I'll be at the Writer's Block Festival in Louisville on Saturday. I'll be doing the following panel in the Green Building Gallery:
1-2:15: Younger Games: The Pleasures and Pitfalls of Writing Young Adult Fiction
Young adult fiction is hot! Consider the recent Twilight and Hunger Games series, which have been enthusiastically received by both young and adult readers. Join our versatile panel of contemporary young adult fiction writers: Gwenda Bond (Blackwood); Katrina Kittle (Reasons to Be Happy), and Kelly Creagh (the Nevermore series) moderated by YA novel and short story writer, Matt Jaeger (The Creation of Lilith Pomegranate and The Care Takers). Our panelists will discuss their writing lives and the challenges and the benefits of writing fiction for a young adult audience.
Copies of Blackwood (and everyone else's books) will be on sale courtesy of the wonderful Carmichael's, and I believe I'll be signing at their spot in the Green Building at 2:30, right after the panel. (If that time changes I'll post here. But books should be on sale all day, and I'm happy to sign copies whenever so approach at will.) If you're in the Louisville area, come out and say hi. Most festival events–including the panel–are free to attend.
A few other things:
- Leo Elijah Cristea review: "Bond writes a compelling, addictive story that merges together so many genres it’s difficult to really call it one or the other: with elements of romance, mystery, the supernatural and even horror, Blackwood is a unique, exciting story that kept me glued to the page. It is an engrossing, detailed story that is deliciously written and marks Bond as a writer to look out for." (Another review I want to marry!)
- Book Angel Booktopia review by Jenni: "I really enjoyed this book, it incorporated the legend of the Lost Colony well into a contemporary setting blending the past with the present cleverly. The way the plot twists and turns keeps the book exciting from start to finish, there were a couple of moments that left me feeling completely surprised."
- Much Loved Books review of the audiobook: "The narrator of Blackwood made it interesting and kept me entertained. I even forgot a few times that it was just one person doing all the voices for the characters. I loved her accent and the different tones she uses to get across the emotion the characters are feeling."
- The LOVELY Megan Whitmer says nice things and is giving away a signed copy of Blackwood over at her blog.
- The Cynsations giveaway is also still going.
And one last link that is too interesting and important not to share:
- "Gender Balance in YA Award Winners since 2000" over at Lady Business. Fascinating analysis.