For an author awaiting the publication of her debut novel, there are few things as thrilling as seeing other people – like, people who aren’t even related to her, even! – getting excited about her book. Here’s a big thank you to:
Thanks to everyone who has given love to Sword and Verse!
Bloggers, did I miss you? If so, post your link in the comments, and I will include your post in the next round-up!
A couple of weeks ago I got to go to my first GeekyCon, and it was fabulous! I left the con and went directly to a camp in the woods, which is why I haven’t gotten to post about it until now. A week and a half after leaving Orlando, here are the moments that stuck with me:
1. Being incredibly proud of founders Melissa Anelli and Stephanie Dornhelm as they received a “Geek Day” proclamation from the Orange County Commissioner.
2. Watching my good friend Megan Morrison discuss topics such as likable protagonists and making old stories new alongside authors like Taherah Mafi, Ransom Riggs, Holly Black, and Cynthia Leitich Smith (all of whom, by the way, totally recognized Megan as a fandom authority).
3. Getting signed copies of books by Stephanie Perkins, Courtney Summers, and Marie Lu. I was pretty much tongue-tied and starstruck. (And getting to reread Stephanie Perkins’ Isla and the Happily Ever After at camp. It was even better than I remembered.)
4. This sign in the bookstore:
5. Co-presenting a session on fanfiction as a launching pad for original writing with my pal Megan, and reliving our shipping days.
6. Getting
the map in the back of Megan’s book, Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel signed by mapmaker Kristin Brown.
7. 
The opening event at the Wizard World of Harry Potter. A bunch of Harry Potter fans having the whole place to themselves? It was awesome. And my son was chosen to be measured for a wand at the Ollivander’s Experience. I’m not sure who was giddier – him, or the superfan adults watching it all go down.
Advance Reading Copies of Sword and Verse are here! In case you didn’t already know that I am a big dork, here’s the unboxing:
…because its cover is AWESOME.
The cover of SWORD AND VERSE is ready for its close-up. Head over to YA Books Central to see the beautiful thing, read an interview with the artist, and enter to win some cool prizes! Then comment there, here, on Twitter, on Facebook, by carrier pigeon, via smoke signals, or whatever, and let me know what you think!
Today we’ll hear from author Celeste Lim, who shares her thoughts on diversity in children’s fiction as part of The Sweet Sixteens’ #SixteensBlogAbout May theme. Born in China and raised in Malaysia, Celeste holds an MFA in Creative Writing from The New School and an MA from Manhattanville College. She is represented by Rosemary Stimola of Stimola Literary Studio and her debut middle-grade novel, THE BRIDE FROM HUANAN, will be published by Scholastic Press in spring 2016.
About THE BRIDE FROM HUANAN: In Medieval China, a girl is sold by her family to become a nursemaid and wife to a toddler husband. With the help of sentient creatures called jing, she discovers internal strength, and a destiny that is foretold to intertwine with her spirit guardian – a great, golden fox spirit.
And now, Celeste:
I grew up jealous of white children.
Though hardly fluent in English herself, my mother had tried very hard to read me English fairy tales when I was young. As a child, I was familiar with Anderson, Grimm and many stories written by Enid Blyton. I remember thinking then, questions like: Where was my snow? Why aren’t there fairies living in our garden? What does a Christmas pie taste like? And especially hated it whenever my mother would say, “We don’t have any of those things here, my dear; they are all in English places overseas.”
Stories By Hand with Kathy MacMillan 