By: Heidi MacDonald,
on 10/3/2015
Not going to NYCC this year? Sure you could spend hours hunched over the computer waiting for the latest news to come out of the Javits center or if you like a little punk rock with your reading you can spend that Saturday enjoying a full day of art, literature, and music in San Bernardino CA […]
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 4/28/2015
An active month. Not overwhelming, but plenty to do.
Fri., May 1, Joshua Jay, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:30 PM
Sun., May 3 Michaela MacColl, Barnes & Noble, Westport 4:00 PM
Sun., May 3, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Barnes & Noble, Glastonbury 2:00 PM
Mon., May 4, Neal Shusterman, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 6:00 PM
Tues., May 5, Bob Shea, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 10:30 AM Story Time
Tues., May 5, Dave Barry, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 5:00 PM
Fri., May 8, Tommy Wallach, Westport Public Library event held at Toquet Hall Teen Center, Westport 6:00 to 8:00 PM .jpg)
Sat. May 9, Janet Lawler, CT Authors and Publishers Association 12th Annual Conference on Writing, Publishing & Marketing, Hartford 11:00 AM Registration and fee
Sat. May 9, Katie Davis, CT Authors ad Publishers Association 12th Annual Conference on Writing, Publishing & Marketing Hartford 11:00 AM Registration and fee
Mon., May 18, Michaela MacColl, Westport Public Library, Westport 5:00 to 6:00 PM
Tues., May 19, Mac Barnett, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
This calendar is available in a pdf suitable for copying and posting.
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By: Sherrie Petersen,
on 3/30/2015
Last year when Wish You Weren’t came out, I was happy with the cover and hopeful that it represented the story well. I still love the cover, but I also started to realize that the static image implied a “quiet” type of story. If you’ve read Wish You Weren’t, you know that’s not the case. […]
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 3/28/2015
In April we finally get a heavily scheduled month of children's/YA author and illustrator appearances.
Wed., April 1, Paige McKenzie, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 7:00 PM
Thurs., April 2, Jeanne Birdsall, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 5:00 PM
Sat., April 11, Erin Bowman, Barnes & Noble, Canton 12:00 PM 
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 3/8/2015
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| Oh, Look! Suddenly I Can Add Captions! |
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 2/23/2015
To my knowledge, we only had one storm cancellation in February. Since I'm working on this post during the tail end of another snowstorm (Look at the snow blowing past my window!), I should probably suggest that you check with venues if there is any doubt of a March event being cancelled because of the weather.
CCLC News--Starting this month, the Connecticut Children's Literature Calendar is available in a newsletter form. Connecticut residents interested in being added to the newsletter e-mail list may contact me at [email protected].
Sun., March 1, Jane Sutcliffe, UConn Coop, Storrs 3:00 PM
Mon., March 2, Leslie Bulion, Durham Public Library, Durham 7:00 PM. Book launch
Thurs., March 5, 12, 19, and 26 (continuing into April) Pegi Deitz Shea, Mark Twain House, Hartford 6 to 8 PM Class on writing children's books. Fee.
Mar. 10, Cindy L. Rodriguez, Town Hall, Tolland 6:30 PM
Sat. March 14, Victoria Kann, Barnes & Noble, Westport 2:00 PM
Sun., March 15, Victoria Kann, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 3:30 PM
Wed., March 18, Lincoln Peirce, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
Fri., March 20, Jon Agee, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 2/1/2015
This afternoon I attended Lynda Mullaly Hunt's book launch for her second book, Fish In A Tree, which goes on sale in four days. The event, which included a number of games set up at staffed stations as well as at least a half dozen raffle items, a book sale and signing, and a quite marvelous short talk, ran from 2 to 4:30.
I got there around 3:30. When I arrived, there was the kind of crowd I'd expect to see at a group appearance. I was told it had thinned out. Earlier in the afternoon, the Barnes & Noble staff person running the book sale had been worried about running out of books.
