tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50811492433553069642024-03-05T13:56:16.981-08:00Pen and ProseShannon Hitchcock will share her experiences as a debut YA novelist.Shannon Hitchcock ~ Children's Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17700790987811297412noreply@blogger.comBlogger211125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-86488013365622643152017-10-30T09:23:00.001-07:002017-10-30T09:23:16.561-07:00My #FAME17 Experience!Attending the Florida Association for Media in Education Conference was a wonderful experience!<br />
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Right off the bat, Sharon Powers and her son made me feel like a rock star. When they picked me up at the airport, this sign was in their car window: <br />
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And then authors got cookies at registration:<br />
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And of course being a Scholastic author always makes me feel important:<br />
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I participated in my first ever "speed dating" session, which basically means I moved around a packed room, going from table to table, telling educators about RUBY LEE & ME.<br />
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And then Augusta Scattergood and I rolled out our presentation, "Writing Bravely--Tackling Tough Topics With Books," and followed that up with a signing at the Scholastic Booth.<br />
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FAME was my only appearance in October, but next month, look for me at the Tampa Bay Times Festival of Books on November 11th, and at NCTE on November 17th and 18th!<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-28517527738903196252017-10-16T08:15:00.000-07:002017-10-30T08:20:35.420-07:00Rural Settings And Friendship<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GDH_bGG8fRTWILi8sVAKchaLxZLQZkI3nLNaU1a-5oUVFENtP6-Gw27xwugHg9qWBX7kIaWW0ijRCcaZHLjhirjIvAv2E0c4IJsZyNhah1CDQDrSRib00FWYuPn8FOQLANLCwj3TlUWv/s1600/Ruby+Lee+%2526+ME.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0GDH_bGG8fRTWILi8sVAKchaLxZLQZkI3nLNaU1a-5oUVFENtP6-Gw27xwugHg9qWBX7kIaWW0ijRCcaZHLjhirjIvAv2E0c4IJsZyNhah1CDQDrSRib00FWYuPn8FOQLANLCwj3TlUWv/s320/Ruby+Lee+%2526+ME.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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It was a nice surprise to see RUBY LEE AND ME on the <a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/top-ten-books-with-rural-and-small-town-settings-by-elaine-fultz/">Top Ten Books With Rural and Small Town Settings lis</a>t by Elaine Fultz! (Nerdy Book Club)<br />
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And RUBY LEE AND ME also showed up on <a href="http://www.readbrightly.com/best-friendships-in-middle-grade-literature/">Better Together 10 of the Best Friendships in Middle Grade Lit</a> by Dena McMurdie!(Read Brightly)<br />
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Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-18947896607834587842017-09-09T07:39:00.000-07:002017-09-09T07:39:45.142-07:00RUBY LEE & ME--Nominee for Iowa Children's Choice Awards!I just found out this morning that RUBY LEE & ME is a nominee for the Iowa Children's Choice Award! <a href="https://thebookhouseiowa.com/books/award-winners/46-iowa-childrens-choice-books-nominees/80-iowa-childrens-choice-2015-2016.html">List of Nominees</a><br />
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That's RUBY LEE & ME's third state list: Pennsylvania, Nebraska, and now Iowa.<br />
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The students also made a really cool book trailer. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPybPo1dfXs">book trailer</a><br />
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I'm a little nervous about Hurricane Irma and my home in Tampa so this news made my day!<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-19827678046871088222017-08-01T10:50:00.000-07:002017-08-01T10:50:15.640-07:00ChLA Conference--Just Say Yes!<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcURZlOvfJ3pNOWC7U6upvgklAr3TAwv_nrZKcCX1oqavZauWQyhibH8fn1O2-BsBRkkwJ3nhUIYoCIG7VL76wbpDQzJOf2CVLPkHJMP3ILqg7tpIjSKVjMt-mn55VH_CjSSTapWPGUfR3/s1600/OneTrueWay_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"> </a>When Dr. Joan Kaywell asked me to be a co-presenter at the 2017 <a href="https://www.blogger.com/">ChLA Conference,<span id="goog_2021147473"></span></a> I said yes first and asked questions later. The reasons I automatically said yes were:<br />
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1. I love Dr. Joan!<br />
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2. The conference was being held in Tampa, practically in my backyard. And...<br />
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3. I actually enjoy public speaking.<br />
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My first question for Dr. Joan was: <b>What are we going to talk about?</b><br />
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Her answer: <b>When Will We Ever Learn? Linking Relevant Fiction With Nonfiction to Examine Equality in the United States.</b><br />
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Dr. Joan went on to say all she really wanted was for me to talk about my books, and she'd handle the rest.<br />
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The burning question was how did my books fit into the topic? It turns out Dr. Joan is smarter than I am, and though I'd never really thought about it, all of my books have an equality theme running through them.<br />
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The BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL is set in 1922, two years after women got the right to vote. My heroine, Jessie, wants nothing more than to go away to teachers' college, but household chores, the expectations of her family and community, and a tuberculosis epidemic, all stand in her way. THE BALLAD OF JESSIE PEARL has a Women's Rights theme.<br />
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RUBY LEE & ME's theme is evident. It's set in the summer of 1969, the summer before the local elementary school in Shady Creek, NC will become integrated. Two girls--one black, the other white, must confront how racism affects their friendship. RUBY LEE & ME's subplot tackles Civil Rights.<br />
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My third book, ONE TRUE WAY, forthcoming on February 27, 2018 has an LGBT rights theme. The book is set during 1977, using Anita Bryant's <i>Save Our Children </i>campaign, as a backdrop. If you're not familiar with Ms. Bryant's crusade, there are great YouTube videos about it, like this one <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbatcxlCG_Q">here:</a><br />
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To date, I've written about Women's Rights, Civil Rights, and LGBT rights. I'm excited to see where my writing takes me next.<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-66100755442695583322017-07-19T12:24:00.000-07:002017-07-22T05:03:07.760-07:00RUBY LEE & ME FAN MAIL<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I've been away on vacation and had a nice surprise when I got home. A sixth grader in Ohio had sent a letter telling me how much she loved RUBY LEE & ME. She had even included a braided yarn bookmark, which I'll put to good use.<br />
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Below is a copy of the reply I mailed off:<br />
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Dear Alyssa,<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thank you for writing to let me know how much you enjoyed
RUBY LEE & ME and for the braided yarn bookmark. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I grew up on a farm like Sarah Beth. I hope you got a chance
to look at the photos of my family in the back of the book. I know you didn’t
like the part where Ruby wouldn’t answer Sarah’s letter, but Sarah had called
her a really mean name. Words matter. Some kids wouldn’t have forgiven Sarah, not ever, but Ruby had a big heart. <o:p></o:p></div>
