Children's Book Authors and Illustrators of the South

Denene Millner's Books

HOTLANTA

Designer clothes. Gorgeous boys.
Family secrets. Major drama.

By DENENE MILLNER and MITZI MILLER

"Denene Millner and Mitzi Miller's sure-footed debut into the teen-queen world mixes the right amount of gloss...and grit... And while there's a lot of attitude in the book, there's also a good deal of heart, which will make readers eager for a second helping of what the Duke girls have to serve up"

-Essence Magazine April 2008

“OMG! Sweet Valley High was so not this crunk. Still, Hotlanta’s snark is worse than its bite. Even those who are Beyonce-fly have drama. Lessons are learned, and redemption seems possible for the twins…”

-Atlanta Magazine August 2008

     From the moment she cracked open Frances Hodgson Burnett’s A Little Princess in the fourth grade, Denene Millner has been hooked on books. She often passed up cartwheels in the backyard, summer bike rides with friends, and trips to the local and very cool pool to stay in her room and curl up next to books written by authors like Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary. But she never once imagined that she would grow up to write books of her own.

     But as fate would have it, Denene was destined for this journey. By the end of October 2008, she will have authored or co-authored 15 books, including her smokin’ hot new teen series, Hotlanta. Released in April 2008 to rave reviews, the book was prominently featured in Publisher’s Weekly, and recently nominated for an African American Literary Award. The second in the series, If Only You Knew, will be released in October 2008. In addition, March On!, a picture book about the historic March on Washington, which Millner wrote with Christine King Farris, will be published in August 2008.

     Denene Millner is the Reality Check columnist and a contributing editor for Parenting magazine, for which she provides witty, engaging, mom-to-mom advice on ethics and etiquette in everything from childrearing and marriage to work and friendship. Millner also is a contributing editor for Essence; an associate editor for the travel magazine, Odyssey Couleur; and contributes articles to Health, Entertainment Weekly, Money, Heart & Soul, and Ebony, among others. Her extensive television experience includes regular appearances on the The Today Show, CBS Early Show, CNN, MSNBC, VH1, WABC Eyewitness News and Good Day New York.

     Prior to writing the column, Millner was Parenting's Articles Editor from 2003 to 2005; before that, Millner worked for Honey magazine for three years, serving as Features Editor and, most recently, Executive Editor. Prior to Honey, she covered politics and entertainment at the New York Daily News for nearly eight years, carving a niche as one of the few journalists to write knowledgeably about African-American culture. Queen Latifah, Halle Berry, Lena Horne, Terry McMillan, Don Cheadle, Spike Lee, Vivica A. Fox, Ice Cube, Brian McKnight, Mary J. Blige, and Jada Pinkett Smith are just a few of the artists that she has profiled. Before her stint at the Daily News, she worked for three years as a general assignment and political reporter for The Associated Press.

     In addition, she is author of The Sistahs' Rules: Secrets to Meeting, Getting, and Keeping a Good Black Man, and co-author with her husband, Nick Chiles, of the best-selling advice book series, What Brothers Think, What Sistahs Know, and the novels Love Don't Live Here Anymore, In Love & War, and, A Love Story. She is also co-author of The Angry Black Woman's Guide to Life, and the novel, The Vow, which received a coveted starred review in Publishers Weekly, and was named one of Borders Best of 2005. Her book, Dreamgirls, the novelization of the Tony Award-winning Broadway play-turned-big screen film starring Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, and Beyonce, was released in December 2006.

     Denene is a graduate of Hofstra University and lives in Georgia with her husband, their two daughters and son, and a very sweet and furry dog named Teddy.

Barnes & Noble Buckhead

Stacey Kaye (author) and Elizabeth O. Dulemba (illustrator) will present the first two books in the ParentSmart/KidHappy series, Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day, an iParenting Media Award Winner, at the Barnes & Noble Buckhead location on September 13th.

They have an additional performance at the DeKalb Medical Women's Center on September 17th.