This was a hugely successful launch. Book launches/publication parties are far more common than they were the last time I published a book. My guess is that there's a lot of risk involved in putting on these things, because there's a lot of risk involved in putting on any kind of party. (Or is that just an introvert speaking?) I would like to impress upon my readers how much effort, time, and expense went into planning this one. The games were related to Fish In A Tree. Some of the raffle prizes related to the book. Did I mention the t-shirt sale? Yes, there were book-related t-shirts, too. Lynda pulled this thing off in a big way.
This year I have to do a birthday luncheon, Easter, a rehearsal dinner, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Lynda, Lynda! Come quickly!
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 1/26/2015
A so-so month for author events. Note that we have more library events than bookstore. I've been seeing this kind of thing over the last year.
Notice that I'm getting this calendar up before the snow devil hits? Well, it is snowing, but not in a particularly devilish way.
Sun., Feb. 1, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, West Hartford Public Library, Bishops Corner
Branch 2 to 4:30 PM Please note that this event is at the Bishops Corner Branch, NOT the Noah Webster. The site was changed. 
Wed., Feb. 4, Wendy Rouillard, New Canaan Library, 3:30 PM
Thurs., Feb. 5, Eric Walters, Bank Square Books, Mystic 4:00 to 5:00 PM
Sat., Feb. 14, Cindy L. Rodriguez, West Hartford Public Library, Noah Webster Branch 12:00 PM
Sun., Feb. 15, Jane Sutcliffe, UConn Coop, Storrs 3:00 PM
By: Sherrie Petersen,
on 1/26/2015
Last week at the book festival was so much fun. The venue was gorgeous – one of the best libraries I’ve ever visited – and the organizers were so thoughtful and generous. It was definitely my favorite festival so far. Plus, I got to meet some awesome authors who’ve written some great books. Thanks to […]
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 1/13/2015
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 1/9/2015
A New Haven Launch Party is being held for The Great CT Caper. The location is the Peabody Museum, the date is Wednesday, January 28th, and the time is 5:00 to 7:00 PM. This is an adults only event for educators, librarians, and parents to meet The Caper authors and illustrators. There is no admission, and light refreshments and wine will be served. It does look as if this is a ticketed event.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 12/29/2014
The Great CT Caper is THE big event in an otherwise really slow children's lit month. I'll have more to say about the Caper in later posts.
Wed., Jan. 7, Great CT Caper Launch Party, Wadsworth Atheneum, Hartford 4:30 to 6:30 PM
Wed., Jan. 7, James Frey, New Canaan Library, New Canaan 7:00 PM
Jan. 9 John Himmelman, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
Jan. 15, Holly Black, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 6:00 PM
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 12/15/2014
Nancy Tafuri will appear at the Hickory Stick Bookshop in Washington this Saturday, December 20th at 2:30 PM.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 11/30/2014
I apologize for the unfinished nature of next month's calendar. No images, and I haven't completed all the links. What I have done is come down with another post event illness. In 2013 I was sick for six weeks after the NESCBWI conference and for a month after Christmas. Last night I got blasted with fever, chills, ya-da-ya-da-ya-da, two days after Thanksgiving.
I think it's more important to get the basic information out than it is to make it look perfect, so I'm publishing this as is. I'll come back and edit this when my fingers don't hurt and I'm not working from bed with a laptop truly on my lap.
Wed., Dec. 3, Michaela MacColl, Barnes & Noble, Westport 3:30 PM
Wed., Dec. 3, Christine Pakkala, Barnes & Noble, Westport 6:30 PM
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 11/13/2014
Today my new author talk, Preparing for National Novel Writing Month, Elementary School Edition, made its debut. Things went very well. This photo of the Smart Board I used in a fourth grade classroom doesn't begin to do justice to the slides Computer Guy made for me.
This program grew out of the time management for writers work I've been doing for this blog for several years. My reading on doing more with the time you have, in particular, as well as the studying I've done on plotting over the years (Hmm. I've done a lot of writing about that here.)
became my material for this presentation.
Now, authors give public talks for a number of reasons. Sometimes it's for straight promotion--talking at book fairs, for instance, or building up a presence among groups (say, museum goers) that might be interested in your work. Sometimes it's for straight income. For children's writers, most school appearances fall into that category.