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I’m enclosing two RUBY LEE & ME bookmarks, one for you, and one
for a friend.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Bullet 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Number 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Closing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="List Continue 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Message Header"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Salutation"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Date"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text First Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Body Text Indent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Block Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Hyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="FollowedHyperlink"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Document Map"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Plain Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="E-mail Signature"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Top of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Bottom of Form"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal (Web)"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Acronym"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Address"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Cite"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Code"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Definition"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Keyboard"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Preformatted"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Sample"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Typewriter"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="HTML Variable"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Normal Table"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="annotation subject"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="No List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Outline List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Simple 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Classic 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Colorful 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Columns 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Grid 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table List 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table 3D effects 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Contemporary"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Elegant"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Professional"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Subtle 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Web 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Balloon Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Table Theme"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" UnhideWhenUsed="true"
Name="Note Level 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" SemiHidden="true" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" QFormat="true"
Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" QFormat="true"
Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" QFormat="true"
Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" SemiHidden="true"
UnhideWhenUsed="true" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="41" Name="Plain Table 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="42" Name="Plain Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="43" Name="Plain Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="44" Name="Plain Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="45" Name="Plain Table 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="40" Name="Grid Table Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46" Name="Grid Table 1 Light"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51" Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52" Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="48" Name="Grid Table 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="49" Name="Grid Table 4 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="50" Name="Grid Table 5 Dark Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="51"
Name="Grid Table 6 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="52"
Name="Grid Table 7 Colorful Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="46"
Name="Grid Table 1 Light Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="47" Name="Grid Table 2 Accent 6"/>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Have a great summer!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Shannon Hitchcock</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Corresponding with kids about topics that matter is one of the best parts of my job!</div>
Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-3956536161240768762017-06-05T05:07:00.002-07:002017-06-05T05:08:08.713-07:00Cover Reveal of ONE TRUE WAY! (Scholastic, Feb. 2018)I'm excited to share my cover with the world today!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R2hK01gpxsEq081_3rxxQ-bztItsHfXIBXaHbwMVQ0iDDso5X1O8_zVGojrIe6cKBnGHz04ryznyvnS2Ac9XVKmDpx7sAOBAHlihyphenhyphenylAtNXkx49VN2qvDJJHhadF3n0OC8YEhXdh6QhW/s1600/OneTrueWay_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1067" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9R2hK01gpxsEq081_3rxxQ-bztItsHfXIBXaHbwMVQ0iDDso5X1O8_zVGojrIe6cKBnGHz04ryznyvnS2Ac9XVKmDpx7sAOBAHlihyphenhyphenylAtNXkx49VN2qvDJJHhadF3n0OC8YEhXdh6QhW/s320/OneTrueWay_Cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<br />
And if you'd like to know why these girls are hiding their friendship and the inspiration behind ONE TRUE WAY, head over to the <a href="https://groggorg.blogspot.com/2017/06/cover-reveal-of-shannon-hitchcocks-one.html?showComment=1496664169423#c5634114130447046870">GROG</a> for an exclusive interview with me!Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-46208349576954305322017-05-06T07:19:00.001-07:002017-05-06T07:19:55.653-07:00A Eulogy For My Uncle HaroldMy dad and his brother, Harold, were real characters. Neither ever met a stranger, both always lived on our family farm, and even in their seventies, still liked new toys.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DcbvGhsl_jzRV-LSSUQBogoifF-4r9KRrX0YS_j5M_xN5mJkIPGw-3_kmSinmLc9yRkBuor_yvJFg3a8KLsbywGFYucevhj8ChAscXiEfftOaBWlpHMleOIHwFTmup5v6-Zjz6Q3S4lQ/s1600/Dad%2526Harold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DcbvGhsl_jzRV-LSSUQBogoifF-4r9KRrX0YS_j5M_xN5mJkIPGw-3_kmSinmLc9yRkBuor_yvJFg3a8KLsbywGFYucevhj8ChAscXiEfftOaBWlpHMleOIHwFTmup5v6-Zjz6Q3S4lQ/s320/Dad%2526Harold.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Dad on the red lawnmower and Harold on the green one.</b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Uncle Harold died a couple of weeks ago. When I got the call, I could hardly believe it-- death had snuck up on me once again. I dreamed Harold's eulogy and woke with tears on my face. It was a privilege to be his niece.<br />
<br />
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Uncle Harold<o:p></o:p></b></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When people ask me how I came to be a writer, I tell them
it’s because I grew up listening to great storytelling. My dad and Uncle Harold
were two of the biggest storytellers I ever knew. If you asked them a question
about when they were young, one story flowed into the next, and pretty soon a
whole afternoon had passed by.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My earliest memory of Uncle Harold is in Ma Williams’s
kitchen. He pulled me on his lap and asked, “Who’s your favorite uncle?” I
giggled and said, “Billy.” He proceeded to tickle and torture me, as I went
through, the other names, “Junior, Jimmy, Howard,” until finally I howled
through my giggles, “Uncle Harold.” “You finally got that right,” he said, “and
don’t forget it!”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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When I was growing up, Uncle Harold was in and out of our house nearly every day.
