BORN TO FLY book discussion at Avon Lake Library

Had a blast with the book discussion group at Avon Lake Library last night.

I showed a little video of what it looks like to fly a real P-40 and then we dove into the book. The kids had so many great insights and comments, I felt like they knew the book better than me!

Not only were they a group of great readers, but many were also working on their own stories for the young authors program so it was like conversing with a junior version of my writers group.

Afterward, librarian Miss Sally passed around cookies and the kids all got to color and take home their very own wood model airplanes.

Thanks to everyone who came, and to Avon Lake Library for making it a fun night (even with the snowstorm outside).

Don't put away that snow shovel just yet...

This is the view out my back door today, two days before the start of baseball season.

BORN TO FLY interview and book giveaway at Literary Rambles

I did a fun online interview today with Casey McCormick at Literary Rambles, a great site about navigating the world of children's book publishing. Casey had lots of great questions and her site is aptly named 'cause I think I might have rambled on a bit myself.

She's also giving away a signed copy of BORN TO FLY. All you need to do is leave a comment in the comments section and you're entered to win.

BORN TO FLY nominated for the 2012 Grand Canyon Reader Award

I was excited to learn that BORN TO FLY has been nominated for the 2012 Grand Canyon Reader Award in the Intermediate Fiction category.

The Grand Canyon Reader Award is a reader award program for students in Arizona. Students vote annually on their favorite book in the following categories: Picture, Non-Fiction, Intermediate, Tween and Teen. One of my favorite writers, Gordon Korman was a double category winner in 2010 so I feel quite humbled to be nominated.

A big thank you to all the Arizona students who read and nominated the book.

Here is a list of the wonderful books nominated in my category:

11 Birthdays by Wendy Mass (2009)

Born To Fly by Michael Ferrari (2009)

Closed For the Season by Mary Downing Hahn (2009)

Dying To Meet You by Kate Klise (2009)

Extra Credit by Andrew Clements (2009)

Neil Armstrong Is My Uncle: and Other Lies Muscle Man McGinty Told Me by Nan Marino (2009)

A Nest For Celeste: A Story about Art, Inspiration, And The Meaning of Home by Henry Cole (2010)

The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz (2010)

The Secret of Zoom by Lynne Jonell (2009)

Star in the Forest by Laura Resau (2010)

BORN TO FLY book discussion at Avon Lake Library

My local library is hosting a Born to Fly book discussion on Wednesday March 30th from 7-8 PM.

I will answer questions about the book or writing or about my snowball-catching dog Trixie. There will be a fun craft (I think you get to build a toy airplane) and I'm told it will all be topped off with some kind of a treat. Sounds like fun.

Sign up and they will give you your own paperback copy of BORN TO FLY to read prior to the event. I will see you there!

BORN TO FLY out in paperback tomorrow!

Here's the first look at the paperback version of Born to Fly which arrived from my publisher a couple days ago! Goes on sale tomorrow, March 8th, 2011. Thanks to my daughter Clarissa for modeling and smiling.