If anyone is interested, I am one of her odd wares.  Likely the oddest.  I’ve offered to critique a proposal package consisting of a cover or query letter, a synopsis, and the first ten pages of a manuscript.  The current bid is $50.  If you’re interested just see the list of auction items by going here. 

There are a lot of other things worth bidding on as well.  Books, all signed I believe, by my old friends James Dashner and Jessica Day George, newer friends Bree Despain, Kristen Chandler, Shannon Hale, Mette Ivie Harrison, Mike Knudson, Janette Rallison, and Sydney Salter, and many others—they even have a book signed by Neil Gaiman!  Services include everything from critiques to an interview for marketing opportunities to lunch with Bree Despain (who, yes, is very lovely, but is also happily and healthily married, so don’t bid too much on that thinking it’ll be THAT kind of lunch). 

A few things that caught my eye: the manuscript critique and phone call by Molly O’Neill from HarperCollins; the picture book critique by Rick Walton (who is described as all-knowing not as propaganda but as a matter of documented and undeniable fact); the manuscript critique by Sara Zarr (I believe my last post made clear my thoughts on her abilities); two admissions for the Teen Writers Conference, which could very well be a life changing experience for teen who is interested in writing; and, especially, Wendy Toliver’s bracelet (as readers of my blog, I assume you have some familiarity with the magical and fantastic, and so should know the power a personal item like that can give over you; her daring magical enslavement to help a children’s bookstore is truly heroic).

I believe bidding on most items (all except those with no current bids) ends this Saturday, so if you’re interested you’d better take a look quick.

First off, tonight I’ll be talking to Rick Walton’s BYU class on children’s publishing again. The class is about breaking into the business, and having one book out for roughly nine months I’m sure qualifies me. I really enjoyed the last time I visited the class, and expect to do so again tonight.

Next up, I’ll be taking part in a pair of events next week. The first will be a visit to East Sandy Elementary school on Thursday, March 4th. I’ll do an assembly for 3rd-6th grades at 1:30 p.m. Should be fun, as always.

The next day, Friday, March 5th, I’ll be presenting at UELMA’s Spring Conference (the Utah Educational Library Media Association), which is being held at Mountain View High School (665 West Center Street, Orem, UT). I’m slated to present at noon (as is James Dashner, who somehow always seems to follow me around. I will need to think of a particularly biting joke about him to use in my presentation to teach him a lesson). The presentation is called Goosebumps, Great Expectations? Tomato, Tomaeto, Potato, Potaeto…: Why the only poor story is a story not read. I’ve put together what should be a really fun workshop on archetypes in narrative, why they exist, and how they undergird the importance of libraries as a place where children can develop narrative literacy without the impositions on reading that come from other areas of their lives. We’ll talk about archetypal theory and see it in action in a wide variety of texts, learn who fills the Darth Vader role in Pride and Prejudice, and stuff like that. Any school librarians considering me for a visit to their school are encouraged to attend the breakout session. It will give you a good idea of what I have to offer as a teacher and presenter.

Finally, a pair of events on May 15th. In the morning I’ll be conducting a two-hour workshop on characterization and triple-duty writing (come to the workshop to see what that is) for the League of Utah Writers’ Spring Workshop. I’ll be holding the workshop from 9 – 11:00 in the morning. The event is free for League members, though I promise the experience will be worthwhile even if you have to pay. (Joining the League for $24 a year is cheaper, and well worth it for any local writer.) I’ll give more information about venue and other contributors when I learn more.

After the workshop, I’m driving to Provo to take part in the Provo Library’s Annual Provo Children’s Book Festival. I believe that I will be reading from Green Dragon Codex in the afternoon, but I’m not sure when. Of course, I’ll let you know as soon as I do. This is a great—and FREE—event, so anyone interested in children’s literature really should be there. The list of participants is just fantastic. When you start with names like Brandon Mull and Shannon Hale and don’t go down much at all from there, you know it’s going to be a quality experience. Also, those who know me are aware that I don’t do many readings, especially of my work for children. (Though I’m not too shabby at it, if you’re worried about that.) If you want to hear me read from GDC, this may be your only chance in the near future.

Finally, I try to announce other writing events in my local area when I hear about them (and when I remember to pass along the message). I’m not participating in this one this year, but the 2010 Teen Writers Conference is being held on Saturday, June 5th, at Weber State University. This is a really cool conference focused on encouraging teenage writers between the ages of 13 to 19. Josi Kilpack is kind of the driving force behind this conference, and she and other organizers have lined up a fantastic list of presenters and instructors, many of whom are good friends I respect a lot. If you’re a teen who writes or is interested in writing, or if you know such a person, please let them know about this event. It’s really a great opportunity for professional level instruction very early in a person’s development as a writer.

For the record, the students in Rick Walton’s children’s book publishing industry class are the luckiest in the nation, certainly, and most likely this world and most others.  And no, not because I talked to them for an hour earlier this week.  (I’d like to think that wasn’t too detrimental.)  Do you know the people scheduled to stop by to talk to them this semester?  I don’t know all the names, but the Brandons Mull and Sanderson top the list, along with Chris Schoebinger from Shadow Mountain, just to start.  And that’s after Shannon Hale tried to undo any damage I did earlier in the evening on Wednesday.  If these students are prepared for the publishing climate after this class, they haven’t been listening.

Anyway, Wednesday was great.  I arrived and greeted Rick, who knew my name and had seen me around but I’m not sure he could place the name with the face until we shook hands.  Kristen Chandler was there as well, and it was great meeting her for the first time as well.  Then Rick called Kristen and me to the front of the class and asked us to answer questions for a little over an hour, which we did.  I was impressed by the questions we fielded, which ranged pretty widely in content, as we were addressing up-and-coming authors, editors, illustrators, agents, and one lawyer who Shannon couldn’t quite figure out why he was there.  (She decided it must have something to do with women, which is a good bet, because I’m convinced everything that’s the least bit confusing ties in some way to women.)  Then Shannon answered questions for the last hour plus, signed books, and, I assume, went home.  I must so assume because I said goodbye to everyone and left earlier. 

So, the postmortem (don’t you love how macabre that sounds): finally got to know Rick a little better, met Shannon and Kristen for the first time, and got to talk about my profession and passion to a very attentive and bright class of kindred spirits.  I hope Rick finds some reason—real or imagined—to have me back some time. 

The Saints just kicked off, so I’m needed elsewhere.