Writer Joanna Penn is well-known on the Internet where she writes about and is interviewed about writing, self-publishing, speaking, the writing business, and all variations thereof. Penn is a speaker and sometimes discusses public speaking as an income stream for writers. (See the preceding paragraph and children's writers in schools.) But I've also either heard her talk or read her writing on using speaking as a way to support writing in less tangible ways. "...being a speaker," she has said, "really helps being known as a thought leader..." I have little ambition to the thought leader title. Close to none, actually. But I do realize that "being known" makes a writer more marketable and more desirable to agents and publishers.
I am between books right now. While I continue to write and submit, it would be very useful if I could also maintain a presence in the childlit world, even if only locally/regionally. Speaking could be a way to do that. A children's writer who doesn't have print books available for book sales isn't going to get traditional speaking engagements at schools and libraries. What kind of speaking could I do that would keep me known among teachers and librarians? I realized this summer that I had the Situational Time Management Workshop I ran for the NESCBWI last year that came about because of my Time Management work here and that some of the work I've done here would also apply to National Novel Writing Month.
So the blog may lead to speaking, which could lead to promotional/income opportunities. I will keep you posted.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 10/30/2014
Lots happening with children's/YA lit in Connecticut this month, particularly because of the Connecticut Children's Book Fair. Plus Jeff Kinney is going to be here for a weekend. And there's a Fancy Nancy author appearance. Keep reading.
Sat., Nov. 8, Jeff Kinney, R. J. Julia Bookseller event at the Madison Congregational Church, Madison Ticketed event. Times between 5:30 and 7:00 PM will be assigned to ticket holders.
Sat., Nov. 8, Norah Raleigh Baskin, Anika Denise, Christopher Denise, Anna Dewdney, Chris Grabenstein, Natalie Lloyd, Jean Marzollo, Barbara McClintock, Florence Minor, Wendell Minor, Pat Schories, Kevin Sherry, Nancy Elizabeth Wallace, Connecticut Children's Book Fair, Storrs Check link for schedule
Sun., Nov. 9, Patrick Henry Bass, Jerry Craft, Jane Dyer, Jeff Kinney, Caragh O'Brien, Dan Poblocki, Judy Schachner, Lauren Tarshis, Len Vlahos, Connecticut Children's Book Fair, Storrs Check link for schedule
Fri., Nov. 14, Leslie Bulion, "Talk of the Towns," Indian Springs Golf Course, Middlefield Doors open at 6:30, Event runs from 7:00 to 9:00 PM with four speakers
Fri., Nov. 14, Chris Van Allsburg, R. J. Julia Bookseller, Madison 5:30 PM Pre-register 
Sat., Nov. 15, Patricia Dunn, Elm Street Books, New Canaan Noon to 12:30 PM
Tues., Nov. 18, Victoria Kann, Barnes and Noble, Westport 6:00 PM
Wed., Nov. 19, Jane O'Connor, Pequot Library, Southport 4:30 to 6:00 PM
Sat., Nov. 29, Jan Brett, R.J. Julia event at IKEA, New Haven 10 AM Event free, purchase of The Animals' Santa from R.J. Julia or at the event required for admission to the book-signing line.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 10/20/2014
Author Page McBrier will appear at the Rowayton Library in Rowayton this Thursday, October 23, from 3:30 to 4:30.
By: Sherrie Petersen,
on 10/6/2014
Speaking in front of people terrifies me. So last week when I had a fifteen minute slot to fill as a speaker at the Orange County Children’s Book Festival, I called a friend and told her she needed to share the time with me. The funny thing is, ask me to sing the National Anthem […]
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 9/28/2014
Wouldn't you know it. I go on vacation, and we have a big month of children's lit events in Connecticut. Highlights are a roundtable discussion in Westport and a book tour for Sandra Horning's new release.
