getting into the publishing business—our conversation at Penn

Yesterday afternoon, in the faculty lounge of Penn's English Department, we talked about editing, agenting, and publishing with students who are intrigued by the career possibilities. Alyssa Eisner Henkin (Trident Media), Alison Weiss (Sky Pony Press), Dave Borgenicht (Quirk Books), and Josh Getzler (Hannigan Salky Getzler Agency) sketched the paths they've taken toward the positions they currently hold. The entrepreneurial spirit that is required to foster and launch ideas. The courage one needs to follow a hunch, and to proceed with passions. The ability to listen for trends but to know (no matter what the big chains might say) what has the power to disrupt publishing-as-usual. I know how much I learned sitting there. I was grateful on behalf of the students, whose questions inspired us. Many thanks to Penn, to Zack Lesser, and to Deb Burnham, our host for the day.

I'm off now to New York City, where so much (but, talk to Dave of Quick, not all) of publishing happens, to join David Levithan and those dozens upon dozens of teen authors for the final days of New York City Teen Author Festival. This afternoon, at the New York Public Library, 4:40,  I'm joining Francisco X. Stork, Luanne Rice, Carolyn Mackler, and David Levithan for a conversation about perspective—how we adults return to and tap into our teen selves as we write. On Sunday, I'll be joining dozens of other writers for a mass signing at Books of Wonder (I sign at 2:30).

We'd love to see you there.

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It's the official You Are My Only paperback release day!

With great thanks to Egmont USA for believing in a book that means so much to me. And to Alison Weiss, for her beautiful note. I'll be joining Margaret Coffee, Michelle Bayuk and the Egmont team at ALA Midwinter in Philadelphia on Sunday, January 26, 3 PM, for an official first signing.

Many thanks to everyone who helped make this book—and to the glorious dozens upon dozens who cared so much when the hardback debuted. I will never forget you. Amy Riley and Pamela van Hylckama Vlieg—Look what happens when you read that small type very carefully!

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Kidnapping in YA: The Live Chat

A few weeks ago, Alison Weiss of Egmont USA wrote with an idea.  Why not conduct a live chat with readers?  Why not, indeed, find a time when both Kristina McBride (The Tension of Opposites) and I could sit down for an hour for a moderated conversation conducted within the Cover It Live forum?

The question was asked.  A program was born.  An evening was chosen.

Please join Kristina, Alison, and me for a conversation about what happens when you choose to build a story within the frame of a kidnapping.  Did real-world headlines precipitate the story?  Are we obliged, as storytellers, to work the sensationalistic angles?  How much room can we make for language and heart and hope in a story that has such darkness at its start?

I'm really looking forward to the conversation, and I am very hopeful that you will find the time to join us.  The facts and link below:

Kidnapping in YA:  A Chat with Beth Kephart and Kristina McBride

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

7:30 PM EDT

Chat with us at this link

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A photo (and link-rich) tour of my morning at the BEA

I left the house at 5 AM yesterday, and walked, in the breaking dark, toward the train. The carnival lights from the Devon Horse Show grounds were shining just for me.

I arrived early to the Javits Center and took a walk first within the silence, then among the onslaught of crowds. Soon I was at the Egmont USA booth, interviewing the wonderful Rob Guzman, part of the Egmont USA marketing team. (Later in the day I had the privilege of interviewing Egmont USA's Alison Weiss.)

In impromptu fashion (under Rob's raised eyebrow) I began signing books right there at the Egmont booth, flashing my spanking-new bookmarks whenever I could.  It wasn't long before I was in the presence of Florinda of the 3Rs, a beautiful book blogger and a member of the Armchair BEA team. We had a conversation, Florinda and I, and, thanks to Elizabeth Law, our dialogue was captured for all of time on film.  Check the Armchair BEA blog later today to see what Florinda and I had to say.

Elizabeth Law of Egmont USA was my guide throughout the morning; in the rush of my signing, Florinda took our photograph. Soon, were we joined by some beautiful people—librarians, teachers, readers, parents, and blogger friends. There I am with Kathy of BermudaOnion (I finally met her and she's as lovely as I knew she would be) and Julie of Booking Mama (isn't she gorgeous?). Later, I had the privilege of seeing (among so many others) the uber-smart editor/blogger behind Beth Fish Reads, the design whiz Alea of Pop Culture Junkie, and the incredibly gracious writer and blogger Melissa Sarno of This Too. I was signing at the very last table and beyond me were authors of huge celebrity and appeal. I cannot sufficiently express my appreciation for those who stood in my line and gave me the chance to meet them.

Just before I left the premises to walk across town to Grand Central to take a (strictly un-airconditioned) bus on a (bumper-to-bumper expressway) to JFK Airport to see my son just ahead of his departure for London, I had a few near encounters with famous people, including Olivia the Pig and Michael Moore, pictured above. I also finally got to meet my last editor at HarperCollins, Ruta Rimas, who helped usher The Heart Is Not a Size into the world. She's cuter and sweeter than I can say. I picked up a single galley at the show, from Grove: Alice LaPlante's Turn of Mind, which is enjoying a whole lot of early buzz.

I will miss my son enormously. But he is on an adventure all his own, and I could not be happier for him.

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On the making of a young editor: my interview with Alison Weiss of Egmont USA

In this brief chapter from my morning at the BEA, I spend some time with Alison Weiss, the youngest of the Egmont USA editors. She talks about her evolution as a lover of books to a maker of them.

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A Photo Tour of Egmont USA

I made my way up from a client meeting on Wall Street to Park Avenue yesterday, where the always-wonderful Egmont USA troupe welcomed me in, bling and all.  You throw your arms around these people when you see them.  You talk travels, sun, book jackets, dreams, classes taught and classes taken, Mickey Mouse, impersonations, architecture, radical movie flops, the delicate matter of the comma.  You go home feeling warmed, alive, like books still matter, after all.  That's Lawsy and me, in the final picture, aligning our bedazzling silver trim.

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