After the Event Roundup:

It's rare that an author and illustrator live in the same town, let alone communicate and become friends. But that's exactly what happened when Stacey Kaye, creator of the ParentSmart/KidHappy series moved to town right after I'd signed the

contract to illustrate the books Ready for Bed! and Ready for the Day! (Two more are on the way for 2009!)
Well, yesterday we spoke and signed books together for the first time at the Barnes & Noble in Buckhead. Stacey read, described the concept behind the books and activities that parents can use to nudge their children through everyday routines without a fuss. Here she shows a "Wheel of Choice" while I draw Maya in a bad mood in the background.
It went well and was a great trial run for our talk at the DeKalb Medical Center this coming Wednesday. I'm looking forward to it!

Learn about proper parenting language and the power of choice in, Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day - click the covers!
You can also listen to a summary of the concept behind the ParentSmart/KidHappy books at Mighty Mommy!

Signing off: e (Elizabeth O. Dulemba)

Karen Stormer Brooks' Books

The Southern Festival of Books takes place the weekend of October 10th in Nashville, Tennessee. Two of our members will be speaking:

Elizabeth O. Dulemba will present Paco and the Giant Chile Plant ~ Paco y la planta de chile gigante.

and

Stacey Kaye (author) and Elizabeth O. Dulemba (illustrator) will present the first two books in the ParentSmart/KidHappy series, Ready for Bed and Ready for the Day, an iParenting Media Award Winner.

Click the logo to learn more.

The Dahlonega Literary Festival is the weekend of August 9th. Two of our members, Laura Knorr and Mark Braught, will be speaking. Click the logo above to visit the Literary Festival website and learn more.

S. A. Harazin's Blood Brothers

From the reviews:
"Direct, honest language and raw emotions will grab readers by the heart." 2008 Horn Book Guide Reviews"

Clay Gardener, respected hospital employee and loyal but conflicted friend, joins the ranks of veteran, engaging young adult characters such as Chris Crutcher’s Louie Banks and S. E. Hinton’s PonyBoy . . .This reviewer cannot wait for the writers next effort."VOYA—5Q 4P

Edgar Award Nomination
ALA Quick Pick
BBYA Nomination
NYPL Best Teen Books
Bank Street list of excellent books for mature teenagers
Taysha list 2008-9
Cream of the Crop 2008 list

Author website: www.saharazin.com

Laura Knorr's Books

Chris Rumble's Books

http://www.chrisrumble.com/

Mary Ann Rodman's Books

Yankee Girl
• CCBC CHOICES
• VOYA Top Shelf Middle Grade Fiction
• ALA Notable--Masterlist
• Notable Trace Book in Social Studies
• Chicago Public Library--Best of the Best List
• State Awards--Masterlist
• Rhode Island State Reader's Choice Award
• Kentucky Blue Grass Award
• Geogia Book of Excellence Award
• New Hampshire Great Stone Face Award
• The Mark Twain Award (Missouri State Book Award)
• Nebraska Golden Sower Award
• Kansas William Allen White Award

My Best Friend
(Viking, 2005)
• Charlotte Zolotow Award (for best picture book text)
• Ezra Jack Keats Award (best new picture book writer)
• CCBC Choices
• Pennsylvania State Library Association Top Forty
• BCCB Top 61

First Grade Stinks
(Peachtree, September 2006)

For more information, visit www.maryannrodman.com.

Mark Braught's Books

Looking for Funding?

There's nothing like a successful author or illustrator visiting your students in person to inspire them to set and reach for high goals.

If you would like to invite an author or illustrator to speak at your school, check with your Media Specialist to see if funding is in place. If not, there are several grants available to help bring in creators to inspire your students:

How to Write a Grant

School Grants

Educational Enrichment Foundation

Grants Alert.com

National Book Scholarship Fund

Leap Frog

Target

Donors Choose

Starbucks

Wells Fargo
Bank

Other options you may want to consider are teaming up with a nearby school or organizing a fund-raising event with your PTA. Also, some authors are now offering Virtual Visits employing SKYPE. It takes a bit of tech-savvy, but these are often offered at a less expensive rate.