He loved to come just as we were finishing supper. He’d eye the leftover stewed
potatoes and biscuits, and Mama would always tell him to help himself. There
was no such thing as a leftover if Harold was in the vicinity!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Though he acted tough, Harold had a tender heart. The first
time our family was actually scarred by death was when Uncle Junior died. We
were all gathered in the funeral home, and it’s hard to say who was crying the
hardest. It felt as if my heart would break, when suddenly I was wrapped in a
pair of arms as strong as a bear’s—Uncle Harold’s. “It’s not fair,” I sobbed.
“No, it sure ain’t,” he said, “but Junior wouldn’t want you to cry.”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Uncle Harold loved kids. When I’d visit after Alex was born,
Harold could hardly wait to see how much he’d grown. And Harold never visited
empty-handed. He’d always pull a dollar out of his pocket, and when Alex got
older, the dollar turned into a ten or a twenty, as he asked him, “Have you got
a girlfriend yet?”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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In later years, my memories are of Harold pulling up to
visit in his golf cart. He was like a kid with a new toy. And his smile was
always biggest when I’d ask about Cleo and Cross. He loved bragging about what
his grandkids had been up to. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Last year my dad was in the hospital for over a month. Mama
and I were struggling with whether or not to remove the ventilator. Uncle
Harold said to me, “Mack wouldn’t want to live like this. If he could, he’d
fight that ventilator with everything that’s in him.” After that, I knew what
we had to do, because outside of my mama, dad’s brothers knew him best.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When I got the call that Uncle Harold had passed away, I
could hardly believe it. He always loomed larger than life, but here’s what
brings me comfort. Uncle Harold lived a long, wonderful life. Kelly took pictures
of his last Easter, and the smile on his face showed me he was happy until the
very end. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As we’ve lost more and more members of our family: Junior,
Ma and Pop Williams, Eric, Nelda, Jim, Robin, Tony, Little James, Abby, Max, and
now Harold, I’ve gotten this image in my head. Ma Williams is standing in front
of her old wood cook stove. She just pulled a chicken pie from the oven. The
dining room table is loaded with a chocolate pound cake and all sorts of
sonkers and custards. Some family members have arrived early, and they’re
waiting for the rest of us, but there’s no need to rush—we’ve got all of
eternity.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I love you, Uncle Harold. Rest in peace.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Your favorite niece, Shannon<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span id="goog_773394352"></span><span id="goog_773394353"></span><br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-85678430966084520722017-04-16T12:08:00.000-07:002017-04-16T12:09:19.484-07:00#NCRA2017 and Friends of the LibraryMarch was a whirlwind month! I traveled to Raleigh for the North Carolina Reading Association Conference.<br />
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This photo is from a book signing session. Starting at the top left is John Claude Bemis, author of THE WOODEN PRINCE, Kathleen Burkinshaw, author of THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM, Robert Beatty, author of SERAFINA AND THE BLACK CLOAK, and Joyce Moyer Hostetter, author of AIM. At bottom left is Gary Schmidt, author of ORBITING JUPITER, Kerry O'Malley Cerra, author of JUST A DROP OF WATER, and then there's me with my book, RUBY LEE & ME.<br />
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The following week, I presented with Augusta Scattergood to the Friends of the Library in Tampa.<br />
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Our topic was Family, Friends, and Foes--Who is that Character, Anyhow!<br />
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I love speaking at conferences, festivals, and book clubs. It's a privilege to share my work.Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-21096566841337107302017-03-25T10:18:00.000-07:002017-03-25T10:19:32.105-07:00RUBY LEE & ME Makes the Keystone, (PA State List)!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This is my second state list. Congratulations to all the other nominees!Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-15065332919553095532017-03-07T10:13:00.000-08:002017-03-07T10:13:03.536-08:00CLiCK Conference--University of South FloridaOn March 6th, I met fellow Middle Grade authors, Kerry O'Malley Cerra, Augusta Scattergood, and Taryn Souders at the University Of South Florida. Our mission was to present to 600 students from Title I schools as part of the CLiCK Conference.<br />
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We had a HUGE crowd.<br />
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We ran concurrent sessions and each author presented twice to give students a chance to hear multiple presentations and keep the crowd size manageable.<br />
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We appreciated signing books for classroom libraries!<br />
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And here we are at the end of the day. Tired, but still standing! Thanks to everyone involved for a wonderful conference…Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-26078124300810394952017-02-20T09:29:00.000-08:002017-02-20T09:31:31.018-08:00World Read Aloud Day! #wrad17On February 16th, I participated in my first World Read Aloud Day. I Skyped with kids in Asheville, North Carolina, Hagerstown, Maryland, Hutchinson, Kansas, and Romeoville, Illinois. Since a couple other schools wanted time slots I had already filled, I'll be offering a second day of Skype visits on March 7th.<br />
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Some of the educators posted pictures on Twitter, not my most flattering poses, but still loads of fun!<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-53858990236049193692017-01-31T13:33:00.000-08:002017-01-31T13:33:04.715-08:00New Interviews About Ruby Lee And Me!I'll be Skyping with Margaret Simon's class on March 7th, and she interviewed me for her blog. Margaret and I were both elementary school students during school integration and both of us were taught by our schools' first African-American teachers. Margaret's questions were truly thought provoking, and you can read the interview by clicking <a href="https://reflectionsontheteche.wordpress.com/2017/01/30/its-monday-im-reading-ruby-lee-and-me/">here:</a><br />