Thurs., Oct. 2, Tommy Greenwald, Nora Baskin, Elise Broach, Ramin Ganeshram, Victoria Kann, Alan Katz, Lauren Tarshis, and Hans Wilhelm, Barnes & Noble, Westport 7:00 PM Roundtable discussion
Sat., Oct. 4, Leslie Woods, Bank Square Books, Mystic 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM
Mon., Oct. 6, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, Bank Square Books, Mystic 4:00 to 6:00 PM
Tues., Oct. 7, Tony Abbott, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
Tues., Oct. 7, Janet Tashjian, Barnes & Noble, Milford 6:30 PM
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 8/27/2014
Book festivals are continuing in September.
Sat., Sept. 13 Local Authors Expo, Mystic & Noank Library, Mystic, 1:00 to 4:00 PM. No idea if there will be any children's authors involved.
Sat., Sept. 13 Jeanne Rogers, Newtown Arts Festival, Newtown, 3:00 PM. Presentation, Festival admission
Sat., Sept. 13 and Sun., Sept. 14 Sheila Murphy Adams, Dawn Aldrich, Catherine Gibson, Jason Marchi, Newtown Arts Festival, Newtown, 10:00 PM to 5:00 PM each day. Admission
Thurs., Sept. 18, Randall Enos, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Westport, 7:00 PM
Sept. 21 Jack Jones, Diane's Books/Tudor Investments Corp, Greenwich, 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM. Book launch
Wed. Sept. 24, Phil Nel, UConn Co-op Bookstore at Storrs Center, Storrs, 4:00 PM. Speaking on "The Genius of Crockett Johnson's Harold and the Purple Crayon."
Sept. 30, Julie Phillipps, Cheshire Public Library, Cheshire, 7:00 PM. Hour-long Picture Book 101 presentation for beginning writers
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 8/19/2014
Author Lynda Mullaly Hunt will be making an appearance at the Barnes and Noble Bookstore in Glastonbury on Sunday, August 31st at 2:00 PM.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 8/5/2014
I try to blog in the evening, so I'm not using primo creative day time on what is essentially marketing. The last two Tuesday evenings I've been making appearances. And that's where my time went the last two weeks.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 8/2/2014
Quite well. Thank you very much for asking.
Tuesday night, I was one of four authors speaking at Avon Free Public Library's Children's Authors' Night. This was part of the library's summer long Local Author Festival. I've noticed a drop in children's author appearances in this state recently. Avon Free Public Library really stepped in to fill a gap.
Marilyn Davis's Maddie and Beanie's Magical Journey was inspired by her work rescuing horses. This is a fascinating subject she's also written about for journals. 
Stacy DeKeyser is the author of an intriguing YA novel called Jump the Cracks, which I read about five years ago. Very unique story. On Tuesday, she spoke about where writing ideas come from in general, and how she came up with the idea for her most recent book, The Brixen Witch.
And what did I do at Children's Authors' Night? Well, I didn't take a picture of myself, that's for sure. What I did do was discuss my experiences with both traditional and self-publishing, with particular emphasis on Saving the Planet & Stuff, since it is my self-published eBook.
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 7/30/2014
Two big events this month, thanks to libraries.
Fri., Aug. 1, Sarah Albee, Elise Broach, Jeff Cohen, Jennifer Donnelly, Valerie Fisher, Wendell Minor, Burleigh Muten, Marc Rosenthal, Eighteenth Annual Sharon Summer Book Signing and Dinner With Authors, Hotchkiss Library, Sharon 6-8 PM
Mon., Aug. 4, Chris Weitz, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 6:00 PM
Tues., Aug. 5, Marilyn Davis, Stacy DeKeyser, Gail Gauthier, , Local Author Book Fair (30 authors), Avon Free Public Library 7:00 to 8:00 PM
Tues., Aug. 12, Josh Chalmers, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 10:30 AM
Sat., Aug. 16, Jane Sutcliffe, Tolland Public Library, Tolland 10:30 AM Book launch
Thurs., Aug. 21, Bob Shea, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 10:30 AM
Tues., Aug. 26, Dav Pilkey, R. J. Julia Booksellers, Madison 4:00 PM
By: Gail Gauthier,
on 6/18/2014