Two CBAIS members will be speaking at the Gwinnett Reading Festival:

Susan Rosson Spain and Vicky Alvear Shecter

Click the logo above to learn more.

CBAIS Book Bag

Hello friends,
If you look at those beautiful, smiling young faces (the children) you can see the excitement on their faces. The children were supposed to hold the books so that the covers were visible, but some just couldn't resist hugging them. Those older faces were pretty excited as well. This is why we write and illustrate -- for the children.

We also met two of the school's PTA members. They, and the teachers wanted contact information for possible future events for the school. We left information about all of our members, so don't be surprised if you get a call from Cheatham Hills Elementary School -- grades K -- 6th.

Thank you everyone who donated a book or three to the bag. You and the books are most appreciated. CBAIS Rocks!

On another, but related note: last week I attended a grant application writing workshop. Wouldn't it be great to be able to tell those budget strapped schools how they can afford to have us come to their schools? I'll be posting some of what I learned on this blog soon.
Connie

Decatur Book Festival: Along with our CBAIS booth next to the Children's Stage during the Decatur Book Festival, check out our CBAIS members who will be onstage at the following times:

Elizabeth O. Dulemba
     Mingei World Arts, Saturday 11:30 am
     Children's Stage, Sunday 5:00 pm

Connie Fleming
     Emerging & Exhibiting Authors Stage, Sunday 3:20 pm

Denene Millner
     The Escape Stage, Saturday 1:00 pm

Diane Z. Shore
     Children's Stage, Sunday 4:00 pm

Mary Ann Rodman
     Children's Stage, Saturday 3:00 pm

Vicky Alvear Shecter
     Teen Stage MC, Saturday 12:00 - 6:00 pm

For more information, visit the Decatur Book Festival website.

After the Event Roundup:
Saturday:
     Our CBAIS (Children's Book Authors and Illustrators of the South) is so perfectly located right in front of the children's stage and we remained packed with people throughout the day. We're giving away a free bag of books to a local school, so people were filling out raffle tickets like crazy. Teachers, Media Specialists and a Principal or two visited with LOTS of questions. Many asked how they could join. Others just bought books like crazy and had them signed if that author/illustrator was in the booth at the time. Comments of "Wow, he/she is local?" were heard throughout the day - our main purpose for organizing.

The five of us who created CBAIS have been blown away by the attention our group is getting. We've obviously hit a nerve. I'll share more news about our future soon...
And yes, that was our bubble machine that made it into the AJC along with fellow CBAIS member, Jamie Dodson's book cover in the background. (Click the image to see more DBF photos at the AJC website.)

Sunday:
Back to the CBAIS booth at 12:00 we actually had a breeze this time. The crowd was a little bit smaller, but calmer which made for a lovely day. We made more great contacts and did a drawing to give away a free bag of books to a local school. Mary Ann Rodman's daughter, Lily, drew the winning ticket - Jennifer Frederick, Counselor at Cheatham Hills Elementary School was the winner and the steering committee will be presenting the book bag (almost a $400 value) on September 24th. Mary Ann (in the red hat) and her daughter are surrounded by our steering committee: me; Connie; Susan; Vicky; and Liz.)

I gave them hugs all weekend long, but I want to publicly give thanks once again to all the people who make the Decatur Book Festival the amazing event it is: Tom Bell and Daren Wang of the DBF; Diane Capriola, Dave Shallenberger and the rest of the staff at Little Shop of Stories who worked unbelievably hard and supported our CBAIS efforts all the way through; my fellow CBAIS steering committee members, Liz Conrad, Susan Rosson Spain, Vicky Alvear Shecter and Connie Fleming; and to all the rest of the DBF staff and volunteers. It takes an army to pull this thing off, but we did and it was a HUGE success once again (can't wait to hear the numbers).