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Kathy Temean, (former Regional Advisor for SCBWI NJ), also interviewed me for her blog. Kathy was my RA when I first joined SCBWI, and it was great to reconnect with her. You can read Kathy's interview with me <a href="https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2017/01/17/book-giveaway-ruby-and-me/">here:</a><br />
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My schedule is full for World Read Aloud Day, but I'm currently booking Skype visits for alternate days. Contact me through my website if you're interested in having me virtually visit your classroom!Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-47055888041075558652017-01-09T11:52:00.001-08:002017-01-12T07:55:22.391-08:00Ruby Lee & Me Is A Finalist for the 2018 Nebraska Golden Sower AwardMaking the Nebraska State list may be the coolest thing that's ever happened in my writing career. It's especially sweet since I lived in Omaha in the early 1990's. My son was even born there--Go Huskers! The complete list of nominees can be viewed <a href="http://libraries.ne.gov/cpls/files/2016/09/2017-2018-Nominees-with-Header-Footer.pdf">here:</a><br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-46367611483755658792016-12-13T08:31:00.000-08:002016-12-13T08:31:42.457-08:00Middle Grade Book Panel #MSBookFestThis past August, I participated on a middle grade panel at the Mississippi Book Festival. We were moderated by Deborah Wiles, and the other authors who took part were: John Claude Bemis, Augusta Scattergood, Esta Spalding, John David Anderson, myself, and Kathi Appelt.<br />
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I posted about this panel back in August, but now the folks at The Mississippi Book Festival have put a video of it online. You can hear each of us read from our books and answer questions by clicking on <a href="https://vimeo.com/186523163">Middle School Book Panel:</a>Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-59193369791182127462016-12-06T06:14:00.000-08:002016-12-06T06:14:54.815-08:00#LitChatYesterday the ladies from #MGGetsReal, participated in a twitter chat. We discussed our books and tackling touch topics for a Middle Grade audience.<br />
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If you missed our chat, you can quickly read through the whole thing at<a href="https://storify.com/LitChat/litchat-mg-gets-real"> Storify. </a><br />
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Have you ever participated in a twitter chat? If so, was it a positive experience? Would you sign up to do it again? Tell me about your experience in the comments below.Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-84852939260225263052016-11-28T05:36:00.000-08:002016-11-28T05:36:18.362-08:00An Author Podcast And #SHOPSMALLOn Saturday, I participated in my first ever podcast along with fellow Middle Grade author, <a href="http://www.monikaschroeder.com/">Monika Schroeder</a>. Our host was Ken Butcher, and you can listen to us at <a href="http://themiddleoftheair.com/monika-schroeder-and-shannon-hitchcock/">The Middle of the Air.</a> Here's a picture, with Ken in the middle:<br />
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Immediately afterward, Monika and I signed books at <a href="http://www.novelsandnovelties.com/">Novels And Novelties,</a> (Hendersonville, NC), for Small Business Saturday. My book is RUBY LEE & ME and Monika's is BE LIGHT LIKE A BIRD. Novels And Novelties has lots of signed copies on hand, so please stop in, and consider giving books for Christmas!Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-19283674717297489602016-11-21T12:51:00.000-08:002016-11-21T12:51:31.600-08:00Bluffton Book FestivalBluffton is the most charming low country town I've ever been to, and I was thrilled to participate in the first ever <a href="http://www.blufftonbookfestival.com/">Bluffton Book Festival.</a> I spoke for half an hour on school integration, the teacher who inspired RUBY LEE AND ME, and the book's journey to publication. Below are some pictures from the event:<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-82564906360729406372016-11-04T06:30:00.000-07:002016-11-04T06:30:23.961-07:00SCBWI Book Blast!When it comes to marketing, it's hard to know what actually moves the needle, but that said, SCBWI's Book Blast is fast and cheap. They provided a template; I filled in the information and paid $25.<br />
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At last check, more than fifty people had viewed the Book Blast Page for RUBY LEE AND ME. You can see it too by clicking <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/bookblast-display/?id=419213">here: </a><br />
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Several of my friends also have Book Blast pages. Take a look at <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/bookblast-display/?id=414628">BEAUTIFUL</a> by Stacy McAnulty and <a href="https://www.scbwi.org/bookblast-display/?id=421883">THE FIRST LAST DAY</a> by Dorian Cirrone.<br />
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Do you have a Book Blast Page? If so, post a link in the comments below, and I'll check out your page too!Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-45330491144984122842016-09-19T15:00:00.000-07:002016-09-19T15:00:52.377-07:00#SIBA16, #TRIO, And RUBY LEE AND ME Dolls!Fifteen books were selected to be part of TRIO 2017, and I'm excited for RUBY LEE & ME to be among them. You can see all fifteen books chosen at the <a href="https://www.sibaweb.com/booksellers/trio">SIBA website:</a><br />
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For each book selected, a songwriter penned an original song inspired by the book, and a visual artist created a work of art. The Trio exhibit debuted this past weekend at the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance conference in Savannah.<br />
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Artist Jennifer NyBlom created dolls that depict the main characters of my book, Ruby Lee and Sarah Beth:<br />
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I couldn't love these dolls more! The musician Chris Clifton wrote a song inspired by Sarah and Ruby's story. I haven't heard the song yet, but am really looking forward to it.<br />
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A big thank you to Shari Smith, the heart, soul, and mastermind behind TRIO!<br />
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<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-14089250355811530892016-08-30T13:55:00.000-07:002016-08-30T13:55:23.769-07:00August--#MSBookFest And #MGGetsReal!Whew! August was a busy month. I attended the Mississippi Book Festival in Jackson.<br />
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Here I am on a panel moderated by Deborah Wiles. The other authors are John Claude Bemis, Augusta Scattergood, Esta Spalding, John David Anderson, me, and Kathi Appelt. My new claim to fame is that I rubbed elbows with Kathi--literally! It was a tight squeeze down on the end.<br />
