookish existence. I notice some very similar threads that run through these rants to the point that I can pretty…
October 2012
2 posts
Fun with shipping, with Maureen Johnson: THE ADVENTURE OF THE RANDOM HOUSE →
maureenjohnsonbooks.tumblr.com
By popular demand* I bring you the Random House/FedEx story. This happened not *too* long ago. This is partially by memory, but I did write it down afterwards, because it was so great.
MAUREEN wanders into the local FedEx with a package she needs to send to Random House publishers. Random House…
August 2012
1 post
Tumbled Chikin: Schedule for ALAN Workshop 2012 →
thunderchikin.tumblr.com
The first draft of the 2012 ALAN Workshop has been released (authors, times, and panels are subject to additions and subtractions so check the final program on the ALAN site for updates closer to the workshop). The ALAN workshop will be held in Las Vegas November 19-20 in the MGM Grand.
