a cancellation, a reminder and another event!

Unfortunately, my event in Wellesley in March is canceled (there was a family emergency amongst the organizers), but my event on Feb 23rd is still on!  And I have a new one in April.  If you are local, I hope to see you!

Thu, February 23, 2017

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

An Unlikely Story

111 South Street 

Plainville, MA 02762

register HERE!

I will also be a part of the 2017 Children's Literature Series.  Mount Holyoke College is hosting a program of talks by distinguished writers and illustrators, including one with yours truly! These are all free and open to the public. Please come!

Thursday, April 13 at 4pm
Cassini Rm, Shattuck Hall
Mount Holyoke College
This series is concurrent with Professor Corinne Demas's course, ENG 305: Writing Literature for Children. All talks are free, accessible, and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. 
For inquiries, please contact:
Rebecca Pittel '17 and Rand Abu Al-Sha'r '17: mhcchildrenslit@gmail.com 

Oops!

Sorry! Big typo in my last post! The event in Weston is at 3pm and 4pm-- AFTER school hours! I hope you can all come now!

Wondermore Benefit at Dumpling Daughter 
37 Center St. 
Weston, MA 02493
3pm: presentation featuring Ling & Ting
4pm: presentation featuring When the Sea Turned to Silver
Contact Dumpling Daughter to purchase your ticket

Hope to see you!

Two Upcoming Events!

I have a couple of upcoming events! If you are in the area it would be great to see you!

First, I'll be at the Unlikely Story Bookstore in Plainville, MA  on February 23rd at 2 pm. It's pretty much every author's dream to open up their own bookstore, so I'm excited to see what Jeff Kinney (Diary of a Wimpy Kid fame!) did! And then dream a little on my own...someday... But in the meantime I hope to see you:

Thu, February 23, 2017

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM

An Unlikely Story

111 South Street 

Plainville, MA 02762

register HERE!

I'm also doing a special event to benefit Wondermore in coordination with the Dumpling Daughter, an awesome restaurant in Weston, MA:

Come to the event, eat a dumpling, get a book (book & dumpling included with the price of the ticket) and see me!

Wondermore Benefit at Dumpling Daughter 
37 Center St. 
Weston, MA 02493
3pm: presentation featuring Ling & Ting
4pm: presentation featuring When the Sea Turned to Silver
Contact Dumpling Daughter to purchase your ticket

Hope to see you!

Hear me, hear me!

So, I'm super excited (and nervous)  that I will be one of the presenters at TedxNatick on Jan 23rd! I'm writing and polishing a whole new speech--"The Mirrors and Windows of Your Child's Bookshelf"--I am really hoping it will be good. If you love Ted talks, here's your chance to go to one and hear some awesome speakers--tickets are on sale now!

Did I mention I was really nervous about the speech? So, since practice makes perfect, I'm doing a dress rehearsal of the speech at an event at the Eric Carle Museum on  Saturday, January 16, at 1pm! Constructive criticism and encouragement welcome!

Hope to see you!

Come see me!

I'm having a book event as a fundraiser for Rain Dragon's school! Please come (there's free frozen yogurt, too!)!

Saturday, Dec 5th
10am-noon
GoBerry
80 Main St, Northampton

Hope to see you!

Join me for a Live Video Chat!

The Girls Leadership organization chose Year of the Dog for their October Parent-Daughter Book Club selection and to cap it off, we're having a live video chat! You are welcome to join! Send your questions and find out more HERE!

Indies First Saturday

As part of Indies First Saturday, I'm returning to a my old bookselling profession--though at a different store and only for an hour. Come to Broadside Books on Saturday at 4pm and meet yours truly!

Support your local bookstore and meet some fun authors this Saturday! Hope to see you!

Another event!

In honor of the  Where the Mountain Meets the Moon performance, I will be participating in another (yes, another) event!

Benefiting the Chinese Historical Society of New England, I will be giving a special "Embracing the Multicultural Label" presentation as well as discussing the Where the Mountain Meets the Moon performance adaptation.

Sunday, April 13th at 1 pm

Film Lecture Hall

Newton North High School

457 Walnut St., Newton, MA
Tickets available HERE!
A book signing and reception will follow.

Please come! I know it's a little late notice, so please spread the word even if you can't come yourself. But I hope to see you!

As usual, please check my event calendar for updates and changes to where I'll be!

Where I'll be at Wheelock!

If you haven't noticed, I'm super excited about the Where the Mountain Meets the Moon production at Wheelock! It opens next week, but it's still not too late to get tickets. I'm going to be there the opening weekend as part of their grand festivities. Below is my event schedule as well as all the fun things they have planned! I hope to see you!!

Friday, April 11th 2014

150 The Riverway, Boston

Special Event for WHEEL sponsors (become a sponsor HERE!)