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Lots of cool marketing opportunities came my way with #MGGetsReal. Mr. Schu debuted the #MGGetsReal video. You can watch it on his blog, <a href="http://mrschureads.blogspot.com/2016/08/mggetsreal.html">Watch. Connect. Read.</a><br />
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I grabbed the chance to blog for the Nerdy Book Club. You can read my post, "Middle Grade Books Serve As Windows and Mirrors,"<a href="https://nerdybookclub.wordpress.com/2016/07/28/middle-grade-books-serve-as-windows-and-mirrors-by-shannon-hitchcock/#comment-58863"> here.</a><br />
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Patricia Toht interviewed me about RUBY LEE & ME and the #MGGetsReal initiative. You can read it on the <a href="http://groggorg.blogspot.com/2016/08/the-force-be-with-you-and-your-book.html">GROG</a>.<br />
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And as part of the #MGGetsReal campaign, Kerry O'Malley Cerra compiled a list of 164 books that tackle tough topics for a Middle Grade Audience. You can view the list on <a href="http://www.pragmaticmom.com/2016/08/mggetsreal/">The Pragmatic Mom blog.</a><br />
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A busy summer is winding down. Happy Fall, Y'all!<br />
<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-59458160935139041642016-08-29T07:11:00.000-07:002016-08-29T07:11:30.365-07:00#MGGetsReal--A Conversation With Joyce Moyer Hostetter<div class="MsoNormal">
I first read Joyce Moyer Hostetter's book, BLUE in 2006. I was especially drawn to BLUE because of its setting--rural North Carolina, near where I grew up. In BLUE, Ann Fay's daddy has gone off to fight Hitler during WWII, and while he's gone, Ann Fay is stricken with polio.<br />
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When I heard Joyce was writing a sequel, I couldn't wait to read it. COMFORT is one of those books that stays with you for a long time. Ann Fay was lucky enough to survive polio, but her recovery was a struggle. And while her daddy was lucky enough to live through WWII, he came back home a changed man, suffering from post traumatic stress syndrome.<br />
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Joyce's books have become perennial favorites among North Carolina school children, and now, nearly ten years after BLUE, Joyce has written a prequel. AIM is told from the viewpoint of Ann Fay's neighbor, Junior Bledsoe.<br />
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If you loved Joyce's prior two novels, I recommend pre-ordering AIM. And if you haven't read BLUE and COMFORT, then I recommend starting with AIM, and moving on to them. To celebrate Joyce's new book, I asked her a couple of questions that she's answered for my blog.</div>
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<b>Hi Joyce, what book or books
from your childhood left a lasting impression and why?</b></div>
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<b><br /></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Blue Willow </i>by
Doris Gates<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- This story of Janey
Larkin, a migrant child, gave me a window into a world of poverty that I knew
nothing about. The blue willow china plate which symbolized hope for Janey’s
family captured my imagination and my sense of romance. For decades, I’ve
collected blue willow dishes.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Elsie Dinsmore</i>
by Martha Finley –<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Elsie books are
set on a southern plantation during The Civil War era.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even as a child I had a love/hate affair with
those books. I loved Elsie herself but I also thought she was impossibly
perfect and that her moral standards were way too adult and unrealistic. But
that did not stop me from devouring the books and I feel certain they had much
to do with instilling in me a love of historical novels and a desire for
authentic characters.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Diary of a Young Girl </i>by Anne Frank -
From Anne, I learned about life during one of the world’s darkest periods in
history.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I recognized in her an
authenticity that I wanted for myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She was petty at times, feisty, earthy, and truth telling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Maybe I learned from her that I could have a
tender conscience as Elsie did while still being true to myself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while Anne was a Jew, I like to think she
gave me insights into being an authentic Christian.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">What book or books
served as mentor texts when you were writing your own book?<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br /></b></div>
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I know that I was influenced by Sheri Reynold’s writing. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Rapture of Canaan</i> and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bitteroot Landing</i> are two novels
(adult)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>that come quickly to mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I love them for their spiritual themes and
especially for their imagery and symbolism.<o:p></o:p></div>
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And then there are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Sudie</i>
and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Alice </i>– two southern novels by
Sara Flanigan. I love their heartfelt first person narratives and I wanted to
tell a story by a compelling character who reached into readers’ hearts the way
those narrators reached into mine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sadly, those books appear to be out-of-print and little known. But they
represent some powerful storytelling and they deal with important themes of
compassion, ignorance, abuse, and racism. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those things are important to me also.<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<b>Thanks, Joyce, for sharing books that have influenced who you are as a writer! You can enter to win a copy of Joyce's book COMFORT and four other Middle Grade Novels by following this link and scrolling to the bottom of the page. <a href="http://mggetsreal.blogspot.com/">#MGGetsReal</a></b><br />
<br />
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Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-1667597018668117702016-08-23T13:50:00.000-07:002016-08-24T08:11:00.012-07:00#MGGetsReal--A Conversation With Kerry O'Malley CerraHi Kerry, Thanks for answering my questions about middle grade novels in general, and your own book, JUST A DROP OF WATER in particular!<br />
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<br />
Thanks for inviting me.
