Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams have teamed up to write a new series for kids called Goddess Girls. Giggles abound when youthful versions of the Greek goddesses you know from classic mythology have enrolled in Mount Olympus Academy. The first two books in the line, Athena the Brain and Persephone the Phony, hit bookstores just yesterday.
Want to get the first two Goddess Girls books for free? Leave a comment below with your email address, and tell us who your favorite Greek goddess is and why. The first person to do so wins!
The authors are having a blog tour, and today's stop is right here at Bildungsroman.
Little Willow: Welcome, ladies! Joan, in our previous interview we discussed how you and Suzanne sent drafts back and forth via email since you live in different states. Did you appreciate the ease of editing and communication that the Internet provided? What do you think is the hardest part about collaboration?
Joan: Good questions, Little Willow, and thank you for having us visit your blog today.
Little Willow: You are welcome! Thanks for coming by.
Joan: I think there was an adjustment period during which we learned not to tiptoe around too much. You start out saying everything so politely, but then things get hectic, and there's not really time to explain all the reasons you want to change something. We pretty quickly realized that we weren't going to hurt each other's feelings if we rewrote each other's work. The more we revised things, the more the stories began to sound like a single author wrote them. Getting it done on deadline wasn't a problem because we have similar work habits. We both do what we promise. That's huge. In any partnership, you have to be able to trust your partner to do what they say they're going to do. As for email, I don't think we could have made our deadlines without it.
Little Willow: Who is your favorite Greek goddess?
Suzanne: Persephone. We all have light and dark sides to our personalities. :-)
Joan: Athena, because she's brainy. Although part of me longs to be beautiful Aphrodite as well.
Little Willow: What is your favorite Greek myth?
Joan: There are so many, but I'm partial to the myths surrounding Zeus. He's the king of the gods (and the principal of Mount Olympus Academy), so he's a larger-than-life figure and that's how we portray him -- over the top. The myth in which his wife Metis (a fly) is buzzing around in his head has always intrigued me. I can only imagine how crazy that would make you. How about you, Suzanne?
Suzanne: I've always liked the Persephone myth. It's not just an explanation for seasons - it's also about mothers and daughters, and how hard it is to see one's daughter(s) grow up and move away. My own adult daughter is living in Norway right now, so this story resonates. Luckily, communicating over long distances today is a snap with email, cheap phone plans, and Skype. (Though even today, internet access might be difficult to get in the Underworld!)
Little Willow: I bet Hades has an unlimited plan. If you could travel to any ancient society, where would you go and why?
Suzanne: I'll say ancient Rome. I traveled to Rome and Florence last summer with my family. I was fascinated by the Coliseum and other ruins, and by a day visit to Pompeii.
Joan: It's a toss up between Rome and Egypt. I took equal amounts of Roman and Egyptian art history as an undergraduate. I remember stopping along the side of the road near Austin, Texas one time to gather red clay so I could concoct my own "authentic" paint for the skintones in an Egyptian-style painting as a class project. I've been to Rome, but Egypt is still on my to-do.
Little Willow: I'd visit Ancient Egypt first, then go to Greece, Rome, and so many other pl
Official press release for the cutest new underwater book in town:
CO-FOUNDER OF READERGIRLZ AND READERTOTZ CELEBRATES A NEW BOARD BOOK: BEDTIME KISS FOR LITTLE FISHAuthor/illustrator Lorie Ann Grover's new board book for babies is "utterly serene from start to finish," says Publishers Weekly. June 1, 2009 (Seattle, Wash.) – readergirlz and readertotz co-founder and author/illustrator Lorie Ann Grover's new board book Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish has just been released from Scholastic/Cartwheel. Endearingly illustrated by Debra Ziss, the work beautifully expresses soothing images of sea creatures preparing to sleep. A small orange fish instructs:
"Night is dark, baby shark.
Make no fuss, octopus."
Lorie Ann says, "I love the short rhymes offered up by the tiniest fish as he encourages the sea life to go to sleep. Thanks to my editor Rotem Moscovich for realizing the baby fish needs a bedtime kiss as well!"
Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish introduces sea life and adds a quiet calm to babies' evenings.
About Lorie Ann Grover, Debra Ziss, readertotz, and readergirlz
Lorie Ann Grover is the author of three young adult verse novels (
Loose Threads, On Pointe, Hold Me Tight) and three board books (
When Daddy Comes Home, Hug Hug!, Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish).
http://lorieanngrover.blogspot.comDebra Ziss is an illustrator and hand lettering artist from New York. Her clients include: Scholastic, Random House, Houghton Mifflin, Grosset and Dunlap, Barnesandnoble.com, The Gap, The Limited, and American Girl Magazine.
http://www.debraziss.comreadertotz is a blog which showcases infant-toddler books as important additions to children's literature.
http://readertotz.blogspot.comreadergirlz is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by five critically acclaimed YA authors. The site is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award; the Association for Library Services to Children, ALA, Great Web Sites Award; and the National Book Foundation’s Innovations in Reading Prize.
http://www.readergirlz.com
For more information contact: Sara Easterly, Publicist, [email protected], 206-632-8588
READERGIRLZ EXPANDS WITH A NEW FRANCHISE: READERTOTZ
Celebrated author/illustrators Lorie Ann Grover and Joan Holub launch readertotz in an effort to recognize the infant-toddler book as a vital addition to children's literature.
December 2, 2008 (Seattle, Wash.) – readergirlz co-founder and author/illustrator Lorie Ann Grover and author/illustrator Joan Holub have just launched readertotz (http://readertotz.blogspot.com/), a unique board book blog that aims to raise awareness of the infant-toddler book as a significant format of children's literature.
While picture books, books for beginning readers, middle-grade novels and young-adult literature have been recognized with major awards such as the Caldecott, Theodor Seuss Geisel Medal, the Newbery, the Printz and the National Book Award, it is rare to find such esteem given to infant-toddler books - despite their importance in instilling a life-long love of books and reading in the youngest readers.
"Board books are certainly overlooked and misunderstood, and they serve such an important purpose in introducing babies and toddlers to books," said Rotem Moscovich, Associate Editor, Scholastic. "What they are, how they work (and taste). The board makes it possible for them to do it themselves, and also to feel comfortable with books."
Taking the lead from readergirlz, which boasts more than 8,000 members, readertotz will showcase high-quality literature. Lorie Ann Grover and Joan Holub will feature weekly blog posts that highlight the best contributions in the infant-toddler book arena and recommend monthly community service projects appropriate for families with young children to enjoy. Also included each month: an age-appropriate playlist and a recommended book for the older sibling.
"readertotz is our effort to raise the bar in board and novelty book literature," says Lorie Ann Grover. "We're challenging our colleagues to write great books for the youngest readers and encouraging the industry to publish those works. Eventually, we hope to work with the American Library Association to establish an award for infant-toddler books that's equivalent to the Caldecott and Theodor Geisel Award."
Lorie Ann Grover (http://lorieanngrover.blogspot.com/) has authored three young-adult novels and three board books. Joan Holub (http://www.joanholub.com/) is the author of more than 100 children's books, many of which she has also illustrated.
About readergirlz
readergirlz (http://www.readergirlz.com) is the foremost online book community for teen girls, led by six critically acclaimed YA authors—Dia Calhoun (Avielle of Rhia), Holly Cupala (A Light That Never Goes Out) Lorie Ann Grover (On Pointe), Justina Chen Headley (Girl Overboard), Mitali Perkins (First Daughter: White House Rules), and Melissa Walker (the Violet series). readergirlz is the recipient of a 2007 James Patterson PageTurner Award and the Association for Library Services to Children, ALA, Great Web Sites Award.
readergirlz has a website (http://www.readergirlz.com) - a blog (http://readergirlz.blogspot.com) - a message forum (http://groups.myspace.com/readergirlz) - and more.
By: John Nez,
on 5/6/2014
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By: Lorie Ann Grover,
on 1/24/2013
By: bookkm,
on 12/14/2012
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That is a way cool photo!!!!!!!!!!!! Hugs and hugs,
Mickie