Signing off: e (Elizabeth O. Dulemba)

Logos/Links

If you would like to add our logo as a link on your website - copy the text below the logo size you want and paste it into your website or blog.

Cheatham Elementary School

Remember I told you about our Children's Book Authors and Illustrators of the South or CBAIS booth at the Decatur Book Festival? Well, we did a drawing to give away an enormous bag chocked full of our books to a local school or library. The winning ticket belonged to Jennifer Frederick , School Counselor at Cheatham Hill Elementary School in Marietta, Georgia.
Yesterday, the five steering committee members made the drive to deliver the prize. Here we are with the winner:

(Me (Elizabeth Dulemba), Connie Fleming, Jen Frederick, Susan Rosson Spain, Vicky Alvear Shecter, and Liz Conrad.)
We presented the book bag to Jen and the school's Media Specialist, Marlo Buro. They were thrilled to add over $300 worth of books to their school's collection, especially considering all the books were written or illustrated by local creators. As they examined the collection, they were excited by how many of the books would easily tie in with existing curriculum covering almost every subject and age range in the school.
Even better - one of the Kindergarten classes joined us during their storytime and posed for a picture with all their new treasures.

I'm not sure who was more pleased, Jen, our CBAIS group or the kids. It don't get no better than that - spreading the love of reading and books to smiling young faces.

Elizabeth O. Dulemba signing off.

Diane Z. Shore' Books

     Children's author and storyteller, Diane Z. Shore says her favorite thing about writing for children is meeting the kids. She writes picture books, early reader chapter books, poetry, short stories, games/puzzle pages, and non-fiction.
     “Humorous stories and poems are my favorite things to write," says Diane. "I try to make them
kid-friendly with lots of humor and a twist at the end."
     Her work has been published in a variety of magazines including Highlights for Children, Cricket, Spider, Ladybug, Humpty Dumpty, Jack & Jill, Turtle, Children's Playmate, Boys' Quest, and various teaching magazines.
     Diane lives in metro Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband and two children, Jennifer and Sam. She travels across the US with her lively “A-Rockin’ and A-Readin’!” school and library presentations inspiring thousands of kids to read! Visit her at www.dianezshore.com.

How to Drive Your Sister Crazy
Warning! DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME

Do you have a big sister?
Do you know how to drive her crazy?
It's easy, really easy.
Take it from me, Bradley Harris Pinkerton.
I’m good at it.
Just ask my sister, Abby.

Does your sister hog the bathroom? Does she spend hours
on the phone with her friends? Then this book is for you!
All you need is a rubber snake, some bubble gum, and a little bit of sneakiness.
Oh, and a really good hiding place!

This Is the Feast
This is Thanksgiving, a time to remember
the friendships and freedoms we all share together.

The Pilgrims’ harrowing journey to the New World, their first year as settlers, and their celebration of friendship with their neighbors the Indians all come to life through the lyrical text and warm rich art.
An engaging read-aloud from the author of This Is the Dream and the illustrator of The Little Old Woman Who Was Not Afraid of Anything, this meticulously researched Thanksgiving picture book will immediately find a place in classrooms, homes and hearts.

This Is the Dream

From Booklist
*Starred Review* The rhythmic verse tells the story of the civil rights struggle with simplicity and power, while the images bring the concepts home in a way that children will see and feel. An excellent resource for discussing the changes of the civil rights era as they benefit all Americans.

Look Both Ways

From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2-An appealing tale with an important message about safety. This story could be used both to entertain and to teach.

Bus-A-Saurus Bop

From School Library Journal
Wild, garish cartoons of the Bus-a-Saurus with its bulging eyes, reptilian tongue and cavernous gullet and the bug-eyed children with their odd shaped heads all add to the fun. It's bizarre, it's off -beat and it may not appeal to everyone, but any kid who has ever ridden a school bus will howl with delight and be-bop on his next bus ride. .