<br />
<br />
<b>What book or books from your childhood left a lasting impression and why?</b>
<br />
This is a wonderfully easy question for me to answer. Hands
down, the book that changed me, has stayed with me to this day, made me a
life-long lover of books, and inspired me to become a writer myself is <i>Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing</i>, by Judy
Blume. I can’t say it showed me the world in some profound way, yet it allowed
me to love and appreciate the gift of story.<br />
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<br />
<br />
Prior to fourth grade, I honestly don’t recall books in my life.
I’m sure I read them. I vaguely remember cozying up in the quaint reading nook of
a daycare while my mom cleaned it after hours. But I don’t remember <i>a</i> book. Or books. Not until I was lucky
enough to be assigned to room 4B with Mrs. Strelauski in fourth grade. She
didn’t just preach about reading, she embraced it fully and read aloud to us at
the end of each day. When she began reading <i>Tales
of a Fourth Grade Nothing</i>—her voice inflections and expressions are still
vivid in my memory—I laughed throughout chapter one and every chapter
thereafter. I can still hear her interpretation of Fudge calling for
Peter…Pee-tah! Loud and clear.
<br />
<br />
<b>Yes! Read aloud time is so important. My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Barbara Hutchens read CHARLOTTE'S WEB to my class, and I can still hear her voice.</b>
<br />
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<br />
<br />
Exactly. I lived for read-aloud time each day. When she finished that
book, and I learned it was the first in a series, I checked out every single
one of them, locked myself in my bedroom for days, and cracked-up silly with
every scene. Who knew books could be so funny? So real? I felt Peter’s triumphs
and cried when he lost Dribble. I wanted to live in New York City, play in
Central Park, have a dog named Turtle. Secretly, I rejoiced that Peter had no
feelings for Sheila Tubman and may have wished for teen librarian, Isobel—AKA
Peter’s crush in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Fudge-A-Mania</i>—to
stumble through poison ivy and get off the pages of my book so my friend Peter and I could hang out some more. This series was like one great movie in my head,
playing on repeat for months. I could picture everything. I wanted that life,
even if it included a pain-in-the-butt brother named Fudge. Ultimately, these
stories were a great escape. And that’s what I’ve come to love most about
books!
<br />
<br />
<b>What book or books served as mentor texts when you were
writing JUST A DROP OF WATER?</b><br />
<br />
Historical fiction, as you
well know, Shannon, takes a lot of serious research—which means much time is
spent with my nose in a book/newspaper before I even begin to write. Luckily, I
love research! I love history! But also, my story, though based on an event now
considered history, was not, in fact, before my time. I have vivid
recollections of that fateful day, September 11, 2001.
<br /><br />
Though I was living at the
time this terrorist attack occurred, I’m especially glad that I took the time
to go back and scour newspapers while I was writing. It allowed me to include
what may essentially seem like unimportant details, and yet those minute
additions to the book allow young readers—who didn’t experience the events of
that day first-hand—to grasp the enormity of the events. For example, I’d
forgotten that the NFL canceled all football games the weekend following the
attacks. Of course, once I read that in the newspapers, I remembered, but I
would never have included it in the book without the reference to it from the
Sun-Sentinel and Miami Herald. That one small detail is often brought up by
kids when I do school visits. It helps them put in perspective just how far and
wide the tragedy struck. It makes it real for them.
<br />
<br />
I’m a real hard-nose when it
comes to getting facts correct. Kids are smart and they know when we’re trying
to pull one over on them. For that reason, and for the fact that I fully
believe kids learn more about a time period by immersing themselves in a good
book rather than a teacher lecturing, I’m especially particular about details.
In my book, I have a tropical storm blowing through town three days after the
terrorist attacks. That really did happen, just like so many other scenes and
events that take place in my book. Details are important to me.
<br />
<br />
To answer your question then,
for me, newspapers were my main go-to source in writing <i>Just a Drop of Water</i>. Here is a list of the resources I consulted.
<br />
<br />
<b>Reference
Books</b><br />
<i>Mecca and Main Street: Muslim Life in America After 9/11</i> by Geneive Abdo<br />
<i>The 9/11 Report A Graphic Adaptation</i> by Sid Jacobson and Ernie Colón<br />
<i>Islam for Dummies</i> by Malcom Clark<br />
<i>Muslims in America After The Catastrophic Tragedy of 9/11</i> by Edwin Ali<br />
<i>The American Muslim Teenager’s Handbook</i> by Dilara Hafiz, Yasmine Hafiz, and Imran Hafiz<br />
<i>With Their Eyes first-hand accounts of the 9/11 tragedy from students at Stuyvesant High School.</i> Edited by Annie Thoms<br />
<i>Growing Up Muslim</i> by Sumbul Ali-Karamali<br />
Sun-Sentinel Newspaper Broward County, Florida Issues September 12 through October 16<br />
Miami Herald Newspaper Issues September 12 through October 16<br />
<br />
<br />
Happy reading, my friends!
And thanks for having me here, Shannon.