6-7:30 pm: Celebrate and Chat with Grace Lin, Puppet-Making workshop, Presentation of the WHEEL Award, and Grand Procession of Puppets

7:30 pm: New England Premiere Performance of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (general public tickets HERE)

Saturday, April 12th 2014

150 The Riverway, Boston 

Special Event fot WHEEL sponsors (become a sponsor HERE!)

1-3pm: Draw a Dragon with Grace Lin, Traditional Chinese Dragon Dance Performance and Dragon Dance Workshop for Kids

3 pm:  Performance of Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (general public tickets HERE)

Check my event calendar for any updates!

upcoming events!

Before I forget, I have a couple of upcoming events for the Chinese New Year! Spread the word and come yourself! Hope to see you!

Sunday, January 26, 2pm
reading, drawing activity and signing at
Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School Chinese New Year Celebration
Smith Vocational School
80 Locust St, Northampton MA
if tickets are still available they will be $5 at the door

Saturday, February 1st, 1pm
Learn about the Lunar New Year at
the Eric Carle Museum
125 West Bay Road
Amherst, MA 01002
Book signing to follow presentation
Limit one book from home/unlimited books from The Carle Bookshop.
Can't make it to the event? Contact The Carle Bookshop at (413) 658-1132 or shop@carlemuseum.org to reserve signed copies.

This Saturday!

Check out the "I!" It's my friend Anna Alter's art! She'll be in the booth right next to me!

This Saturday, I'll be selling books & prints at the RISD Alumni Sale! This year, I'll be attending both sales--this one  as well as the Holiday Sale in December (have to earn some money to pay for the babysitter!) Come say hello to me, the Sasquatch and Rain Dragon!

Saturday, October 12th
10-4pm
Benefit Street
Between Waterman and Hopkins St in Providence, RI.

NCBLA Literary Lights Readers Theater!

special thanks to Richard Groth for the photos

Even though I had my own performance, the real reason I was at the National Book Festival was because the NCBLA invited me to take part in their  Literary Lights Readers Theater. Readers Theater is a dramatic presentation, kind of like a radio play. This presentation was to feature literary stars like Katherine Paterson, Jon Scieszka, Susan Cooper and your truly! Okay, honestly,  I think I was invited because my old (as in former, not as in age) teacher Mary Brigid Barrett is the president of NCBLA and I might bribed her with a visit from Rain Dragon...

But it was worth it! The rehearsal alone was full of hilarity. Rain Dragon couldn't take her eyes off of the 1st Ambassador of Children's Literature, Jon Scieszka. She was star-struck...or, rather, octopus-stricken.

Rain Dragon recognized that the octopus' eyes were really balls (the awesome costume was made byElizabeth Barrett Groth and has made me envious the Halloween outfits she must be able to create) and has since called all octopi, "Ball!" since.

Jon didn't wear the costume for the whole time but Rain Dragon remained in awe of him the rest of the rehearsal.  Which made her behave well enough for the rest of us to practice the performance:

me, Susan Cooper, Carol Rasco from RIF, Linda Robb Johnson, Jon Scieszka, and Katherine Paterson! talk about rubbing elbows!

And though Jon wore the costume at rehearsal, he did not during the performance. That honor went to Carol Rasco, CEO of Reading is Fundamental:

She and Cowboy Linda Robb Johnson, had to fight the paparazzi to the stage:

But they made it and the performance was a great success!

Squeeze me, I'm sitting next to the Susan Cooper! She's so classy, like the Helen Mirren of children's literature.

Which I guess would make Katherine Paterson and Jon Scieszka the King and Queen of children's literarture, as they were both Ambassadors:

should be crowns instead of medals, then

My imagination fails to make any other analogies, especially as I cannot figure out a place for an octopus in British hierarchy. Needless to say, I was extremely honored to be in the company of ALL the performers and organizers!

Thanks so much NCBLA!

the NCBLA organizers/heroines of the event, Mary Brigid Barrett (my former teacher at RISD), Marilyn Ludolph and Geri Edins

National Book Festival

And we were in DC! Hello Capital!

special thanks to Richard Groth and Lorraine Tong for the photos!

This was my first time at the National Book Festival and I wasn't sure what to expect. Unfortunately, it didn't begin auspiciously as there was a mix-up with the booksales (which I'm pretty sure was my fault, I think there was a form that I never got around to sending...ugh! I need an assistant for my life!) so they didn't have many of my books, and none of the  Ling and Ting books.

Also, my performance was right after Food Network Star's Giada De Laurentiis presented! So the overpacked tent quickly and disheartenedly thinned after she left.

But I persevered:

And things quickly took a turn for the better! The tent repopulated nicely:

And I pulled out my Starry River of the Sky presentation which is always a lot of fun:

and probably went over better than if I had done a Ling and Ting presentation anyway!

And I was whisked away for the book signing which was surprisingly long considering the book sale mix-up. Many readers brought their books from home, which was so nice to see.

though Rain Dragon got bored

And even though there weren't any Ling and Ting books, I did get to meet a real life pair:

So a nice time was had by all! It was great fun, thanks DC and the National Book Festival! I hope we get to come again!

on my desk monday

It's the author tag from the National Book Festival and some reference for a charity art auction I'm taking part of! More details on both to come!

