on my desk monday

Hey, lookie what I have! Advanced reading copies of Flying Lessons & Other Stories. It's the WNDB's short story anthology! Amazing authors like Jacqueline Woodson and Matt de la Pena are alongside yours truly (hoping they make me look good)--each writing an original short story to benefit WNDB. The collection is super awesome!

Are you a teacher or librarian and want a peek at it? E-mail me at gracelin.manager at gmail.com and I'll send you one of my ARC's! I have a limited supply, so contact me quick! You don't want to miss this book!  Sorry, I'm all out now! Thanks for your interest--please get the real book when it comes out in Jan 2017!

My TEDx talk!

Just in case you missed it, here's my TEDx talk:

It was a rather momentous event for me. I was super nervous (I refused to watch any other speakers ahead of me as I didn't want to psyche myself out) even though I had practiced and practiced for hours and hours for days and weeks, under the guidance of a speech coach, no less. 

my speech with all my speaking notes!

But, I did it and now that the speech is over, I feel really proud. It's like what I said before, public speaking is not a talent I was given. I've worked at it and have gotten much better but I don't think it's a skill that will set me apart. So, compared to a seriously talented speaker like my good friend Jarrett Krosocka (who has not just given one TED talk, but two!), I was probably just decent---but, for me, I think I did pretty well. 

In some ways, I think it is the epitome of my speaking career--I've never given a speech with this much pressure before. I truly felt a responsibility. So many times when we talk about diversity in children's literature, we are talking to people who already know its importance--many times we are "preaching to the choir." This TEDx talk was really an opportunity to reach people who rarely think about children's books, much less the diversity of them. And because of that, I truly gave it my all--and I hope you liked it!

If you did like my speech, I'm going to shamelessly ask you to share it as much as possible! It would be a dream for this thing to go viral!

Drum it up for Drum Dream Girl!!!

Don't miss this beautiful, beautiful book! I HEART it and am buying up lots of copies to give away this holiday season, and I'm not the only one.

WNDB has started a #DrumitUp campaign to help get this book the attention it deserves.  So please spread the word and purchase a copy (or two or three!) yourself! You'll be spreading some beauty into the world, which is just what we all need--don't you think?

Drum it up!

get this exclusive print and support WNDB!

The WNDB Indigogo campaign is going full throttle! It's going great, but there's still more than half of the goal to achieve. To sweeten the pot, I've donated some exclusive, never-before-sold prints to the WNDB Indiegogo campaign! There are five of these available now:

from "Bringing in the New Year"

If/when those sell out, there will be five of these up as perks:

from The Ugly Vegetables

These prints are 13x19 inches and can be personally autographed by yours truly! And, most importantly, they want to have a home with you!

So, please contribute to the WNDB campaign! Even if you are unable to contribute, please spread the word wide and far!

We Need Diverse Books Needs YOU

Go to the WNDB Indiegogo Campaign!
WeNeedDiverseBooks, whose advisory board I am proud to say I am a part of,  has just launched its Indiegogo Campaign! Please consider donating!

Your donations will help bring diverse books and authors to disadvantaged schools, host the Inaugural Kidlit Diversity Festival and more!As well as art for their holiday card, I've donated a personal event and dinner (Will I make you cupcakes? You'll have to find out...). Or you could have dinner with the incredible Jacqueline Woodson in Park Slope or a signed Dav Pilkey print or even more! Lots of fun prizes, go check it out!

Please spread the word!

wishes that readers don't know they have

Q: Are diverse books really that important? When I was a child, I didn't see (fill in the blank) and I'm just fine!

I attempt to add to Janice's response and answer another question with this post  that I did for The BookPeople in Austin, TX to support their Modern First Library program.

Here is an excerpt: 

...it’s hard to miss something that you didn’t know could’ve existed. In my book, Starry River of the Sky, I write about the legend of the Moon Lady who can grant your most secret wish. It can be a wish so secret that you, yourself, might not even know you have it. But when she grants your wish, when your most secret wish comes true, it is a revelation. 

That is what diverse books are. They are the wishes that many readers don’t know they have. They are for the readers who finally see themselves...

Read the rest HERE!