<br />
<br />
<b>Thank you for answering my questions and being a part of #MGGetsReal!</b><br />
<br />
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Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-38964502277895888952016-08-15T08:01:00.000-07:002016-08-15T08:01:19.233-07:00#MGGetsReal--A Chat With Author Kathleen BurkinshawHi Kathleen! Thanks for stopping by to chat about the books that influenced you as a child and books that served as mentor texts when you were writing, THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM.<br />
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<br />
Thanks for inviting me!<br />
<br />
<b>Kathleen, what book or books from your childhood made a lasting impression?</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
<br />
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The first is A LITTLE PRINCESS by Frances Hodgson Burnett.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As an only child in my awkward early teen
years I spent a lot of time in my room reading.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Sara Crewe stood out to me because no matter what situation she was
in-whether she was a rich student with a doting father, or a suddenly orphaned
scullery maid she had a kind soul.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She
had the ability to put people at ease and to know when someone needed
help.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When things took a turn and she
was forced to give up her education and live in the attic as a servant, she
mourned, but was determined to make it somehow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But her imagination and ability to whisk people away when she told a
story so they could forget their worries or sadness for a while, stuck with
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Fast forward to my early 30s- I had spent a month in the
hospital followed by a few more visits over the next fifteen months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I nearly died from a deep vein thrombosis,
and as a result from nerve damage, I had been diagnosed with Reflex Sympathetic
Dystrophy, a neurological chronic pain disease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I could not really walk much and was pretty weak.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, my four-year-old daughter would sit
on the bed with me where we played with her dolls and I read to her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I found the copy of THE LITTLE PRINCESS I bought for her
when she was born. I’d read a few
chapters on my own and then would give her a summary each day. It helped take
my mind off of some of my pain and I spent time with my daughter who had missed
me so much while I was away. Telling the
story to my daughter, reminded me of the joy of using one’s imagination. This
revelation led me to pick up my pen (Yup, I’m old school) and create through my
pain. Oh! I should mention,
my daughter’s name is Sara.</div>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The second book is one I read as an adult, THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE
SOCIETY by Annie Barrows and Mary Ann Shaffer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the pick for our library book club.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was a wonderful historical fiction novel
that because of the title I probably wouldn’t have picked up on my own.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only was it a good read, but in the
Acknowledgements the author thanked her agent and she also thanked Anna
Olswanger.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It happened to be a few
months since Anna had done a critique of my manuscript for the SCBWI Carolinas
Conference.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When I saw Anna’s name it
nudged me to contact her again to ask if she might look at my revisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After several months of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">more</i> revisions, she offered me representation and began to submit
THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM to publishing houses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I will always be grateful that we read that book in book club!<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>What book or books served as mentor texts when you were writing about Hiroshima and the last days of WWII?</b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
ELEANOR HILL by Lisa Williams Kline. This historical fiction is based on letters
that were written by her grandmother. My own inspiration was a treasured photo of my mother and her papa.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Another mentor text was BLUE by Joyce Moyer Hostetter. It's historical fiction that also took place during WWII, and is written in first
person. I chose first person for THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM because I wanted the reader to feel
in the moment, just as I had with BLUE.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Reading books by Holly Thompson helped me to write the
Japanese conversation true to the time frame and culture, but not be
stilted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In addition, I read books describing
what life was like for the Japanese children and their families during the war.
Books such as, A BOY NAMED H, by Kappa Senoh and LEAVES FROM AN AUTUMN OF
EMERGENCIES, SELECTIONS FROM THE WARTIME DIARIES OF ORDINARY JAPANESE compiled
by Samuel Hideo Yamashita.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, of course, also included books that had other accounts of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
survivors, such as THE LAST TRAIN FROM HIROSHIMA: THE SURVIVORS LOOK BACK by
Charles Pellegrino.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lastly, during my
revisions I researched internet sources for various newspaper headlines,
propaganda posters, and radio slogans during the war in Japan. (Please note
that not all these books would be suitable for middle grade students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I listed sources appropriate for them in the back of my book).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<o:p>Thanks, Kathleen for stopping by and being a part of #MGGetsReal!</o:p></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbbQtcOwqAXG2Yq4ipYkjHdqO-RlBiNkOA65dkcUjJ0X-koqd9bpnhXPKVDoMTLEbVhNKiwxwlzimpJ5ujSbagF45YTxHoDH5kjEaxEgIOETI8buOzR3lJ5z0tFl5wULaLGYljeaDtDPa/s1600/%2523MGGetsReal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDbbQtcOwqAXG2Yq4ipYkjHdqO-RlBiNkOA65dkcUjJ0X-koqd9bpnhXPKVDoMTLEbVhNKiwxwlzimpJ5ujSbagF45YTxHoDH5kjEaxEgIOETI8buOzR3lJ5z0tFl5wULaLGYljeaDtDPa/s320/%2523MGGetsReal.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<o:p><br /></o:p></div>
Kathleen will be blogging on the <a href="http://blog.ncte.org/">NCTE blog</a> on August 16th and conducting a giveaway of all five books pictured above!<br />
<br />Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-30668986011870513722016-08-09T06:12:00.002-07:002016-08-09T06:17:13.536-07:00#MGGetsReal A Chat With Shannon Wiersbitzky<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Hi Shannon! Thanks for chatting with me about Middle Grade books in general and your novels in particular. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Thank you! Happy to be here.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><br /></span>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h5o_pA1gVok9XrOEbwKeik1FIZswuYVd_N1Yrr3wK5xxQQaDo_7le57GnKp8cjIaa5o688xEzt0q0F982AQps4SLC1HmMpltGOIuF1WLcHkx2i8OjLnfA4elVyrqK_QT35z6TUV9FxcD/s1600/What+Flower+Remember.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9h5o_pA1gVok9XrOEbwKeik1FIZswuYVd_N1Yrr3wK5xxQQaDo_7le57GnKp8cjIaa5o688xEzt0q0F982AQps4SLC1HmMpltGOIuF1WLcHkx2i8OjLnfA4elVyrqK_QT35z6TUV9FxcD/s1600/What+Flower+Remember.jpg" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>What book
or books from your childhood left a lasting impression and why?<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">I was always a
reader. One of those kids who spent hours in the library and poured over the
Scholastic Book Club list hoping my parents would buy me all the titles I
marked. My bedroom was always riddled with books. There were a few that really
stuck with me from childhood. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The first is
The Tripods series by John Christopher. Probably the first sci-fi I remember
reading. About these walking machines who controlled humans and prevented
creativity and curiosity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The second is
Z is for Zachariah by Robert C. O’Brien. A teacher read this to us in
elementary school and it practically seared into my brain. It is about the
aftermath of a nuclear war and a young girl who believes she may be the only
person left on earth. Looking back, it seems like an intense topic for an
elementary read-aloud, but I’m so glad she did. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Why did these
books stick with me? Perhaps because they were absolutely about life and death.