At the 2013 National Book Festival

I'll be at the National Book Festival this Sunday! Hope to see you!

Sunday, September 22
Presenting Ling and Ting Share a Birthday 
Children's Pavilion
12:40 pm - 1:10 pm

Book Signing 
1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Literary Lights Readers Theater: including authors Katherine Paterson, Jon Scieszka, Grace Lin, Mary Brigid Barrett and Susan Cooper, and literacy advocate Lynda Johnson Robb.
Special Programs Pavilion
 4:35-5:20 pm

see you on Sunday (I hope!)

This Sunday is White Square Books (in Easthampton, MA) is having a Starry River of the Sky book club meeting and I'm going!   With the move and Rain Dragon, I haven't done too many public appearances this summer and I looking forward to meeting new (and familiar) readers!

White Square - Fine Books & Art
86 Cottage Street Easthampton, MA 01027
Sunday, August 18, 2013 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM (I will arrive at 3pm)
Moon cakes and green tea will be served!

The event is FREE, but the store does ask that you register and have read the book. Send an e-mail to whitesquarebooks@gmail.com or call the store at 413-203-1717.

I hope to see you!!!

Belated Post: NESCBWI, an epoch in my life

So, I have to admit things in early May were  rather stressful.  Our condo had sold a faster than expected and the packing was in full swing (which was even more challenging now that Rain Dragon was walking!). So when the NESCBWI conference rolled around, everything was in a state of chaos and I was just crossing my fingers that I didn't make any disastrous mistakes. We just made it to conference a half hour before my keynote speech and I think I gave the organizers a heart attack (sorry!).

Because I really regret not being able to partake in more of the conference. It sounded amazing and I can't believe  I missed hearing Sharon Creech speak! She (and Natalie Babbitt) is probably my favorite living author, her book Castle Corona indirectly inspired Where the Mountain Meets the Moon-- I used it to show my publisher how beautiful a novel in full-color would look...and it convinced them!

And what made it even worse is that by getting to the conference so late they ran out of her books at the store (and I was not far-seeing enough to set aside my already-owned copies of her books in an easily identified box) so I missed out on getting a book signed! Boo hoo! But I thought at least Rain Dragon and I could get a photo...and what a photo it is:

Look at Rain Dragon's face! Ha ha! I think she is feeling some professional jealousy out of loyalty to me.

However, even with my less-then-auspicious state of mind, the NESCBWI conference was (as Anne of Green Gables would say) an epoch in my life.  Because, as I've mentioned before, while I am proud of how much I've improved as a public speaker, I'd never consider myself great at it.

But somehow, in the company of fellow children's book author and illustrators and their welcoming, understanding energy, the elements combined and my speech* was  so well-received that I actually got a standing ovation.

photo courtesy of Victoria Lindstrom

This was a first for me! I was very surprised, but also so grateful. It was a lovely moment, lifting me out of the dismal gloom of moving. Thank you, NESCBWI!

*small footnote: in my speech I spoke about how an editor at Charlesbridge asked me to change an Asian girl character to a caucasian boy character because it would pigeonhole me as a multicultural author/illustrator. I'm a little afraid I might not portrayed the story with as much entirety as I intended and people might be judging the editor and the publishing company unfairly. 

-In defense of the editor (who I'll leave nameless unless he wishes to out himself online) his suggestion was his way of looking out for me, trying to make sure I didn't get branded in a way I didn't want. And, he was right.  When my second book featuring Asian characters came out, I was immediately pigeonholed as a multicultural author.

-In defense of Charlesbridge, this was over 13 years ago when they were just starting their fiction line (before that they had been mainly known for educational, non-fiction books). The entire staff has changed since then and their company policy is now known for embracing books with diversity (like Mitali Perkins' Bamboo People)--they are company anyone would be proud to be published with!

Belated Post: Visiting the Eastern Shore in Maryland

In April, I was also fortunate to spend a week in Maryland, visiting schools and libraries on the Eastern Shore. I was  happy to go as I last year I had to drop out as I got a little busy--needless to say, I'm was very glad to be reinvited!

And it was a fun week!  Hosted by famous blogger librarians Sam and Rachel, we enjoyed all the warm welcomes:

One school welcomed me with  a quilt  inspired by the descriptive language from Where the Mountain Meets the Moon:

Here's a better picture of it! Luckily we drove to Maryland so we could take it back:

And after a whole week, I got very good at doing my Starry River of the Sky presentation:

As well as teaching students how to draw a tiger:

And I wasn't the only one getting more skillful! Rain Dragon really started to master the whole walking thing:

But, of course, the best part was meeting readers, all of whom seemed to have really enjoyed my books!

Thanks so much Sam and Rachel! Thanks so much Eastern Shore Libraries!