Got Books?

Aurelia, who is looking a bit tattered after her journey in her new book, Exile, arches her eyebrow at me. “Look who’s here.”

I ignore the raised eyebrow. I led sixty sixth graders to the top of Multnomah Falls this week. I refuse to feel guilty about my failure to blog last weekend. Instead, I barrel into the conversation. “You’d better find a new outfit, Aurelia. Next Saturday we are going to Klindt’s!”

She fiddles with a rip in her blouse. “What is Klindt’s?”

I clasp my hands together and spin around. “One of the most miraculous places in the realm of stories!”

That captures her attention. “Why?”

“Guess!”

She stops fiddling with the blouse, snags my laptop, and runs a search. “It’s a bookstore,” she announces.

“True. But this one is especially important because . . .”

“It’s the oldest bookstore in Oregon,” she proclaims.

“Also true, but . . .”

“That’s not why it’s especially important,” Aurelia gathers, then starts scanning the Klindt’s website. www.klindtsbooks.com

“Found it!” she proclaims, very excited.

“Found what?” I ask.

She flips around the laptop and shows me the Got Books announcement. “It’s holding a huge young adult book event!” she announces.

I smile. “You’re getting warmer.”

Her mouth falls open. But her curiosity holds sway over her temper, and she elaborates. “A book event with Sara L. Ryan, Jesse Freels, Stephanie Bodeen, Kenny Knight, Rosanne Parry, Dave Anderson, R.A. McDonald, Inara Scott, Conrad Wesselhoeft, Sherrida Woodley and Neil Wolfson, representing his late wife L.K. Madigan.”

I smile some more.

“And with us!” Aurelia declares, jumping up and down, using the couch as a trampoline.

“Yes. But do you know why Klindt’s is really amazing?”

She collapses on the cushions. “No. But I would know if you would stop being cryptic and just tell me!”

“Because Klindt’s has Carol and Angela and all kinds of amazing people who work there. And because it’s the place where I used to order books when I was little. Klindt’s is the place that sent me the Satin Slippers series. And the Mandie books. And the Black Stallion series. And Alanna, the First Adventure!”

“Oh!” Aurelia sinks into the cushions. Then Klindt’s is a magical place.”

“Of course.” I smile.

“And now it sells my books?” she whispers nervously.

“Yes.”

She hops up and spins around. “I can’t wait ’til Saturday!”



The official press release for Got Books is pasted below:

GOT BOOKS?
Saturday June 4th 11am-3pm
Klindt’s YA event.
twelve authors, one day.
books. food. free stuff.
www.klindtsbooks.com


On Saturday June 4th 2011 the oldest bookstore in the Pacific Northwest will host 12 Young Adult genre authors to encourage and excite the next generation of readers. From 11am until 3 pm at Klindt's Booksellers, authors Sara L. Ryan, Jesse Freels, Stephanie Bodeen, Kenny Knight, Rosanne Parry, Dave Anderson, R.A. McDonald, Inara Scott, Conrad Wesselhoeft, Anne Osterlund, Sherrida Woodley and Neil Wolfson, representing his late wife L.K. Madigan, will spend the afternoon talking with local YA lovers about their works. Two of these writers, Anne Osterlund and L.K. Madigan, are both up for the Oregon Book Award this year and you may recognize Roseanne Parry from last year’s Oregon Battle of the Books list. Parry’s newest title, Second Fiddle, has also been selected as an Indie Next Pick. While several of our guests write teen fantasy/paranormal fiction, we have also included other genre writers who may interest YA readers. These genres include mystery, autobiography, science fiction, historical fiction, and teen romance.

In addition to these 12 wonderful authors, Klindt’s will provide a free BBQ and soda as well as book give-aways and other fun gifts and prizes. Author Rosanne Parry will collaborate with budding local fiddlers to play a few songs in the back parking lot and we heard a rumor that the famous TDMS group D.A.C will also make an appearance!


Klindt's is working closely with local schools and libraries to encourage summer reading. The Dalles-Wasco County Library runs a summer reading program and hopes that this event can help expand their program. The Library will host an ice cream social and scavenger hunt immediately following the author event at Klindt's. We are also providing a program for teachers to offer extra credit for student participation.

Klindt’s Booksellers has been bringing literature to our community for over 140 years. We hope you will be just as excited as we are about this event and that you will support us in encouraging YA readers to join us for a creative afternoon! At Klindt’s, we strive to continue a long tradition of community stewardship. We often have customers in their 70’s and 80’s come in and tell us that they used to purchase their school texts at our bookstore as children. It is our joy to help bring the love of books to yet another generation.

We are glad to provide advance reader copies of books to media outlets interested in reviewing them. We would also love to put you in contact with our twelve authors and their publicists. If you would like more information on this event, or would like to schedule an interview, please contact our event coordinator, Angela, at 541-296-3355 or info@klindtsbooks.com. Thank you for your continued support of the oldest bookstore in Oregon.

The Whole "No-Magic" Thing

First, More Exile Reviews:

-The Story Siren: http://www.thestorysiren.com/2011/04/exile-by-anne-osterlund.html

-The Merry Genre Go Round Reviews: http://harstan.wordpress.com/2011/04/30/exile-anne-osterlund/

-And check out Karen's (one of my favorites) & Courtney's on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142417394/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=yarr-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399349&creativeASIN=0142417394


Now Moving On . . . At last

I promised in an earlier blog post, to tackle the topic of why there is no magic in Aurelia. Or her entire series, for that matter.

You see, it isn’t that I don’t love magic.

We are talking a huge Neverland-Fantasia-Tortall-Oz fan here.

It’s just that, in this case, magic would be cheating.

It is very important that Aurelia deals with her problems herself. (OK, I’m leaving out someone pretty important here, but ultimately you see what I mean, right?)

And that the danger she deals with is real.

She can’t just . . . use a sword.

Which, again, is not to say that I don’t love female warriors.

To me, Aurelia is totally a warrior.

But not in a masculine or magical sense.

She was raised as a young woman. And she has to deal with all the implications that come with that. And all the limits.

Her gifts are the kinds of gifts anyone could have. Intelligence. Passion. An open mind.

And stubbornness.

Which isn’t just a weakness. It’s something she needs.

Aurelia isn’t “superior” just because she was born a princess. The danger she faces is real. And no matter how “good” she is, she can’t defeat overwhelming odds just because I would like her to. She has to face that danger head-on. And she has to grow and learn and fight.

And sometimes lose.

Because that’s why there’s a story.

And it's not the kind of story that changes with pixie dust.