I’m not sure I’d thought much about my own death before reading these books.
They made me think about what I would do in such dire circumstances. And they
made me root for the main character. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">Years ago,
without recalling the titles, I went into a bookstore and described them. Kudos
to the knowledgeable librarian who knew exactly what they were. I bought them
and reread them again. They were just as powerful. That says something about
great writing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b>What book or
books served as mentor texts when you were writing your own book?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b></b></span>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuO4dLoUua6I78SnH9xa1HxlAZhUfNJ03RDbraY3GLArkhCuBh50UM0kwjfpqNy7JD7fy5CcDPxb-ma-GHZXgU4bkhlewFzjncKZhzfiKdHjeD7UItKwpeJXBcnRYMIp0FU7OUnVUQbXaM/s1600/hammers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuO4dLoUua6I78SnH9xa1HxlAZhUfNJ03RDbraY3GLArkhCuBh50UM0kwjfpqNy7JD7fy5CcDPxb-ma-GHZXgU4bkhlewFzjncKZhzfiKdHjeD7UItKwpeJXBcnRYMIp0FU7OUnVUQbXaM/s320/hammers.jpg" width="206" /></a></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">WHAT FLOWERS
REMEMBER is a companion novel to my debut title, THE SUMMER OF HAMMERS AND
ANGELS. As I wrote FLOWERS, I did have to refer back to the first book more
than a few times. I had to ensure I didn’t inadvertently give characters some
different trait or physical feature. And I wanted to ensure I kept the same
tone to my writing. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">FLOWERS also
deals with the topic of Alzheimer’s. While I’d had my own experiences with the
disease through my Grandfather, I wanted to be certain that what I’d seen with
him was typical. So I did research online to determine signs and symptoms and
typical behaviors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman";">A few of the
sites that were helpful: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.alz.org/"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The Alzheimer’s Association</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="http://www.alzfdn.org/index.htm"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/alzheimers/publication/alzheimers-disease-fact-sheet"><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">National Institute on Aging</span></a><span style="font-family: "times new roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I definitely learned a lot
more about the disease that I wasn’t aware of through that process. I tried to
incorporate some of that in the book so that hopefully anyone dealing with
Alzheimer’s could relate their own </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman";">experience to Delia's. </span>Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5081149243355306964.post-49443771702680260232016-07-31T14:15:00.000-07:002016-07-31T14:17:33.360-07:00What Is #MGGetsReal?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nyzfb6-fJEnT8QDAjODc0BTCyTII2kQPK42V40UpWyCQqxGb_ZlE8XtDbTktt9X-AEE5SgahWgBKBBP3ontwpiCj_vN1wRv2anyDlau_oEmPDOCenVztZ0NPz5GXVNP9aMqAki-nleZ6/s1600/%2523MGGetsReal.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Nyzfb6-fJEnT8QDAjODc0BTCyTII2kQPK42V40UpWyCQqxGb_ZlE8XtDbTktt9X-AEE5SgahWgBKBBP3ontwpiCj_vN1wRv2anyDlau_oEmPDOCenVztZ0NPz5GXVNP9aMqAki-nleZ6/s320/%2523MGGetsReal.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">Marketing can be a drag for
writers, it can feel so self-promotional. And it requires a lot of time. But
with the notion that good teamwork makes any effort easier (and more fun), author
Shannon Wiersbitzky, (WHAT FLOWERS REMEMBER), developed a plan. Pull together
several authors with books that share a common thread, and join forces to
spread the word. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The common thread for
#MGGetsReal? Each of the books tackles a tough topic in a way appropriate for
Middle Grade readers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">The participating authors
are:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial";">Shannon
Wiersbitzky—WHAT FLOWERS REMEMBER (Alzheimer’s)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial";">Kathleen
Burkinshaw – THE LAST CHERRY BLOSSOM, (Hiroshima)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial";">Joyce Moyer
Hostetter—COMFORT, (War Trauma)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial";">Kerry O’Malley
Cerra—JUST A DROP OF WATER, (9/11)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "symbol"; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "arial";">Shannon
Hitchcock—RUBY LEE & ME, (School Integration)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial";">#MGGetsReal will blitz
social media for the month of August, 2016. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "arial";">Our marketing plan consists
of:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Developing a unique hashtag for the
effort. We chose #MGGetsReal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Developing "group ads" for
social media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Posting to social media 3x week for the
month of August in a way that highlights all five books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Writing for two blogs not our own,
(seeking blogs with national exposure where possible).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Retweeting using the hashtag
#MGGetsReal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Seeking to engage teachers/librarians.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Featuring other writers on our own blogs
if applicable.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">8.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Reading/writing reviews for each book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">9.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Developing a video that highlights all
five books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">We’re
counting on teachers, librarians, and fellow SCBWI members to help spread the
word. Here’s how you can be an ally:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Consider reading and reviewing the
aforementioned books.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Retweet using the hashtag #MGGetsReal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: .25in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -.25in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Share posts on Facebook.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">Host one of the authors on your own
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<span style="color: #1a1a1a; font-family: "arial";">#MGGetsReal
is a marketing experiment. Help us make it a successful one!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Shannon Hitchcockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17995777154718933415noreply@blogger.com0