The Places We'll Go

From Suzanne Morgan Williams:

This week I bought three pairs of high heeled shoes. Now before, I had one pair of high heeled boots in my closet. And I bought nylons too. I haven’t worn those since – maybe two and a half years ago. And I bought a glittery turquoise and silver jacket to go with my long black crepe skirt. What does this have to do with writing? Well, you never know where this business will take you – which is why I say be nice to people, consider all strange options, and talk to everybody.

Here’s the backstory. In 2008, I joined the class of 2k9 – mainly because my friend, Fran Cannon Slayton, said it would be cool. She was right. When our books began coming out in 2009, we arranged various group presentations – panels and signings. Stacy Nyikos from 2k8, contacted our group with an invitation to join some of her class at Encyclomedia, the Oklahoma Library Association’s Convention. With a book titled Bull Rider, I answered well, ye-ess! Then I began to question my sanity. I needed to fly to Oklahoma. I planned to stay five days for the event and to do a school visit in North Texas. This would cost me a bunch of money, even though I was staying at a $49 a night Super Eight. (Ahh, the glamorous life.) But I went.

And before I went, I made an appointment to meet with the Education Director at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. I figured as long as I was in the area I would pitch a writing workshop for students. While we were talking, she suggested my publisher enter Bull Rider for the Western Heritage Awards that are given for music, film, and literature every year by the museum. Did that. And the book won! Best Juvenile Book, 2010. The caveat was, that to get the cool statue that goes with the award I needed to go back to Oklahoma City and attend a black tie dinner. I didn’t (until last week) own a pair of nylons or a pair of high heels – except for those boots. So I was all over Face Book asking my friends where to get plus sized glittery clothes for the event. I have to say, the suggestions were not always G-rated. But the shopping has been fun.

Here’s my take: You never know where writing will lead you. For Rosanne Parry, it’s to Houston to get an award from Church and Temple Librarians for Heart of a Shepherd. And for Susannah French it’s to Washington D.C. to receive the Green Earth Book Award for Operation Redwood. For me, back to Oklahoma City for a Western Heritage Award, and who knows what else is in our future. To quote Dr. Seuss

OH THE PLACES YOU’LL GO!
Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.

Sharing Time, Sharing Books

One of the things I’ve learned during the past year is to make double use of time. And to share – with readers and with other authors. So this blog is one that I may repost. But for now it’s all yours. The Class of 2k9 is such a supportive group of good friends now and it’s become habit to share other people’s books while I’m presenting mine. Many librarians have asked me for lists of other books – they love the 2k9 postcard with it's yummy menu of all kinds of reading. So here I’m going to share some books I recommend that, like my book, speak to the experience of war.

Operation Yes, by Sara Lewis Holmes, Scholastic, 2009. I loved this book because, after reading about life on a military base and moving and a mom deployed to Iraq, I ended up feeling like kids have real power over parts of their lives. That they can, with a good plan and a good attitude, impact the world in glorious ways. After reading Operation Yes I imagined kids all over the world posting little green men. (MG)

Heart of a Shepherd, by our own 2k9 Rosanne Perry, Random House, 2009. A quiet gem about the impact of war on one ranch kid, his family, and his community when almost all the adult men in his small Oregon town are called up to the reserves. It speaks as much to family, faith, and finding one's place in the world as it does to war. But if you imagine the wars in the Middle East are far away and are only reminded of them when you see a clip on the news, you need to read this book.(MG)

Purple Heart by Patricia McCormick, Balzer and Bray/Harper Collins, 2009. A not so quiet step into the life of a nineteen year old serviceman in Iraq. He has suffered a traumatic brain injury and has lost his memory of an encounter with the enemy which may change his life. A page turner that reads honestly and is enhanced with sensitive details. (YA)

Bull Rider by Suzanne Morgan Williams, Margaret K. McElderry/Simon and Schuster, 2009. Well this is mine so I’ll be short. It’s about a Nevada ranch kid whose older brother suffers a traumatic brain injury and loses an arm in the Iraq War. It’s the story of the brothers – and how they cope with the changes war brings to their lives. (Tween)

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, Penguin Books, 2007. This best seller doesn't need my recommendation but it's a book I give to friends. A look at one man's experience creating and building schools in what was to become a war zone on the Pakistan/Afghanistan border. There is a "young readers edition" from Turtleback. (nonfiction, Adult/YA)

On my nightstand that I haven’t finished yet:
Sunrise in Fallujah by Walter Dean Myers, Scholastic 2008 (YA)
100 Days and 99 Nights by Alan Madison, Little Brown, 2008 (young middle grade)
Ghosts of War, The True Story of a 19-Year- Old GI by Ryan Smithson, Collins/Harper Collins, 2009 ( nonfiction, YA/adult)
War Is, Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War, edited by Mard Aronson and Patty Campbell, Candlewick Press,2008 (nonfiction, YA/adult)

And Before Iraq and Afghanistan:
Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank ( nonfiction YA)
Red Badge of Courage by Stephan Crane (YA/Adult)
The Sun Also Rises by Earnest Hemmingway (YA/Adult)
Tistou of the Green Thumbs by Maurice Druon (MG)

This is my list. Do you have books to add? I'd love to have a long annotated list to offer librarians. Thanks, Suzanne Morgan Williams